Understanding Compact Object Formation and Natal Kicks: II. The case of XTE J1118+480

Understand

In recent years, an increasing number of proper motions have been measured for Galactic X-ray binaries.

• When supplemented with accurate determinations of the component masses, orbital period, and donor effective temperature, these kinematical constraints harbor a wealth of information on the system's past evolution.
• Here, we consider all this available information to reconstruct the full evolutionary history of the black hole X-ray binary XTE J1118+480, assuming that the system originated in the Galactic disk and the donor has solar metallicity.
• This analysis accounts for four evolutionary phases: mass transfer through the ongoing X-ray phase, tidal evolution before the onset of Roche-lobe overflow, motion through the Galactic potential after the formation of the black hole, and binary orbital dynamics due to explosive mass loss and possibly a black hole natal kick at the time of core collapse.