2010ApJ...709.1374K

We present results of optical spectroscopic observations of the mass donor star in SS 433 with Subaru and Gemini, with an aim to best constrain the mass of the compact object. Subaru/Faint Object Camera and Spectrograph observations were performed on four nights of 2007 October 6-8 and 10, covering the orbital phase of φ = 0.96 - 0.26. We first calculate the cross-correlation function (CCF) of these spectra with that of the reference star HD 9233 in the wavelength range of 4740-4840 Å. This region is selected to avoid "strong" absorption lines accompanied with contaminating emission components, which most probably originate from the surroundings of the donor star, such as the wind and gas stream. The same analysis is applied to archive data of Gemini/GMOS taken at φ = 0.84 - 0.30 by Hillwig & Gies. From the Subaru and Gemini CCF results, the amplitude of the radial velocity curve of the donor star is determined to be 58.3±3.8 km/s with a systemic velocity of 59.2±2.5 km/s. Together with the radial velocity curve of the compact object, we derive the mass of the donor star and compact object to be M_O = 12.4±1.9 M_☉ and M_X= 4.3±0.6 M_☉, respectively. We conclude, however, that these values should be taken as upper limits. From the analysis of the averaged absorption line profiles of strong lines (mostly ions) and weak lines (mostly neutrals) observed with Subaru, we find evidence for heating effects from the compact object. Using a simple model, we find that the true radial velocity amplitude of the donor star could be as low as 40±5 km/s in order to produce the observed absorption-line profiles. Taking into account the heating of the donor star may lower the derived masses to M_O= 10.4^+2.3_–1.9M_☉ and M_X= 2.5^+0.7_–0.6M_☉. Our final constraint, 1.9 M_☉≤M_X≤ 4.9 M_☉, indicates that the compact object in SS 433 is most likely a low mass black hole, although the possibility of a massive neutron star cannot be firmly excluded.