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Mixing by Non-linear Gravity Wave Breaking on a White Dwarf Surface

A. C. Calder, A. Alexakis, L. J. Dursi, R. Rosner, J. W. Truran, B. Fryxell P. Ricker, M. Zingale, K. Olson, F. X. Timmes, P. MacNeice

astro-pharXiv:astro-ph/0207248

Abstract

We present the results of a simulation of a wind-driven non-linear gravity wave breaking on the surface of a white dwarf. The ``wind'' consists of H/He from an accreted envelope, and the simulation demonstrates that this breaking wave mechanism can produce a well-mixed layer of H/He with C/O from the white dwarf above the surface. Material from this mixed layer may then be transported throughout the accreted envelope by convection, which would enrich the C/O abundance of the envelope as is expected from observations of novae.

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