Some aspects of illuminated model atmosphere theory as applied to close binary systems

Abstract

Only recently has the use of irradiated stellar atmosphere models become practical in the study of close binary systems. Aspects of this problem, such as geometrical illumination from a finite solid angle, the transport of polarized radiation, and multiple-iterative heating between the stars, must be included for a realistic treatment. These concepts are developed and applied to grids of plane-parallel stellar atmospheres computed on modified Roche equipotentials. The reflection effect between the stars, actually a radiative heating of the outer layers of the atmosphere, is iterated to consistency, and the incident moments of the radiation field are integrated numerically