Determine the physical origin of the magnetic-braking enhancement in cataclysmic variables

Determine the physical origin of the enhancement to magnetic-braking efficiency required to reproduce the observed cataclysmic-variable period gap, and assess whether irradiation-driven winds provide a physically consistent explanation within the Saturated Magnetic Braking and Irradiation-Driven Wind framework.

Background

The paper discusses extending the Saturated Magnetic Braking and Irradiation-Driven Wind framework from neutron-star and black-hole low-mass X-ray binaries to cataclysmic variables. Previous work reproduced the cataclysmic-variable period gap by increasing the efficiency of the Matt15 magnetic-braking prescription by a factor of approximately 20, but the physical basis for that enhancement was unresolved. The authors propose irradiation-driven winds as a possible mechanism, while noting that a dedicated study of cataclysmic variables and population synthesis remains necessary.

References

However, the physical origin of this enhancement remains unclear in their treatment.

— A Unified Solution to the Low-Mass X-ray Binary Diversity Puzzle: Saturated Magnetic Braking Coupled with Irradiation-Driven Winds  (2610.22816 - Deng et al., 16 Oct 2026) in Section 4.1, “Extension to black-hole LMXBs and cataclysmic variables”