On the interior structure of contact binaries and the light-curve paradox

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (18) References (19) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS On the Interior Structure of Contact Binaries and the Light-Curve Paradox Tassoul, Jean-Louis Abstract A simple, hydrodynamical model for energy transfer between the components of a contact binary is presented. The dominant feature of the model is the nonuniform heating of the base of the common envelope, which is due to the unequal emergent luminosities at the inner Roche lobes. Expansions in Roche coordinates are used to show how to obtain steady baroclinic solutions for both the large-scale flow and the temperature field. The baroclinic temperature field, which can be expanded in terms of Roche harmonics, is determined mainly by the 3D radiative transfer within the common envelope, the lateral flux being steadily maintained by the temperature differences on each Roche equipotential. The baroclinic model proposed provides a new way to resolve the light-curve paradox for the contact binaries while providing consistent interior structures. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: April 1992 DOI: 10.1086/171212 Bibcode: 1992ApJ...389..375T Keywords: Eclipsing Binary Stars; Hydrodynamic Equations; Light Curve; Radiative Heat Transfer; Stellar Interiors; Stellar Luminosity; Stellar Structure; Baroclinity; Coriolis Effect; Eddy Viscosity; Ekman Layer; Navier-Stokes Equation; Stellar Envelopes; Stellar Rotation; Astrophysics; HYDRODYNAMICS; STARS: BINARIES: CLOSE; STARS: INTERIORS; STARS: ROTATION full text sources ADS |