What causes a white dwarf to undergo a supernova detonation instead of a standard nova?
Answer
Exceeding its mass limit.
While a typical nova results from surface thermonuclear fusion on a white dwarf that survives the event, a supernova involving a white dwarf occurs under much more extreme conditions. The critical threshold that differentiates the two outcomes is the mass limit of the white dwarf. If the white dwarf accretes enough material from its companion that its total mass surpasses this established limit, the entire structure becomes unstable, leading to a runaway thermonuclear detonation that results in the complete annihilation of the star, which defines a Type Ia supernova event, contrasting sharply with the less energetic, recurring nova.
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