The Astrophysics Spectator: The Thermonuclear (Type Ia) Supernova:
White dwarfs (degenerate dwarfs) are the biggest thermonuclear bombs in the universe; we see their explosions as the type Ia supernovae. The amount of thermonuclear energy locked within a white dwarf is consistent with the energy released in a type Ia supernova. More important for the association between white dwarfs and supernovae, most type Ia supernovae consistently release about the same amount of energy, which would be expected if the exploding white dwarfs were all about the same mass. Specifically, if a white dwarf were pushed above the 1.4 solar mass Chandrasekhar limit, where it is gravitationally unstable, it would collapse and release its thermonuclear energy in a massive explosion. This is the original theory for type Iasupernovae, but other theories exist for triggering a thermonuclear explosion in a white dwarf.[1]
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