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The 2003 radio outburst of a new X-ray transient: XTE J1720-318

C. Brocksopp·S. Corbel·R. P. Fender·M. Rupen·R. Sault·S. J. Tingay·D. Hannikainen·K. O'Brien
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Abstract

We present radio observations of the black hole X-ray transient XTE J1720-318, which was discovered in 2003 January as it entered an outburst. We analyse the radio data in the context of the X-ray outburst and the broad-band spectrum. An unresolved radio source was detected during the rising phase, reaching a peak of nearly 5 mJy approximately coincident with the peak of the X-ray lightcurve. Study of the spectral indices suggests that at least two ejection events took place, the radio-emitting material expanding and becoming optically thin as it faded. The broad-band spectra suggested that the accretion disc dominated the emission, as expected for a source in the high/soft state. The radio emission decayed to below the sensitivity of the telescopes for ~6 weeks but switched on again during the transition of the X-ray source to the low/hard state. At least one ``glitch'' was superimposed on the otherwise exponential decay of the X-ray lightcurve, which was reminiscent of the multiple jet ejections of XTE J1859+226. We also present a K_s-band image of XTE J1720-318 and its surrounding field taken with the VLT.

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C. Brocksopp, S. Corbel, R. P. Fender, M. Rupen, R. Sault, S. J. Tingay, D. Hannikainen, K. O'Brien. 2004-10-14. The 2003 radio outburst of a new X-ray transient: XTE J1720-318. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.08427.x

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