Stellar systems and gravity: What do we know?

Abstract

Summary It is always easier to find fault with the work of others than it is to do it better. What has been attempted here is to reach a deeper understanding of the fluid models, explore their self-consistency (inconsistency it turns out!), and further our knowledge of an important astronomical problem. In addition, the failures of successes of the other approaches, and their explicit or implicit dependence on the isothermal sphere, have been discussed. Of all the work done by all of the astronomers of the last 60 years on this problem, I am not aware of a single predicted, confirmed event. The chain of ideas discussed above came after globular cluster X-ray sources were discovered, not before. Of course part of the problem is that astronomical objects evolve on astronomical time and distance scales! Nonetheless, there have been and will be opportunities to test our theories rather than just explain the observations. In order to do this we must have whole, self-consistent, numerically accurate theoretical models. Despite the simplicity of Eq. (1) N different equations (1) all at once still represents a formidable problem. Once more look at Figs. 1 and 2. Note the simplicity of the structure, the evident symmetry. Now look at Eq. (1). it too is simple in structure and symmetry. Somewhere there lies an intimate connection between the mathematics and the photographs.