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 Z5/3 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.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 131101 |
| Journal | Physical Review Letters |
| Volume | 126 |
| Issue number | 13 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2 Apr 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
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