Spectroscopic Observations of the Mass Donor Star in SS 433

Hillwig, Todd C.; Gies, Douglas R.

doi:10.1086/587140

Cited by 71 publications

(113 citation statements)

References 12 publications

(39 reference statements)

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“…Absorption spectra of SS 433 show features characteristic of a mid A-type star and these absorption lines, observed over more than a quarter of an orbit, exhibit a 13 day period with an amplitude of 58 km s −1 (Hillwig & Gies 2008;Kubota et al 2010). If these absorption lines are formed in the atmosphere of the companion, then the origin of the two horned structures which are the subject of this paper cannot possibly be in a circumbinary disk.…”

Section: Possible Difficultiesmentioning

confidence: 86%

More on the circumbinary disk of SS 433

Bowler

2011

A&A

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Context. Certain lines in spectra of the Galactic microquasar SS 433, in particular the brilliant Balmer Hα line, have been interpreted as emission from a circumbinary disk. In this interpretation the orbital speed of the glowing material is in excess of 200 km s −1 and the mass of the binary system in excess of 40 M . A very simple model for excitation of disk material is in remarkable agreement with the observations, yet it seems that the very existence of a circumbinary disk is regarded as controversial. Aims. We investigate whether analysis of optical data from Hα and He I spectral lines in terms of a model, in which the disk is excited by radiation from the close environment of the compact object, can further illuminate the origin of these split spectral lines. Methods. A model in which the excitation of any given patch of putative circumbinary disk material is proportional to the inverse square of its instantaneous distance from the compact object was constructed and compared with published spectra, taken almost nightly over two orbital periods of the binary system. The Hα and He I lines were analysed as superpositions of Gaussian components.Results. The new model provides an excellent description of the observations. The variations of the Hα and He I spectra with orbital phase are described quantitatively, provided the radius of the orbit of the emitting ring is not much greater than the radius of the closest stable circumbinary orbit. The observed variations with orbital phase are not consistent with an origin in a radially expanding ring. Conclusions. The new analysis has greatly strengthened the case for a circumbinary disk orbiting the SS 433 system with a speed of over 200 km s −1 and presents supposed alternative explanations with major difficulties. If the circumbinary disk scenario is essentially correct, the mass of the binary system must exceed 40 M and the compact object must be a rather massive stellar black hole. This possibility should be taken seriously.

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Section: Possible Difficultiesmentioning

confidence: 86%

More on the circumbinary disk of SS 433

Bowler

2011

A&A

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“…(For material at 220 km s −1 f would be 1.1 and even for 200 km s −1 an f of 1.33.) However, it seems possible that the absorption lines of Hillwig & Gies (2008) and Kubota et al (2010) are in fact produced in circumbinary material. The arguments against a circumbinary origin for such absorption lines set out in Hillwig et al (2004) do not obviously apply to material in an orbiting disk.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is no consistency among the many reports of Doppler speeds for the companion. Relatively recent observations of absorption lines, attributed to the atmosphere of the companion, have yielded an orbital velocity for the companion about the binary centre of mass of 132 km s −1 (Cherepashchuk et al 2005), which implies a system mass of 42 M , and 58 km s −1 (Hillwig & Gies 2008;Kubota et al 2010), the latter value implying a system mass of 17 M . Observations in Hα interpreted in terms of a circumbinary disk imply a system mass of approximately 40 M or greater (Blundell et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interpretation of observations of the circumbinary disk of SS 433

Bowler¹

2010

A&A

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Context. The Galactic microquasar SS 433 possesses a circumbinary disk most clearly seen in the brilliant Balmer Hα emission line. The orbital speed of the glowing material is an important determinant of the mass of the binary system. The circumbinary disk may be fed through the L2 point and in turn may feed a very extended radio feature known as the ruff. Aims. We present (i) an analysis of spectroscopic optical data from Hα and He I spectral lines which reveal the circumbinary disk (ii) comparisons of the rather different signals, to better understand the disk and improve estimates of the rotational speed of the inner rim (iii) a simple model that naturally explains some apparently bizarre spectral variations with orbital phase. Methods. Published spectra, taken almost nightly over two orbital periods of the binary system, show Hα and He I lines. These were analysed as superpositions of Gaussian components and a simple model in terms of a circumbinary disk was constructed. The possible contributions to the signal of an outflow through the L2 point were considered. Results. The data can be understood in terms of a hot spot, generated in proximity to the compact object and rotating round the inner circumbinary disk with a period of 13 days. The glowing material fades with time, quite slowly for the Hα source but more rapidly for the He I spectral lines. The orbital speed of the inner rim is approximately 250 km s −1 . It may be that absorption lines attributed to the atmosphere of the companion are in fact formed in this circumbinary material. Conclusions. The mass of the binary system must exceed 40 M and the compact object must be a rather massive stellar black hole. The corollary is that the orbital speed of the companion must exceed 130 km s −1 .

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“…This is a massive close binary, the compact star is the most probably a black hole ( [19,9,20,5]). SS 433 intrinsic luminosity as believed to be ∼ 10 40 erg/s, its maximum is in non-observed UV region.…”

Section: Ss 433 and Ultraluminous X-ray Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

SS433 as ultraluminous UV source. Comparison with ULXs

Fabrika¹,

Sholukhova²

2009

Proceedings of VII Microquasar Workshop: Microquasars and Beyond — PoS(MQW7)

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We present optical spectral study of gas filaments located in the nebula W50 surrounding the galactic superaccretor SS 433. We find HeII and [OIII] emission lines in the filaments, the lines have to be produced in the gas photoionization by the SS433. The intrinsic face-on luminosity of the supercritical accretion disk in the far UV region is estimated to be ∼ 10 40 erg/s. We compare the filament spectra with those of nebulae surrounding the ULXs. We discuss the face-on SS433 spectrum, which is hidden for direct observations, and find it may be similar to the ULX spectra.

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Spectroscopic Observations of the Mass Donor Star in SS 433

Cited by 71 publications

References 12 publications

More on the circumbinary disk of SS 433

More on the circumbinary disk of SS 433

Interpretation of observations of the circumbinary disk of SS 433

SS433 as ultraluminous UV source. Comparison with ULXs

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