1997A&A...325.1045I

The mass transfer in AEAqr is discussed. It is shown that if the secondary is a K3-K5 main sequence red dwarf the system is a wind-fed accretor with the average rate of mass transfer {dot}(M)_a∼3x10¹²g/s. Under this condition the rate of accretion of angular momentum is too low for the developed accretion disk to form in the system. Assuming the primary to be an accreting neutron star I have found that the observed rate of its spindown can be easily explained provided the magnetospheric radius of the neutron star R_m∼ R_cor. The `flip-flop' instability of accretion flow is suggested as a possible mechanism of flaring activity in AE Aqr.