A 2 h periodic variation in the low-mass X-ray binary Ser X-1
A 2 h periodic variation in the low-mass X-ray binary Ser X-1
Spectroscopy of the low-mass X-ray binary Ser X-1 using the Gran Telescopio Canarias have revealed a ?2 h periodic variability that is present in the three strongest emission lines. We tentatively interpret this variability as due to orbital motion, making it the first indication of the orbital period of Ser X-1. Together with the fact that the emission lines are remarkably narrow, but still resolved, we show that a main-sequence K dwarf together with a canonical 1.4 M? neutron star gives a good description of the system. In this scenario, the most likely place for the emission lines to arise is the accretion disc, instead of a localized region in the binary (such as the irradiated surface or the stream-impact point), and their narrowness is due instead to the low inclination (?10°) of Ser X-1.
accretion, accretion discs, stars: individual: Ser X-1, X-rays: binaries
1361-1366
Cornelisse, R.
06976a3f-4a05-4c72-8462-7e71b00e7b77
Casares, J.
e57ae499-4f86-421a-bcb1-67d17d2bcbfc
Charles, P. A.
0429b380-0754-4dc1-8def-885c7fa6a086
Steeghs, D.
ab1118c0-944a-427a-bfbf-6b82e1320280
21 June 2013
Cornelisse, R.
06976a3f-4a05-4c72-8462-7e71b00e7b77
Casares, J.
e57ae499-4f86-421a-bcb1-67d17d2bcbfc
Charles, P. A.
0429b380-0754-4dc1-8def-885c7fa6a086
Steeghs, D.
ab1118c0-944a-427a-bfbf-6b82e1320280
Cornelisse, R., Casares, J., Charles, P. A. and Steeghs, D.
(2013)
A 2 h periodic variation in the low-mass X-ray binary Ser X-1.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 432 (2), .
(doi:10.1093/mnras/stt554).
Abstract
Spectroscopy of the low-mass X-ray binary Ser X-1 using the Gran Telescopio Canarias have revealed a ?2 h periodic variability that is present in the three strongest emission lines. We tentatively interpret this variability as due to orbital motion, making it the first indication of the orbital period of Ser X-1. Together with the fact that the emission lines are remarkably narrow, but still resolved, we show that a main-sequence K dwarf together with a canonical 1.4 M? neutron star gives a good description of the system. In this scenario, the most likely place for the emission lines to arise is the accretion disc, instead of a localized region in the binary (such as the irradiated surface or the stream-impact point), and their narrowness is due instead to the low inclination (?10°) of Ser X-1.
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e-pub ahead of print date: 25 April 2013
Published date: 21 June 2013
Keywords:
accretion, accretion discs, stars: individual: Ser X-1, X-rays: binaries
Organisations:
Physics & Astronomy
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Local EPrints ID: 369394
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/369394
ISSN: 1365-2966
PURE UUID: b4e9d61a-9c9b-4036-a947-28048184688f
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Date deposited: 25 Sep 2014 11:17
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 18:02
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Author:
R. Cornelisse
Author:
J. Casares
Author:
D. Steeghs
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