arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Rob Fender.
We review our current understanding of the radio properties of black hole X-ray binaries in connection with the X-ray spectral states, and discuss them in the framework of the recently proposed unified model for the jet-accretion coupling in these systems.
We have recently put forward a 'unified' semi-empirical model for the coupling between accretion and jet production in galactic black hole X-ray binaries (published in MNRAS, 2004). In this paper we summarise this model and briefly discuss relevant considerations which have arisen since its publication.
Drawing on recent estimates of the power of jets from X-ray binary systems as a function of X-ray luminosity, combined with improved estimates of the relevant Log(N)-Log(L_X) luminosity functions, we calculate the total energy input to the interstellar medium (ISM) from these objects. The input of kinetic energy to the ISM via jets is dominated by those of the black hole systems, in contrast to the radiative input, which is dominated by accreting neutron stars. Summing the energy input from black hole jets L_J in the Milky Way, we find that it is likely to correspond to >1% of L_SNe, the time-averaged kinetic luminosity of supernovae, and >5% of L_CR, the cosmic ray luminosity. Given uncertainties in jet power estimates, significantly larger contributions are possible. Furthermore, in elliptical galaxies with comparable distributions of low mass X-ray binaries, but far fewer supernovae, the ratio L_J / L_SNe is likely to be larger by a factor of ~5. We conclude that jets from X-ray binaries may be an important, distributed, source of kinetic energy to the ISM in the form of relativistic shocks, and as a result are likely to be a major source of cosmic rays.
Relativistic jets powered by stellar mass black holes in X-ray binaries appear to come in two types: steady outflows associated with hard X-ray states and large scale discrete ejections associated with transient outbursts. We show that the broadband radio spectrum of a `quiescent' stellar mass black hole closely resembles that of canonical hard state sources emitting at four orders of magnitude higher X-ray levels, suggesting that a relativistic outflow is being formed down to at least a few 10^(-6) times the Eddington X-ray luminosity. We further report on the discovery of a low surface brightness radio nebula around the stellar black hole in Cyg X-1, and discuss how it can be used as an effective calorimeter for the jet kinetic power.
Observations of V404 Cyg performed with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope at four frequencies, over the interval 1.4-8.4 GHz, have provided us with the first broadband radio spectrum of a `quiescent' stellar mass black hole. The measured mean flux density is of 0.35 mJy, with a spectral index alpha=+ 0.09\pm0.19$ (such that S_nu \propto nu^{alpha}). Synchrotron emission from an inhomogeneous partially self-absorbed outflow of plasma accounts for the flat/inverted radio spectrum, in analogy with hard state black hole X-ray binaries, indicating that a steady jet is being produced between a few 10^{-6} and a few per cent of the Eddington X-ray luminosity.
We have analyzed {\it Rossi} X-ray timing explorer (RXTE) pointed observations of the outbursts of black hole and neutron star soft X-ray transients in which an initial low/hard state or `island' state, followed by a transition to a softer state, was observed. In three sources, the black hole transient XTE J1550-564, the neutron star transient Aquila X-1 and a quasi-persistent neutron star low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) 4U 1705-44, two such outbursts were found. We find that the flux of the soft X-ray peak, which lags the hard X-ray peak by a few days to several weeks, scales with the flux of the hard X-ray peak. We conclude that we are able to predict the soft X-ray outburst peak flux based on the `preceding' hard X-ray peak flux, implying an early set up of the outbursts. We also find that the X-ray luminosity corresponding to the peak of the hard X-ray flux, which corresponds to the X-ray luminosity of the start of the hard-to-soft state transition, varies by a factor of about 2. If the accretion geometry early in the outburst rise is composed of two flows (e.g. a hot sub-Keplerian halo flow and a Keplerian disk flow, or an outflow and a Keplerian disk flow), the correlation indicates that the two flows are initially related, probably due to processes in the outer part of the accretion disk. We discuss constraints on a single flow model and a disk-jet model from these observations.
GRS 1915+105 - the first stellar-scale, highly relativistic jet source identified - is a key system for our understanding of the disc-jet coupling in accreting black hole systems. Comprehending the coupling between inflow and outflow in this source is important not only for X-ray binary systems but has a broader relevance for studies of active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts. In this paper, we present a detailed review of the observational properties of the system, as established in the decade since its discovery. We attempt to place it in context by a detailed comparison with other sources, and construct a simple model for the disc-jet coupling, which may be more widely applicable to accreting black hole systems.
Collimated relativistic outflows, or jets, are amongst the most energetic and relativistic phenomena in the Universe. They are associated with supermassive black holes in distant active galactic nuclei (AGN), accreting black holes and neutron stars in binary systems and are believed to be responsible for gamma-ray bursts. The physics of these jets,however, remains something of a mystery in that their bulk velocities, compositions and energetics remain poorly determined. Here we report the discovery of an ultra-relativistic outflow from a binary accreting neutron star accreting gas within a binary system. The velocity of the outflow is comparable to the fastest-moving flows observed from active galactic nuclei, and its strength is modulated by the rate of accretion of material onto the neutron star. Shocks are energized further downstream in the flow, which are themselves moving with mildly relativistic bulk velocities and are the sites of the observed synchrotron emission from the jet. We conclude that the generation of such highly relativistic outflows does not require properties unique to black holes, such as an event horizon.
We report on the formation and evolution of a large-scale, synchrotron-emitting jet from the black hole candidate and X-ray binary system GX 339-4. In 2002 May, the source moved from a low/hard to a very high X-ray state, contemporaneously exhibiting a very bright optically thin radio flare. Further observations with the Australia Telescope Compact Array have tracked the formation of a collimated structure extending to about 12 arcsec, with apparent velocity greater than 0.9c. The luminosity of the outflow seems to be rapidly decreasing; these observations confirm that transient large-scale jets are likely to be common events triggered by X-ray state transitions in black hole X-ray binaries.
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.
Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, we have detected the black hole transients V4641 Sgr and XTE J1859+226 in their low luminosity, quiescent states. The 0.3-8 keV luminosities are (4.0^(+3.3)_(-2.4))E31 (d/7 kpc)^2 erg/s and (4.2^(+4.8)_(-2.2))E31 (d/11 kpc)^2 erg/s for V4641 Sgr and XTE J1859+226, respectively. With the addition of these 2 systems, 14 out of the 15 transients with confirmed black holes (via compact object mass measurements) now have measured quiescent luminosities or sensitive upper limits. The only exception is GRS 1915+105, which has not been in quiescence since its discovery in 1992. The luminosities for V4641 Sgr and XTE J1859+226 are consistent with the median luminosity of 2E31 erg/s for the systems with previous detections. Our analysis suggests that the quiescent X-ray spectrum of V4641 Sgr is harder than for the other systems in this group, but, due to the low statistical quality of the spectrum, it is not clear if V4641 Sgr is intrinsically hard or if the column density is higher than the interstellar value. Focusing on V4641 Sgr, we compare our results to theoretical models for X-ray emission from black holes in quiescence. Also, we obtain precise X-ray positions for V4641 Sgr and XTE J1859+226 via cross-correlation of the X-ray sources detected near our targets with IR sources in the 2 Micron All-Sky Survey catalog.
We have produced the colour-colour diagram of all the observations of 4U 1728-34 available in the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer public archive (from 1996 to 2002) and found observations filling in a previously reported 'gap' between the island and the banana X-ray states. We have made timing analysis of these gap observations and found, in one observation, two simultaneous kHz quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs). The timing parameters of these kHz QPOs fit in the overall trend of the source. The 'lower' kHz QPO has a centroid frequency of ~308 Hz. This is the lowest 'lower' kHz QPO frequency ever observed in 4U 1728-34. The peak frequency separation between the 'upper' and the 'lower' kHz QPO is 274+/-11 Hz, significantly smaller than the constant value of ~350 Hz found when the 'lower' kHz QPO frequency is between ~500 and 800 Hz. This is the first indication in this source for a significant decrease of kHz QPO peak separation towards low frequencies. We briefly compare the result to theoretical models for kHz QPO production.
We present the results of two simultaneous X-ray/radio observations of the low-mass X-ray binary GX 13+1, performed in July/August 1999 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and the Very Large Array. In X-rays the source was observed in two distinct spectral states; a soft state, which had a corresponding 6 cm flux density of ~0.25 mJy, and a hard state, which was much brighter at 1.3-7.2 mJy. For the radio bright observation we measured a delay between changes in the X-ray spectral hardness and the radio brightness of ~40 minutes, similar to what has been found in the micro-quasar GRS 1915+105. We compare our results with those of GRS 1915+105 and the atoll/Z-type neutron star X-ray binaries. Although it has some properties that do not match with either atoll or Z sources, GX 13+1 seems more similar to the Z sources.
Relativistic outflows, or `Jets', represent one of the most obvious, important and yet poorly-explained phenomena associated with accreting relativistic objects, including X-ray binaries. In the past decade we have observed highly relativistic flows, the resultant in-situ particle acceleration in the ISM, and begun to unearth the subtleties of the accretion -- outflow coupling on timescales from seconds to years. In this chapter I shall attempt, subjectively, to describe the state of research into jets from X-ray binaries as it stands at the beginning of 2003.
I report the detection of circular polarisation, associated with relativistic ejections, from the `microquasar' GRS 1915+105. I further compare detections and limits of circular polarisation and circular-to-linear polarisation ratios in other X-ray binaries. Since in at least two cases the dominance of linear over circular polarisation or vice versa is a function of frequency, this seems to indicate that this is a strong function of depolarisation in the source. Furthermore, I note that circular polarisation has only been detected from sources whose jets lie close to the plane of the sky, whereas we have quite stringent limits on the circular polarisation of jets which lie close to the line of sight.
We present a comprehensive study of (quasi-)simultaneous radio:X-ray observations of stellar black hole binaries during the spectrally hard X-ray state, finding evidence for a strong correlation between these two bands over more than three orders of magnitude in X-ray luminosity. The correlation extends from the quiescent regime up to close to the soft state transition, where radio emission starts to decline, sometimes below detectable levels, probably corresponding to the physical disappearance of the jet. The X-ray transient V 404 Cygni is found to display the same functional relationship already reported for GX 339-4 between radio and X-ray flux, namely S_radio \propto S_X **(+0.7). In fact the data for all low/hard state black holes is consistent with a universal relation between the radio and X-ray luminosity of the form L_radio \propto L_X **(+0.7), implying that - as L_X decreases - the jet becomes more radiatively efficient with respect to the X-rays. Under the hypothesis of common physics driving the disc-jet coupling in different sources, the observed spread to the best-fit relation can be interpreted in terms of a distribution in Doppler factors. Monte Carlo simulations show that, assuming little or no X-ray beaming, the measured scatter in radio power is consistent with Lorentz factors < 2 for the outflows in the low/hard state, significantly less relativistic than the jets associated with X-ray transients. When combined radio and X-ray beaming is considered, the range of possible jet bulk velocities significantly broadens, allowing highly relativistic outflows, but implying therefore severe X-ray selection effects.
We have analysed 12 simultaneous radio (VLA) and X-ray (RXTE) observations of the atoll-type X-ray binary 4U 1728-34, performed in two blocks in 2000 and 2001. We have found that the strongest and most variable emission seems to be associated with repeated transitions between hard (island) and softer (lower banana) X-ray states, while weaker, persistent radio emission is observed when the source is steadily in the hard X-ray state. There is a significant positive ranking correlation between the radio flux density at 8.46 GHz and the 2-10 keV X-ray flux. Moreover, significant positive ranking correlations between radio flux density and X-ray timing features (i.e. break and low-frequency Lorentzian frequencies) have been found. These correlations represent the first evidence for a coupling between disc and jet in an atoll-type X-ray binary. Furthermore, drawing an analogy between the hard (island) state and the low/hard state of black hole binaries, we confirm previous findings that accreting neutron stars are a factor of ~30 less `radio loud' than black holes.
We have analyzed {\it Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer} (RXTE) data of the neutron star transient Aquila X-1 obtained during its outbursts in May/June 1999 and September/October 2000. We find that in the early rise of these outbursts, a hard flare in the energy range above 15 keV preceded the soft X-ray peak. The hard X-ray flux of the hard flares at maximum was more than a factor of three stronger than at any other point in the outbursts. The rise of the hard X-ray flare to this maximum, was consistent with a monotonically brightening low/hard state spectrum. After the peak of the hard flare, a sharp spectral transition occurred with spectral pivoting in the range 8--12 keV. Our timing analysis shows that during the hard flare the power spectra were mainly composed of band-limited noise and a $\sim$ 1--20 Hz QPO, which correlate in frequency. Immediately after the hard flare, the power spectra turned into power law noise. The spectral and timing properties during and after the hard flares are very similar to those in black hole transients during the early rise of an outburst. We suggest that these hard flares and spectral transitions in Aql X-1 are of the same origin as those observed in black hole transients. This leads to the association of the 1--20 Hz QPOs and band-limited noise in Aql X-1 with those in black hole transients. We discuss the impact of this discovery on our understanding of soft X-ray transient outbursts, state transitions and variability in X-ray binaries.