Eta Carinae: Binarity Confirmed
Preprint
- 17 December 1999
Abstract
We report the recovery of a spectroscopic event in eta Carinae in 1997/98 after a prediction by Damineli (1996). A true periodicity with P = 2020+-5 days (0.2% uncertainty) is obtained. The line intensities and the radial-velocity curve display a phase-locked behavior implying that the energy and dynamics of the event repeat from cycle to cycle. This rules out S Doradus oscillation or multiple shell ejection by an unstable star as the explanation of the spectroscopic events. A colliding-wind binary scenario is supported by our spectroscopic data and by X-ray observations. Although deviations from a simple case exist around periastron, intensive monitoring during the next event (mid 2003) will be crucial to the understanding of the system.Keywords
All Related Versions
- Version 1, 1999-12-17, ArXiv
- Published version: The Astrophysical Journal, 528 (2), L101.
This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: