98 research outputs found
Energetics of jets from X-ray binaries
I discuss the energetics of synchrotron-emitting outflows, increasingly found
to be present in many different classes of X-ray binary systems. It is shown
that the outflow is likely to be comparable in power to the integrated X-ray
luminosity, traditionally taken to be an indicator of the global mass-transfer
rate. This is especially found to be the case in the (low/)hard states of black
hole candidate systems. I conclude that jets are extremely important,
energetically and dynamically, for the accretion process in the majority of
known X-ray binary systems.Comment: To be published in `Proceedings of the Third Microquasar Workshop:
Granada Workshop on galactic relativistic jet sources', Eds A. J.
Castro-Tirado, J. Greiner and J. M. Paredes, Astrophysics and Space Science,
in pres
Circinus X-1: survivor of a highly asymmetric supernova
We have analyzed the kinematical parameters of Cir X-1 to constrain the nature of its companion star, the eccentricity of the binary and the pre-supernova parameter space. We argue that the companion is most likely to be a low-mass (< 2.0 M_sun) unevolved star and that the eccentricity of the orbit is 0.94 +/- 0.04. We have evaluated the dynamical effects of the supernova explosion and we find it must have been asymmetric. On average, we find that a kick of 740 km/s is needed to account for the recently measured radial velocity of +430 km/s (Johnston, Fender & Wu) for this extreme system. The corresponding minimum kick velocity is 500 km/s. This is the largest kick needed to explain the motion of any observed binary system. If Cir X-1 is associated with the supernova remnant G321.9-0.3 then we find a limiting minimum age of this remnant of 60000 yr. Furthermore, we predict that the companion star has lost 10% of its mass as a result of stripping and ablation from the impact of the supernova shell shortly after the explosion
High energy emission from microquasars
The microquasar phenomenon is associated with the production of jets by X-ray
binaries and, as such, may be associated with the majority of such systems. In
this chapter we briefly outline the associations, definite, probable, possible,
and speculative, between such jets and X-ray, gamma-ray and particle emission.Comment: Contributing chapter to the book Cosmic Gamma-Ray Sources, K.S. Cheng
and G.E. Romero (eds.), to be published by Kluwer Academic Publishers,
Dordrecht, 2004. (19 pages
A powerful bursting radio source towards the Galactic Centre
Transient astronomical sources are typically powered by compact objects and
usually signify highly explosive or dynamic events. While radio astronomy has
an impressive record of obtaining high time resolution observations, usually it
is achieved in quite narrow fields-of-view. Consequently, the dynamic radio sky
is poorly sampled, in contrast to the situation in the X- and gamma-ray bands
in which wide-field instruments routinely detect transient sources. Here we
report a new transient source, GCRT J1745-3009, detected in 2002 during a
moderately wide-field radio transient monitoring program of the Galactic center
(GC) region at 0.33 GHz. The characteristics of its bursts are unlike those
known for any other class of radio transient. If located in or near the GC, its
brightness temperature (~10^16 K) and the implied energy density within GCRT
J1745-3009 vastly exceeds that observed in most other classes of radio
astronomical sources, and is consistent with coherent emission processes rarely
observed. We conclude that GCRT J1745-3009 is the first member of a new class
of radio transient sources, the first of possibly many new classes to be
identified through current and upcoming radio surveys.Comment: 16 pages including 3 figures. Appears in Nature, 3 March 200
An extremely powerful long-lived superluminal ejection from the black hole MAXI J1820+070
Black holes in binary systems execute patterns of outburst activity where two
characteristic X-ray states are associated with different behaviours observed
at radio wavelengths. The hard state is associated with radio emission
indicative of a continuously replenished, collimated, relativistic jet, whereas
the soft state is rarely associated with radio emission, and never
continuously, implying the absence of a quasi-steady jet. Here we report radio
observations of the black hole transient MAXI J1820070 during its 2018
outburst. As the black hole transitioned from the hard to soft state we
observed an isolated radio flare, which, using high angular resolution radio
observations, we connect with the launch of bi-polar relativistic ejecta. This
flare occurs as the radio emission of the core jet is suppressed by a factor of
over 800. We monitor the evolution of the ejecta over 200 days and to a maximum
separation of 10, during which period it remains detectable due to in-situ
particle acceleration. Using simultaneous radio observations sensitive to
different angular scales we calculate an accurate estimate of energy content of
the approaching ejection. This energy estimate is far larger than that derived
from state transition radio flare, suggesting a systematic underestimate of jet
energetics
An evolving jet from a strongly magnetized accreting X-ray pulsar
© 2018, Springer Nature Limited. Relativistic jets are observed throughout the Universe and strongly affect their surrounding environments on a range of physical scales, from Galactic binary systems1 to galaxies and clusters of galaxies2. All types of accreting black hole and neutron star have been observed to launch jets3, with the exception of neutron stars with strong magnetic fields4,5 (higher than 1012 gauss), leading to the conclusion that their magnetic field strength inhibits jet formation6. However, radio emission recently detected from two such objects could have a jet origin, among other possible explanations7,8, indicating that this long-standing idea might need to be reconsidered. But definitive observational evidence of such jets is still lacking. Here we report observations of an evolving jet launched by a strongly magnetized neutron star accreting above the theoretical maximum rate given by the Eddington limit. The radio luminosity of the jet is two orders of magnitude fainter than those seen in other neutron stars with similar X-ray luminosities9, implying an important role for the properties of the neutron star in regulating jet power. Our result also shows that the strong magnetic fields of ultra-luminous X-ray pulsars do not prevent such sources from launching jets
A hot and fast ultra-stripped supernova that likely formed a compact neutron star binary.
Compact neutron star binary systems are produced from binary massive stars through stellar evolution involving up to two supernova explosions. The final stages in the formation of these systems have not been directly observed. We report the discovery of iPTF 14gqr (SN 2014ft), a type Ic supernova with a fast-evolving light curve indicating an extremely low ejecta mass (≈0.2 solar masses) and low kinetic energy (≈2 × 1050 ergs). Early photometry and spectroscopy reveal evidence of shock cooling of an extended helium-rich envelope, likely ejected in an intense pre-explosion mass-loss episode of the progenitor. Taken together, we interpret iPTF 14gqr as evidence for ultra-stripped supernovae that form neutron stars in compact binary systems
A high-velocity black hole on a Galactic-halo orbit in the solar neighborhood
Only a few of the dozen or so stellar-mass black holes have been observed
away from the plane of the Galaxy. Those few could have been ejected from
the plane as a result of a ``kick'' received during a supernova explosion, or
they could be remnants of the population of massive stars formed in the early
stages of evolution of the Galaxy. Determining their orbital motion should help
to distinguish between these options. Here we report the transverse motion (in
the plane of the sky) for the black hole X-ray nova XTE J1118+480 (refs 2-5),
from which we derive a large space velocity. This X-ray binary has an eccentric
orbit around the Galactic Centre, like most objects in the halo of the Galaxy,
such as ancient stars and globular clusters. The properties of the system
suggest that its age is comparable to or greater than the age of the Galactic
disk. Only an extraordinary ``kick'' from a supernova could have launched the
black hole into an orbit like this from a birth place in the disk of the
Galaxy.Comment: 8 pages including 2 color figures. Additional figures and animation
in http://www.iafe.uba.ar/astronomia/FM/mirabel.htm
Bow shocks, nova shells, disc winds and tilted discs: the nova-like V341 Ara has it all
V341 Ara was recently recognized as one of the closest (d ≃ 150 pc) and brightest (V ≃ 10) nova-like cataclysmic variables. This unique system is surrounded by a bright emission nebula, likely to be the remnant of a recent nova eruption. Embedded within this nebula is a prominent bow shock, where the system’s accretion disc wind runs into its own nova shell. In order to establish its fundamental properties, we present the first comprehensive multiwavelength study of the system. Long-term photometry reveals quasi-periodic, super-orbital variations with a characteristic time-scale of 10–16 d and typical amplitude of ≃1 mag. High-cadence photometry from theTransiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) reveals for the first time both the orbital period and a ‘negative superhump’ period. The latter is usually interpreted as the signature of a tilted accretion disc. We propose a recently developed disc instability model as a plausible explanation for the photometric behaviour. In our spectroscopic data, we clearly detect antiphased absorption and emission-line components. Their radial velocities suggest a high mass ratio, which in turn implies an unusually low white-dwarf mass. We also constrain the wind mass-loss rate of the system from the spatially resolved [O III] emission produced in the bow shock; this can be used to test and calibrate accretion disc wind models. We suggest a possible association between V341 Ara and a ‘guest star’ mentioned in Chinese historical records in AD 1240. If this marks the date of the system’s nova eruption, V341 Ara would be the oldest recovered nova of its class and an excellent laboratory for testing nova theory
Strong low-frequency radio flaring from Cygnus X-3 observed with LOFAR
We present Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) 143.5-MHz radio observations of
flaring activity during 2019 May from the X-ray binary Cygnus X-3. Similar to
radio observations of previous outbursts from Cygnus X-3, we find that this
source was significantly variable at low frequencies, reaching a maximum flux
density of about 5.8 Jy. We compare our LOFAR light curve with contemporaneous
observations taken at 1.25 and 2.3 GHz with the RATAN-600 telescope, and at 15
GHz with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI) Large Array. The initial
143.5-MHz flux density level, 2 Jy, is suggested to be the delayed and
possibly blended emission from at least some of the flaring activity that had
been detected at higher frequencies before our LOFAR observations had begun.
There is also evidence of a delay of more than four days between a bright flare
that initially peaked on May 6 at 2.3 and 15 GHz, and the corresponding peak
( 5.8 Jy) at 143.5 MHz. From the multi-frequency light curves, we
estimate the minimum energy and magnetic field required to produce this flare
to be roughly 10 erg and 40 mG, respectively, corresponding to a minimum
mean power of 10 erg s. Additionally, we show that the
broadband radio spectrum evolved over the course of our observing campaign; in
particular, the two-point spectral index between 143.5 MHz and 1.25 GHz
transitioned from being optically thick to optically thin as the flare
simultaneously brightened at 143.5 MHz and faded at GHz frequencies
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