Infrared Spectroscopy of GX 1+4/V2116 Oph: Evidence for a Fast Red Giant Wind?

Abstract

We present infrared spectroscopy of the low-mass X-ray binary GX 1+4/V2116 Oph. This symbiotic binary consists of a 2-min accretion-powered pulsar and an M5 III red giant. A strong He I 1.083 micron emission line with a pronounced P Cygni profile was observed. From the blue edge of this feature, we infer an outflow velocity of 250(50) km/s. This is an order of magnitude faster than a typical red giant wind, and we suggest that radiation from the accretion disk or the neutron star may contribute to the acceleration of the outflow. We infer a wind mass loss rate of around 10^-6 Msun/yr. Accretion from such a strong stellar wind provides a plausible alternative to Roche lobe overflow for supplying the accretion disk which powers the X-ray source. The H I Paschen beta and He I 1.083 micron lines showed no evidence for the dramatic changes previously reported in some optical lines, and no evidence for pulsations at the 2-min pulsar period.

11 pages including 2 PS figures. To appear in ApJ Letters

References in corpus (4)

• The Symbiotic Neutron Star Binary GX 1+4/V2116 Ophiuchi
• On the Correlation of Torque and Luminosity in GX 1+4
• On the Dramatic Spin-up/Spin-down Torque Reversals in Accreting Pulsars
• Discovery of optical pulsations in V2116 Ophiuchi/GX 1+4

Cited by in corpus (17)

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• The Orbital Period of the Accreting Pulsar GX1+4
• Lost and Found: A New Position and Infrared Counterpart for the X-ray Binary Scutum X-1
• ASCA and Ginga Observations of GX 1+4
• Parameterization studies of the properties of the X-ray dips for Low Mass X-ray binary X1916-053
• A Compton reflection dominated spectrum in a peculiar accreting neutron star
• ChaMPlane Discovery of Candidate Symbiotic Binaries in Baade's and Stanek's Windows
• Hot Outflowing Gas from the X-ray Binary Hercules X-1
• SRGA J181414.6-225604: A new Galactic symbiotic X-ray binary outburst triggered by an intense mass loss episode of a heavily obscured Mira variable
• Spectral variation in the X-ray pulsar GX 1+4 during a low-flux episode
• Three New Galactic Center X-ray Sources Identified with Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
• A Technique for Narrowband Time Series Photometry: the X-ray Star V2116 Oph
• Signatures of Energetic Protons in Hot Accretion Flows: Synchrotron Cooling of Protons in Strongly Magnetized Pulsars
• Long time-scale variability of X-ray binaries with late type giant companions
• A puzzling event during the X-ray emission of the binary system GX 1+4