<p>It becomes part of the interstellar medium.</p>
<p>The carbon and oxygen is almost entirely fused into heavier elements and dispersed. This is the process by which much of the iron, nickel, manganese and some other elements (Si, S, Ar, Ca) come to be relatively abundant in stars formed in the last 10 billion years.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-02T22:32:02.050Z
2023-02-02T22:39:46.583Z
2023-02-02T22:39:46.583Z
ProfRob
<p>A white dwarf below 1.44 solar mass in a binary system may accrete mass from its companion. If its core reaches the temperature for carbon fusion during this process, the white dwarf may reignite in a runaway fusion. The runaway fusion could release sufficient energy to unbind the white dwarf in a type Ia supernova. An <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/33155/1041">earlier answer</a> mentioned that the star is completely destroyed in a type Ia supernova.</p>
<p>Since the degenerate matter in the core of the white dwarf is the result of the gravitational compression, what becomes of the degenerate matter once the white dwarf is unbound?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-02T22:25:15.717Z
It reverts to normal matter. (Very hot, expanding normal matter.)
Peter Erwin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-02T22:31:59.000Z
@PeterErwin I take it would be anything between hydrogen and iron?
Mys_721tx
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-02-03T00:25:02.237Z
@Mys_721tx Even greater than iron, and not so much hydrogen. See, for example, https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230108.html .
David Hammen
<supernova><white-dwarf><degenerate-matter>
After a Type Ia supernova explosion, what becomes of the degenerate matter?
Mys_721tx
# After a Type Ia supernova explosion, what becomes of the degenerate matter?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-02-02)

A white dwarf below 1.44 solar mass in a binary system may accrete mass from its companion. If its core reaches the temperature for carbon fusion during this process, the white dwarf may reignite in a runaway fusion. The runaway fusion could release sufficient energy to unbind the white dwarf in a type Ia supernova. An [earlier answer](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/33155/1041) mentioned that the star is completely destroyed in a type Ia supernova.

Since the degenerate matter in the core of the white dwarf is the result of the gravitational compression, what becomes of the degenerate matter once the white dwarf is unbound?

**Tags:** supernova, white-dwarf, degenerate-matter
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It reverts to normal matter. (Very hot, expanding normal matter.)  
> **username_0**: @PeterErwin I take it would be anything between hydrogen and iron?  
> **username_2**: @Mys_721tx Even greater than iron, and not so much hydrogen. See, for example, https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230108.html .  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2023-02-02. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

It becomes part of the interstellar medium.

The carbon and oxygen is almost entirely fused into heavier elements and dispersed. This is the process by which much of the iron, nickel, manganese and some other elements (Si, S, Ar, Ca) come to be relatively abundant in stars formed in the last 10 billion years.


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