What fundamentally distinguishes Type Ia supernovae from the core-collapse supernovae of high-mass stars?
Answer
Type Ia results from runaway thermonuclear fusion after accretion
Type Ia supernovae occur in binary systems where a white dwarf exceeds the Chandrasekhar limit due to accreting matter, triggering runaway thermonuclear fusion, unlike the gravitational core collapse seen in Type II, Ib, and Ic events.
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