On The Mechanics of Star Formation
Binary Stars and Nemesis

The Hubble Telescope has provided perplexing images of star formation. Gone is the old theory of a simple collapse of a space cloud into a solid ball. Gone also is the theory of a simple accretion disk gradually winding its way to forming star. We now see volumous jets of material mysteriously being "ejected" along the axis of the accretion disk at high velocity and extending light years out from the disk center. In addition massive quantities of material are seen as blobs at some distance from the visible outer ends of the jets. What can explain these newly observed phenomena?

It has been postulated by Areih Konigl of the University of Chicago that a "magneto-centrifugal wind" is responsible for the spurting jets. Ionized particles within the accretion disk are flung out along magnetic field lines that ultimately twist into a helical shape along the rotational axes of the disk. Orbital energy from the accretion disk is dissipated in propelling the polar jets. This theory raises the question of what happens to the ejected material which is thought to be many times greater in mass than that forming the star. It must by definition carry a substantial positive charge. A strongly positive gas cloud should result. How is it neutralized? If it is not, there are highly charged clouds throughout the universe that must be ever expanding with regard to themselves from Coulomb forces. Is there a corresponding beta jet emitted from the opposite side of the disk? If so, a cloud of beta particles must be reckoned with. If the corresponding jet is composed of positive ions the system h

What else can explain the developing star jet phenomena? Let's dissect the mechanics of a collapsing dust cloud. As particles in motion relative to one another are "gravitationally attracted to one another", they tend to go into an elliptical orbit about a center of mass rather than collide, due to their angular momentum. Chance collisions and gravitational or ionic deflections with other particles or bodies change the orbits in both plane and eccentricity and occasionally from elliptic to parabolic. A new orbit either brings the particle's point of closest approach nearer or farther from the center of mass. In a virgin dust cloud, enough particles eventually accumulate at a local center of mass to form the core upon which the star will form. Incoming "gravitationally attracted" particles come from all directions, each would go into its own planar orbit about the core if not influenced by other dust particles. But collisions impede all orbital planes not in step with the resultant angular momentum of t

As collisions occur, some particles move into tighter orbits or drop into the core while others go into looser orbits within the accretion disk following a plane consistent with the angular momentum of the local system outside the core. The chance of a collision from an incoming particle is related proportionally with the density and thickness of the accretion disk in its path as well as the speed of transit through the disk. Therefore the chance of a particle colliding within the disk decreases as the angle of approach varies from 0 to 90 degrees. Consequently, orbits are longer lived as their planes approach a right angle to that of the accretion disk and/or the eccentricity of the elliptical orbit increases. Near the core of the forming star in the accretion disk an eye exists where dropping particles are sufficient in number to hamper close orbits. The combination of transit through the eye, a 90-degree orbital plane and high eccentricity orbit provides for orbital stability of particles meeting t

The star is not ejecting material but simply holding material in orbit. Outflows could be buildups of otherwise incoming particles retarded by impulses from the outer reaches of the "jetting" orbital particles. Illumination is provided by heating due to collisions between particles. Observed beading within a jet may be due clumping within the original dust cloud. The accretion disk is not a barrier to material reaching the star's core. The disk is there as a storehouse for the angular momentum imbalance of the incoming dust cloud. It varies in size, shape, and orbital plane throughout star formation as dictated by dust particles within its influence.

What happens as a star system's development matures? We know from our own solar system that an accretion disk can condense into planets which orbit the star in the plane of the original accretion disk. But what happens to any polar ejectate material in a highly eccentric elliptical polar orbit? It is possible that it may also condense into a sizeable body. Depending on its size it would be another star ranging from very bright to dark or it could even be a large planet. Binary star systems are common throughout the visible universe

This brings to mind the Nemesis theory which suggests a large body in a highly eccentric orbit approaching our solar system every 26 million years. This celestial intruder is postulated to disturb the cometary Oort Cloud causing a large number of comets to enter our solar system. Resulting collisions with the earth cause periodic mass extinctions of which one of the most recent took out the dinosaurs.

Currently a search of the heavens is being conducted with an automated telescope at the at Leuschner Observatory for Nemesis by Richard A. Muller's group. The search encomposes about 3000 known red dwarves. At last check this project was about midway and being delayed for telescope repairs. This is an arduous task considering the infinite number of points that could be searched and the unknown brightness of the object in question. Considering the possibility of one or more highly eccentric polar orbiting bodies having been produced as a result of the sun's birth, pointing the telescope due north or due south should produce the highest probability of finding Nemesis. Perhaps Polaris, the North Star, is actually Nemesis!

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