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Actinide crystallization and fission reactions in cooling white dwarf stars

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arxiv 2103.02122 v1 pith:76NAVN5O submitted 2021-03-03 astro-ph.SR astro-ph.HEnucl-th

C. J. Horowitz , M. E. Caplan This is my paper · ORCID
classification astro-ph.SRastro-ph.HEnucl-th
keywords actinidescoolingdwarfenrichedfissionreactionsolidswhite
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abstract

The first solids that form as a cooling white dwarf (WD) starts to crystallize are expected to be greatly enriched in actinides. This is because the melting points of WD matter scale as $Z^{5/3}$ and actinides have the largest charge $Z$. We estimate that the solids may be so enriched in actinides that they could support a fission chain reaction. This reaction could ignite carbon burning and lead to the explosion of an isolated WD in a thermonuclear supernova (SN Ia). Our mechanism could potentially explain SN Ia with sub-Chandrasekhar ejecta masses and short delay times.

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  1. Type Ia supernovae

    astro-ph.HE 2024-11 unverdicted

    A review of Type Ia supernovae covering their physics, observational diversity, progenitor scenarios, and open questions, with no new research results.

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