AAS 200th meeting, Albuquerque, NM, June 2002
Session 80. Neutron Stars, Relativity, MHO
Oral, Thursday, June 6, 2002, 10:00-11:30am, San Miguel

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[80.04D] Relativistic Self-similar Equilibria and Non-axisymmetric Neutral Modes

Mike J. Cai, F. H. Shu (U. C. Berkeley)

We have constructed semi-analytic axisymmetric scale free solutions to Einstein field equations with perfect fluid matter source. These spacetimes are self-similar under the simultaneous transformation r'= ar and t'=a1-nt. We explored the two dimensional solution space parameterized by the rescaling index n and the isothermal sound speed \gamma1/2. The isopycnic surfaces are in general toroids. As the equilibrium configuration rotates faster, an ergo region develops in the form of the exterior of a cone centered about the symmetry axis. The sequence of solution terminates when frame dragging becomes infinite and the ergo cone closes onto the axis. In the extreme flattening limit, we have also searched for non-axisymmetric neutral modes in a self-similar disk. Two separate sets of tracks are discovered in the solution space. One corresponds to the bifurcation points to non-axisymmetric equilibria, which is confined in the non-ergo solutions. The other track signals the onset of instability driven by gravitational radiation. These solutions are formally infinite in extent, and thus can not represent realistic astrophysical systems. However, if these properties do not alter qualitatively when the self-similar configurations are truncated, then these solutions may serve as initial data for dynamic collapse in super massive black hole formation.


The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: mcai@astron.berkeley.edu

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34
© 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.