When certain types of stars die, they go out in an incredibly powerful explosion known as a supernova. One
Astrophysicists have developed a three-dimensional computersimulations that recreate supernovae. It consists of two stages: the first simulates the supernova explosion itself, and the second uses it as input to a model of the supernova remnant.
The team's latest simulations focus on twoaspects of supernovae: how an explosion ignites inside a white dwarf, and how combustion tears apart a star. Ignition can start in just a few places inside the white dwarf, or it can start at many points at the same time. Meanwhile, combustion can be deflagration - a turbulent fire that travels slower than the local speed of sound - or it can include deflagration followed by supersonic detonation.
Putting these options together in different ways, the researcherscreated four models of the supernova remnant. Each model has its own distinctive features. For example, a supernova with multiple ignition points and a deflagration explosion formed a remnant with a symmetrical shell offset from the center of the explosion. In contrast, simulations using multiple ignition and detonation points resulted in a residue in which half of the outer shell was twice as thick as the other half. The remains of the deflagration simulation also showed unexpected "seams" of a denser material.
These results show that the best timeto see the imprint of the supernova on its remnant, about 100-300 years after the explosion. This imprint has been visible longer in supernovae with fewer flashpoints, and all remnants in the simulations as a whole have become spherical within 500 years. These results will help astronomers interpret observations of supernova remnants.
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