This article is cited in 38 papers

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS

The nature of accretion disks of close binary stars: overreflection instability and developed turbulence

A. M. Fridman^ab, D. V. Bisikalo<sup>b

a</sup> Russian Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Institute of Physics of Stochastic Structures
^b Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Abstract: The current status of the physics of accretion disks in close binary stars is reviewed, with an emphasis on the hydrodynamic overreflection instability, which is a factor leading to the accretion disk turbulence. The estimated turbulent viscosity coefficients are in good agreement with observations and explain the high angular momentum transfer rate and the measured accretion rate. Based on the observations, a power-law spectrum for the developed turbulence is obtained.

PACS: 47.27.-i, 97.10.Gz, 97.80.-d

Received: February 28, 2008

DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0178.200806b.0577

 English version: Physics–Uspekhi, 2008, 51:6, 551–576

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