Dynamical Rotational Instability at Low $T/W

• Main Authors: Centrella, Joan M, New, Kimberly C. B, Lowe, Lisa L, Brown, J. David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 27-10-2000
• Subjects: Physics - Astrophysics of Galaxies; Physics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics; Physics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics; Physics - General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology; Physics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena; Physics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics; Physics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0010574

Astrophys.J. 550 (2001) L193-L196 Dynamical instability is shown to occur in differentially rotating polytropes
with N = 3.33 and $T/|W| \gtrsim 0.14$. This instability has a strong m=1 mode,
although the m=2, 3, and 4 modes also appear. Such instability may allow a
centrifugally-hung core to begin collapsing to neutron star densities on a
dynamical timescale. The gravitational radiation emitted by such unstable cores
may be detectable with advanced ground-based detectors, such as LIGO II. If the
instability occurs in a supermassive star, it may produce gravitational
radiation detectable by the space-based detector LISA.