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Synthetic observables from a turbulently-driven deflagration-to-detonation model in Type la Supernovae: a thesis in Physics
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Synthetic observables from a turbulently-driven deflagration-to-detonation model in Type la Supernovae: a thesis in Physics

Krut Jayantibhai Patel
Master of Science (MS), University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62791/20468

Abstract

Due to their high luminosity, Type Ia supernovae serve as standardizable probes in cosmology, yet their explosion mechanism remains unresolved. In this thesis, I present the first fully self-consistent implementation of a turbulence-driven deflagration-to-detonation transition (tDDT) model in three-dimensional, full-star simulations of near-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs using the FLASH code. The tDDT module monitors turbulence–flame interactions to trigger detonations, providing a physically motivated alternative to ad-hoc density criteria. Simulations of standard- and high-density progenitors are post-processed with Torch for nucleosynthetic yields and SuperNu for radiative transfer. Both models synthesize ∼ 0.7 M⊙ of 56Ni, while the high-density model produces enhanced neutron-rich isotopes (58Fe,54Cr,50Ti) due to stronger electron capture. Synthetic spectra classify as overluminous 91T-like events, with the high-density case in closest agreement with observations. These results identify progenitor central density as a key parameter in near-Chandrasekhar explosions and establish turbulence-based DDT criteria as a physically grounded framework linking progenitor properties to nucleosynthetic yields and observable spectra of SNe Ia.
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Patel K.J. COE MS Thesis 20252.19 MBDownloadView
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