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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
The influence of the spatial distribution of stellar wind velocities (Wind Rose effect) on the X-ray light curve of highly eccentric binaries is examined using the properties of Be disk-fed outflow. It is shown that a phase shift of the maximum X-ray luminosity is always present in the X-ray light curves. The observed X-ray light curves of some transient binaries are analysed using the developed model. We show that the Be/X-ray transients A0538–66, X0331+53 are likely to undergo transitions from the accreting neutron star regime to the propelling one. The example of evolutionary track which can lead to a formation of the Be/X-ray binary is presented. We conclude that synchronization is a very important process for Be star evolution in binary systems and calculate the critical orbital period for existence of a Be/X-ray binary.