Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
In a close binary system with a primary star in the mass range 8-12 M⊙, the primary star leaves a white dwarf composed of 16O, 20Ne, and 24Mg as a result of mass exchange. When the companion star, fills its Roche lobe, overflowing matter accretes onto the white dwarf. We have computed the evolution of such an accreting O-Ne-Mg white dwarf and found that electron captures on 24Mg and 20Ne trigger the collapse when the mass reaches 1.38 M⊙. As a result of the collapse, oxygen begins to deflagrate but the effects of electron captures dominate over the oxygen deflagration. The white dwarf collapses to form a neutron star.