Wang, Zhongxiang, Chakrabarty, Deepto, Roche, Paul, Charles, Philip A., Kuulkers, Erik, Shahbaz, Tariq, Simpson, Chris, Forbes, Duncan A. and Helsdon, Stephen F. 2001. The Optical Counterpart of the Accreting Millisecond Pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658 in Outburst: Constraints on the Binary Inclination. Astrophysical Journal Letters 563 , L61-L64. 10.1086/338357 |
Abstract
We present multiband optical/IR photometry of V4580 Sgr, the optical counterpart of the accretion-powered millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658, taken during the 1998 X-ray outburst of the system. The optical flux is consistent with emission from an X-ray-heated accretion disk. Self-consistent modeling of the X-ray and optical emission during the outburst yields a best-fit extinction of AV = 0.68 and an inclination of cos i = 0.65 (90% confidence), assuming a distance of 2.5 kpc. This inclination range requires that the stellar companion of the pulsar has extremely low mass, Mc = 0.05-0.10 M. Some of the IR observations are inconsistent with disk emission and are too bright to be from either the disk or the companion, even in the presence of X-ray heating.
Item Type: | Article |
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Date Type: | Publication |
Status: | Published |
Schools: | Physics and Astronomy |
Subjects: | Q Science > QB Astronomy Q Science > QC Physics |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | accretion, accretion disks; binaries: close; pulsars: individual (SAX J1808.4-3658); stars: individual (V4580 Sagittarii); stars: neutron |
ISSN: | 0004-637X |
Last Modified: | 04 Jun 2017 01:41 |
URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/1643 |
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