The applicability of the wind compression model

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the wind compression model's applicability to different stellar objects, highlighting its relevance for understanding mass outflows and mass transfer in binary systems with moderate to slow stellar rotation.

Contribution

It justifies the use of the wind compression model for moderately rotating white dwarfs and slowly rotating giants, expanding its applicability beyond rapidly rotating stars.

Findings

Applicable to white dwarfs and giants with moderate/slow rotation

Helps understand density and ionization structures in stellar outflows

Suggests a role in mass transfer in binary systems

Abstract

Compression of the stellar winds from rapidly rotating hot stars is described by the wind compression model. However, it was also shown that rapid rotation leads to rotational distortion of the stellar surface, resulting in the appearance of non-radial forces acting against the wind compression. In this note we justify the wind compression model for moderately rotating white dwarfs and slowly rotating giants. The former could be conducive to understanding density/ionization structure of the mass outflow from symbiotic stars and novae, while the latter can represent an effective mass-transfer mode in the wide interacting binaries.