view Abstract Citations (40) References (37) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Postthermonuclear Runaway Angular Momentum Loss in Cataclysmic Binaries MacDonald, J. Abstract During the common envelope phases that follow hydrogen shell flashes in the white dwarf component of cataclysmic binaries, angular momentum and energy are transferred from the orbit to the common envelope by friction processes. The common envelope is ejected due to the frictional heating, carrying away angular momentum from the binary system. An estimate of the rate of this frictional angular momentum loss (FAML) shows that it can be the dominant angular momentum loss mechanism for cataclysmic binaries with orbital period, P(orb) approximately less than 6 hr. It is suggested that FAML is responsible for the great range in observationally deduced mass transfer rates for systems with similar orbital period. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: June 1986 DOI: 10.1086/164245 Bibcode: 1986ApJ...305..251M Keywords: Angular Momentum; Binary Stars; Cataclysmic Variables; Stellar Envelopes; Stellar Evolution; Stellar Mass Ejection; Gravitational Waves; Magnetic Effects; Mass Transfer; Stellar Orbits; Thermonuclear Reactions; Astrophysics; STARS: BINARIES; STARS: DWARF NOVAE full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (4)