What specific process on a white dwarf triggers the transient astronomical event known as a nova?
Answer
Accreting enough hydrogen from its companion star
A nova event is specifically linked to the dynamics of a binary star system where one component is a white dwarf. The triggering mechanism involves the white dwarf systematically drawing, or accreting, hydrogen-rich material from its companion star onto its surface. Once this accreted layer reaches a critical mass and density, it ignites violently in a thermonuclear explosion confined to the star's surface. This process causes the sudden, temporary surge in brightness characteristic of a nova, but crucially, it does not destroy the underlying white dwarf.
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