Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userThe eclipsing supersoft X-ray binary CAL 87
106
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
We present and discuss 25 spectra obtained in November 1996, covering all phases of the CAL 87 binary system. These spectra are superior both in signal-to-noise and wavelength coverage to previously published data so that additional spectral features can be measured. Photometry obtained on the same nights is used to confirm the ephemeris and to compare with light curves from previous years. Analysis of the color variation through the orbital cycle has been carried out using archival MACHO data. When a barely resolved red field star is accounted for, there is no (V-R)-color variation, even through eclipse. There have been substantial changes in the depth of minimum light since 1988; it has decreased more than 0.5 mag in the last several years. The spectral features and radial velocities are also found to vary not only through the 0.44-day orbit but also over timescales of a year or more. Possible interpretations of these long-term changes are discussed. The 1996 spectra contain phase-modulated Balmer absorption lines not previously seen, apparently arising in gas flowing from the region of the compact star. The changes in emission-line strengths with orbital phase indicate there are azimuthal variations in the accretion disk structures. Radial velocities of several lines give different amplitudes and phasing, making determination of the stellar masses difficult. All solutions for the stellar masses indicate that the companion star is considerably less massive than the degenerate star. The Balmer absorption-line velocities correspond to masses of ~1.4Msun for the degenerate star and ~0.4Msun for the mass donor. However, the strong He II emission lines indicate a much more massive accreting star, with Mx>4Msun.
rate research
Read More
Compact binary supersoft X-ray sources (CBSS) are explained as being associated with hydrostatic nuclear burning on the surface of a white dwarf with high accretion rate. This high mass transfer rate has been suggested to be caused by dynamical instability, expected when the donor star is more massive than the accreting object. When the orbital period is smaller than ~6 hours, this mechanism does not work and the CBSS with such periods are believed to be fed by a distinct mechanism: the wind-driven accretion. Such a mechanism has been proposed to explain the properties of objects like SMC 13, T Pyx and V617 Sgr. One observational property that offers a critical test for discriminating between the above two possibilities is the orbital period change. As systems with wind-driven accretion evolve with increasing periods, some of them may reach quite long orbital periods. The above critical test may, therefore, also be applied to orbital periods longer than 6 hours. CAL 87 is an eclipsing system in the LMC with an orbital period of 10.6 hours that could provide the opportunity for testing the hypothesis of the system being powered by wind-driven accretion. We obtained eclipse timings for this system and show that its orbital period increases with a rate of P/Pdot = +7.2(+/-1.3) X 10^{6} years. Contrary to the common belief, we conclude that CAL 87 is the first confirmed case of a wind-driven CBSS with an orbital period longer than 6 hours. The system is probably an evolved object that had an initial secondary mass of M2i=0.63 solar masses but is currently reduced to about M2=0.34 solar masses. We discuss evidence that other CBSS, like CAL 83 and V Sge stars, like WX Cen, are probably also wind-driven systems. This may in fact be the rule, and systems with inverted mass ratio, the exception.
Cal 87 was observed with XMM-Newton in April of 2003. The source shows a rich emission line spectrum, where lines can be identified if they are red-shifted by 700-1200 km/s. These lines seem to have been emitted in a wind from the system. The eclipse is observed to be shifted in phase by 0.03 phi(orb), where phi(orb) is the phase of the optical light curve.
We report the discovery of an extremely close white dwarf plus F dwarf main-sequence star in a 12 hour binary identified by combining data from the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) survey and the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) survey. A combination of spectral energy distribution fitting and optical and Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet spectroscopy allowed us to place fairly precise constraints on the physical parameters of the binary. The system, TYC 6760-497-1, consists of a hot Teff~20,000K, M~0.6Ms white dwarf and an F8 star (M~1.23Ms, R~1.3Rs) seen at a low inclination (i~37 deg). The system is likely the descendent of a binary that contained the F star and a ~2Ms A-type star that filled its Roche-lobe on the thermally pulsating asymptotic giant branch, initiating a common envelope phase. The F star is extremely close to Roche-lobe filling and there is likely to be a short phase of thermal timescale mass-transfer onto the white dwarf during which stable hydrogen burning occurs. During this phase it will grow in mass by up to 20 per cent, until the mass ratio reaches close to unity, at which point it will appear as a standard cataclysmic variable star. Therefore, TYC 6760-497-1 is the first known progenitor of a super-soft source system, but will not undergo a supernova Ia explosion. Once an accurate distance to the system is determined by Gaia, we will be able to place very tight constraints on the stellar and binary parameters.
A new ephemeris has been determined for the supersoft X-ray binary CAL 83 using MACHO photometry. With an improved orbital period of 1.047568 days, it is now possible to phase together photometric and spectroscopic data obtained over the past two decades with new far ultraviolet spectra taken with FUSE. We discuss the properties of the orbital and longterm optical light curves as well as the colors of CAL 83. In the far ultraviolet the only well-detected stellar feature is emission from the O VI resonance doublet. The radial velocity of this emission appears to differ from that of HeII in the optical region, although we only have partial phase coverage for the O VI line. The FUSE continuum variations are similar to the optical light curve in phase and amplitude.
We have obtained spectroscopy with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) of the supersoft X-ray binary RX J0513.9-6951 over a complete binary orbital cycle. The spectra show a hot continuum with extremely broad O VI emission and weak Lyman absorptions. He II emission is weak and narrow, while N III and C III emissions are undetected, although lines from these ions are prominent at optical wavelengths. The broad O VI emission and Lyman absorption show radial velocity curves that are approximately antiphased and have semiamplitudes of ~117 +- 40 and 54 +- 10 km/s, respectively. Narrow emissions from He II and O VI show small velocity variations with phasing different from the broad O VI, but consistent with the optical line peaks. We also measure considerable changes in the FUV continuum and O VI emission line flux. We discuss the possible causes of the measured variations and a tentative binary interpretation.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
