Mass Transfer in Binary Systems: A Numerical Approach

Abstract We present preliminary work on the formation scenario of blue straggler stars by mass transfer in binary systems. More precisely, using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), we want to model only the outer parts of the stars in order to get a much greater spatial resolution of the mass transfer flow itself. The inner boundary conditions are achieved using the so-called ghost particles and by replacing the inner mass by a central point mass. Stability of this central point mass is crucial, and it is shown that we get reasonable results. These simulations should give us indications on which layers of the donor star are actually transferred to the other star as well as how mass is transferred and how it settles on the accretor. This work is aimed at getting distinct observational signatures which would help identifying the dominant formation mechanism of blue straggler stars.