The black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1348$-$630 in quiescence

Abstract

The properties of the disk/jet coupling in quiescent black hole low mass X-ray binaries (BH LMXBs) are still largely unknown. In this paper we present the first quasi-simultaneous radio and X-ray detection in quiescence of the BH LMXB MAXI J1348$-$630, which is known to display a hybrid disk/jet connection that depends on the accretion rate. We performed deep X-ray and radio observations using the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Australia Telescope Compact Array. MAXI J1348$-$630 is detected for the first time in quiescence at an X-ray luminosity $L_{\rm X} = (7.5 \pm 2.9) \times 10^{30} (D/2.2 \ {\rm kpc})^2$ erg s$^{-1}$: one of the lowest X-ray luminosities observed for a quiescent BH LMXB, possibly implying a short orbital period for the system. MAXI J1348$-$630 is also detected in radio at $L_{\rm R} = (4.3 \pm 0.9) \times 10^{26} (D/2.2 \ {\rm kpc})^2$ erg s$^{-1}$. These detections allow us to constrain the location of MAXI J1348$-$630 on the radio/X-ray diagram in quiescence, finding that the source belongs to the standard (radio-loud) track in this phase. This provides a strong confirmation that hybrid-correlation sources follow the standard track at low luminosities and down to quiescence, thus improving our knowledge of the disk/jet connection in BH LMXBs.