Coupling of the X-ray and radio emission in the black hole candidate and compact jet source GX 339-4
Abstract
We report the results of a long-term campaign of radio, soft- and hard- X-ray observations of the galactic black hole candidate GX 339-4. In the Low-Hard X-ray state the system displays a strong 3-way linear correlation between soft- and hard-X-rays and radio emission, implying a coupling between the Comptonising corona and a radio-emitting compact jet. In this state the radio emission is linearly polarised at a level of around 2%, with an almost constant polarisation angle, indicative of a favored axis in this system probably related to the compact jet and/or black hole spin axis. In the Off X-ray state the radio emission declines with the X-ray emission to below detectable levels, suggesting that it is simply a lower-luminosity version of the Low-Hard state. In the High-Soft state both the hard-X-ray and radio emission are suppressed. We also note that the transitions from the Low-Hard state to the High-Soft state (and the reverse) are possibly associated with discrete ejection(s) of expanding relativistic plasma.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- July 2000
- DOI:
- 10.48550/arXiv.astro-ph/0003460
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0003460
- Bibcode:
- 2000A&A...359..251C
- Keywords:
-
- STARS: INDIVIDUAL: GX 339-4;
- GAMMA RAYS: OBSERVATIONS;
- RADIO CONTINUUM: STARS;
- X-RAYS: STARS;
- ACCRETION;
- ACCRETION DISKS;
- BLACK HOLE PHYSICS;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 19 pages, including 17 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronony and Astrophysics. In Press