Multidimensional Simulations of Type Ia Supernovae

We present results from two- and three-dimensional simulations of Type Ia supernovae carried out from first principles using the adaptive-mesh code FLASH. Considering off-center prompt detonations in Chandrasekhar-mass carbon-oxygen white dwarfs, we observe temperature and abundance inhomogeneities with a cell-like structure behind the detonation front. We discuss these results in light of the commonly accepted view that prompt detonation models cannot reproduce the abundances of intermediate-mass elements observed in Type Ia supernovae, considering in general the observability of multidimensional structure in carbon detonations under conditions present in a white dwarf. This research has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under grant no. B341495 to the ASCI Flash Center at the University of Chicago.