Abstract
The -mode instability in rotating relativistic stars has been shown recently to have important astrophysical implications, provided that -modes are not saturated at low amplitudes by nonlinear effects or by dissipative mechanisms. Here, we present the first study of nonlinear -modes in isentropic, rapidly rotating relativistic stars, via 3D general-relativistic hydrodynamical evolutions. We find that (1) on dynamical time scales, there is no strong nonlinear coupling of -modes to other modes at amplitudes of order one—the maximum -mode amplitude is of order unity. (2) -modes and inertial modes in isentropic stars are predominantly discrete modes. (3) The kinematical drift associated with -modes appears to be present in our simulations, but confirmation requires more precise initial data.
- Received 31 July 2000
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.86.1148
©2001 American Physical Society