mathman said:Most likely it would accrete the material until it reached the point where it would go supernova. Similar phenomenum has been described, where a white dwarf has a red giant as a companion and swallows material from the giant.
A white dwarf is a small, dense star that is the remnant of a low or medium mass star after it has exhausted its nuclear fuel and shed its outer layers.
A white dwarf can accrete hydrogen gas from a companion star in a binary system, building up a layer of hydrogen on its surface.
Yes, under certain conditions, a white dwarf can revive fusion with hydrogen gas in a process known as a nova. The intense gravitational pressure and high temperatures on the surface of the white dwarf can trigger hydrogen fusion, causing a sudden increase in brightness.
Hydrogen gas is the primary fuel for nuclear fusion. During fusion, hydrogen atoms combine to form helium, releasing large amounts of energy in the process. This is the same process that powers stars, including the sun.
No, the fusion process in a white dwarf is not sustainable in the long term. As the hydrogen gas is burned and converted into helium, the pressure and temperature on the surface of the white dwarf decrease, eventually stopping the fusion process. This results in a decrease in brightness and the white dwarf returning to its normal state.