Mass loss by SS 433, and its effect on the x-ray and radio emission
Analysis of the hydrogen emission lines and infrared radiation of SS 433 indicates that this binary system (comprising a massive giant and a neutron star) is surrounded by an envelope of effective size roughly-equal10/sup 13/ cm and mean density rhoroughly-equal10/sup -13/ g/cm/sup 3/. Since random plasma velocities of roughly-equal(2--3) x 10/sup 8/ cm/sec occur in this envelope, gas is continually escaping from the system at a rate of roughly-equal10/sup -4/ M/sub sun//yr. Gas would be replenished in the envelope on a time scale of hours. This mass loss by the SS 433 system cannot be attributed solely to stellar wind from the massive component. Gas evidently is streaming rapidly through the inner Lagrangian point. Some mechanism should operate to expel from the system the gas being exchanged by components. One possibility is a propeller effect due to a swift spin (..cap omega..roughly-equal10/sup 3/ sec/sup -1/) of the neutron star, whose magnetic field should not be too strong. The observed x rays do not come from gas being accreted onto the compact object; instead, they are emitted when the clouds being ejected from the system interact with the ambient medium. The distinctive aspherical shape of the associated supernova remnant W50 reflects the regular expulsion of plasma clouds from SS 433 within a narrow solid angle. These clouds would have a combined energy Eroughly-equal3 x 10/sup 50/ erg, in good accord with the observed rate at which the source is releasing kinetic energy (Wroughly-equal3 x 10/sup 38/ erg/sec). The radio variability of SS 433 is discussed; it results from the rapid motion of the clouds through the surrounding radio-opaque plasma.
- Research Organization:
- Institute for Space Research, USSR Academy of Sciences, Moscow
- OSTI ID:
- 5849722
- Journal Information:
- Sov. Astron. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Vol. 25:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
BINARY STARS
BALMER LINES
INFRARED SPECTRA
GIANT STARS
NEUTRON STARS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
STAR ACCRETION
STAR EVOLUTION
STELLAR FLARES
STELLAR WINDS
SPECTRA
STARS
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources