Measuring masses in low mass X-ray binaries via X-ray spectroscopy: the case of MXB 1659-298

Abstract

The determination of fundamental parameters in low-mass X-ray binaries typically relies on measuring the radial velocity curve of the companion star through optical or near-infrared spectroscopy. It was recently suggested that high resolution X-ray spectroscopy might enable a measurement of the radial velocity curve of the compact object by monitoring the Doppler shifts induced by the orbital motion of the disc wind or the disc atmosphere. We analysed a Chandra-HETG+NuSTAR soft state observation of MXB 1659-298, an eclipsing neutron star low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB). We measured a radial velocity curve whose phase offset and semi-amplitude are consistent with the primary star. We derived the value for the semi-amplitude of the radial velocity for the compact object $K_1=89\pm 19$ km s${}^{-1}$, constrained the mass of the secondary ($0.3\le M_2\le 0.8$ M${}_{\odot }$) and the orbital inclination of the binary system ($73\le i\le 77^{\circ }$). These values are consistent with previous estimates from independent methods. Via the same technique, the next generation of X-ray observatories equipped with high spectral resolution instruments (e.g., Athena) will have the potential to measure the radial velocity curve of the primary in high inclination X-ray binaries to an accuracy of a few per cent.

Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters

References in corpus (8)

• Thermonuclear (type-I) X-ray bursts observed by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer
• The 2013 Release of Cloudy
• Detecting gravitational wave emission from the known accreting neutron stars
• The Athena X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU)
• A possible solution of the puzzling variation of the orbital period of MXB 1659-298
• Dynamical constraints on the neutron star mass in EXO 0748-676
• Indication of a massive circumbinary planet orbiting the Low Mass X-ray Binary MXB 1658-298
• High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy: the coming-of-age

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• Scientific Objectives of the Hot Universe Baryon Surveyor (HUBS) Mission
• Chandra-HETGS Characterization of an Outflowing Wind in the accreting millisecond pulsar IGR J17591-2342
• A 2-hr binary period for the black hole transient MAXI J0637-430
• Fast neutrino cooling in the accreting neutron star MXB 1659-29
• A Spectroscopic Angle on Central Engine Size Scales in Accreting Neutron Stars
• Accretion disc winds in X-ray binaries
• Measuring interacting binary mass functions with X-ray fluorescence