Tidal torques on accretion discs in close binary systems
Open Access
- 1 December 1977
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Vol. 181 (3) , 441-454
- https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/181.3.441
Abstract
We calculate the transfer of angular momentum between an accretion disc and orbital motion in a close binary system. If the dissipative process in the accretion disc can transport angular momentum (e.g. shear viscosity) the disc fills its Roche lobe and tidal torques always dominate the transport process in the outer parts of the Roche lobe. If not, the disc does not expand, all the transferred material is accreted and the inflow rate in the disc is controlled solely by tidal processes. We show that in an optically thick disc, the presence of a shear viscosity gives rise to a bulk viscosity of comparable magnitude.Keywords
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