Engineering topics

Pringle, J. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Pringle, J. E..

11 records

NASA NTRS1991

The formation of primordial binaries in globular clusters by star-disk interactions

The formation of primordial binaries in globular clusters is examined using simple numerical models. Clusters of protostars collapse until their velocity dispersion rises sufficiently to reverse the infall and the cluster reaches equilibrium. During the collapse, interactions between stars and protostellar disks lead to stellar capture. It is found that binary fraction of a few percent typically result. Binary formation is terminated when the velocity dispersion rises to a point at which most encounters result in disk destruction rather than capture. As a result, much gas is returned to the cluster ISM, limiting the star formation efficiency to a value significantly below 100 percent.

Murray, Stephen D.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Changes in the orbital periods of close binary stars

A number of close binary stars show erratic changes in their orbital periods on time scales of order 5-10 yr. Recently it has been proposed that the period changes are the result of changes in the quadrupole moment of one star, caused in turn by an alteration of the internal structure of that star. Magnetic pressure, which either distorts the shape of the star or changes its tidally induced quadrupole moment, is suggested as the driving force behind the alteration. Here, the amount of energy required to distort one component of a binary and match the observed period changes is estimated. The rate at which energy is produced or lost is governed by the thermal time scale of the star, and the estimates indicate that the observed period changes would take at least 1000 yr for the tidal quadrupole mechanism, and of order 60 yr to match a period change in V471 Tau which took only 4 yr.

Marsh, T. R.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Pre-conditions for disc-generated FU Orionis outbursts

The condition in which a protostellar disk must be set up in order to generate FU Ori outbursts is examined. It is found that FU Ori behavior can be produced by perturbation of a low-accretion-rate disk around a normal T Tau star. Suitable perturbations involve a substantial surface-density enhancement and heating to about 10,000 K of the inner disk.

Clarke, C. J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The diffusion of contaminant through an accretion disc

The manner in which a trace contaminant diffuses through an accretion disk is calculated. For a steady disk in which the ratio of diffusivity to viscosity, zeta, is taken to be constant through the disk and for which the surface density distribution is taken to be a power law, analytic solutions to the time-dependent equations governing contaminant evolution are presented. The amount of contaminant which can diffuse its way outwards against the bulk inward accretion flow is calculated, and it is shown that this is a sensitive function of a and zeta.

Clarke, C. J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The link between tidal interaction and nuclear activity in galaxies

It is considered how nuclear activity in galaxies may be induced by the tidal perturbation of companion galaxies. It is suggested that if the central regions of the galaxies contain marginally self-gravitating disks of gas, trailing spiral density waves, triggered by nonaxisymmetric gravitational instability, lead to efficient angular momentum transport. If the net effect of the external perturbation is to increase the effect of self-gravity in the gas, then the result is to induce a considerable increase in the mass accretion rate into the central region on a relatively short time scale. With a simple prescription, the evolution of self-gravitating accretion disks is examined in this context. These results are discussed in the context of the frequent occurrence of nuclear activity in interacting galaxies.

Lin, D. N. C.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Polarization of thermal radiation from accretion disks in dwarf novae

Theoretical calculations of linear polarization of thermal radiation from accretion disks in nova-like variables and dwarf novae in eruption are presented. The primary source of polarization is due to electron scattering in the disk's photosphere. It is shown that the degree of polarization can be used as a powerful probe of the structure and evolution of the disk atmosphere. The degree of polarization is considerably higher in the ultraviolet than at optical wavelengths, and the degree of polarization may be higher in an eclipsing system when the central region of the disk is eclipsed. The orbital phase dependence distinguishes intrinsic polarization from the disk to that due to interstellar medium.

Cheng, F. H.↗

NASA NTRS1988

White dwarf heating and the ultraviolet flux in dwarf novae

The heating of the outer layers of the white dwarf which is likely to occur during a dwarf nova outburst is investigated. It is shown that the decline in IUE flux, observed during quiescent intervals in the dwarf novae VW Hydri and WX Hydri, may be due to the outer layers cooling off once the heat source is removed. The calculations here assume uniformity of the heat source over the white dwarf surface. This is unlikely to be realized from disk accretion, and discussion is made of what further calculations are required.

Pringle, J. E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Numerical calculations of mass transfer flow in semi-detached binary systems

The details of the mass transfer flow near the inner Lagrangian point in a semidetached binary system are numerically calculated. A polytropic equation of state with n = 3/2 is used. The dependence of the mass transfer rate on the degree to which the star overfills its Roche lobe is calculated, and good agreement with previous analytic estimates is found. The variation of mass transfer rate which occurs if the binary system has a small eccentricity is calculated and is used to cast doubt on the model for superhumps in dwarf novae proposed by Papaloizou and Pringle (1979).

Edwards, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The formation of the exponential disk in spiral galaxies

A mechanism for the formation of the exponential stellar disk distribution in spiral galaxies is proposed. It is assumed that the gas which falls in to form the disk behaves like an accretion disk which evolves on a viscous time scale t(v) and forms stars on a time scale t(star). It is demonstrated that if t(v) roughly equals t(star) the resulting stellar disk has an exponential distribution independent of the disk rotation law and of the assumed viscosity prescription. Why the viscous and star formation time scales might be related is briefly commented on.

Lin, D. N. C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Orbital eccentricity in classical novae

The effect on the orbital parameters of a classical nova of the ejection of mass during the nova explosion is considered. The most easily observable consequence is the generation of a small eccentricity in the orbit which leads to a luminosity modulation at a period just longer than the orbital period. Observation of such an effect would have implications not just for interpreting the dynamics of the explosion but also for measuring the secular effect of tidal interaction after the outburst.

Edwards, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A viscosity prescription for a self-gravitating accretion disc

A model for treating the transfer of angular momentum within a gaseous differentially rotating disc subject to gravitational instability is discussed in terms of an effective kinematic viscosity. It is assumed that even when matter in the disc is subject to self-gravitation, the instability does not necessarily lead directly to condensation of parts of the disc into self-gravitating bodies. Conditions under which the present model permits a similarity solution are discussed, and it is shown that the general solution tends to the similarity solution at large times.

Lin, D. N. C.↗