Bibcode
DOI
Casares, J.; Steeghs, D.; Hynes, R. I.; Charles, P. A.; O'Brien, K.
Referencia bibliográfica
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 590, Issue 2, pp. 1041-1048.
Fecha de publicación:
6
2003
Revista
Número de citas
51
Número de citas referidas
40
Descripción
We present clear evidence for the motion of the companion star in the
low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) X1822-371. We detect N III λ4640
emission moving in antiphase with the radial velocity curve of the
neutron star and produced on the X-ray-heated hemisphere of the donor
star. From the motion of this feature we derive a lower limit to the
radial velocity semiamplitude of the companion star,
K2>=300+/-8 km s-1, which, combined with a
previous determination of the inclination angle and the pulsar's radial
velocity curve, yields M2>=0.36(2)Msolar and
M1>=1.14(6)Msolar. The He I λ4471
absorption line moves at lower velocities (~=225 km s-1) and
with a -0.05 phase shift, suggesting a likely origin on the gas stream
near the L1 point. In addition, we detect an S-wave emission of O VI
λ3811 produced by illumination of the hot spot bulge by the
central source. The Balmer lines are dominated by broad absorptions
probably due to obscuration of the accretion disk by vertically extended
cool material from the splash region and overflowing stream. We also
derive a more accurate, and significantly different (compared to earlier
work), systemic velocity of γ=-44+/-5 km s-1, based on
the motion of the He II λ4686 wings and Doppler tomography. This
work confirms the power of imaging the companion stars in LMXBs and
outbursting transients using the Bowen fluorescence transitions.