Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2007-07-18
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Scientific paper
10.1051/0004-6361:20066025
We present the results of a spectroscopic monitoring campaign of the OB-star companions to the eclipsing X-ray pulsars SMC X-1, LMC X-4 and Cen X-3. High-resolution optical spectra obtained with UVES on the ESO Very Large Telescope are used to determine the radial-velocity orbit of the OB (super)giants with high precision. The excellent quality of the spectra provides the opportunity to measure the radial-velocity curve based on individual lines, and to study the effect of possible distortions of the line profiles due to e.g. X-ray heating on the derived radial-velocity amplitude. Several spectral lines show intrinsic variations with orbital phase. The magnitude of these variations depends on line strength, and thus provides a criterion to select lines that do not suffer from distortions. The undistorted lines show a larger radial-velocity amplitude than the distorted lines, consistent with model predictions. Application of our line-selection criteria results in a mean radial-velocity amplitude K(Opt) of 20.2 +/- 1.1, 35.1 +/- 1.5, and 27.5 +/- 2.3 km/s (1 sigma errors), for the OB companion to SMC X-1, LMC X-4 and Cen X-3, respectively. Adding information on the projected rotational velocity of the OB companion (derived from our spectra), the duration of X-ray eclipse and orbital parameters of the X-ray pulsar (obtained from literature), we arrive at a neutron star mass of 1.06^{+0.11}_{-0.10}, 1.25^{+0.11}_{-0.10} and 1.34^{+0.16}_{-0.14} M{sun} for SMC X-1, LMC X-4 and Cen X-3, respectively. The mass of SMC X-1 is near the minimum mass (~1 M{sun}) expected for a neutron star produced in a supernova. We discuss the implications of the measured mass distribution on the neutron-star formation mechanism, in relation to the evolutionary history of the massive binaries.
den Heuvel Edward P. J. van
der Meer van A.
Heemskerk M. H. M.
Kaper Lex
van Kerkwijk Marten Henric
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