Electron Captures on ${}^{14}\mathrm{N}$ as a Trigger for Helium Shell Detonations

Evan B. Bauer, Josiah Schwab, Lars Bildsten

White dwarfs (WDs) that accrete helium at rates $\sim 10^{-8}{M}_{\odot }\mathrm{y}{\mathrm{r}}^{-1}$, such as those in close binaries with sdB stars, can accumulate large ($\gtrsim 0.1 \, M_\o…