Masses for Vela X-1 and other X-ray binaries

Journal Article · Mon Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 1975 · Astrophys. J., Lett., v. 202, no. 3, pp. L131-L134

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/181996· OSTI ID:4049741

Avni, Y; Bahcall, J N

A detailed analysis of the optical light curve and other previously known observations of the X-ray binary Vela X-1 (3U 0900--40) is reported. All constraints are consistent only with a projected orbital velocity of the X-ray source of between 200 and 300 km s$sup -1$. The allowed ranges of the masses and other parameters is estimated. If the mass of the X-ray source is less than the Chandrasekhar limit for white dwarfs, then the optical star must have an unusually small mass-to-radius ratio for its spectral type. The importance of the X-ray eclipse duration in determining binary parameters is emphasized, and some new results are presented from analyses of the observations of 3U 1700--37 and other X-ray binaries. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-33-024056
• OSTI ID: 4049741
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J., Lett., v. 202, no. 3, pp. L131-L134, Journal Name: Astrophys. J., Lett., v. 202, no. 3, pp. L131-L134; ISSN AJLEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*BINARY STARS-- MASS
*COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES-- MASS
640103* --Physics Research--Astrophysics & Cosmology--Quasi- Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
ECLIPSE
N56200 --Physics (Astrophysics & Cosmology)--Stars
N56300* --Physics (Astrophysics & Cosmology)--Quasi-stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
SIZE
VELOCITY
VISIBLE RADIATION
WHITE DWARF STARS