The Infrared Ellipsoidal Variations of Soft X-Ray Transients: Measuring the Black Hole Primary Mass of GRS 1009-45

Details The Infrared Ellipsoidal Variations of Soft X-Ray Transients: Measuring the Black Hole Primary Mass of GRS 1009-45 The Infrared Ellipsoidal Variations of Soft X-Ray Transients: Measuring the Black Hole Primary Mass of GRS 1009-45

Feb 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002noao.prop...15g&link_type=abstract

NOAO Proposal ID #2002A-0015

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Scientific paper

Soft x-ray transients (SXTs) are systems that suddenly brighten at x- ray and optical wavelengths. Their outbursts last several months, and peak at luminosities of ~ 10^38 erg s^-1. The primary object is believed to be a black hole, but only a handful of such objects have been rigorously confirmed. To determine the mass of the primary object we need to measure the orbital inclination. We propose to determine the orbital inclination for the SXT system GRS 1009-45 through modeling of its infrared ellipsoidal variations. Because SXTs are not eclipsing, modeling their light curves is the only feasible method for determining the inclination. We will model the light curves with the most recent version of the Wilson-Devinney code (WD98). The multi- wavelength light curves that we obtain in this project are needed to confidently determine system parameters and account for any other sources of light in the system, such as an accretion disk or hot spot, that may dilute the variations. Using the derived orbital inclination angle, we can determine the primary mass of the SXT to better understand how the primary mass influences the outburst behavior. We have previously observed five SXTs with telescopes at CTIO, KPNO, and APO. We have successfully used this modeling technique to confirm the existence of black holes in four SXT systems (V616 Mon, GU Mus, QZ Vul, J0422+32). In order to expand the sample of known black hole soft x-ray transients, we request 2 nights of bright time with OSIRIS on the CTIO 4m telescope in order to obtain J-, H-, and K-band light curves of GRS 1009-45.

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