PHYS 183 Chapter Notes - Chapter 18: Event Horizon, Rotating Black Hole, Superfluidity
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1. 4 msun this is known as the white dwarf limit/chandrasekhar limit. Many known white dwarfs in binary systems, so we can measure their masses. White dwarf not in a binary system will continue to cool. Differences between protostellar disks & accretion disks = size, orbital speed, temperature. Accretion can provide a dead white dwarf with a new energy source as long as its companion keeps feeding matter into accretion desk. White dwarf is now a nova for a few weeks. Accretion resumes after nova explosion subsides so entire process can repeat itself. Nova: a relatively minor detonation of h fusion on the surface of a white dwarf in a close binary system. White dwarf supernova: as white dwarf nova contains to become more massive approaching the white dwarf limit (1. 4 msun) temperatures rise enough for c fusion; ignites almost instantly creating c bomb detonation, exploding the white dwarf completely.
