The Roche model and binary stars
The Roche model and binary stars
Stefan Mochnacki
- Definition of stellar surfaces as equipotentials.
- The principles of the Roche model.
- The Lagrangian points.
- Computation of equipotential surfaces.
- Application to practical problems of modelling and fitting
to
observations.
- Extension to more general cases of non-synchronous rotation
and
eccentric orbits.
- Mass transfer, mass loss and angular momentum loss.
- Effect on the evolution of close binary stars.
- Observed examples of binary stars at different stages of
evolution.
There will be two assignments involving some programming and
computation, and a short oral exam after the course ends.
Back to Mini-course page.