Wind mass transfer in S-type symbiotic binaries I. Focusing by the wind compression model

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that wind compression due to the rotation of giant stars in S-type symbiotic binaries significantly enhances mass transfer rates onto white dwarfs, explaining their high luminosities.

Contribution

It introduces the wind compression model as a mechanism for increased accretion efficiency in S-type symbiotic binaries, a novel explanation for observed high luminosities.

Findings

Wind compression can increase mass transfer rates by a factor of ~10.

White dwarfs can accrete at rates of 10^{-8} to 10^{-7} solar masses per year.

High accretion rates explain the luminosities of hot components in symbiotic binaries.

Abstract

Context: Luminosities of hot components in symbiotic binaries require accretion rates that are higher than those that can be achieved via a standard Bondi-Hoyle accretion. This implies that the wind mass transfer in symbiotic binaries has to be more efficient. Aims: We suggest that the accretion rate onto the white dwarfs (WDs) in S-type symbiotic binaries can be enhanced sufficiently by focusing the wind from their slowly rotating normal giants towards the binary orbital plane. Methods: We applied the wind compression model to the stellar wind of slowly rotating red giants in S-type symbiotic binaries. Results: Our analysis reveals that for typical terminal velocities of the giant wind, 20 to 50 km/s, and measured rotational velocities between 6 and 10 km/s, the densities of the compressed wind at a typical distance of the accretor from its donor correspond to the mass-loss rate, which can be a factor of $\sim$10 higher than for the spherically symmetric wind. This allows the WD to accrete at rates of $10^{-8} - 10^{-7}$ M(Sun)/year, and thus to power its luminosity. Conclusions: We show that the high wind-mass-transfer efficiency in S-type symbiotic stars can be caused by compression of the wind from their slowly rotating normal giants, whereas in D-type symbiotic stars, the high mass transfer ratio can be achieved via the gravitational focusing, which has recently been suggested for very slow winds in Mira-type binaries.