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Tidal Streams in Massive X-ray Binary Systems
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A tiny neutron star orbits incessantly around a massive star with a diameter a million times larger than its own. The high luminosity of the massive star drives a strong wind from its surface. The neutron star crashes through this wind at over 300 kilometers per second. The gravity and X-ray luminosity of the neutron star act to disrupt the wind, producing an extended wake of dense gas trailing behind the neutron star. In this simulation, the tidal distortion of the primary star and the resultant tidal stream is shown. The numerical simulations depicted here were computed using the Cray X-MP 48 at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
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A simulation of the tidal distortion of a neutron star orbiting a massive star
Duration: 3.0 seconds
Available formats:
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How to play our movies
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| Animation Number: | 1 |
| Completed: | 1990-07-10 |
| Animators: | John Blondin (NASA/GSFC) (Lead) |
| | Alan McConnell (NASA) |
| Scientists: | John Blondin (NASA/GSFC) |
| | Ian Stevens (NASA/GSFC) |
| | Tim Kallman (NASA/GSFC) |
| | Bruce Fryxell (University of Arizona) |
| | Ron Taam (Northwestern University) |
| Series: | Neutron Star Tidal Distortion |
| Video: | SVS1990-0001 * |
Keywords:
SVS
>> Neutron Star
DLESE
>> Space science
SVS
>> Stellar Wind
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| Science paper: | Blondin, J. M., Kallman, T. R. , Fryxell, B. A., Taam, R. E., Hydrodynamic Simulations of Stellar Wind Disruption by a Compact X-ray Source, ApJ, 356, 591-608, 1990 |
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Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Scientific Visualization Studio |
*Please note: the SVS does not fulfill requests for copies of the tapes in our library. On some of our animation pages, there is a direct link to a video distribution service from which tapes, handled by the Public Affairs Office (PAO)/Goddard TV, including some of our animations may be ordered. General information on this service can be found here. |
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