Exploring an Alternative Channel of Evolution Towards SNa Ia Explosion

In this paper, we explore the possibility that isolated carbon–oxygen-WDs (white dwarfs) with mass smaller than the Chandrasekhar limit may undergo nuclear runaway and supernova (SNa) explosion, triggered by the energy produced by underbarrier pycnonuclear reactions between carbon and light elements. Such reactions would be due to left over impurities of the light elements, which would remain inac...