Infrared Spectroscopy of Symbiotic Stars. IV. V2116 Ophiuchi/GX 1+4, The Neutron Star Symbiotic

Abstract

We have computed, using 17 infrared radial velocities, the first set of orbital elements for the M giant in the symbiotic binary V2116 Ophiuchi. The giant's companion is a neutron star, the bright X-ray source GX 1+4. We rule out the previously proposed period of 304 days and instead find an orbital period of 1161 days, by far the longest of any known X-ray binary. The orbit has a modest eccentricity of 0.10, with an orbital circularization time of