Key Takeaways:
- 1. White dwarf collisions can create a single object with higher mass, restarting fusion and leading to an explosion.
- 2. Astronomers are exploring the possibility of white dwarf explosions through a double detonation process.
- 3. Double detonation can occur if the white dwarf has unfused helium on its surface, leading to rapid fusion and explosion.
Astronomers have observed white dwarf collisions leading to explosions but are uncertain if these events happen frequently enough to explain the frequency of type Ia supernovae. They are now looking into a double detonation process where the presence of helium can trigger fusion on a white dwarf's surface, leading to rapid explosions, potentially before the carbon and oxygen fusion threshold is reached.
Insight: The double-detonation process offers a new perspective on white dwarf explosions, occurring through the fusion of helium on the surface, providing a potential explanation for type Ia supernovae.
This article was curated by memoment.jp from the feed source: Ars Technica.
Read the original article here: https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/07/new-evidence-that-some-supernovae-may-be-a-double-detonation/
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