Which of these is the likely progenitor of a type I supernova?

Question

a) A mass-transfer binary with the white dwarf having mass close to 1.4 solar masses
b) An evolved red giant which is just starting to make silicon in its core
c) A single helium-neon white dwarf
d) An mass-transfer binary with the black hole having mass close to 5 solar masses
e) A mass-transfer binary with the nutron star having mass close to 3.5 solar masses

Answer 1

a) a white dwarf near the Chandrashekar limit in a mass-transfer binary with a companion star

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova#Type_Ia

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