Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities as the source of inhomogeneous mixing in nova explosions

Jordi Casanova, Jordi José (), Enrique García-Berro, Steven N. Shore and Alan C. Calder
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Jordi Casanova: Departament de Física i Enginyeria Nuclear, EUETIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C./ Comte d’Urgell 187
Jordi José: Departament de Física i Enginyeria Nuclear, EUETIB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C./ Comte d’Urgell 187
Enrique García-Berro: Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya, Ed. Nexus-201, C./ Gran Capità 2-4
Steven N. Shore: Università di Pisa and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Pisa, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3
Alan C. Calder: Stony Brook University

Nature, 2011, vol. 478, issue 7370, 490-492

Abstract: The isotope mix from classic supernovae The chemical abundance pattern of the Universe is largely dependent on the products of the nucleosynthesis that occurs during stellar explosions. Classical novae are thought to be the main sources of 15N, 17O and 13C isotopes in our Galaxy, but the origin of the inhomogeneous distribution of these species, as observed in their ejecta, has puzzled theoreticians for more than 40 years. Now, a three-dimensional simulation of mixing at the core–envelope interface during nova outbursts confirms that hydrodynamic instabilities are the main mechanism for self-enrichment of the envelope with core material. The simulations naturally produce chemical inhomogeneities that are consistent with observations.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1038/nature10520

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