AN X-RAY AND OPTICAL LIGHT CURVE MODEL OF THE ECLIPSING SYMBIOTIC BINARY SMC3

Journal Article · Sun Jan 20 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/763/1/5· OSTI ID:22167236

Kato, Mariko ^[1]; Hachisu, Izumi ^[2]; Mikolajewska, Joanna ^[3]

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1. Department of Astronomy, Keio University, Hiyoshi, Yokohama 223-8521 (Japan)
2. Department of Earth Science and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902 (Japan)
3. Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center, Bartycka 18, 00-716 Warszawa (Poland)

Some binary evolution scenarios for Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) include long-period binaries that evolve to symbiotic supersoft X-ray sources in their late stage of evolution. However, symbiotic stars with steady hydrogen burning on the white dwarf's (WD) surface are very rare, and the X-ray characteristics are not well known. SMC3 is one such rare example and a key object for understanding the evolution of symbiotic stars to SNe Ia. SMC3 is an eclipsing symbiotic binary, consisting of a massive WD and red giant (RG), with an orbital period of 4.5 years in the Small Magellanic Cloud. The long-term V light curve variations are reproduced as orbital variations in the irradiated RG, whose atmosphere fills its Roche lobe, thus supporting the idea that the RG supplies matter to the WD at rates high enough to maintain steady hydrogen burning on the WD. We also present an eclipse model in which an X-ray-emitting region around the WD is almost totally occulted by the RG swelling over the Roche lobe on the trailing side, although it is always partly obscured by a long spiral tail of neutral hydrogen surrounding the binary in the orbital plane.

• OSTI ID: 22167236
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 763; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS
DIAGRAMS
ECLIPSE
HYDROGEN BURNING
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
RED GIANT STARS
ROCHE EQUIPOTENTIALS
STAR EVOLUTION
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR WINDS
SUPERNOVAE
SYMBIOTIC STARS
VISIBLE RADIATION
WHITE DWARF STARS
X RADIATION