Abstract
While X-ray observatories continue to identify black-hole candidates on the basis of specific characteristics (such as X-ray spectrum and fast temporal variability), it is necessary to undertake optical spectroscopic dynamical studies of these objects in order to unequivocally show that they could not be (conventional) neutron stars. Such work has expanded dramatically in recent years as a result of the discovery of ~20 soft X-ray transients whose extended periods of X-ray quiescence provide an ideal opportunity for ground-based studies of the mass-losing star in these close interacting binaries. Mass functions have now been derived for eight of these systems that, combined with ellipsoidal studies to constrain the orbital inclinations, imply they significantly exceed the canonical maximum neutron star mass of 3M⊙. They therefore represent the most secure dynamically determined black hole candidates in our Galaxy.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Abramowicz, M.A., Chen, X., Kato, S., Lasota, J.-P. & Regev, O. 1995, ApJ, 438, L37.
Beekman, G., Shahbaz, T., Naylor, T. & Charles, P.A. 1996, MNRAS, 281, L1.
Beekman, G., Shahbaz, T., Naylor, T., Charles, P.A., Wagner, R.M. & Martini, P. 1997, MNRAS, 290, 303.
Belloni, T., et al. 1997, ApJ, 479, L145.
Berriman, G., Szkody, P. & Capps, R.W. 1985, MNRAS, 217, 327.
Brandt, W.N., Podsiadlowski, P. & Sigurdsson, S. 1995, MNRAS, 277, L35.
Casares, J., Charles, P.A. & Naylor, T. 1992, Nature, 355, 614.
Casares, J. & Charles, P.A. 1994, MNRAS, 271, L5.
Casares, J. et al. 1995, MNRAS, 274, 565.
Casares, J., Martín, E.L., Charles, P.A., Molaro, P. & Rebolo, R. 1997, New Astron., 1, 299.
Chakrabarti, S.K. 1998, Ind.J.Phys. (Reviews) 72 B, 183
Chakrabarti, S.K. & Titarchuk, L.G. 1995, ApJ, 455, 623.
Chen, W., Shrader, C. & Livio, M. 1997, ApJ, 491, 312.
Chen, X., Abramowicz, M.A., Lasota, J.-P., Narayan, R. & Yi, I. 1995, ApJ, 443, L61.
Eggleton, P.P. 1983, ApJ, 268, 368.
Elvis, M., Page, C.G., Pounds, K.A., Ricketts, M.J. & Turner, M.J.L. 1975, Nature, 257, 656.
Filippenko, A.V., Matheson, T. & Barth, A.J. 1995a, ApJ, 455, L139.
Filippenko, A.V., Matheson, T. & Ho, L.C. 1995b, ApJ, 455, 614.
Filippenko, A.V., Matheson, T., Leonard, D.C., Barth, A.J. & Schuyler, D.V. 1997, PASP, 109, 461.
Harlaftis, E.T., Horne, K. & Filippenko, A.V. 1996, PASP, 108, 762.
Harlaftis, E.T., Steeghs, D., Horne, K. & Filippenko, A.V. 1997, AJ, 114, 1170.
Harries, J.R., McCracken, K.G., Francey, R.J. & Fenton, A.G. 1967, Nature, 215, 38.
Herrero, A., Kudritzki, R.P., Gabler, R., Vilchez, J.M. & Gabler, A. 1995, A&A, 297, 556.
Hjellming, R.M. & Rupen, M.P. 1995, Nature, 375, 464.
Kahabka, P. & van den Heuvel, E.P.J. 1997, Ann.Rev.Astron.Ap., 35, 69.
King, A.R. 1988, QJRAS, 29, 1.
King, A.R. & Ritter, H. 1998, MNRAS, 293, L42.
Kolb, U., et al. 1997, ApJ, 485, L33.
Kuulkers, E. 1998, New Astron., submitted.
Marsh, T.R., Robinson, E.L. & Wood, J.H. 1994, MNRAS, 266, 137.
Martin, A.C. et al 1995, MNRAS, 274, L46.
McClintock, J.E. 1991, Ann.NY Acad.Sci., 647, 495.
McClintock, J.E. 1998, Proc. 8th Annual Astrophysics Conference in Maryland on “Accretion Processes in Astrophysical Systems”.
McClintock, J.E. & Remillard, R.A. 1986, ApJ, 308, 110.
McClintock, J.E. & Remillard, R.A. 1990, ApJ, 350, 386.
Miller, J.C., 1998, Proc. 12th Italian Conference on General Relativity and Gravitational Physics World Scientific (in press).
Miller, J.C., Shahbaz, T. & Nolan, L.A. 1998, MNRAS, 294, L25.
Mirabel, I.F. et al. 1997, ApJ, 477, L45.
Mirabel, I.F. & Rodr#x00ED;guez, L.F. 1994, Nature, 371, 46.
Morgan, E. & Remillard, R. 1996, ApJ, 473, L107.
Narayan, R., Barret, D. & McClintock, J.E. 1997, ApJ, 482, 448.
Orosz, J.A. et al. 1994, ApJ, 436, 848.
Orosz, J.A., Bailyn, C.D., McClintock, J.E. & Remillard, R.A. 1996, ApJ, 468, 380.
Orosz, J.A. & Bailyn, C.D. 1997, ApJ, 477, 876 (and ApJ, 482, 1086 ).
Orosz, J.A. Jain, R.K., Bailyn, C.D., McClintock,J.E. & Remillard, R.A. 1998, ApJ, in press.
Paczynski, B. 1971, Ann.Rev.Astron.Ap., 9, 183.
Remillard, R.A., Orosz, J.A., McClintock, J.E. & Bailyn, C.D. 1996, ApJ, 459, 226.
Rhoades, C.E. & Ruffini, R. 1974, Phys.Rev.Lett., 32, 324.
Sanwal, D. et al. 1996, ApJ, 460, 437.
Shahbaz, T., Naylor, T. & Charles, P.A. 1994a, MNRAS, 268, 756.
Shahbaz, T., Naylor, T. & Charles, P.A. 1997, MNRAS, 285, 607.
Shahbaz, T. et al. 1994b, MNRAS, 271, L10.
Shahbaz, T., Bandyopahyay, R. & Charles, P.A. 1998b, MNRAS, submitted.
Shahbaz, T., Charles, P.A. & King, A.R. 1998a, MNRAS, submitted.
Shahbaz, T. & Kuulkers, E. 1998, MNRAS, 295, Ll.
Shahbaz, T., Naylor, T. & Charles, P.A. 1993, MNRAS, 265, 655.
Shahbaz, T., et al. 1996, MNRAS, 282, 977.
Tanaka, Y. & Lewin, W.H.G. 1995, in X-ray Binaries, 126: CUP.
Thorsett, S.E. & Chakrabarty, D. 1998, ApJ, submitted.
Thorsett, S.E., et al. 1993, ApJ, 405, L29.
Van der Hooft, F. et al. 1997, MNRAS, 286, L43.
Van der Hooft, F. et al. 1998, A&A, 329, 538.
Van Paradijs, J. & McClintock, J.E. 1994, A&A, 290, 133.
Van Paradijs, J. & McClintock, J.E. 1995, in X-Ray Binaries, 58: CUP.
Verbunt, F., Belloni, T., Johnston, H.M., van der Klis, M. & Lewin, W.H.G. 1994, A&A, 285, 903.
Wade, R.A. & Horne, K. 1988, ApJ, 324, 411.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Charles, P. (1999). Black Holes in Our Galaxy. In: Chakrabarti, S.K. (eds) Observational Evidence for Black Holes in the Universe. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 234. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4750-7_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4750-7_20
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5995-4
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-4750-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive