Impacts of the New Carbon Fusion Cross Sections on Type Ia Supernovae

Abstract

Recent measurement of cross sections of the carbon fusion reaction unveiled existence of low-energy resonances, which enhances reaction rates. We apply the new resonant reaction rates to the double degenerate scenario of type Ia supernovae. It is shown that merging carbon-oxygen white dwarfs are more likely to be burnt into oxygen-neon-magnesium white dwarfs by the enhanced reaction rates and collapse into neutron stars.