Energy transfer in contact binary systems

A simple model for the transfer of energy by steady circulation within the envelope of a contact binary system is presented. The model describes the fully compressible, two-dimensional flow of a perfect gas within a rectangular region in a uniform gravitational field. The region is heated non-uniformly from below. Coriolis forces are neglected but the interaction of the circulation with convection is discussed briefly. Numerical solutions of the linearized equations of the problem are discussed in detail, and the results of some non-linear calculations are also presented. The influence of alternative boundary conditions is examined. (author)