Dynamical fate of wide binaries in the solar neighborhood

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/164883· OSTI ID:6446742

Weinberg, M D; Shapiro, S L; Wasserman, I

An analytical model is presented for the evolution of wide binaries in the Galaxy. The study is pertinent to the postulated solar companion, Nemesis, which may disturb the Oort cloud and cause catastrophic comet showers to strike the earth every 26 Myr. Distant gravitational encounters are modeled by Fokker-Planck coefficients for advection and diffusion of the orbital binding energy. It is shown that encounters with passing stars cause a diffusive evolution of the binding energy and semimajor axis. Encounters with subclumps in giant molecular clouds disrupt orbits to a degree dependent on the cumulative number of stellar encounters. The time scales of the vents and the limitations of scaling laws used are discussed. Results are provided from calculations of galactic distribution of wide binaries and the evolution of wide binary orbits. 38 references.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY
• OSTI ID: 6446742
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 312
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BINARY STARS
STAR EVOLUTION
MILKY WAY
COSMIC GASES
GRAVITATIONAL INTERACTIONS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
STAR MODELS
SUN
BASIC INTERACTIONS
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GASES
INTERACTIONS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
STARS
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies
640102 - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources