question archive Even though a white dwarf is stable, what do you think would happen if more mass were added to the star?
Even though a white dwarf is stable, what do you think would happen if more mass were added to the star?
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Even though a white dwarf is stable, what do you think would happen if more mass were added to the star?
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- The Chandrasekhar limit defines the maximum mass of a white dwarf star while remaining as such. It is approximately 1.44 solar masses.
- If it exceeds this mass, it will result in runaway nuclear fusion reactions in the core. This is combined with the further rise in temperature to the point of ignition.
- Reaching the ignition temperature will result in an explosion, a Type Ia supernova.
- Type Ia supernovae only occur in white dwarf stars that are part of binary star systems that orbit close to each other. Infalling mass from the white dwarf's companion star causes the white dwarf's mass increase that lead to the explosion.
