Revisiting viscous transonic decretion disks of Be stars

¹ Instituto de Física y Astronomía, Universidad de Valparaíso. Av. Gran Bretaña 1111, Casilla 5030 Valparaíso, Chile
e-mail: michel.cure@uv.cl
² Escuela de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Valparaíso. General Cruz 222, Valparaíso, Chile
³ Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Universidad Mayor, Manuel Montt 367, Santiago, Chile

Received: 23 March 2022
Accepted: 16 June 2022

Abstract

Aims. In the context of Be stars, we re-studied the viscous transonic decretion disk model of these stars. This model is driven by a radiative force due to an ensemble of optically thin lines and viscosity considering the Shakura–Sunyaev prescription.

Methods. The nonlinear equation of motion presents a singularity (sonic point) and an eigenvalue, which is also the initial condition at the stellar surface. Then, to obtain this eigenvalue, we set it as a radial quantity and performed a detailed topological analysis. We describe a numerical method for solving either nodal or saddle transonic solutions.

Results. The value of the viscosity α barely determines the location of the sonic point, but it determines the topology of the solution. We found two nodal solutions, which are almost indistinguishable. Saddle solutions were found for lower values of α than required for the nodal solutions. In addition, rotational velocity does not play a determinate role in the velocity (and density) profile, because the viscosity effects collapse all the solutions to almost a unique one in a small region above the stellar surface.

Conclusions. A suitable combination of line-force parameters and/or disk temperature gives the location of the sonic point lower than 50 stellar radii, describing a truncated disk. This could explain the SED turn-down observed in Be stars without needing a binary companion.