The eccentric short-period orbit of the supergiant fast X-ray transient HD 74194 (=LM Vel)

TL;DR

This paper reports the first orbital solution for the supergiant fast X-ray transient HD 74194, revealing a short, eccentric orbit and complex H-alpha variability, advancing understanding of such binary systems.

Contribution

It provides the first orbital parameters for HD 74194, a key step in understanding the dynamics of supergiant fast X-ray transients.

Findings

HD 74194 is a binary with a 9.54-day eccentric orbit.

H-alpha line varies with a superorbital period of about 285 days.

The orbit has high eccentricity (e=0.63).

Abstract

Aims. We present the first orbital solution for the O-type supergiant star HD 74194, which is the optical counterpart of the supergiant fast X-ray transient IGR J08408-4503. Methods. We measured the radial velocities in the optical spectrum of HD 74194, and we determined the orbital solution for the first time. We also analysed the complex H{\alpha} profile. Results. HD 74194 is a binary system composed of an O-type supergiant and a compact object in a short-period ($P=9.5436\pm0.0002$ d) and high-eccentricity ($e=0.63\pm0.03$) orbit. The equivalent width of the H{\alpha} line is not modulated entirely with the orbital period, but seems to vary in a superorbital period ($P=285\pm10$ d) nearly 30 times longer than the orbital one.