Engineering topics

Taam, R. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Taam, R. E..

11 records

NASA NTRS1990

Mass transport in a neutron star magnetosphere

The interaction between a thin Keplerian accretion disk and a magnetosphere surrounding a central object is investigated within the framework of an analytical description for the magnetic field configuration. The commonly held assumption that all accreting plasma flows from the magnetospheric boundary to the stellar surface is shown to be overly restrictive. If the magnetospheric boundary is defined as the distance where the rotation starts deviating significantly from the Kepler rate, it is found that there is an extensive region inside this boundary where gas, nearly corotating with the star, drifts inward across the field by an interchange instability. The linear analysis of this instability is presented. It is also found that gas tied to field lines can be in equilibrium at positions off the midplane, and that gas can plausibly flow from the midplane to these positions, in certain circumstances. The observational consequences of such a picture are briefly discussed.

Spruit, H. C.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The mass transfer rate in X1916-053 - It is driven by gravitational radiation?

A 50-minute period for a binary system harboring an X-ray burster would allow several alternatives for the mass-giving secondary, including an H-shell burning-plus-He degenerate core composite model. The burst properties of X1916-053 are presently used to argue against the He degenerate as well as the He main sequence solutions and to estimate whether, for any of the other solutions, the mass transfer rate could be consistent with that expected from gravitational radiation (GR). Within an uncertainty of a factor of 2, the transfer rate for the composite model solution is consistent with gravitational radiation, but enhancement by other mechanisms should be investigated.

Swank, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1984

The evolution of the inner regions of viscous accretion disks surrounding neutron stars

The structure and evolution of the inner regions of an accretion disk around a neutron star have been investigated with respect to variations in the mass flow rate. In order to examine the sensitivity of the general response of the disk to the form of viscous dissipation, several theoretical constraints on disk evolution are proposed on the basis of current accretion disk theory. It is shown through a series of calculations that under certain circumstances nonlocal radial energy transfer can stabilize regions of the disk which appear to be unstable by local analysis. When viscous stress was scaled with the total pressure of the disk, global analysis was found to be consistent with local analysis, and instability was manifested in luminosity fluctuations and in bursts of less than 10 s. Analysis of the bursts in their limit cycles showed that the disk remained optically thick and geometrically thin throughout its evolution. Substantial agreement was found between the theoretical results and the available observational data.

Taam, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1984

MXB 1916-053/4U 1915-05 - Burst properties and constraints on a 50 minute binary secondary

Results are presented from OSO-8 and HEAO-1 A2 observations of 34 bursts from the X-ray burster MXB 1916-053/4U 1915-05 recently discovered to show a 50 minute binary period. While 11 burst previously reported all had similar light curves, 22 observed two years later show a factor of 3 range of peak fluxes and decay times between 3 and 20 s. Recurrence times betweeen successive bursts vary between 3 and 6 hours. A ratio of steady flux to average burst flux of equiv 120 is developed. A burst observed with the HEAO-1 A2 experiment showed an initial temperature rise to a peak black body temperature of equiv 3 keV followed by the cooling typical of type I bursts. The burst was unusual in that the apparent projected size of a blackbody source increased by a factor of 3 during the cooling phase. Previously announced in STAR as N83-34872

Swank, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The MXB1916-053/4U1915-05: Burst properties and constraints on a 50 minute binary secondary

Results are presented from OSO-8 and HEAO-1 A2 observations of 34 bursts from the X-ray burster MXB1916-053/4U1915-05 recently discovered to show a 50 minute binary period. While 11 burst previously reported all had similar light curves, 22 observed two years later show a factor of 3 range of peak fluxes and decay times between 3 and 20 s. Recurrence times between successive bursts vary between 3 and 6 hours. A ratio of steady flux to average burst flux of equiv 120 is developed. A burst observed with the HEAO-1 A2 experiment showed an initial temperature rise to a peak black body temperature of equiv 3 keV followed by the cooling typical of type I bursts. The burst was unusual in that the apparent projected size of a blackbody source increased by a factor of 3 during the cooling phase.

Swank, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Helium runaways in white dwarfs

The long-term evolution of a carbon-accreting white dwarf (M = 0.5 solar mass) has been studied from the onset of accretion to the ignition of helium. The variations in the details of the helium-shell flash have been examined with respect to variations in mass accretion rate. For intermediate rates (10 to the -9th to 10 to the -8th solar mass/yr) the helium flash is potentially explosive, whereas for high rates (5 x 10 to the -8th solar mass/yr) the shell flash is relatively weak. The results are discussed in the context of the long-term evolution of novae.

Taam, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Models for Type I supernovae

Two somewhat disjoint scenarios for Type I supernovae are presented. One scenario is based on mass accretion by a white dwarf in a binary system, while the other involves a star of 8 to 10 solar masses which may or may not be a solitary star. In spite of the apparent dissimilarities of the two models, it may be that each occurs to some extent in nature, for they both share the possibility of producing substantial quantities of Ni-56 and explosions in stars devoid of hydrogen envelopes. It is concluded that these are two properties that must be shared by any viable Type I model.

Woosley, S. E.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Thermonuclear runaways on neutron stars

Thermonuclear runaways which develop when neutron stars of 0.476 solar masses accrete hydrogen-rich material at 10 to the -10th and 2 x 10 to the -9th solar masses/year have been followed using a numerical model. It is found that a thermal instability occurs at densities in excess of 10 to the 5th g/cu cm and that the maximum accumulated mass required to initiate the runaway is 0.7 x 10 to the -12th and 2.1 x 10 to the -12th solar masses for the mass accretion rates of 10 to the -10th and 2 x 10 to the -9th solar masses/year, respectively. Heating the of the neutron star envelope by hydrogen burning leads to the ignition of helium. The nonequilibrium burning of helium by a combination of (alpha, p), (p, gamma), and (alpha, gamma) reactions involving O-14, O-15, and other heavy nuclei provides the energy for an X-ray burst. The gross properties of these models bear suggestive resemblance to those observed for some X-ray burst sources.

Taam, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Helium runaways in white dwarfs

The long term evolution of an accreting carbon white dwarf was studied from the onset of accretion to the ignition of helium. The variations in the details of the helium shell flash examined with respect to variations in mass accretion rate. For intermediate rates the helium flash is potentially explosive whereas for high rates the shell flash is relatively weak. The results are discussed in the context of the long term evolution of novae.

Taam, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Double core evolution and X-ray binaries

The evolution of a 16-solar mass star and a 1-solar mass neutron star is followed through the common-envelope binary phase. It is found that the encounter of the neutron star with a yellow giant leads to coalescence of the two cores, while encounter with a red giant leads to hydrodynamic expansion and probable ejection of the common envelope. Within the context of the two rotation laws (1) uniform rotation (investigated in the present study), and (2) uniform specific angular momentum (considered in an earlier study), the results are independent of the choice for the angular-momentum distribution in the common envelope. Implications of the results for the binary pulsar phase are discussed.

Taam, R. E.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Nuclear fusion and carbon flashes on neutron stars

This paper reports on detailed calculations of the thermal evolution of the carbon-burning shells in the envelopes of accreting neutron stars for mass-accretion rates of 1 hundred-billionth to 2 billionths of a solar mass per yr and neutron-star masses of 0.56 and 1.41 solar masses. The work of Hansen and Van Horn (1975) is extended to higher densities, and a more detailed treatment of nuclear processing in the hydrogen- and helium-burning regions is included. Results of steady-state calculations are presented, and results of time-dependent computations are examined for accretion rates of 3 ten-billionths and 1 billionth of solar mass per yr. It is found that two evolutionary sequences lead to carbon flashes and that the carbon abundance at the base of the helium shell is a strong function of accretion rate. Upper limits are placed on the accretion rates at which carbon flashes will be important.

Taam, R. E.↗