New Nature Paper: Old Ia Supernovae different?

[George Jones]

A http://www.arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0609616" claims that a super-Chandrasekhar Ia supernova has been found, and that "Super-Chandrasekhar mass SNe Ia should preferentially occur in a young stellar population."

This, obviously, could have implications for cosmology. These "new" supernovae can be identified spectroscopically, so such supernovae data can be checked for this new type.

My guess is that isn't going to be enough to make a cosmological constant/dark energy go away.

Edit: I meant to start this thread in the Astrophysics Forum, but I guees it's OK here.

 

[Chaos' lil bro Order]

Apparently new type Ia are two times brighter than previously thought so cosmological distances that are based on typeIa novae may need to be reevaluated.

 

[mathman]

This new SNIa is unsual and cannot be explained by the normal mechanism, i.e. white dwarf accreting from a companion red giant. One possible explanation for this case is two white dwarfs colliding.

 

[sdemjanenko]

another explanation that i read was that the white dwarf could have had considerable angular velocity.

 

[George Jones]

One possible explanation for this case is two white dwarfs colliding.

another explanation that i read was that the white dwarf could have had considerable angular velocity.

Yesterday I heard an http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/media/2006-2007/mp3/qq-2006-09-23b.mp3" with one of the authors, and he mentioned both effects.