carbon detonation

English

Noun

carbon detonation (countable and uncountable, plural carbon detonations)

1. (astronomy, nuclear physics) The explosive ignition of thermonuclear fusion within a carbon-oxygen white dwarf star that occurs when its mass exceeds approximately 1.4 times that of the Sun (due to accretion of material or merger with another star), producing a supernova which completely destroys the star.

Coordinate terms

• helium flash