Astrophysical applications of the MAESTRO code

Convective velocities in a white dwarf leading up to a Type la supernova or in the accreted layers on a neutron star preceding an X-ray burst are very subsonic. Under these conditions, sound waves can be neglected, but capturing compressibility effects due to nuclear reactions and background stratification is critical to accurately model the flow. We have developed a new algorithm, MAESTRO, based on a low Mach number formulation that exploits the separation of scales between the fluid velocity and the speed of sound. Here, we provide a brief overview of MAESTRO and present the initial astrophysical applications of the algorithm.