More Optical Spectroscopy of the X-ray Nova J0422+32

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Session 11 -- Novae
Display presentation, Monday, 9, 1995, 9:20am - 6:30pm

[11.04] More Optical Spectroscopy of the X-ray Nova J0422+32

M.R. Garcia, P. Callanan, J. McClintock, P. Zhao (SAO)

We present the most recent results from our optical spectroscopy campaign on the X-ray Nova/Black Hole Candidate GRO J0422+32. Spectroscopy from the MMT during September 1994, when the system was at $R=21$ shows that the equivalent width of the H-$\alpha$ emission line is 150\AA. Earlier Spectroscopy from March 1994, when the system was at $R=20$, shows a equivalent width of 100\AA, and from Oct 1993, when the system was at $R=19$, shows an equivalent width of $\sim 40$\AA. From our extensive Oct~1993 data, we find H-$\alpha$ velocity variations on a 5.1~hour period with a semi-aplitude of $K=30$km/sec. The relative phasing of these velocity variations and the photometric and velocity variation of the He-II~4686 emission line found by Casares et.al 1994 (poster paper at IAUS 165) may be taken as evidence that the mass of the compact object is $M_x > 9.3${M$_{\odot}$}, the mass ratio $q \sim 0.04$, and the photometric variations may be caused by a either a x-ray heating effect or a partial eclipse of the disk by the secondary. However, these conclusions are not secure, and must be confirmed by observations of the system in quiescence.

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