Program: GS-2019A-Q-315

Symbiotic stars and symbiotic X-ray binaries contain white dwarfs or neutron stars accreting in the wind of a cool giant. They are binary evolution products, and may be Type Ia supernova progenitors. Historically many symbiotics have been identified based on Halpha surveys. It is increasingly becoming apparent that there is a hidden symbiotic population with weak emission lines likely due to the lack of a strong UV continuum from the white dwarf, this population may be larger than the strong line population, and appears to include most neutron star symbiotics. We can identify these objects as X-ray selected cool giants which should not be intrinsic X-ray sources. We have identified a sample of 23 candidates in the Chandra Galactic Bulge Survey. None stand out as Halpha excess sources in photometry. Using 2018A Band 3 time, we obtained Gemini/GMOS spectra around Halpha of 14 of these. Three are carbon stars and four show Halpha emission, both very unusual properties among normal bulge giants. We propose to observe the 4 remaining promising targets which are optically fainter, including the X-ray brightest of our candidates (possibly a rare neutron star system), to complete classification of this population of apparent weak-line symbiotics.