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3-D SPH Simulations of Colliding Winds in η Carinae

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2007

Atsuo T. Okazaki ,
Stanley P. Owocki ,
Christopher M. P. Russell  and
Michael F. Corcoran
Atsuo T. Okazaki
Affiliation:
Faculty of Engineering, Hokkai-Gakuen University, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8605, Japan email: okazaki@elsa.hokkai-s-u.ac.jp
Stanley P. Owocki
Affiliation:
Bartol Research Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, 19716 DE, USA email: owocki@bartol.udel.edu
Christopher M. P. Russell
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, 19716 DE, USA email: crussell@udel.edu
Michael F. Corcoran
Affiliation:
Universities Space Research Association, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA email: corcoran@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov
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Abstract

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We study colliding winds in the superluminous binary η Carinae by performing three-dimensional, Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations. For simplicity, we assume both winds to be isothermal. We also assume that wind particles coast without any net external forces. We find that the lower density, faster wind from the secondary carves out a spiral cavity in the higher density, slower wind from the primary. Because of the phase-dependent orbital motion, the cavity is very thin on the periastron side, whereas it occupies a large volume on the apastron side. The model X-ray light curve using the simulated density structure fits very well with the observed light curve for a viewing angle of i = 54° and φ = 36°, where i is the inclination angle and φ is the azimuth from apastron.

Keywords

stars: individual (η Car) – stars: windsoutflows – hydrodynamics – methods: numerical – binaries: general
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 3 , Symposium S250: Massive Stars as Cosmic Engines , December 2007 , pp. 133 - 138
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2008

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