Cyg X-3: evidence for a black hole.
Abstract
The authors have observed time-variations in the profiles of several infrared emission lines from the X-ray binary, Cyg X-3, which is believed to consist of a Wolf-Rayet star and a compact object. It is concluded that the variations are due to the orbital motion of the Wolf-Rayet star and derive a mass function for Cyg X-3 of 2.3 Msun. Assuming reasonable values for the mass of the Wolf-Rayet star and the inclination of the system, the authors obtain a range of masses 7-40 Msun for the compact object, with a most likely value of 17 Msun. This strongly suggests that the compact component of Cyg X-3 is a black hole.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- 1996
- Bibcode:
- 1996A&A...311L..25S
- Keywords:
-
- X-Ray Binaries: Black Holes;
- binaries: close -- Stars: individual: Cyg X-3 -- stars: Wolf-Rayet -- infrared: stars