English

Iron line diagnostics of the stellar wind in X1908+075

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena 2026-05-19 v1

Abstract

Aims. X1908+075 is a supergiant X-ray binary (SgXB) composed of an evolved OB star and a neutron star (NS) in a 4.4-day orbit. We aim to characterize the stellar wind, constrain the system geometry, and investigate the origin and variability of the Fe Kα\alpha fluorescence line. Methods. We analyzed three Chandra HETGS observations at different orbital phases. The continuum was modeled with a bulk motion Comptonization (Bmc) model including partial-covering absorption. We performed a blind line search with Monte Carlo simulations accounting for the look-elsewhere effect. The orbital modulation of NHN_{\rm H} was modeled through particle swarm optimization to constrain the inclination and donor mass-loss rate. Results. Fe Kα\alpha emission is detected in all observations and remains significant after correcting for multiple trials (global p<0.005p < 0.005). Tentative features include a Compton shoulder and Fe Kβ\beta emission, indicating dense reprocessing material. No highly ionized Fe XXV or Fe XXVI lines are confirmed. The Fe Kα\alpha flux correlates with the continuum flux, while its equivalent width anticorrelates with both NHN_{\rm H} and orbital phase, opposite to the canonical curve of growth seen in many HMXBs. Line broadening reaches velocities of 3000\sim3000 km s1^{-1}. Modeling of the NHN_{\rm H} variability yields an inclination i=46±3i = 46 \pm 3^\circ and a donor mass-loss rate M˙W=(9.1±1.6)×107Myr1\dot{M}_{\rm W} = (9.1 \pm 1.6) \times 10^{-7}\,M_\odot\,{\rm yr}^{-1}. Conclusions. X1908+075 is a classical wind-fed SgXB in the direct accretion regime. The observed continuum and line variability reflect the complex density and ionization structure of the stellar wind.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2605.18427,
  title  = {Iron line diagnostics of the stellar wind in X1908+075},
  author = {J. Planelles-Villalva and J. M. Torrejón and J. J. Rodes-Roca and G. Sanjurjo-Ferrín},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2605.18427},
  year   = {2026}
}