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Originally Posted by Hazel W
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No, it is not the norm for most supernovae. Here are a couple scenarios how multiple supernovae are possible from the same star:
- A white dwarf has a companion star nearby where matter is transferred from the companion to the white dwarf. When the white dwarf reaches ~1.44 solar masses (the Chandrasekhar limit) it explodes in a supernovae. Approximately two-thirds of the time the white dwarf is destroyed in the process. This is known as a Type Ia supernovae. However, about one third of the time the white dwarf is not destroyed, only the outer hydrogen layer is ignited, leaving the white dwarf behind. This is known as a Type Iax supernovae. It is therefore possible for Type Iax supernovae to occur with the same white dwarf multiple times.
- A binary system with two stars, with one star having more than 3 solar masses, but less than 10 solar masses. The first supernovae occurs when the star that has more than 3 solar masses dies and becomes a neutron star. The second, and subsequent, supernovae occurs in the same manner as the white dwarf above, by sucking material from its companion. Only instead of reaching the Chandrasekhar limit for a white dwarf, it has to reach the Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff limit (1.5 to 3 solar masses) for a neutron star.
While binary pairs appear to be the norm throughout the universe, these types of multiple supernovae from the same source are not the norm. But then again, a star that big enough to go supernovae is not the norm either. It requires a star that is at least 3 solar masses, and most stars are much smaller.
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