On the cellular structure of carbon detonations

We present the results of a numerical study on two-dimensional carbon deton ations. For an upstream density of 10(7) g cm(-3) the length-to-width ratio of the detonation cells is about 1.6 and is not strongly dependent on the spatial resolution of the simulation. However, the curvature of the weak in cident shocks, strength of the triple points and transverse waves, and size s of the underreacted and overreacted regions all depend strongly on the sp atial resolution of the calculation. These resolution studies help define t he minimum resolution required by multidimensional Type Ia supernovae model s where the cellular structure of a detonation front is a kev feature of th e model.