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Mass Transfer in Multiple Stars Systems

Abstract

Binary star systems are of particular interest to astronomers because they can be used as astrophysical laboratories to study the properties and processes of stars. 70% to 90% of the stars in our galaxy are part of a binary star system and we believe this is true for other galaxies like our milky way. Among the many types of binary systems observed, the dynamics of semi-detached and contact systems are the most interesting because they exhibit mass transfer, which changes the composition and life cycle of both stars. The time scales of the mass transfer process are extremely large which makes the process impossible to capture through physical observation. Computer simulations have proved invaluable in refining our understanding of the mass transfer processes. Here we introduce an intuitive, computationally efficient, gravity centered model that simulates the filling of the Roche lobe of an expanding star and its transfer of mass through the first Lagrangian point. This model is simple, and is designed to run on inexpensive graphics processing units. This makes it ideal for astronomers wanting to gain intuition into mass transfer events without the time, computational power, or background to run existing hydrodynamic based models. This project was largely carried out with the assistance and efforts of undergraduate students working in the particle modeling group at Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas.

Baylor Fain

Taylor Hutyra

Edward Smith

Mason McCallum

Clayton Tobin

Bradley Deauman

Gavin McIntosh

Avery Campbell

Students

Collaborators

Dr. Shaukat Godarya

Publications

Shaukat Goderya, Edward L. Smith , Baylor G. Fain , Taylor J. Hutyra , Mason McCallum , Bryant Wyatt (under review), “N-body simulation of binary star mass transfer using NVDIA GPU’s”, Robotic Telescopes, Student Research and Education (RTSRE) Proceeding, Melbourne, Australia.

Posters

Binary Star GTC 2016.png

Presentations

Math Day 2021

Tarleton State University – Stephenville, Texas May 5, 2021

  • Examining the Algol Paradox – Clayton Tobin, Bradley Deauman, Gavin McIntosh, Avery Campbell

 

Educational Excellence Week (Virtual)

Tarleton State University – Stephenville, Texas April 19-23, 2021

  • Binary Star Mass Transfer Model with NVIDIA GPUs – Clayton Tobin, Bradley Deauman, Gavin McIntosh, Avery Campbell

 

101st Annual Meeting of the Texas Section of the MAA (Virtual) 

Collin College –  McKinney, Texas April 9, 2021

  • Binary Star Mass Transfer Model with NVIDIA GPUs – Clayton Tobin, Bradley Deauman, Gavin McIntosh, Avery Campbell

 

Math Day 2020 (Virtual because of COVID-19)

Tarleton State University – Stephenville, Texas April 28, 2020

  • N-Body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer – Mason McCullum

(Sixth Place)

 

GPU Technology Conference 2020 (Online because of COVID-19)

San Jose, Ca, March 22-26 2020

  • N-body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer – Mason McCallum

https://www.nvidia.com/content/dam/en-zz/Solutions/gtc/conference-posters/gtc2020-posters/Computational_Physics_01_P21883_Mason_McCallum_Web.pdf

 

123rd Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science

Stephen F. Austin University – Nacogdoches, Texas February 28-29, 2020

  • N-body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer – Mason McCallum (First place in the Physics and Engineering division)

 

Texas Oklahoma Regional Undergraduate Symposium

Cameron University – Lawton, Ok February 15, 2020

  • N-body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer – Mason McCallum

 

15th Annual Texas Undergraduate Mathematics Conference

University of Texas at Tyler – Tyler, Texas October 25-26, 2019

 

Math Day 2019

Tarleton State University – Stephenville, Texas May 2, 2019

  • N-body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer Using Nvidia GPUs – Mason McCullum

 

Tarleton College of Science and Technology Research Symposium 

Tarleton State University – Stephenville, Tx April 4, 2019

  • N-body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer Using NVIDIA GPUs – Mason McCallum

 

99th Annual Meeting of the Texas Section of the MAA

Tarleton State University – Stephenville, Tx March 28 -30, 2019

  • N-body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer Using NVIDIA GPUs – Mason McCallum

 

Texas Oklahoma Regional Undergraduate Symposium

Southern Nazarene University – Bethany, Ok February 23, 2019

  • N-body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer Using Nvidia GPUs – Mason McCallum

 

229th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society

Grapevine, Texas 1/3-7/2017

  • N-Body simulation of binary star mass transfer using NVIDIA GPUs – Taylor Hutyra

The Texas A&M University System 13th Annual Student Research Symposium

Prairie View A&M University Prairie View, Texas 11/3-4/2016

  • N-Body simulation of binary star mass transfer using NVIDIA GPUs – Edward Smith (Second place mathematics)

15th Annual Tarleton State University Student Research Symposium

Stephenville, Texas October 27-28, 2016

Undergraduate Oral

  • N-Body simulation of binary star mass transfer using NVIDIA GPUs – Edward Smith

Graduate Poster

  • N-Body simulation of binary star mass transfer – Taylor Hutyra (First place Tie)

Texas Astronomy Undergraduate Research Symposium 2016

Baylor University, Waco, Texas 9/9/2016

  • N-Body simulation of binary star mass transfer using NVIDIA GPUs – Edward Smith

Math Day 2016

Stephenville, Texas April 28, 2016

  • N-Body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer Using NVIDIA GPUs – Ed Smith, Baylor Fain, and Taylor Hutyra

GPU Technology Conference 2016

San Jose, Ca, 4/4-7/2016

  • N-Body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer Using NVIDIA GPUs – Baylor Fain, Taylor Hutyra, Edward Smith

https://on-demand.gputechconf.com/gtc/2016/posters/GTC_2016_Astronomy_and_Astrophysics_AA_03_P6197_WEB.pdf

96th Annual Meeting of the Texas Section of the MAA

Stephen F. Austin University – Nacogdoches, Tx 3/31/2016 – 4/2/2016

  • N-Body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer Using NVIDIA GPUs – Baylor Fain, Taylor Hutyra, Edward Smith (First place applied mathematics)

The Texas A&M University System 12th Annual Student Research Symposium

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi 10/22-23/2015

  • N-Body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer – Baylor Fain, Taylor Hutyra, Edward Smith

14th Annual Tarleton State University Student Research Symposium 

Tarleton State University 10/16/2015

  • N-Body Simulation of Binary Star Mass Transfer – Baylor Fain, Taylor Hutyra, Edward Smith 

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