Stellar Explosions

These flashcards cover key vocabulary concepts related to stellar explosions, including types of novae and supernovae, the characteristics of white dwarfs, and the processes involved in stellar evolution.

Novae

'New' object that appears bright and was not seen before.

White dwarf

A small and dense star that is the remnant of a star that has exhausted its nuclear fuel.

Accretion disk

A disk formed by diffused material in orbital motion around a central body, often seen in binaries with a white dwarf.

Type I Supernova

A supernova resulting from a white dwarf star that exceeds the 1.4 M☉ limit, often due to mass transfer from a companion star.

Type II Supernova

The explosion that occurs as a result of the collapse of a massive star (greater than 8 solar masses) after it exhausts its nuclear fuel.

Roche lobe

The region around a star in a binary system within which orbiting material may be captured by the star.

Mass transfer

The process by which a star in a binary system loses material to its companion star.

Gravity vs. Pressure

The balance between gravitational collapse and outward pressure of a star; determines its fate at the end of its lifecycle.

Hydrogen ignites

The process that occurs when hydrogen on the surface of a white dwarf reaches temperatures of 10^7 K and fusion begins.

Nova shell

The outer layer expelled by a nova after an increase in brightness.