Change in the Orbital Period of a Binary System Due to an Outburst in a Windy Accretion Disk

We consider a new mechanism for the removal of the angular momentum from an X-ray binary system and the change in its orbital period - the mass loss in the form of a wind from an accretion disc. Both observations and models predict powerful winds from discs in X-ray transients. We have obtained an analytical estimate for the increase in the orbital period of a binary system with a wind from the disc during an outburst, and quantitative estimates are given for the systems XTE J1118+480, A0620-00 and GRS 1124-68. Resulting rate of period grow is of order of the observed rates of secular decrease in the period. We also compare the predicted rate of change in the period of a binary system due to the flow of matter into the disc and outflow from the second Lagrange point with the observations. It is concluded that the above mechanisms cannot explain the observed secular decrease in the period of the three X-ray Novae, and it is necessary to consider a circumbinary disc that drains the binary's angular momentum.
10 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in Astronomy Letters