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Author:

Daniel Fenn

Advisor:

Tomasz Plewa

Title

Simulations of Binary White Dwarf Mergers

Abstract

It is widely held that SNe Ia arise from exploding white dwarf stars, though the conditions that lead to the explosion are not known. A popular explanation describes a system of two white dwarfs in a close orbit, in which the stars fall toward each other and eventually merge [1]. The precise details of this merger are not known, but ultimately an explosion may occur.