Physics

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), the thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf, were once considered standard candles. However, increased observations reveal inhomogeneities in chemical composition and luminosity behavior, roughly dividing SNe Ia into three lu-minosity classes; super-luminous, sub-luminous, and normally-luminous. After introducing the problem in the context of previous observations and modeling, this thesis explores the physical processes occurring in a SN Ia after explosion, and discusses observations of SN light curves. A simple model of the expanding ejecta calculates the energy deposition from the decay of radioactive 56Ni as well as photon diffusion. It produces light curves that match early bolometric observations of normal SNe Ia. Variable chemical composition of the ejecta allows for testing a number of explosion scenarios. It becomes apparent that the shape of the light curve is sensitive to the amount and location of synthesized 56Ni. Monitoring gamma ray transport through Compton scattering indicates that gamma rays escape at late times. At this epoch an assumption of instantaneous deposition of energy is inaccurate. It i