The H-alpha Emission Line Variations of HR 6819

Abstract

The star system HR 6819 was recently proposed by Rivinius et al. as the site of the nearest example of a stellar mass black hole. Their spectra show evidence of two components: a B3 III star in a 40 d orbit and a stationary B-emission line star. Based upon the orbital mass function and the lack of evidence of a spectral component with reflex orbital motion, Rivinius et al. suggested that HR 6819 is a triple system consisting of an inner B3 III star plus black hole binary orbited by a distant Be star. Here we present an alternative model based upon an examination of the H-alpha emission line in their spectra. We show that the emission line displays the small reflex motion expected for the companion in the inner orbit and shows variations in profile shape related to orbital phase. This indicates that HR 6819 is a binary system consisting of a massive Be star and a low mass companion that is the stripped down remnant of a former mass donor star in a mass transfer binary.

arXiv commentAccepted for ApJL; 11 pages, 4 figures

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• The B-type Binaries Characterisation Programme II. VFTS 291: A stripped star from a recent mass transfer phase
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