Roche-lobe radius response exponent (${\zeta }_L=d\log R_L/d\log M_d$)

For conservative binary mass transfer and $R_L\propto a(M_d/M{)}^{1/3}$,The conservation of angular momentum gives $d\log a/d\log M_d=-2(1-q)$. Since a mass loss has $d\log M_d<0$, the donor moves inside its lobe when ${\zeta }_{\mathrm{ad}}>{\zeta }_L$. An ideal fully convective donor with ${\zeta }_{\mathrm{ad}}=-1/3$ is therefore stable for $q<2/3$ and unstable for $q>2/3$ under these assumptions.