Abstract
Circularization of late-type main-sequence binaries is usually attributed to turbulent convection, while that of early-type binaries is explained by resonant excitation of gr-modes. We show that the latter mechanism also operates in solar-type stars and is at least as effective as convection despite inefficient damping of g-modes in the radiative core. The maximum period at which this mechanism can circularize a binary composed of solar-type stars in 1010 yr is as low as 3 days, if the modes are damped by radiative diffusion only and g-mode resonances are fixed, or as high as 6 days if one allows for evolution of the resonances and for nonlinear damping near inner turning points. Even the larger theoretical period falls short of the observed transition period by a factor of 2.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 938-944 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
Volume | 507 |
Issue number | 2 PART I |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1998 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science
Keywords
- Binaries: close
- Binaries: spectroscopic
- Stars: interiors
- Stars: oscillations