TURBULENT OXYGEN FLAMES IN TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/730/2/144· OSTI ID:21574813

Aspden, A J; Bell, J B ^[1]; Woosley, S E ^[2]

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1. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS 50A-1148, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)
2. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States)

In previous studies, we examined turbulence-flame interactions in carbon-burning thermonuclear flames in Type Ia supernovae. In this study, we consider turbulence-flame interactions in the trailing oxygen flames. The two aims of the paper are to examine the response of the inductive oxygen flame to intense levels of turbulence, and to explore the possibility of transition to detonation in the oxygen flame. Scaling arguments analogous to the carbon flames are presented and then compared against three-dimensional simulations for a range of Damkoehler numbers (Da{sub 16}) at a fixed Karlovitz number. The simulations suggest that turbulence does not significantly affect the oxygen flame when Da{sub 16} < 1, and the flame burns inductively some distance behind the carbon flame. However, for Da{sub 16}>1, turbulence enhances heat transfer and drives the propagation of a flame that is narrower than the corresponding inductive flame would be. Furthermore, burning under these conditions appears to occur as part of a combined carbon-oxygen turbulent flame with complex compound structure. The simulations do not appear to support the possibility of a transition to detonation in the oxygen flame, but do not preclude it either.

• OSTI ID: 21574813
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 730; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
BINARY STARS
ELEMENTS
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
FLAMES
INTERACTIONS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
SIMULATION
STARS
SUPERNOVAE
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VARIABLE STARS