Mass Transfer in Binary Systems of a White Dwarf

"Many interesting astrophysical phenomena are known in binary systems containing a white dwarf when the companion star loses some its mass. White dwarf binary systems are progenitors of Type Ia supernovae, which are important to probe the accelerated expansion of the universe. Outward transport of angular momenta leads to the formation of an accretion disk around the white dwarf. Many details in accretion flow are known in close binary systems, which are collectively called cataclysmic variables. Much less is known in the case of wide binaries known as symbiotic stars, where mass transfer is achieved via gravitational capture of slow stellar wind. In this talk, a brief introdcution to accretion phenomena in binary systems of a white dwarf will be given with some observational results obtained from Mt. Bohyun. "