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"The Evolution of Compact Binary Star Systems"
Konstantin A. Postnov and Lev R. Yungelson 
Abstract
1 Introduction
1.1 Formation of stars and end products of their evolution
1.2 Binary stars
2 Observations of Double Compact Stars
2.1 Compact binaries with neutron stars
2.2 How frequent are NS binary coalescences?
2.3 Black holes in binary systems
2.4 A model-independent upper limit on the BH-BH/BH-NS coalescence rate
3 Basic Principles of the Evolution of Binary Stars
3.1 Keplerian binary system and radiation back reaction
3.2 Mass exchange in close binaries
3.3 Mass transfer modes and mass and angular momentum loss in binary systems
3.4 Supernova explosion
3.5 Kick velocity of neutron stars
3.6 Common envelope stage
3.7 Other notes on the CE problem
4 Evolutionary Scenario for Compact Binaries with Neutron Star or Black Hole Components
4.1 Compact binaries with neutron stars
4.2 Black-hole–formation parameters
5 Formation of Double Compact Binaries
5.1 Analytical estimates
5.2 Population synthesis results
6 Detection Rates
7 Short-Period Binaries with White-Dwarf Components
7.1 Formation of compact binaries with white dwarfs
7.2 White-dwarf binaries
7.3 Type Ia supernovae
7.4 Ultra-compact X-ray binaries
8 Observations of Double-Degenerate Systems
8.1 Detached white dwarf and subdwarf binaries
9 Evolution of Interacting Double-Degenerate Systems
9.1 “Double-degenerate family” of AM CVn stars
9.2 “Helium-star family” of AM CVn stars
9.3 Final stages of evolution of interacting double-degenerate systems
10 Gravitational Waves from Compact Binaries with White-Dwarf Components
11 AM CVn-Type Stars as Sources of Optical and X-Ray Emission
12 Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References
Footnotes
Updates
Figures
Tables
Figure 19
Figure 19: Known close binaries with two WD components, or a WD and a sd component. Red circles mark double-line WDs found by SPY. Green diamonds are single-line WDs found by SPY. Blue asterisks mark double-line WD discovered in surveys other than SPY. Magenta squares are sd + WD systems from SPY. Black crosses and small squares are single-line WD and sd found by different authors. Filled black circles are extremely low-mass WD (ELM) for which, typically, only one spectrum is observed. For single-line systems from SPY we assume inclination of the orbit ∘ i = 60, for other single-line systems we present lower limits of the total mass and indicate this by arrows. Green circles are double-lined ELM WD suggested to be definite precursors of AM CVn stars Several remarkable systems are labeled (see text for details). The “merger” line is plotted assuming equal masses of the components. This is an update of the plot provided by R. Napiwotzki for the previous version of this review.

Konstantin A. Postnov and Lev R. Yungelson, "The Evolution of Compact Binary Star Systems",
Living Rev. Relativity, 17 (2014), 3, doi:10.12942/lrr-2014-3, URL (accessed <date>): http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2014-3.
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