Line locking and SS 433

Abstract

The general problem of acceleration by line locking in an optically thin medium is considered. Analytic solutions to the coupled equations of radiation transfer and matter motion are presented. Using these solutions, restrictions on the physical conditions of the accelerated matter are derived. By applying these conditions to SS 433, it is found that if the absorbing ion is light (hydrogen or helium), the matter must be highly clumped, and the acceleration has to begin at approximately 10 to the 12th cm. Line-locking acceleration with a hydrogen-like heavy ion such as iron demands higher than solar ion abundance.