The Ultraviolet Spectrum and Physical Properties of the Mass Donor Star in HD 226868 = Cygnus X-1

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal 2009-08, Vol.701 (2), p.1895-1905
• Main Authors: Caballero-Nieves, S. M, Gies, D. R, Bolton, C. T, Hadrava, P, Herrero, A, Hillwig, T. C, Howell, S. B, Huang, W, Kaper, L, Koubský, P, McSwain, M. V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astronomy; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/701/2/1895

We present an examination of high-resolution, ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy from Hubble Space Telescope of the photospheric spectrum of the O-supergiant in the massive X-ray binary HD 226868 = Cyg X-1. We analyzed this and ground-based optical spectra to determine the effective temperature and gravity of the O9.7 Iab supergiant. Using non-LTE, line-blanketed, plane-parallel models from the TLUSTY grid, we obtain T eff = 28.0 +/- 2.5 kK and log g 3.00 +/- 0.25, both lower than in previous studies. The optical spectrum is best fit with models that have enriched He and N abundances. We fit the model spectral energy distribution for this temperature and gravity to the UV, optical, and infrared (IR) fluxes to determine the angular size and extinction toward the binary. The angular size then yields relations for the stellar radius and luminosity as a function of distance. By assuming that the supergiant rotates synchronously with the orbit, we can use the radius-distance relation to find mass estimates for both the supergiant and black hole (BH) as a function of the distance and the ratio of stellar to Roche radius. Fits of the orbital light curve yield an additional constraint that limits the solutions in the mass plane. Our results indicate masses of 23+8 -6 M for the supergiant and 11+5 -3 M for the BH.