Fast infrared variability from a relativistic jet in GX 339-4

P. Casella; T. J. Maccarone; K. O'Brien; R. P. Fender; D. M. Russell; M. van der Klis; A. Pe'er; D. Maitra; D. Altamirano; T. Belloni; G. Kanbach; M. Klein-Wolt; E. Mason; P. Soleri; A. Stefanescu; K. Wiersema; R. Wijnands

doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2010.00826.x

Fast infrared variability from a relativistic jet in GX 339-4

P. Casella, T. J. Maccarone, K. O'Brien, R. P. Fender, D. M. Russell, M. van der Klis, A. Pe'er, D. Maitra, D. Altamirano, T. Belloni, G. Kanbach, M. Klein-Wolt, E. Mason, P. Soleri, A. Stefanescu, K. Wiersema, R. Wijnands

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113 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the discovery of fast infrared/X-ray correlated variability in the black hole transient GX 339-4. The source was observed with subsecond time resolution simultaneously with Very Large Telescope/Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera and Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer/Proportional Counter Array in 2008 August, during its persistent low-flux highly variable hard state. The data show a strong correlated variability, with the infrared emission lagging the X-ray emission by 100 ms. The short time delay and the nearly symmetric cross-correlation function, together with the measured brightness temperature of ~2.5 × 10⁶ K, indicate that the bright and highly variable infrared emission most likely comes from a jet near the black hole. Under standard assumptions about jet physics, the measured time delay can provide us a lower limit of Γ > 2 for the Lorentz factor of the jet. This suggests that jets from stellar-mass black holes are at least mildly relativistic near their launching region. We discuss implications for future applications of this technique.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	L21-L25
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Volume	404
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2010.00826.x
State	Published - May 2010
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Black hole physics
Stars: winds, outflows
X-rays: binaries
X-rays: individual: GX 339-4

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10.1111/j.1745-3933.2010.00826.x

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Casella, P., Maccarone, T. J., O'Brien, K., Fender, R. P., Russell, D. M., van der Klis, M., Pe'er, A., Maitra, D., Altamirano, D., Belloni, T., Kanbach, G., Klein-Wolt, M., Mason, E., Soleri, P., Stefanescu, A., Wiersema, K., & Wijnands, R. (2010). Fast infrared variability from a relativistic jet in GX 339-4. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, 404(1), L21-L25. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2010.00826.x

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title = "Fast infrared variability from a relativistic jet in GX 339-4",

abstract = "We present the discovery of fast infrared/X-ray correlated variability in the black hole transient GX 339-4. The source was observed with subsecond time resolution simultaneously with Very Large Telescope/Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera and Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer/Proportional Counter Array in 2008 August, during its persistent low-flux highly variable hard state. The data show a strong correlated variability, with the infrared emission lagging the X-ray emission by 100 ms. The short time delay and the nearly symmetric cross-correlation function, together with the measured brightness temperature of ~2.5 × 106 K, indicate that the bright and highly variable infrared emission most likely comes from a jet near the black hole. Under standard assumptions about jet physics, the measured time delay can provide us a lower limit of Γ > 2 for the Lorentz factor of the jet. This suggests that jets from stellar-mass black holes are at least mildly relativistic near their launching region. We discuss implications for future applications of this technique.",

keywords = "Black hole physics, Stars: winds, outflows, X-rays: binaries, X-rays: individual: GX 339-4",

author = "P. Casella and Maccarone, {T. J.} and K. O'Brien and Fender, {R. P.} and Russell, {D. M.} and {van der Klis}, M. and A. Pe'er and D. Maitra and D. Altamirano and T. Belloni and G. Kanbach and M. Klein-Wolt and E. Mason and P. Soleri and A. Stefanescu and K. Wiersema and R. Wijnands",

year = "2010",

month = may,

doi = "10.1111/j.1745-3933.2010.00826.x",

language = "אנגלית",

volume = "404",

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Casella, P, Maccarone, TJ, O'Brien, K, Fender, RP, Russell, DM, van der Klis, M, Pe'er, A, Maitra, D, Altamirano, D, Belloni, T, Kanbach, G, Klein-Wolt, M, Mason, E, Soleri, P, Stefanescu, A, Wiersema, K & Wijnands, R 2010, 'Fast infrared variability from a relativistic jet in GX 339-4', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, vol. 404, no. 1, pp. L21-L25. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2010.00826.x

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fast infrared variability from a relativistic jet in GX 339-4

AU - Casella, P.

AU - Maccarone, T. J.

AU - O'Brien, K.

AU - Fender, R. P.

AU - Russell, D. M.

AU - van der Klis, M.

AU - Pe'er, A.

AU - Maitra, D.

AU - Altamirano, D.

AU - Belloni, T.

AU - Kanbach, G.

AU - Klein-Wolt, M.

AU - Mason, E.

AU - Soleri, P.

AU - Stefanescu, A.

AU - Wiersema, K.

AU - Wijnands, R.

PY - 2010/5

Y1 - 2010/5

N2 - We present the discovery of fast infrared/X-ray correlated variability in the black hole transient GX 339-4. The source was observed with subsecond time resolution simultaneously with Very Large Telescope/Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera and Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer/Proportional Counter Array in 2008 August, during its persistent low-flux highly variable hard state. The data show a strong correlated variability, with the infrared emission lagging the X-ray emission by 100 ms. The short time delay and the nearly symmetric cross-correlation function, together with the measured brightness temperature of ~2.5 × 106 K, indicate that the bright and highly variable infrared emission most likely comes from a jet near the black hole. Under standard assumptions about jet physics, the measured time delay can provide us a lower limit of Γ > 2 for the Lorentz factor of the jet. This suggests that jets from stellar-mass black holes are at least mildly relativistic near their launching region. We discuss implications for future applications of this technique.

AB - We present the discovery of fast infrared/X-ray correlated variability in the black hole transient GX 339-4. The source was observed with subsecond time resolution simultaneously with Very Large Telescope/Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera and Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer/Proportional Counter Array in 2008 August, during its persistent low-flux highly variable hard state. The data show a strong correlated variability, with the infrared emission lagging the X-ray emission by 100 ms. The short time delay and the nearly symmetric cross-correlation function, together with the measured brightness temperature of ~2.5 × 106 K, indicate that the bright and highly variable infrared emission most likely comes from a jet near the black hole. Under standard assumptions about jet physics, the measured time delay can provide us a lower limit of Γ > 2 for the Lorentz factor of the jet. This suggests that jets from stellar-mass black holes are at least mildly relativistic near their launching region. We discuss implications for future applications of this technique.

KW - Black hole physics

KW - Stars: winds, outflows

KW - X-rays: binaries

KW - X-rays: individual: GX 339-4

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AN - SCOPUS:77954911993

SN - 1745-3933

VL - 404

SP - L21-L25

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters

IS - 1

ER -

Fast infrared variability from a relativistic jet in GX 339-4

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Keywords

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