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Mass Transfer and Evolution in Long-Period Binary Systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 March 2016

R. F. Webbink
R. F. Webbink*
Affiliation:
Department of Astronomy, University of Illinois, 1011 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61801

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In the earliest studies of close binary evolution (Paczynski 1967; Kippenhahn, Kohl, and Weigert 1967; Plavec, et al. 1968), it was assumed that the total mass and orbital angular momentum of a binary system are conserved during mass transfer. This assumption of convenience actually succeeds quite well in producing model post-mass-transfer binaries which closely resemble classical Algol-type systems, and helium-star binaries such as KS Per and u Sgr as well (Plavec 1973; Schonberner and Drilling 1983). Among longer-period interacting binaries, however, there are strong reasons to believe that these simple assumptions break down. For example, it is well-known that single stars may lose a very substantial fraction of their mass in a stellar wind during ascent of the giant and asymptotic-giant branches (e.g., Kudritzki and Reimers 1978). In addition, many highly-evolved short-period binaries, such as the cataclysmic variables, appear to owe their origins to very long-period progenitors (Paczynski 1976; Ritter 1976; Webbink 1976). These latter systems evidently evolved through a common envelope phase (Paczynski 1976; Meyer and Meyer-Hofmeister 1979), in which the giant progenitor of the present white dwarf devoured its companion star, and ultimately was divested of its envelope by the release of orbital energy as that companion spiralled toward its core.

Type
Joint Discussions
Information
Highlights of Astronomy , Volume 7: Highlights of Astronomy. As presented at the XIXth General Assembly of the IAU, 1985 , 1986 , pp. 185 - 187
Copyright
Copyright © Reidel 1986

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