Why is a type 1a supernova a standard candle?

[BoJangles]

<p style="margin-top:0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri" size="3">Why is a type 1a supernova a standard candle, or more to the point why is the explosion always the same. </font></p><p style="margin-top:0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri" size="3">Surely the setup of the white dwarf and the other Stella mass is not always in the same configuration. Can someone explain the mechanism of why the cannibalism / accretion from a binary companion always produces (in theory) them same luminosity?</font></p><p style="margin-top:0cm;margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri" size="3">What are the 2 competing forces, gravity and fusion or something?</font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#808080">-------------- </font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>Let me start out with the standard disclaimer ... I am an idiot, I know almost nothing, I haven’t taken calculus, I don’t work for NASA, and I am one-quarter Bulgarian sheep dog.  With that out of the way, I have several stupid questions... </em></font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>*** A few months blogging can save a few hours in research ***</em></font></p> </div>

 

[derekmcd]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Why is a type 1a supernova a standard candle, or more to the point why is the explosion always the same. Surely the setup of the white dwarf and the other Stella mass is not always in the same configuration. Can someone explain the mechanism of why the cannibalism / accretion from a binary companion always produces (in theory) them same luminosity?What are the 2 competing forces, gravity and fusion or something? <br /> Posted by Manwh0re</DIV></p><p>Wiki does a descent job of explaining what we know of them:</p><p>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_Ia_supernova</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#0000ff" class="Apple-style-span">"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</span></div> </div>

 

[BoJangles]

<p style="margin:0cm0cm10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri" size="3">Sorry I probably shot that one from the hip, and should have looked at google first.</font></p><p style="margin:0cm0cm10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri" size="3">The reason I ask is because I&rsquo;ve been watching Alex Filippenko lectures, and very interested the mechanics of these supernova, the reason why is because they seem to be leading evidence for an accelerating universe. And was hoping someone would feed it to me in laymen&rsquo;s terms (without ending in quantum mechanics). Anyway thanks for your link, ill do some more reserach</font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#808080">-------------- </font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>Let me start out with the standard disclaimer ... I am an idiot, I know almost nothing, I haven’t taken calculus, I don’t work for NASA, and I am one-quarter Bulgarian sheep dog.  With that out of the way, I have several stupid questions... </em></font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>*** A few months blogging can save a few hours in research ***</em></font></p> </div>

 

[derekmcd]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Sorry I probably shot that one from the hip, and should have looked at google first.The reason I ask is because I&rsquo;ve been watching Alex Filippenko lectures, and very interested the mechanics of these supernova, the reason why is because they seem to be leading evidence for an accelerating universe. And was hoping someone would feed it to me in laymen&rsquo;s terms (without ending in quantum mechanics). Anyway thanks for your link, ill do some more reserach <br /> Posted by Manwh0re</DIV></p><p>In layman's terms?</p><p>They're all nearly identical in mass when they blow up. <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-wink.gif" border="0" alt="Wink" title="Wink" /></p><p>[edit:&nbsp; fixed "there"] <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-embarassed.gif" border="0" alt="Embarassed" title="Embarassed" /> </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#0000ff" class="Apple-style-span">"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</span></div> </div>

 

[BoJangles]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>In layman's terms?There all nearly identical in mass when they blow up. <br />Posted by derekmcd</DIV><br /><br /><font size="2">Hah <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-tongue-out.gif" border="0" alt="Tongue out" title="Tongue out" /></font> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#808080">-------------- </font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>Let me start out with the standard disclaimer ... I am an idiot, I know almost nothing, I haven’t taken calculus, I don’t work for NASA, and I am one-quarter Bulgarian sheep dog.  With that out of the way, I have several stupid questions... </em></font></p><p align="center"><font size="1" color="#808080"><em>*** A few months blogging can save a few hours in research ***</em></font></p> </div>