WIND ACCRETION IN BINARY STARS .1. INTRICACIES OF THE FLOW STRUCTURE

The 3D now structure of wind accretion in a binary system is computed numerically using SPH, taking into account binary rotation as well as wind acceleration. In the adiabatic gamma=1.5 model, high temperatures are reached in a bow shock close to the accreting star. This region c ould be responsible for the UV emission observed in such systems. In t he isothermal model, the bow shock is no longer detached. Moreover, an accretion disc forms around the star. The disc is inclined with respe ct to the orbital plane and is in differential rotation. The flow stru cture is considerably more complicated than in the simple plane-parall el picture that is usually employed to describe these systems.