A region within a system where mass or energy is given up, in contrast to a
→ source, where mass or energy is released.
In hydrodynamics simulation codes of gaseous collapse and
→ accretion, such as
→ smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH),
a region of the flow that accretes incoming material but that does not allow it
to leave. In in theses simulations an enormous dynamic range is usually encountered,
which makes the full problem computationally infeasible. Indeed dynamic range
requires enough resolution elements in both space and time to resolve
the largest and smallest scales present in the problem. Sinks provide a way of
concentrating resolution in regions of interest and evolving different
regions with different time-steps. These entities can have stellar scale masses.
See also → sink particle.
Etymology (EN): M.E. sinken, O.E. sincan, from verb; cf.
O.S. sinkan, O.N. sökkva, M.Du. sinken,
Du. zinken, O.H.G. sinkan, Ger. sinken, Goth. sigqan
“to sink.”
Etymology (PE): Câhak, from câh “a well” (Mid.Pers. câh “a well;” Av. cāt-
“a well,” from kan- “to dig,” uskən- “to dig out;”
O.Pers. kan- “to dig;” Mod.Pers.
kandan “to dig;” cf. Skt. khan- “to dig,” khanati “he digs,”
kha- “cavity, hollow, cave, aperture”) + -ak diminutive suffix.
