Unified Rapid Mass Transfer

Abstract We present a method to obtain rapid mass-loss rates in binary systems, specifically at the onset of mass transfer (MT) episodes. The method unifies atmospheric (underflow) and L 1 stream (overflow) mass rates in a single continuous procedure. The method uses averaged 3D properties of the binaries, such as effective binary potential and effective binary acceleration, to both evolve the donor and obtain properties of the matter at the L 1 plane. In the case of underflow, we obtain atmospheric stratification. Our method can be used for binaries with an extensive range of mass ratios, 0.01 ≤ q ≤ 100, and can also be applied to hot donors. The considered examples show that the MT rates obtained with this revised formalism always differ from the optically thin and optically thick MT rates widely used during the computations of binary evolution.