Optical Spectroscopy of GRO J1655-40

Abstract

We have obtained optical spectra of the soft X-ray transient GRO J1655-40 during different X-ray spectral states (quiescence, high-soft and hard outburst) between 1994 Aug and 1997 Jun. Characteristic features observed during the 1996-97 high-soft state were: a) broad absorption lines at Halpha and Hbeta, probably formed in the inner disk; b) double-peaked HeII 4686 emission lines, formed in a temperature-inversion layer on the disk surface, created by the soft X-ray irradiation; c) double-peaked Halpha emission, with a strength associated with the hard X-ray flux, suggesting that it was probably emitted from deeper layers than He II 4686. The observed rotational velocities of all the double-peaked lines suggest that the disk was extended slightly beyond its tidal radius. Three classes of lines were identified in the spectra taken in 1994 Aug-Sep, during a period of low X-ray activity between two strong X-ray flares: broad absorption, broad (flat-topped) emission and narrow emission. We have found that the narrow emission lines (single-peaked or double-peaked) cannot be explained by a thin-disk model. We propose that the system was in a transient state, in which the accretion disk might have had an extended optically thin cocoon and significant matter outflow. After the onset of a hard X-ray flare the disk signatures disappeared, and strong single-peaked Halpha and Paschen emission was detected, suggesting that the cocoon became opaque to optical radiation. High-ionisation lines disappeared or weakened. Two weeks after the end of the flare, the cocoon appeared to be once again optically thin.

arXiv comment22 text pages + 21 figures + 3 tables. Accepted by ApJ on 1999 Nov 12

References in corpus (9)

• First Results from the All-Sky Monitor on the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer
• Optical Observations of GRO J1655-40 in Quiescence I: A Precise Mass for the Black Hole Primary
• The mass of X-Ray Nova Scorpii 1994 (=GRO J1655--40)]
• An Optical Precursor to the Recent X-ray Outburst of the Black Hole Binary GRO J1655-40
• A Black Hole in the X-Ray Nova Velorum 1993
• The 1996 Outburst of GRO J1655-40: The Challenge of Interpreting the Multi-wavelength Spectra
• Echoes from an Irradiated Disc in GRO J1655-40
• Measuring the Motion of the Black Hole in GRO J16550-40
• Dual Nature of Hard X-Ray Outbursts from the Superluminal X-Ray Transient Source GRO J1655-40

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