Gas–Dynamical Features of the Envelopes of Contact Binary Stars

Abstract

The results of three-dimensional numerical simulations of the gaseous envelope of a contact binary star with parameters similar to those of SV Cen are presented. The outflow of matter from the vicinity of the Lagrange point L₂ leads to the formation of a disk-like common envelope with a radius of order three times the component separation. The characteristics of this envelope and its structure and dynamics are discussed, as well as possible observational manifestations of such an envelope.