What Causes Symbiotic Novae to Re-Explode?

  • Thread starter En_lizard
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In summary, white dwarfs can go nova by accreting hydrogen from a neighboring star, causing a thermonuclear explosion on the surface. This process can release energy equal to what the sun emits over 10,000 years, and only a small fraction of the white dwarf's mass is ejected. The star can then return to its prenova state and the process can be repeated every few thousand years. There are resources available, such as an article on Nova on Wikipedia and a video from the Max Planck Institute, for more information on symbiotic novae.
  • #1
En_lizard
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what mechanism make them to re-explode? what are symbiotic novae ?
 
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  • #2
White Dwarfs can go nova by accreting hydrogen from a neighbouring star; the gas is compressed by the extreme gravity of the white dwarf causing a thermonuclear runaway explosion on the surface (temperatures up to 20 million k). During a nova explosion, the energy released can equal what the sun emits over 10,000 years. The mass ejected only makes up about 1/10,000th of the white dwarfs mass, which means the star stays intact and can return to its prenova state. The process can be repeated every few thousand years.
 
  • #3
except wiki where i can find a nice article on nova?
 
  • #4
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/star/nova/1997/29/text/

The 'cosmic cinema' by the Max Planck Institute also has a short, low res video regarding Nova-
http://www.mpa-garching.mpg.de/museum/museum/index_e.html [Broken]
 
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  • #5
thanks steve!
 

1. What is a symbiotic nova?

A symbiotic nova is a type of stellar explosion that occurs in a binary star system, where one star is a white dwarf and the other is either a red giant or a main sequence star. The white dwarf accretes material from its companion, causing a thermonuclear explosion that releases a large amount of energy.

2. How are symbiotic novae different from other types of novae?

Symbiotic novae are unique because they occur in a binary star system, whereas other types of novae occur in single stars. Additionally, symbiotic novae have longer outbursts and lower peak luminosities compared to other types of novae.

3. What causes a symbiotic nova to occur?

A symbiotic nova is triggered by the accretion of material from the companion star onto the white dwarf. As the accreted material builds up on the surface of the white dwarf, it eventually reaches a critical mass and ignites in a thermonuclear explosion.

4. How do symbiotic novae impact their surrounding environment?

Symbiotic novae can have a significant impact on their surrounding environment. The explosion releases a large amount of energy and can create shock waves that can heat up and ionize the surrounding gas. This can lead to the formation of new stars and planets in the vicinity.

5. Can symbiotic novae be used to study the evolution of stars?

Yes, symbiotic novae can provide valuable insights into the evolution of stars in binary systems. By studying the outbursts and characteristics of symbiotic novae, scientists can better understand the processes of accretion, mass transfer, and stellar explosions in binary systems.

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