Observational Manifestations of Matter Flow Features
in Symbiotic Stars

D. V. Bisikalo*, A. A. Boyarchuk*, O. A. Kuznetsov**, and V. M. Chechetkin**

* Institute of Astronomy, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Pyatnitskaya 48, Moscow, 109017 Russia

** Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miusskaya 4, Moscow, 125047 Russia

Received September 11, 1995

Abstract—The results of gas dynamical calculations of the flow of material in symbiotic stars in the framework
of a two-dimensional nonadiabatic model are presented. It is shown that symbiotic stars are characterized
by the presence of two outwardly-directed shock waves, one in front of the accreting star on the path of the
orbital motion and the other between the components of the system. Clear spiral motion of the accreting
matter and the presence of a stable accretion disk are also characteristic. The inclusion of radiative cooling
and heating of the gas in the gas dynamical model permitted us to determine the density, velocity, and tem-
perature fields of the gas flow in the system, and to calculate theoretical emission line profiles in the Sobolev
approximation. Analysis of the calculated H emission line profiles makes it possible to determine the con-
tribution of various flow regions to the line shape. The general character of the line profile properties, and
associated features in the matter flow pattern for symbiotic stars with mass loss rates of < ~10⁷ M yr^–1
(thecase of complete ionization of the gas), make it possible to use the results of our calculations to inter-
pret observations of real stars.

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