Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 54 3 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
The outward mass loss rate is . Put , and . Both terms in the Bernoulli equation then have the same radial scaling: . Eliminate and multiply by to obtainFor positive terminal speed, . Differentiation gives . It has an interior minimum precisely when , or , atAt a sonic point, the Bernoulli equation and give , recovering this radius. The limiting , case has no isolated interior minimum selected by these formulas.
The function diverges at both ends of and has a unique minimum whereThis condition is . Thus a smooth crossing requires minimum matching at a polytropic sonic point: . If the minimum of is lower, an interval has no real positive solution; if it is higher, the two branches stay separate and cannot cross the sonic value. When the minima agree, their positive second derivatives give , allowing a finite-slope branch to pass between them. The wind with finite positive terminal speed takes the lower- branch outside , because and make .
Polytropic stellar wind 2026-10-06
A steady spherical polytropic flow escaping a point-mass potential conserves the outward mass loss rate and the Bernoulli function . For positive terminal speed, a finite-radius smooth sonic point requires and . Its sound speed obeys , and evaluating the conserved flux there selects the transonic mass loss rate. Other parameter limits need separate treatment.