Open AccessEccentric discs in binaries with intermediate mass ratios: superhumps in the VY Sculptoris stars
Author(s) -
Murray J. R.,
Warner B.,
Wickramasinghe D. T.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03488.x
Subject(s) - physics , radius , astrophysics , stars , angular momentum , mass ratio , accretion (finance) , resonance (particle physics) , flux (metallurgy) , excited state , mass flux , low mass , stellar mass , accretion disc , astronomy , eccentric , atomic physics , star formation , classical mechanics , mechanics , materials science , computer security , quantum mechanics , computer science , metallurgy
We investigate the role of the eccentric disc resonance in systems with mass ratios q ≳1/4, and demonstrate the effects that changes in the mass flux from the secondary star have upon the disc radius and structure. The addition of material with low specific angular momentum to the outer edge of a disc restricts that disc radially. Should the mass flux from the secondary be reduced, it is possible for the disc in a system with mass ratio as large as 1/3 to expand to the 3:1 eccentric inner Lindblad resonance and for superhumps to be excited.