Theoretical statistics of zero-age cataclysmic variables

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:7148754

Politano, M J

The distribution of the white dwarf masses, the distribution of the mass ratios and the distribution of the orbital periods in cataclysmic variables which are forming at the present time are calculated. These systems are referred to as zero-age cataclysmic variables. The results show that 60% of the systems being formed contain helium white dwarfs and 40% contain carbon-oxygen white dwarfs. The mean dwarf mass in those systems containing helium white dwarfs is 0.34. The mean white dwarf mass in those systems containing carbon-oxygen white dwarfs is 0.75. The orbital period distribution identifies four main classes of zero-age cataclysmic variables: (1) short-period systems containing helium white dwarfs, (2) systems containing carbon-oxygen white dwarfs whose secondaries are convectively stable against rapid mass transfer to the white dwarf, (3) systems containing carbon-oxygen white dwarfs whose secondaries are radiatively stable against rapid mass transfer to the white dwarf and (4) long period systems with evolved secondaries. The white dwarf mass distribution in zero-age cataclysmic variables has direct application to the calculation of the frequency of outburst in classical novae as a function of the mass of the white dwarf. The method developed in this thesis to calculate the distributions of the orbital parameters in zero-age cataclysmic variables can be used to calculate theoretical statistics of any class of binary systems. This method provides a theoretical framework from which to investigate the statistical properties and the evolution of the orbital parameters of binary systems.

• Research Organization: Illinois Univ., Urbana, IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7148754
• 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
BINARY STARS
CARBON
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CLASSIFICATION
DISTRIBUTION
DWARF STARS
ELEMENTS
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
FLUIDS
GASES
HELIUM
MASS
MASS DISTRIBUTION
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICS
NONMETALS
NOVAE
ORBITS
OXYGEN
RARE GASES
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS
STATISTICS
VARIABLE STARS
WHITE DWARF STARS