Physics of type Ia supernovae

The last decade has witnessed an explosive growth of high-quality data for thermonuclear explosions of a white dwarf star, the type la supernovae (SNe Ia). Advances in computational methods provide new insights into the physics of the phenomenon and a direct, quantitative link between observables and explosion physics. Both trends combined provided spectacular results, allowed to address, to identify specific problems and to narrow down the range of scenarios. Current topics include the relation between SNe la and their progenitors, the influence of the metallicities and accretion on the explosion, and details of the burning front. How can we understand the apparent homogeneity and probe for the diversity of SNe la? Here, we want give an overview of the current status of our understanding of supernovae physics in light of recent results. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.