Motivated by recent models involving off-centre ignition of type Ia supernova explosions, we undertake three-dimensional time-dependent radiation transport simulations to investigate the range of bolometric light curve properties that could be observed from supernovae in which there is a lop-sided distribution of the products from nuclear burning. We consider both a grid of artificial toy models which illustrate the conceivable range of effects and a recent three-dimensional hydrodynamical explosion model. We find that observationally significant viewing angle effects are likely to arise in such supernovae and that these may have important ramifications for the interpretation of the observed diversity of type Ia supernova and the systematic uncertainties which relate to their use as standard candles in contemporary cosmology.
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