The evolution of dwarf binaries

The circumstances of mass exchange in close binary systems whose components have a mass less than approximately 1 solar mass are analyzed for the case where the system is losing orbital angular momentum by radiation of gravitational waves. The mass exchange rate will depend on the mass ratio of the components and on the mass of the component that is overfilling its critical Roche lobe. A comparison of the observed orbital periods, masses of the components losing material, and mass exchange rates against the theoretical values for cataclysmic binaries indicates that the evolution of the close binaries WZ Sge, OY Car, Z Cha, TT Ari, 2A 0311 - 227, and G.61 - 29 may be driven by the emission of gravitational waves.