DIAMAGNETIC ACCRETION IN INTERMEDIATE POLARS .1. BLOB ORBITS AND SPINEVOLUTION

We present numerical confirmation of King's diamagnetic blob accretion model. Spin evolution of the white dwarf leads to the relation P-spin similar to 0.1P(orb) observed for some intermediate polars. Fixing th is relation gives a rough estimate of the white dwarf field strength i n the range 10(6) > B > 10(4) G, depending on the uncertain blob param eters. We show that mass transfer from the companion is likely to be u nstable except near spin equilibrium of the white dwarf, so that devia tion from equilibrium should be short-lived (less than or similar to 1 0(5) yr). Stable mass transfer for intermediate polars in spin equilib rium is similar to the conservative case and requires q < 0.7, P-orb < 5-6 h.