arXiv:1109.2124·v1·High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
A Spallation Model for the Titanium-rich Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A
Rachid Ouyed (1) · Denis Leahy (1) · Amir Ouyed (1) · Prashanth Jaikumar (2) ((1) Physics&Astronomy, University of Calgary, AB, Canada, (2) Physics&Astronomy, California State University Long Beach, CA, USA)
Abstract
Titanium-rich subluminous supernovae are rare and challenge current SN nucleosynthesis models. We present a model in which ejecta from a standard Supernova is impacted by a second explosion of the neutron star (a Quark-nova), resulting in spallation reactions that lead to 56Ni destruction and 44Ti creation under the right conditions. Basic calculations of the spallation products shows that a delay between the two explosions of ~ 5 days reproduces the observed abundance of 44Ti in Cas A and explains its low luminosity as a result of the destruction of 56Ni. Our results could have important implications for lightcurves of subluminous as well as superluminous supernovae.
Comments: Accepted/to be published in Physical Review Letters. [ for more info on the Quark Nova, see: http://quarknova.ucalgary.ca/ ]