AGB winds in interacting binary stars

Abstract

ABSTRACT We perform numerical simulations to investigate the stellar wind from interacting binary stars. Our aim is to find analytical formulae describing the outflow structure. In each binary system the more massive star is in the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) and its wind is driven by a combination of pulsations in the stellar surface layers and radiation pressure on dust, while the less massive star is in the main sequence. Time averages of density and outflow velocity of the stellar wind are calculated and plotted as profiles against distance from the centre of mass and colatitude angle. We find that mass is lost mainly through the outer Lagrangian point L2. The resultant outflow develops into a spiral at low distances from the binary. The outflowing spiral is quickly smoothed out by shocks and becomes an excretion disc at larger distances. This leads to the formation of an outflow structure with an equatorial density excess, which is greater in binaries with smaller orbital separation. The pole-to-equator density ratio reaches a maximum value of ∼105 at Roche lobe overflow state. We also find that the gas stream leaving L2 does not form a circumbinary ring for stellar mass ratios above 0.78, when radiation pressure on dust is taken into account. Analytical formulae are obtained by curve fitting the two-dimensional, azimuthally averaged density and outflow velocity profiles. The formulae can be used in future studies to set-up the initial outflow structure in hydrodynamic simulations of common-envelope evolution and formation of planetary nebulae.