577 research outputs found
Orbital X-Ray Variability of the Microquasar LS 5039
The properties of the orbit and the donor star in the high mass X-ray binary
microquasar LS 5039 indicate that accretion processes should mainly occur via a
radiatively driven wind. In such a scenario, significant X-ray variability
would be expected due to the eccentricity of the orbit. The source has been
observed at X-rays by several missions, although with a poor coverage that
prevents to reach any conclusion about orbital variability. Therefore, we
conducted RossiXTE observations of the microquasar system LS 5039 covering a
full orbital period of 4 days. Individual observations are well fitted with an
absorbed power-law plus a Gaussian at 6.7 keV, to account for iron line
emission that is probably a diffuse background feature. In addition, we have
taken into account that the continuum is also affected by significant diffuse
background contamination. Our results show moderate power-law flux variations
on timescales of days, as well as the presence of miniflares on shorter
timescales. The new orbital ephemeris of the system recently obtained by
Casares et al. have allowed us to show, for the first time, that an increase of
emission is seen close to the periastron passage, as expected in an accretion
scenario. Moreover, the detected orbital variability is a factor of ~4 smaller
than the one expected by using a simple wind accretion model, and we suggest
that an accretion disk around the compact object could be responsible for this
discrepancy. On the other hand, significant changes in the photon index are
also observed clearly anti-correlated with the flux variations. We interpret
the overall X-ray spectral characteristics of LS 5039 in the context of X-ray
radiation produced by inverse Compton and/or synchrotron processes in the jet
of this microquasar.Comment: published in Astrophysical Journal, submission format (real number of
pages: 7, 4 figures
A possible black hole in the gamma-ray microquasar LS 5039
The population of high energy and very high energy gamma-ray sources,
detected with EGRET and the new generation of ground-based Cherenkov
telescopes, conforms a reduced but physically important sample. Most of these
sources are extragalactic (e.g., blazars), while among the galactic ones there
are pulsars and SN remnants. The microquasar LS 5039, previously proposed to be
associated with an EGRET source by Paredes et al. (2000), has recently been
detected at TeV energies, confirming that microquasars should be regarded as a
class of high energy gamma-ray sources. To model and understand how the
energetic photons are produced and escape from LS 5039 it is crucial to unveil
the nature of the compact object, which remains unknown. Here we present new
intermediate-dispersion spectroscopy of this source which, combined with values
reported in the literature, provides an orbital period of 3.90603+/-0.00017 d,
a mass function f(M)=0.0053+/-0.0009 M_sun, and an eccentricity e=0.35+/-0.04.
Atmosphere model fitting to the spectrum of the optical companion, together
with our new distance estimate of d=2.5+/-0.1 kpc, yields R_opt=9.3+0.7-0.6
R_sun, log (L_opt/L_sun)=5.26+/-0.06, and M_opt=22.9+3.4-2.9 M_sun. These,
combined with our dynamical solution and the assumption of
pseudo-synchronization, yield an inclination i=24.9+/-2.8 degree and a compact
object mass M_X=3.7+1.3-1.0 M_sun. This is above neutron star masses for most
of the standard equations of state and, therefore, we propose that the compact
object in LS 5039 is a black hole. We finally discuss about the implications of
our orbital solution and new parameters of the binary system on the CNO
products, the accretion/ejection energetic balance, the SN explosion scenario,
and the behaviour of the TeV emission with the new orbital period.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Minor changes
according to referee repor
Discovery of a new radio galaxy within the error box of the unidentified gamma-ray source 3EG J1735-1500
We report the discovery of a new radio galaxy within the location error box
of the gamma-ray source 3EG J1735-1500. The galaxy is a double-sided jet source
forming a large angle with the line of sight. Optical observations reveal a V ~
18 magnitude galaxy at the position of the radio core. Although the association
with the EGRET source is not confirmed at the present stage, because there is a
competing, alternative gamma-ray candidate within the location error contours
which is also studied here, the case deserves further attention. The new radio
galaxy can be used to test the recently proposed possibility of gamma-ray
emitting radio galaxies beyond the already known case of Centaurus A.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
The gamma-ray emitting microquasar LSI+61303
LS I +61 303 is one of the most studied X-ray binary systems because of its
two peculiarities: On the one hand being the probable counterpart of the
variable gamma ray source 2CG 135+01 (Gregory and Taylor 1978; Tavani et al.
1998) and on the other hand being a periodic radio source (Taylor and Gregory
1982). The recent discovery of a radio emitting jet extending ca. 200 AU at
both sides of a central core (Massi et al. 2004) in all evidence has shown the
occurrence of accretion/ejection processes in this system. However, the radio
outbursts do not occur at periastron passage, where the accretion is at its
maximum, but several days later. In addition, when the gamma-ray emission of
2CG 135+01 is examined along the orbital phase of LS I +61 303 one sees that
this emission seems to peak at periastron passage (Massi 2004). Here in detail
we analyse the trend of the gamma-ray data versus orbital phase and discuss the
delay between peaks at gamma-rays and in the radio band within the framework of
a two-peak accretion/ejection model proposed by Taylor et al. (1992) and
further developed by Marti' and Paredes (1995).Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the Symposium on High-Energy
Gamma-Ray Astronomy, Heidelberg, July 26-30, 2004 (AIP Proceedings Series
Observations of microquasars with the MAGIC telescope
We report on the results from the observations in very high energy band (VHE,
E_gamma > 100GeV) of the black hole X-ray binary (BHXB) Cygnus X-1. The
observations were performed with the MAGIC telescope, for a total of 40 hours
during 26 nights, spanning the period between June and November 2006. We report
on the results of the searches for steady and variable gamma-ray signals,
including the first experimental evidence for an intense flare, of duration
between 1.5 and 24 hours.Comment: Contribution to the 30th ICRC, Merida Mexico, July 2007 on behalf of
the MAGIC Collaboratio
On the origin of the X-ray emission from a narrow-line radioquasar at z>1
We present new XMM-Newton X-ray observations of the z=1.246 narrow-line
radioquasar RX J1011.2+5545 serendipitously discovered by ROSAT. The flat X-ray
spectrum previously measured by ROSAT and ASCA is shown to be the result of a
steep Gamma~1.8 power law spectrum seen through a moderate intrinsic absorbing
column NH~4E21 cm^-2. The position of the X-ray source is entirely coincident
with the nucleus of the radio source that we have resolved in new sensitive VLA
observations at 3.6 and 6 cm, implying that scattering in the radio lobes is
not responsible for the bulk of X-ray emission. In the EPIC pn image, a faint
patch of X-ray emission is apparent 14'' to the NE of the main X-ray source.
The former is positionally coincident with an apparently extended optical
object with R~21.9, but there is no associated radio emission, thus ruling out
the possibility that this represents a hotspot in a jet emanating from the
primary X-ray source. No reflection features are detected in the X-ray spectrum
of the narrow-line radioquasar, although an Fe line with equivalent width of up
to 600 eV cannot be ruled out.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, MNRAS in the pres
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