Is there other evidence that Type Ias in elliptical galaxies are different from those in spiral galaxies?
For several years it has been noted that the Type Ia supernovas in elliptical galaxies are fainter than those in other galaxies. A recent study has extended this work by showing that the age of the host galaxy of a Type Ia supernova is correlated with the brightness of the supernova, with supernovas in younger galaxies – containing younger, more massive progenitors – being brighter (Howell et al., 2008). The authors explain this is hard to understand if most Type Ia supernovas explode when the primaries reach the Chandrasekhar mass. One possible explanation for this mystery is that the merger scenario is an important type of trigger in all types of galaxies not just ellipticals. Since more massive white dwarfs should be found in younger galaxies, they may be able to produce brighter explosions when they merge. However, more theoretical and observational work is needed to confirm this idea.
Related Questions
- Can you arrange the following galaxies in order of decreasing size: spiral, giant elliptical, swarf elliptical, irregular?
- Is there other evidence that Type Ias in elliptical galaxies are different from those in spiral galaxies?
- Is life more likely to be present in spiral galaxies or in elliptical galaxies?
