We explore the morphology of Type Ia supernova remnants (SNRs) using three-dimensional hydrodynamics modeling and an exponential density profile. Our model distinguishes ejecta from the interstellar medium (ISM), and tracks the ionization age of shoc
ked ejecta, both of which allow for additional analysis of the simulated remnants. We also include the adiabatic index as a free parameter, which affects the compressibility of the fluid and emulates the efficiency of cosmic ray acceleration by shock fronts. In addition to generating 3-D images of the simulations, we compute line-of-sight projections through the remnants for comparison against observations of Tychos SNR and SN 1006. We find that several features observed in these two remnants, such as the separation between the fluid discontinuities and the presence of ejecta knots ahead of the forward shock, can be generated by smooth ejecta without any initial clumpiness. Our results are consistent with SN 1006 being dynamically younger than Tychos SNR, and more efficiently accelerating cosmic rays at its forward shock. We conclude that clumpiness is not a necessary condition to reproduce many observed features of Type Ia supernova remnants, particularly the radial profiles and the fleecy emission from ejecta at the central region of both remnants.
Progenitors of Type Ia supernovae (SNe) have been predicted to modify their ambient circumstellar (CSM) and interstellar environments through the action of their powerful winds. While there is X-ray and optical evidence for circumstellar interaction
in several remnants of Type Ia SNe, widespread evidence for such interaction in Type Ia SNe themselves has been lacking. We consider prospects for detection of CSM shells that have been predicted to be common around Type Ia SNe. Such shells are most easily detected in Na I absorption lines. Variable (declining) absorption is expected to occur soon after the explosion, primarily during the SN rise time, for shells located within 1 - 10 pc of a SN. The distance of the shell from the SN can be determined by measuring the time scale for line variability.
