A transient large-scale relativistic radio jet from GX 339-4
Abstract
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.
- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- January 2004
- DOI:
- 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07435.x
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0311452
- Bibcode:
- 2004MNRAS.347L..52G
- Keywords:
-
- accretion;
- accretion discs;
- binaries: general;
- ISM: jets and outflows;
- radio continuum: stars;
- X-rays: stars;
- X-rays: individual: GX 339-4;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- accepted for publication as a letter in MNRAS