Taam, Ronald AST 97-27875 Dr. Taam will carry out theoretical investigations into the origin and evolution of close binary systems. His research focuses on the common envelope phase of binary star evolution, during which the gravitational interactions between the two components lead to the ejection of a common envelope and the loss of significant angular momentum. His investigations will be directed toward determining the parameters for which binary systems at long orbital periods are transformed into short orbital periods and those for which the binary systems merge, as applied to systems containing low to intermediate mass stars (as in cataclysmic variables) as well as massive stars (as in low mass X-ray binaries). His approach includes treatment of multi-dimensional hydrodynamical processes and high resolution three dimensional studies of the common envelope phase using an Eulerian nested grid numeric technique.
