Question

A nova is an explosion involving a white dwarf. Can a white dwarf become a nova more than once? Why or why not?

A) No. The white dwarf's magnetic field is eliminated in the explosion.
B) Yes. A white dwarf can become a nova more than once if its temperature is high enough for recurrent helium flashes in the core.
C) Yes, A white dwarf can become a nova more than once if it continues to receive matter from a companion star.
D) No. The white dwarf is destroyed in the explosion.

Answer 1

Yes, a white dwarf can become a nova more than once if it continues to receive matter from a companion star, as long as the Chandrasekhar limit is not exceeded, resulting in multiple nova explosions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Can a white dwarf become a nova more than once? The answer is yes, a white dwarf can experience multiple nova explosions under certain conditions. The key factor here is the continuous accretion of matter from a companion star into the white dwarf. When a white dwarf is in a binary star system, it can draw in material from its companion. Over time, as this material accumulates on the white dwarf's surface, it can ignite in a thermonuclear explosion, causing a nova. After the explosion, the white dwarf remains largely intact, and if more material continues to be transferred, the process can repeat, leading to subsequent novae. However, it is crucial that these episodes do not push the white dwarf's mass over the Chandrasekhar limit, which would lead to its destruction as a Type Ia supernova, leaving no remnant behind.