Rapid variability of P Cygni lines in massive X-ray binaries

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (10) References (6) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Rapid Variability of P Cygni Lines in Massive X-Ray Binaries Kallman, Timothy R. ; McCray, Richard ; Voit, G. Mark Abstract In early-type X-ray binaries, the recombination time scales for ions such as C IV, Si IV, and N V in the stellar winds of their massive OB companion stars can be very short compared to typical X-ray pulsation or fluctuation time scales. Thus, the authors predict that the 'bleached zones', in which these ions are removed from the stellar wind by X-ray photoionization, will track the X-ray beam as it rotates and that the P Cygni line profiles due to these ions will pulsate. With the IUE satellite the authors obtained low-resolution UV spectra of the binary X-ray system HD 77581/4U 0900-40 resolved into six phase bins of the 283 s pulse period; the observed upper limit to the pulse amplitude of the equivalent width of C IV 1550 A was less than the predicted value. However, the pulsations should be easy to observe with the Hubble Space Telescope. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: June 1987 DOI: 10.1086/165322 Bibcode: 1987ApJ...317..746K Keywords: B Stars; Early Stars; O Stars; Spectral Line Width; Stellar Spectra; X Ray Binaries; Iue; Stellar Winds; Ultraviolet Spectra; Variability; Astrophysics; X-RAYS: BINARIES; STARS: WINDS; ULTRAVIOLET: SPECTRA; LINE PROFILES full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (1) MAST (1) INES (1)