Movies from Three Separate Points in the Evolution
t/P = 5.0	t/P = 22.5	t/P = 27.0
Quicktime Movie [1.127MB]	Quicktime Movie [1.065MB]	Quicktime Movie [1.054MB]
t/P = 28.0	t/P = 29.0	t/P = not available
Quicktime Movie [1.127MB]	Quicktime Movie [1.065MB]

Explanation

The left-hand side of each of the above frames displays a meridional slice of the density distribution in our rapidly rotating star (n = 1 polytrope) that is being excited by the r-mode. In the first (t/P = 5.0) and second (t/P = 22.5) frames, the meridional slice is at the azimuthal angle l = 0; the third frame (t/P = 27.0) the meridional slice is at the azimuthal angle l = 26 (see the number at the bottom of the frame). The movie that accompanies each image (click on the appropriate "Quicktime Movie" label in order to load the movie) swings you azimuthally around the star, allowing you to see the meridional slices at all azimuthal angles (l = 0 through 127).

The right-hand side of each of the above frames (as well as of all the frames in the accompanying movies) highlights the regions of the star that are undergoing shock compression. At any given time, the color red denotes the strongest shock region and the color purple/blue denotes a relatively weak shock. Notice that, even very early in the system's evolution, most of the surface is "dotted" with small regions of shock compression that are radially confined very near the surface. I am quite certain that most of this is due to "vacuum" material free-falling (supersonically) onto the surface of the star. [The vacuum material is not in hydrostatic equilibrium, so it is constantly accelerated toward the star; it hits the surface supersonically, but carries with it a very negligible amount of momentum.] In the third movie (t/P = 27.0), however, the surface wave is beginning to "crest". As the wave breaks over itself at certain azimuthal angles, the gas crashes to the surface supersonically and is thereby able to dissipate some of the kinetic energy of the r-mode. When you play this third movie, look especially at the azimuthal angles near l = 15 and l = 114.