407 research outputs found
Connection between accretion disk and superluminal radio jets and the role of radio plateau state in GRS 1915+105
We investigate the association between the accretion disk during radio
plateau state and the following superluminal relativistic radio jets with peak
intensity varies from 200 mJy to 1000 mJy observed over a period of five years
and present the evidences of direct accretion disc-jet connection in
microquasar GRS 1915+105. We have analysed RXTE PCA/HEXTE X-ray data and have
found that the accretion rate, , as inferred from the X-ray
flux, is very high during the radio plateaux. We suggest that the accretion
disk during the radio plateaux always associated with radiation-driven wind
which is manifested in the form of enhanced absorption column density for X-ray
and the depleted IR emission. We find that the wind density increases with the
accretion disk luminosity during the radio plateaux. The wind density is
similar to the density of the warm absorber proposed in extragalactic AGNs and
Quasars. We suggest a simple model for the origin of superluminal relativistic
jets. Finally, We discuss the implications of this work for galactic
microquasars and the extragalactic AGNs and Quasars.Comment: 9 pages, 6 Figures, Accepted for publication in Ap
Observations of Rapid Disk-Jet Interaction in the Microquasar GRS 1915+105
We present evidence that ~ 30 minute episodes of jet formation in the
Galactic microquasar GRS 1915+105 may sometimes entirely be a superposition of
smaller, faster phenomena. We base this conclusion on simultaneous X-ray and
infrared observations in July 2002, using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and
the Palomar 5 meter telescope. On two nights, we observed quasi-periodic
infrared flares from GRS 1915+105, each accompanied by a set of fast
oscillations in the X-ray light curve (indicating an interaction between the
jet and accretion disk). In contrast to similar observations in 1997, we find
that the duration of each X-ray cycle matches the duration of its accompanying
infrared flare, and we observed one instance in which an isolated X-ray
oscillation occurred at the same time as a faint infrared "subflare" (of
duration ~ 150 seconds) superimposed on one of the main flares. From these
data, we are able to conclude that each X-ray oscillation had an associated
faint infrared flare and that these flares blend together to form, and entirely
comprise, the ~ 30 minute events we observed. Part of the infrared emission in
1997 also appears to be due to superimposed small flares, but it was
overshadowed by infrared-bright ejections associated with the appearance of a
sharp "trigger" spike in each X-ray cycle that were not present in 2002. We
also study the evolution of the X-ray spectrum and find significant differences
in the high energy power law component, which was strongly variable in 1997 but
not in 2002. Taken together, these observations reveal the diversity of ways in
which the accretion disk and jet in black hole systems are capable of
interacting and solidify the importance of the trigger spike for large
ejections to occur on ~ 30 minute timescales in GRS 1915+105.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures; accepted for publication in The Astrophysical
Journa
IR Monitoring of the Microquasar GRS 1915+105: Detection of Orbital and Superhump Signatures
We present the results of seven years of K-band monitoring of the low-mass
X-ray binary GRS 1915+105. Positive correlations between the infrared flux and
the X-ray flux and X-ray hardness are demonstrated. Analysis of the frequency
spectrum shows that the orbital period of the system is
days. The phase and amplitude of the orbital modulation suggests that the
modulation is due to the heating of the face of the secondary star. We also
report another periodic signature between 31.2 and 31.6 days, most likely due
to a superhump resonance. From the superhump period we then obtain a range on
the mass ratio of the system, .Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures; v2: minor change
Progressive Star Bursts and High Velocities in the Infrared Luminous, Colliding Galaxy Arp 118
In this paper we demonstrate for the first time the connection between the
spatial and temporal progression of star formation and the changing locations
of the very dense regions in the gas of a massive disk galaxy (NGC 1144) in the
aftermath of its collision with a massive elliptical (NGC 1143). These two
galaxies form the combined object Arp 118, a collisional ring galaxy system.
The results of 3D, time-dependent, numerical simulations of the behavior of the
gas, stars, and dark matter of a disk galaxy and the stars and dark matter in
an elliptical during a collision are compared with multiwavelength observations
of Arp 118. The collision that took place approximately 22 Myr ago generated a
strong, non-linear density wave in the stars and gas in the disk of NGC 1144,
causing the gas to became clumped on a large scale. This wave produced a series
of superstarclusters along arcs and rings that emanate from the central point
of impact in the disk. The locations of these star forming regions match those
of the regions of increased gas density predicted the time sequence of models.
The models also predict the large velocity gradients observed across the disk
of NGC 1144. These are due to the rapid radial outflow of gas coupled to large
azimuthal velocities in the expanding ring, caused by the impact of the massive
intruder.Comment: 12 pages in document, and 8 figures (figures are separate from the
document's file); Submitted to Astrophysical Journal Letter
Detection of a Series of X-ray Dips Associated with a Radio Flare in GRS 1915+105
We report the detection of a series of X-ray dips in the Galactic black hole
candidate GRS 1915+105 during 1999 June 6-17 from observations carried out with
the Pointed Proportional Counters of the Indian X-ray Astronomy Experiment on
board the Indian satellite IRS-P3. The observations were made after the source
made a transition from a steady low-hard state to a chaotic state which
occuered within a few hours. Dips of about 20-160 seconds duration are observed
on most of the days. The X-ray emission outside the dips shows a QPO at ~ 4 Hz
which has characteristics similar to the ubiquitous 0.5 - 10 Hz QPO seen during
the low-hard state of the source. During the onset of dips this QPO is absent
and also the energy spectrum is soft and the variability is low compared to the
non-dip periods. These features gradually re-appear as the dip recovers. The
onset of the occurrence of a large number of such dips followed the start of a
huge radio flare of strength 0.48 Jy (at 2.25 GHz). We interpret these dips as
the cause for mass ejection due to the evacuation of matter from an accretion
disk around the black hole. We propose that a super-position of a large number
of such dip events produces a huge radio jet in GRS 1915+105.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for publication in Ap
Sources of Relativistic Jets in the Galaxy
Black holes of stellar mass and neutron stars in binary systems are first
detected as hard X-ray sources using high-energy space telescopes. Relativistic
jets in some of these compact sources are found by means of multiwavelength
observations with ground-based telescopes. The X-ray emission probes the inner
accretion disk and immediate surroundings of the compact object, whereas the
synchrotron emission from the jets is observed in the radio and infrared bands,
and in the future could be detected at even shorter wavelengths. Black-hole
X-ray binaries with relativistic jets mimic, on a much smaller scale, many of
the phenomena seen in quasars and are thus called microquasars. Because of
their proximity, their study opens the way for a better understanding of the
relativistic jets seen elsewhere in the Universe. From the observation of
two-sided moving jets it is inferred that the ejecta in microquasars move with
relativistic speeds similar to those believed to be present in quasars. The
simultaneous multiwavelength approach to microquasars reveals in short
timescales the close connection between instabilities in the accretion disk
seen in the X-rays, and the ejection of relativistic clouds of plasma observed
as synchrotron emission at longer wavelengths. Besides contributing to a deeper
comprehension of accretion disks and jets, microquasars may serve in the future
to determine the distances of jet sources using constraints from special
relativity, and the spin of black holes using general relativity.Comment: 39 pages, Tex, 8 figures, to appear in vol. 37 (1999) of Annual
Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysic
The Electron Scattering Region in Seyfert Nuclei
The electron scattering region (ESR) is one of important ingredients in
Seyfert nuclei because it makes possible to observe the hidden broad line
region (hereafter HBLR) in some type 2 Seyfert nuclei (hereafter S2s). However,
little is known about its physical and geometrical properties. Using the number
ratio of S2s with and without HBLR, we investigate statistically where the ESR
is in Seyfert nuclei. Our analysis suggests that the ESR is located at radius
between 0.01 pc and 0.1 pc from the central engine. We also
discuss a possible origin of the ESR briefly.Comment: 5 pages and 1 figure. The Astrophysical Journal (Letters), in pres
The Discovery of a Molecular Complex in the Tidal Arms near NGC 3077
We present the discovery of a giant molecular complex (r=350 pc, M_ vir=10^7
M_sun) in the tidal arms south-east of NGC 3077, a member of the M 81 triplet.
The complex is clearly detected in the 12CO (J=1-0) transition at five
independent positions. The position relative to NGC 3077, the systemic velocity
(v_hel=14km/s) and the cloud averaged line width (15km/s) indicate that the
object is not related to Galactic cirrus but is extragalactic. The tidal HI arm
where the molecular complex is located has an total HI mass of M_HI=3x10^8
M_sun. This tidal material was presumably stripped off the outer parts of NGC
3077 during the closest encounter with M 81, about 3x10^8 years ago. After the
complex detected along a torn-out spiral arm of M 81 by Brouillet et al., it is
the second of its kind reported so far. Based on published optical
observations, we have no evidence for on--going star formation in the newly
detected molecular complex. Since the system has all the ingredients to form
stars in the future, we speculate that it might eventually resemble the young
dwarf galaxies in the M 81 group.Comment: 12 pages (including 3 figures), accepted for publication in the ApJ
Letter
Plasma and Warm Dust in the Collisional Ring Galaxy VIIZw466 from VLA and ISO Observations
We present the first mid-infrared (Mid-IR) (m) and radio
continuum (20,~6 and 3.6 cm) observations of the star-forming
collisional ring galaxy VII Zw 466 and its host group made with the Infrared
Space Observatory and the NRAO Very Large Array. A search was also made for CO
line emission in two of the galaxies with the Onsala 20m radio telescope and
upper limits were placed on the mass of molecular gas in those galaxies. The
ring galaxy is believed to owe its morphology to a slightly off-center
collision between an `intruder' galaxy and a disk. An off-center collision is
predicted to generate a radially expanding density wave in the disk which
should show large azimuthal variations in overdensity, and have observational
consequences. The radio continuum emission shows the largest asymmetry,
exhibiting a crescent-shaped distribution consistent with either the trapping
of cosmic-ray particles in the target disk, or an enhanced supernova rate in
the compressed region. On the other hand, the ISO observations (especially
those made at m) show a more scattered distribution, with
emission centers associated with powerful star formation sites distributed more
uniformly around the ring. Low-signal to noise observations at
m show possible emission inside the ring, with little emission
directly associated with the \ion{H}{2} regions. The observations emphasize the
complex relationship between the generation of radio emission and the
development of star formation even in relatively simple and well understood
collisional scenarios.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, 23 pages + 6
PS figure
A decelerating jet observed by the EVN and VLBA in the X-ray transient XTE J1752-223
The recently discovered Galactic X-ray transient XTE J1752-223 entered its
first known outburst in 2010, emitting from the X-ray to the radio regimes. Its
general X-ray properties were consistent with those of a black hole candidate
in various spectral states, when ejection of jet components is expected. To
verify this, we carried out very long baseline interferometry (VLBI)
observations. The measurements were carried out with the European VLBI Network
(EVN) and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) at four epochs in 2010 February.
The images at the first three epochs show a moving jet component that is
significantly decelerated by the last epoch, when a new jet component appears
that is likely to be associated with the receding jet side. The overall picture
is consistent with an initially mildly relativistic jet, interacting with the
interstellar medium or with swept-up material along the jet. The brightening of
the receding ejecta at the final epoch can be well explained by initial Doppler
deboosting of the emission in the decelerating jet.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters. 5 pages, 2 figure
- …