We present results from new optical and UV spectroscopy of the unusual binary system SS 433 , and we discuss the relationship of the particular spectral components we observe to the properties of the binary .
These spectral components include : ( 1 ) The continuum spectrum which we associate with flux from the super-Eddington accretion disk and the dense part of its wind .
A FUV spectrum from HST/STIS made during the edge-on orientation of the disk places an upper limit on the temperature of an equivalent blackbody source ( T < 21 , 000 K for A _ { V } = 7.8 ) when combined with NUV and optical fluxes .
The continuum source has a radius of approximately half the binary separation which may be larger than the Roche radius of the compact star . ( 2 ) H \alpha moving components which are formed far from the binary orbital plane in the relativistic jets .
We confirm that these emission features appear as “ bullets ” at a fixed wavelength and may last for a few days .
We present a contemporary radial velocity curve for the precessional motion of the jets which includes the nodding motion caused by tidal interaction with the optical star . ( 3 ) H \alpha and He i “ stationary ” emission lines which we suggest are formed in the disk wind in a volume larger than the dimensions of the binary .
These lines vary on all time scales and sometimes appear as P Cygni lines .
We suggest that their radial velocity curves ( which show greatest redshift at inferior conjunction of the optical star ) result from an evacuation of the disk wind surrounding the optical star ( caused by physical blockage , heating , or colliding winds ) .
We argue that the wake of this interaction region causes an extended eclipse of the X-ray source ( as seen in RXTE/ASM light curves ) . ( 4 ) A weak “ stationary ” emission feature we identify as a C ii \lambda \lambda 7231 , 7236 blend that attains maximum radial velocity at the orbital quadrature of disk recession ( like the velocity curve of He ii \lambda 4686 ) .
This is probably formed in outflow from the central region of the disk near the compact star . ( 5 ) Absorption and emission features from outflowing clumps in the disk wind ( seen most clearly in an episode of blue-shifted Na i emission ) . ( 6 ) We found no clear evidence of the absorption line spectrum of the optical star , although we point out the presence of He i absorption features ( blended with the stationary emission ) with the expected radial velocity trend at the orbital and precessional phases when the star might best be seen . ( 7 ) A rich interstellar absorption spectrum of diffuse interstellar bands . The results suggest that the binary is embedded in an expanding thick disk ( detected in recent radio observations ) which is fed by the wind from the super-Eddington accretion disk .