洛希瓣

洛希瓣(Roche lobe),是包围在天体周围的临界等位面,在这个临界面范围内的物质会受到该天体的引力约束而在轨道上环绕着。如果恒星膨胀至洛希瓣的范围之外,这些物质将会摆脱掉恒星引力的束缚。如果这颗恒星是联星系统,则这些物质会经由内L1拉格朗日点落入伴星的范围内。等位面的临界引力边界形状类似泪滴形,泪滴形的尖端指向另一颗伴星(尖端位于系统的L1拉格朗日点)。它不同于洛希极限,后者是仅由引力维系在一起的物质受到潮汐力作用开始崩解的距离;它也与洛希球不同,那是在一个天体周围的空间,在受到另一个它所环绕的更巨大天体的摄动时,仍能维持小天体的轨道稳定,接近球形的引力球。洛希瓣、洛希极限和洛希球都是以法国天文学家爱德华·洛希的名字命名的。
![A three-dimensional representation of the Roche potential in a binary star with a mass ratio of 2, in the co-rotating frame. The droplet-shaped figures in the equipotential plot at the bottom of the figure define what are considered the Roche lobes of the stars. L1, L2 and L3 are the Lagrangian points where forces (considered in the rotating frame) cancel out. Mass can flow through the saddle point L1 from one star to its companion, if the star fills its Roche lobe.[1]](/uploads/202502/07/RochePotential2541.jpg)