What tides and flares do to RS Canum Venaticorum binaries
We discuss the effects that anisotropic mass loss should have on the orbital and spin states of RS Canum Venaticorum binaries. In the absence of magnetic fields, orbital period changes reported for several RS Canum Venaticorum systems require dM/dtapprox.10/sup -6/ M/sub sun/ yr/sup -1/. Magnetic braking can lower this required rate if the surface magnetic fields are > or approx. =1000 gauss. However, this requires a method much more powerful than tidal torques to convert spin angular momentum loss to orbital angular momentum loss. This possibility is important when interpreting the complicated light curves of these systems, and may contradict the Hall's ''drifting star spot'' hypothesis. In addition, large mass-loss rates may result in significant self-absorption of quiescent soft X-rays observed from several of these binaries.
- Research Organization:
- Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and California Institute of Technology
- OSTI ID:
- 6250281
- Journal Information:
- Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 230:3; ISSN ASJOA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The RS Canum Venaticorum characteristics of the infrared light curves of Algol
Starspot cycles of RS Canum Venaticorum type stars
Related Subjects
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
BINARY STARS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MASS TRANSFER
ORBITS
RADIATIONS
SOFT X RADIATION
STARS
STELLAR FLARES
TORQUE
X RADIATION