ON SYMBIOTIC STARS AND TYPE IA SUPERNOVAE

We examine the possibility that symbiotic stars-wide binaries containing a red giant and a white dwarf-produce a significant fraction of Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia). These binaries probably cannot account for SN Ia events if the white dwarf mass must evolve to the Chandrasekhar limit during the expected lifetime of the red giant primary star. However, symbiotic binaries are good candidates for helium detonation supernovae in low-mass white dwarfs. If helium detonations can produce the majority of SN Ia events, then symbiotic stars might account for a large fraction of Type Ia supernovae.