1999MNRAS.304..839P

We present a re-analysis of the outburst radial velocity data for X-ray Nova Scorpii 1994. Using a model based on X-ray heating of the secondary star, we suggest a more realistic treatment of the radial velocity data. Solutions are obtained in the (K₂,q) plane which, when combined with the published value for the binary mass ratio and inclination, constrain the mass of the black hole to within the region 4.1<M₁<6.6 M_☉ (90 per cent confidence), which is significantly lower than the value obtained by Orosz & Bailyn. This reduced lower bound for the black hole mass, together with the high space velocity of the system, is consistent with the idea that it was formed by the post-supernova collapse of a neutron star.