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The Origin and Evolution of the Black Hole Binary XTE J1118+480

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 April 2012

Jonay I. González Hernández
Affiliation:
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Vía Láctea, s/n, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain email: [email protected] Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna, E-38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Rafael Rebolo
Affiliation:
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Vía Láctea, s/n, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain email: [email protected] Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna, E-38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Jorge Casares
Affiliation:
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Vía Láctea, s/n, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain email: [email protected] Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna, E-38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
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Abstract

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Black hole X-ray binaries with large mass ratios and short orbital periods are expected to change their orbital period due to magnetic breaking, mass loss, gravitational radiation, or mass evaporation of the black hole in alternative descriptions of gravity, like in braneworld gravity scenarios.

The black hole X-ray binary XTE J1118+480, consisting of a late-type secondary star orbiting a ~ 8 M black hole in a 4.1-hr period, offers a unique opportunity to test these models. New spectroscopic data allow us to determine the time of the inferior conjunction of the secondary star at different epochs. Observations over a 10 year span will provide constraints on the rate of any orbital period change.

We present here a preliminary radial velocity curve obtained with the 10.4m GTC telescope equipped with OSIRIS medium-resolution spectrograph, as part of an ongoing long-term program to study the orbital period evolution in this binary.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2012

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