Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2019/iii/paper-314/4/d/solution

The transonic accretion in a dipolar flux tube values are
The mass density follows from for the same polytropic equation of state. If is the total loaded area at the surface, mass conservation at the sonic point gives
For two equal polar caps with surface angular radius , , so the total mass accretion rate is
For only one loaded polar cap, divide this expression by two. Expressing the result first in also covers a bundle whose loading angle is defined at another radius. The smooth isothermal limit has , , and .

New to topics? Read the docs here!