Theory of hydrogen shell flashes on accreting white dwarfs. II. The stable shell burning and the recurrence period of shell flashes

Journal Article · Tue Jun 15 04:00:00 UTC 1982 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/160030· OSTI ID:7064048

Fujimoto, M Y

By means of analytical solutions of the envelope, thermal properties of hydrogen shell burning on accreting white dwarfs are studied and a general picture for their progress is presented which is described by two parameters, the accretion rate and the mass of the white dwarf. On a white dwarf, the thermal behavior of gas in the burning shell depends on the configuration of the envelope, which gives birth to two distinct types of stable configurations in thermal equilibrium, a high and a low state. In the high state, the nuclear shell burning makes up for the energy loss from the surface. There exists the lower limit to the envelope mass for this state. The nuclear burning rate lies in a narrow range of about a factor of 2.5, irrespective of the mass of the white dwarf, while the range itself varies greatly with the latter. In the low state, the nuclear burning is extinct, and yet the compressional heating by accreted gas balances with the cooling through the diffusion of heat. Therefore, the structure depends on the accretion rate. Thermal instability of nuclear burning sets the upper limit to the envelope mass of this state.

• Research Organization: Department of Astronomy, University of Illinois
• OSTI ID: 7064048
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 257:2; ISSN ASJOA
• 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
ANALYTICAL SOLUTION
ATMOSPHERES
BINARY STARS
DWARF STARS
HYDROGEN BURNING
MASS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
STAR ACCRETION
STAR BURNING
STAR EVOLUTION
STAR MODELS
STARS
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
THERMODYNAMICS
WHITE DWARF STARS