Rapid mass transfer in binary systems

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:7060271

Hjellming, M S

The conditions for rapid mass transfer is investigated in binary stars. Previous theoretical calculations and observations of binary imply the existence of several different timescales for mass transfer: nuclear, thermal, or dynamical. Since the mass transfer rates differ by several orders of magnitude, it is important to know which timescales are relevant to different systems. Dynamical timescale mass transfer is thought to cause substantial decreases in the orbital period through mass and angular momentum losses. Thermal timescale mass transfer is thought to transform the appearance of the binary as mass exchange occurs in a short time. Binaries currently transferring mass are doing so on the longest, nuclear, timescale. The characteristics of binaries which divide the three timescales are estimated by calculating the response of potential mass donors in two idealized limits: an adiabatic response, where the entropy profile does not change with mass loss, and a thermal response. Where thermal relaxation is allowed but nuclear burning is not. A comparison of the changing surface radius, to the Roche lobe radius implies the critical mass ratios for dynamically and thermally unstable mass transfer. These calcualtions are performed here for donors between 0.25 and 20 solar masses which would fill their Roche lobes before helium burning.

• Research Organization: Illinois Univ., Urbana, IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7060271
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
BINARY STARS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
CRITICAL MASS
DATA
ELEMENTS
ENTROPY
FLUIDS
GASES
HELIUM
INFORMATION
LOSSES
MASS
MASS TRANSFER
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDATION
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RARE GASES
STARS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THEORETICAL DATA
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES