No Arabic abstract
The High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXRBs) SMC X-1 and 4U1700-37 have been observed with FUSE to study the effect of the X-ray source on the stellar wind of the primary. In both systems phase dependent changes in the wind lines have been observed, indicating the creation of a X-ray ionization zone in the stellar wind. The high X-ray luminosity of SMC X-1 ionizes much of the wind and leaves a Stromgren zone. This disrupts the resonance-line acceleration of the wind in portions of the orbit, quencing the wind and disrupting the mass flow. A similar but less dramatic effect was found for the first time in 4U1700-37. This so-called Hatchett-McCray (HM) effect had been predicted for 4U1700-37, but was not previously detected.
We present a detailed spectral analysis of Chandra/ACIS-S CC mode observations of the massive X-ray binary system SMC X-1. The system was observed during both the high and low X-ray states of the roughly 60-day superorbital period. The continuum spectra during both states are well represented by a power law with photon index $alpha$=0.9 and a blackbody of kT = 0.15keV. The high state spectra are dominated by the continuum and independent of orbital phase whereas the low state spectra show a strong orbital dependence as well as line emission from O, Ne, Mg, Fe, and Si. This is consistent with the states attributed to disk precession: during the high state X-ray emission is dominated by the compact source which is abrubtly eclipsed and during the low state the compact object is hidden by the disk and a larger, less luminous scattering region is responsible for the X-ray emission. A prominent Ne IX feature places a stringent limit (Log $xi$ = 2.0-2.5) on the ionization parameter which constrains the wind dynamics of the system. The Fe line fluxes are related linearly to the blackbody fluxes indicating that both originate in the same region or are excited by the same mechanism. There is evidence for structure in the Fe-line that cannot be fully resolved by the current observations. The pulse period measured during our observations, 0.7057147$pm$0.00000027s shows that the uninterrupted spin-up trend of SMC X-1 continues. We discuss the implications of our results for models of SMC X-1.
We present the results of a detailed non-LTE analysis of the UV and optical spectrum of the O6.5Iaf+ star HD153919 - the mass donor in the high-mass X-ray binary 4U1700-37. Given the eclipsing nature of the system these results allow us to determine the most likely masses of both components of the binary via Monte Carlo simulations. These suggest a mass for HD153919 of 58+/-11M_sun - implying the initial mass of the companion was rather high (>60 M_sun). The most likely mass for the compact companion is found to be 2.44+/-0.27M_sun, with only 3.5 per cent of the trials resulting in a mass less than 2.0M_sun and none less than 1.65M_sun. Our observational data is inconsistent with the canonical neutron star mass and the lowest black hole mass observed (>4.4M_sun; Nova Vel). Significantly changing observational parameters can force the compact object mass into either of these regimes but this results in the O-star mass changing by factors of greater than 2, well beyond the limits determined from its evolutionary state and surface gravity. The low mass of the compact object implies that it is difficult to form high mass black holes through both the Case A & B mass transfer channels and, if the compact object is a neutron star, would significantly constrain the high density nuclear EoS
We present the results of timing and spectral analysis of X-ray high state observations of the high-mass X-ray pulsar SMC X-1 with Chandra, XMM-Newton, and ROSAT, taken between 1991 and 2001. The source has L_X ~ 3-5 x 10^38 ergs/s, and the spectra can be modeled as a power law plus blackbody with kT_BB ~ 0.18 keV and reprocessed emission radius R_BB ~ 2 x 10^8 cm, assuming a distance of 60 kpc to the source. Energy-resolved pulse profiles show several distinct forms, more than half of which include a second pulse in the soft profile, previously documented only in hard energies. We also detect significant variation in the phase shift between hard and soft pulses, as has recently been reported in Her X-1. We suggest an explanation for the observed characteristics of the soft pulses in terms of precession of the accretion disk.
Based on its Hipparcos proper motion, we propose that the high-mass X-ray binary HD153919/4U1700-37 originates in the OB association Sco OB1. At a distance of 1.9 kpc the space velocity of 4U1700-37 with respect to Sco OB1 is 75 km/s. This runaway velocity indicates that the progenitor of the compact X-ray source lost about 7 Msun during the (assumed symmetric) supernova explosion. The systems kinematical age is about 2 +/- 0.5 million years which marks the date of the supernova explosion forming the compact object. The present age of Sco OB1 is <8 Myr; its suggested core, NGC 6231, seems to be somewhat younger (~5 Myr). If HD153919/4U1700-37 was born as a member of Sco OB1, this implies that the initially most massive star in the system terminated its evolution within <6 million years, corresponding to an initial mass >30 Msun. With these parameters the evolution of the binary system can be constrained.
We have re-analysed all available high-resolution ultraviolet IUE spectra of the high-mass X-ray binary HD153919/4U1700-37. The radial velocity semi-amplitude of 20.6 +/- 1.0 km/s and orbital eccentricity of 0.22 +/- 0.04 agree very well with the values obtained earlier from optical spectra. They disagree with earlier conclusions for the same data reduced by Heap & Corcoran (1992) and by Stickland & Lloyd (1993).