Paper: astro-ph/0511367
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 21:11:04 GMT (1187kb)

Title: FITDisk: A Cataclysmic Variable Accretion Disk Demonstration Tool

Authors: Matt A. Wood, Josh Dolence, James C. Simpson

Comments: 16 pages, 4 color figures, one line figure. Accepted for March 2006
issue of Publ. Ast. Soc. Pacific
\\
We present the software tool FITDisk, a precompiled-binary Windows GUI
version of our smoothed particle hydrodynamics cataclysmic variable accretion
disk research code. Cataclysmic variables are binary star systems in which a
compact stellar remnant, typically a white dwarf star, is stripping mass from a
lower-main-sequence companion star by way of an accretion disk. Typically the
disk is the brightest component of the system, because the plasma is heated
dramatically as it spirals down in the gravitational well of the primary white
dwarf star. The shortest-period systems can display disk "superhump"
oscillations driven by the rotating tidal field of the secondary star. FITDisk
models these accretion disk phenomena using a fully three-dimensional
hydrodynamics calculation, and data can be visualized as they are computed or
stored to hard drive for later playback at a fast frame rate. Simulations are
visualized using OpenGL graphics and the viewing angle can be changed
interactively. Pseudo light curves of simulated systems can be plotted along
with the associated Fourier amplitude spectrum. FITDisk is available for free
download at

www.astro.fit.edu/cv/fitdisk.html.

\\ ( http://arXiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0511367 , 1174kb)