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Actinide Crystallization and Fission Reactions in Cooling White Dwarf Stars

C. J. Horowitz*

M. E. Caplan†

  • Center for Exploration of Energy and Matter and Department of Physics, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA

  • Illinois State University, Department of Physics, Normal, Illinois 61790, USA

  • *horowit@indiana.edu
  • †mecapl1@ilstu.edu
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 131101 – Published 29 March, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.131101

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.

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Fission Chain Reaction May Trigger Supernovae

Published 29 March, 2021

White dwarf explosions may be initiated by uranium in the stellar core detonating like a nuclear weapon.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 131101– Published 29 March, 2021
  • Received 21 October 2020
  • Revised 7 December 2020
  • Accepted 23 February 2021
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