Primordial black holes may trigger Type Ia supernovae without companion stars

A new article published in The Astrophysical Journal explores a new theory of how Type Ia supernovae, the powerful stellar explosions that astronomers use to measure distances across the universe, might be triggered. Traditionally, these supernovae occur when a white dwarf star explodes after interacting with a companion star. But this explanation has limitations, leaving open questions about how these events line up with the consistent patterns astronomers actually observe.

Authored by SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Shing-Chi Leung, together with student Seth Walther (Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics major, Physics minor), the article is titled "Primordial Black Hole Triggered Type Ia Supernovae. I. Impact on Explosion Dynamics and Light Curves."

Dr. Leung and his team investigated a new idea: that tiny primordial black holes (PBHs), formed in the early universe, could trigger these explosions on their own, without the need for a companion star. Despite being only a few nanometers wide, PBHs can weigh as much as an asteroid. If one passes through a white dwarf, its intense gravity can generate enough heating to ignite a runaway nuclear reaction, resulting in a supernova.

Using advanced computer simulations, the team showed that this PBH-driven model could successfully reproduce the "Phillips relation"—the consistent brightness pattern that makes Type Ia supernovae such reliable "standard candles" for measuring cosmic distances. This suggests that PBHs could provide a unified explanation for these explosions and might even help explain the nature of dark matter, which makes up nearly 90% of the universe's mass but remains invisible.

"There are a lot of exciting implications from these results," said Dr. Leung. "This model shows how Type Ia supernovae can occur across a wide range of white dwarf masses, it matches the patterns astronomers observe, and it could even offer indirect evidence that primordial black holes are part of the dark matter in our universe."

This project also highlights the hands-on research opportunities SUNY Poly students receive. Walther began working with Dr. Leung in summer 2024 through the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) and continued his research as an independent study. He also presented the team's findings at the American Physical Society's International Physics Conference this year in Anaheim, California.

"Physics is something I've always found fascinating, and this project really opened my eyes to the scale of astrophysics," said Walther. "Being part of this research has been an unforgettable first experience, and it's given me the confidence to keep exploring new projects. I'm proud of what we've accomplished together and excited to see where it leads."

Looking ahead, the team plans to study how PBH-triggered supernovae could influence the chemical makeup of galaxies, including how elements like iron, manganese, and nickel are formed in stars.