The interaction of multiple stellar winds in stellar clusters: potential flow

¹ Institut für Theoretische Physik IV, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
e-mail: kls@tp4.rub.de
² Research Department “Plasmas with Complex Interactions”, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
³ Astronomisches Institut, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany

Received: 24 January 2018
Accepted: 12 May 2018

Abstract

Context. While several studies have investigated large-scale cluster winds resulting from an intra-cluster interaction of multiple stellar winds, as yet they have not provided details of the bordering flows inside a given cluster.

Aims. The present work explores the principal structure of the combined flow resulting from the interaction of multiple stellar winds inside stellar clusters.

Methods. The theory of complex potentials is applied to analytically investigate stagnation points, boundaries between individual outflows, and the hydrodynamic structure of the asymptotic large-scale cluster wind. In a second part, these planar considerations are extended to fully three-dimensional, asymmetric configurations of wind-driving stars.

Results. We find (i) that one can distinguish regions in the large-scale cluster wind that are determined by the individual stellar winds, (ii) that there are comparatively narrow outflow channels, and (iii) that the large-scale cluster wind asymptotically approaches spherical symmetry at large distances.

Conclusions. The combined flow inside a stellar cluster resulting from the interaction of multiple stellar winds is highly structured.