On compressive radial tidal forces

TL;DR

This paper discusses how radial tidal forces can sometimes be compressive rather than disruptive, especially in extended stellar systems, offering new insights into gravitational physics and stellar evolution.

Contribution

It highlights the overlooked phenomenon of compressive radial tidal forces in stellar systems and explores their implications for astrophysics and galaxy formation.

Findings

Radial tidal forces can be compressive in certain stellar configurations.

Compressive tides may influence star formation and galaxy evolution.

Standard gravitational relations can explain these effects.

Abstract

Radial tidal forces can be compressive instead of disruptive, a possibility that is frequently overlooked in high level physics courses. For example, radial tidal compression can emerge in extended stellar systems containing a smaller stellar cluster. For particular conditions the tidal field produced by this extended mass distribution can exert on the cluster it contains compressive effects instead of the common disruptive forces. This interesting aspect of gravity can be derived from standard relations given in many textbooks and introductory courses in astronomy and can serve as an opportunity to look closer at some aspects of gravitational physics, stellar dynamics, and differential geometry. The existence of compressive tides at the center of huge stellar systems might suggest new evolutionary scenarios for the formation of stars and primordial galactic formation processes.