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View Full Version : Strange star puzzles astronomers: BBC

Ivan Seeking
Jun18-03, 12:14 AM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2983298.stm
drag
Jun18-03, 03:33 PM
Cool ! [:)] The aliens on the 3rd rock from it see
an egg in the sky... [:D]
KLscilevothma
Jun18-03, 05:36 PM
Will the equatorial radius keep on increasing? Will it become flatter and flatter ?
physicskid
Jun21-03, 04:16 AM
Since it bulges as it rotates, its angular momentum should decrease. So its rate of rotation would decrease too. But if its rotation slows down, its bulge would also decrease and its spin would increase again! So its rotation speed is irregular.

Physicskid
KLscilevothma
Jun21-03, 06:58 AM
Originally posted by physicskid
Since it bulges as it rotates, its angular momentum should decrease. So its rate of rotation would decrease too. But if its rotation slows down, its bulge would also decrease and its spin would increase again! So its rotation speed is irregular.
Since it's rotating fast, I think it takes quite long to slow down to the extent that gravitational force outweights the centrifugal effect.

Energy = 0.5Iw^2=0.5(Iw)w (I:moment of inertia ; w:angular velocity)
As w decrease, there is loss in KE. Where does the loss in KE go to?(gravitational wave?)
When gravitation outweights centrifugal force, w increase, where does the energy come from?