The thermonuclear energy locked inside a white dwarf
\n\t\t\t\tis sufficient to blow the star apart.\u00a0 In particular, white
\n\t\t\t\tdwarfs composed of carbon and oxygen, which are more common and
\n\t\t\t\tcontain more thermonuclear energy than those composed of oxygen,
\n\t\t\t\tneon, and magnesium, can release up to 0.1% of the star's rest
\n\t\t\t\tmass energy as the carbon and oxygen are converted into
\n\t\t\t\tan unstable isotope of nickel.\u00a0 The energy released in the
\n\t\t\t\texplosion goes into expanding the debris from the white dwarf
\n\t\t\t\tto velocities approaching 10% of the speed of light.\u00a0 The power
\n\t\t\t\twe see radiated from a thermonuclear supernovae comes from the
\n\t\t\t\tdecay of radioactive nickel to iron.\u00a0 The light we see from
\n\t\t\t\ta thermonuclear supernovae is about 10% of the energy released
\n\t\t\t\tin the explosion, or 0.01% of the white dwarf's rest mass energy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The thermonuclear energy locked inside a white dwarf is sufficient to blow the star apart.\u00a0 In particular, white dwarfs composed of carbon and oxygen, which are more common and contain more thermonuclear energy than those composed of oxygen, neon, and … Continue reading