Three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of stellar collisions. II - White dwarfs

Three-dimensional numerical simulations are presented for collisions between white dwarfs, using a smooth-particle hydrodynamics code with 5000 particles. The code allows for radiation and degenerate pressure and uses a reduced nuclear network which models the large release of nuclear energy. Two different collision models are considered over a range of impact parameters: between two 0.6 solar-mass C-O white dwarfs and between 0.9 solar-mass and 0.7 solar-mass C-O white dwarfs. In nearly head-on collisions, a very substantial fraction of the mass is lost as a result of a large release of nuclear energy. In grazing collisions, the fraction of mass lost is close to that produced in collisions between main-sequence stars. The quantity of processed elements ejected into the ISM by these collisions does not significantly affect the chemical evolution of the Galaxy.