The Ultraviolet Spectrum and Physical Properties of the Mass Donor Star in HD 226868 = Cygnus X-1

We present an examination of high resolution, ultraviolet spectroscopy from Hubble Space Telescope of the photospheric spectrum of the O-supergiant in the massive X-ray binary HD 226868 = Cyg X-1. We analyzed this and ground-based optical spectra to determine the effective temperature and gravity of the O9.7 Iab supergiant. Using non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE), line blanketed, plane parallel models from the TLUSTY grid, we obtain T_eff = 28.0 +/- 2.5kK and log g > 3.00 +/- 0.25, both lower than in previous studies. The optical spectrum is best fit with models that have enriched He and N abundances. We fit the model spectral energy distribution for this temperature and gravity to the UV, optical, and IR fluxes to determine the angular size of and extinction towards the binary. The angular size then yields relations for the stellar radius and luminosity as a function of distance. By assuming that the supergiant rotates synchronously with the orbit, we can use the radius - distance relation to find mass estimates for both the supergiant and black hole as a function of the distance and the ratio of stellar to Roche radius. Fits of the orbital light curve yield an additional constraint that limits the solutions in the mass plane. Our results indicate masses of 23^{+8}_{-6} M_sun for the supergiant and 11^{+5}_{-3} M_sun for the black hole.Comment: ApJ in pres

Stellar Wind Variations During the X-ray High and Low States of Cygnus X-1

We present results from Hubble Space Telescope UV spectroscopy of the massive X-ray binary system, HD226868 = Cyg X-1. The spectra were obtained at both orbital conjunction phases in two separate runs in 2002 and 2003 when the system was in the X-ray high/soft state. The stellar wind lines suffer large reductions in strength when the black hole is in the foreground due to the X-ray ionization of the wind ions. A comparison of HST and archival IUE spectra shows that similar photoionization effects occur in both the X-ray states. We constructed model UV wind line profiles assuming that X-ray ionization occurs everywhere in the wind except the zone where the supergiant blocks the X-ray flux. The good match between the observed and model profiles indicates that the wind ionization extends to near to the hemisphere of the supergiant facing the X-ray source. The H-alpha emission strength is generally lower in the high/soft state compared to the low/hard state, but the He II 4686 emission is relatively constant between states. The results suggest that mass transfer in Cyg X-1 is dominated by a focused wind flow that peaks along the axis joining the stars and that the stellar wind contribution is shut down by X-ray photoionization effects. The strong stellar wind from the shadowed side of the supergiant will stall when Coriolis deflection brings the gas into the region of X-ray illumination. This stalled gas component may be overtaken by the orbital motion of the black hole and act to inhibit accretion from the focused wind. The variations in the strength of the shadow wind component may then lead to accretion rate changes that ultimately determine the X-ray state.Comment: ApJ, in press, 41 pages, 15 figure

Properties and nature of Be stars

The analysis of radial velocities of the Be star o Cas from spectra taken between 1992 and 2008 at the Ondřejov Observatory and the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory allowed us to reconfirm the binary nature of this object, first suggested by Abt and Levy in 1978, but later refuted by several authors. The orbital parameters of this SB1 system imply a very high mass function of about one solar mass. This in turn leads to a very high mass of the secondary, possibly higher than that of the primary. In order to look for such a massive secondary, o Cas was observed with the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer, which allowed the binary components to be spatially resolved for the first time. The interferometric observations lead to the detection of a secondary, about 3 mag fainter than the primary. The possible properties of this peculiar binary system and the reasons why the massive secondary does not dominate the optical spectrum are discussed

Tauri: a unique laboratory to study the dynamic interaction in a compact hierarchical quadruple system

Context. Compact hierarchical systems are important because the effects caused by the dynamical interaction among its members occur ona human timescale. These interactions play a role in the formation of close binaries through Kozai cycles with tides. One such system is ξ Tauri: it has three hierarchical orbits: 7.14 d (eclipsing components Aa, Ab), 145 d (components Aa+Ab, B), and 51 yr (components Aa+Ab+B, C). Aims. We aim to obtain physical properties of the system and to study the dynamical interaction between its components. Methods. Our analysis is based on a large series of spectroscopic photometric (including space-borne) observations and long-baseline optical and infrared spectro-interferometric observations. We used two approaches to infer the system properties: a set of observation-specific models, where all components have elliptical trajectories, and an N-body model, which computes the trajectory of each component by integrating Newton’s equations of motion. Results. The triple subsystem exhibits clear signs of dynamical interaction. The most pronounced are the advance of the apsidal line and eclipse-timing variations. We determined the geometry of all three orbits using both observation-specific and N-body models. The latter correctly accounted for observed effects of the dynamical interaction, predicted cyclic variations of orbital inclinations, and determined the sense of motion of all orbits. Using perturbation theory, we demonstrate that prominent secular and periodic dynamical effects are explainable with a quadrupole interaction. We constrained the basic properties of all components, especially of members of the inner triple subsystem and detected rapid low-amplitude light variations that we attribute to co-rotating surface structures of component B. We also estimated the radius of component B. Properties of component C remain uncertain because of its low relative luminosity. We provide an independent estimate of the distance to the system. Conclusions. The accuracy and consistency of our results make ξ Tau an excellent test bed for models of formation and evolution of hierarchical systems