ACCRETION FROM AN INHOMOGENEOUS-MEDIUM .3. GENERAL-CASE AND OBSERVATIONAL CONSEQUENCES

We study the problem of accretion by a compact object from an inhomogeneous medium, in the general γ ≠ 1 case. The mass accretion rate is found to decrease with increasing γ. The rate of accretion of angular momentum is found to be significantly lower than the rate at which angular momentum is deposited into the Bondi-Hoyle, symmetrical, accretion cylinder. We discuss the consequences of our results for the cases of neutron stars accreting from the winds of early-type companions and white dwarfs and main-sequence stars accreting from winds of cool giants. © Royal Astronomical Society.