  We simulate head-on collisions from rest at large separation of binary white
dwarf -- neutron stars (WDNSs) in full general relativity. Our study serves as
a prelude to our analysis of the circular binary WDNS problem. We focus on
compact binaries whose total mass exceeds the maximum mass that a cold
degenerate star can support, and our goal is to determine the fate of such
systems. A fully general relativistic hydrodynamic computation of a realistic
WDNS head-on collision is prohibitive due to the large range of dynamical time
scales and length scales involved. For this reason, we construct an equation of
state (EOS) which captures the main physical features of NSs while, at the same
time, scales down the size of WDs. We call these scaled-down WD models
"pseudo-WDs (pWDs)". Using pWDs, we can study these systems via a sequence of
simulations where the size of the pWD gradually increases toward the realistic
case. We perform two sets of simulations; One set studies the effects of the NS
mass on the final outcome, when the pWD is kept fixed. The other set studies
the effect of the pWD compaction on the final outcome, when the pWD mass and
the NS are kept fixed. All simulations show that 14%-18% of the initial total
rest mass escapes to infinity. All remnant masses still exceed the maximum rest
mass that our cold EOS can support (1.92 solar masses), but no case leads to
prompt collapse to a black hole. This outcome arises because the final
configurations are hot. All cases settle into spherical, quasiequilibrium
configurations consisting of a cold NS core surrounded by a hot mantle,
resembling Thorne-Zytkow objects. Extrapolating our results to realistic WD
compactions, we predict that the likely outcome of a head-on collision of a
realistic, massive WDNS system will be the formation of a quasiequilibrium
Thorne-Zytkow-like object.

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena;Solar and Stellar Astrophysics;General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology