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Laboratory analogue of a supersonic accretion column in a binary star system

Author

Listed:
  • J. E. Cross

    (Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford)

  • G. Gregori

    (Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford)

  • J. M. Foster

    (Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford
    AWE, Aldermaston)

  • P. Graham

    (AWE, Aldermaston)

  • J. -M. Bonnet-Bidaud

    (Service d‘Astrophysique-Laboratoire AIM, CEA/DSM/Irfu)

  • C. Busschaert

    (CEA-DAM-DIF)

  • N. Charpentier

    (CEA-DAM-DIF)

  • C. N. Danson

    (Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford
    AWE, Aldermaston)

  • H. W. Doyle

    (Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford
    First Light Fusion Ltd, Unit 10 Oxford Industrial Park, Mead Road)

  • R. P. Drake

    (Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan)

  • J. Fyrth

    (AWE, Aldermaston)

  • E. T. Gumbrell

    (AWE, Aldermaston)

  • M. Koenig

    (LULI-CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, CEA: Université Paris-Saclay
    UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Universités-F-91128
    Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita)

  • C. Krauland

    (Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan)

  • C. C. Kuranz

    (Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan)

  • B. Loupias

    (CEA-DAM-DIF)

  • C. Michaut

    (LUTH, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité)

  • M. Mouchet

    (LUTH, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité)

  • S. Patankar

    (AWE, Aldermaston)

  • J. Skidmore

    (AWE, Aldermaston)

  • C. Spindloe

    (Target Fabrication Group, Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus)

  • E. R. Tubman

    (York Plasma Institute, University of York)

  • N. Woolsey

    (York Plasma Institute, University of York)

  • R. Yurchak

    (LULI-CNRS, Ecole Polytechnique, CEA: Université Paris-Saclay
    UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Universités-F-91128)

  • É. Falize

    (Service d‘Astrophysique-Laboratoire AIM, CEA/DSM/Irfu
    CEA-DAM-DIF)

Abstract

Astrophysical flows exhibit rich behaviour resulting from the interplay of different forms of energy—gravitational, thermal, magnetic and radiative. For magnetic cataclysmic variable stars, material from a late, main sequence star is pulled onto a highly magnetized (B>10 MG) white dwarf. The magnetic field is sufficiently large to direct the flow as an accretion column onto the poles of the white dwarf, a star subclass known as AM Herculis. A stationary radiative shock is expected to form 100–1,000 km above the surface of the white dwarf, far too small to be resolved with current telescopes. Here we report the results of a laboratory experiment showing the evolution of a reverse shock when both ionization and radiative losses are important. We find that the stand-off position of the shock agrees with radiation hydrodynamic simulations and is consistent, when scaled to AM Herculis star systems, with theoretical predictions.

Suggested Citation

  • J. E. Cross & G. Gregori & J. M. Foster & P. Graham & J. -M. Bonnet-Bidaud & C. Busschaert & N. Charpentier & C. N. Danson & H. W. Doyle & R. P. Drake & J. Fyrth & E. T. Gumbrell & M. Koenig & C. Krau, 2016. "Laboratory analogue of a supersonic accretion column in a binary star system," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-7, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms11899
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11899
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