Context. The neutrino event IceCube−170922A appears to originate from the BL Lac object TXS 0506+056. To understand the neutrino creation process and to localize the emission site, we studied the radio images of the jet at 15 GHz. Aims. Other BL Lac objects show properties similar to those of TXS 0506+056, such as multiwavelength variability or a curved jet. However, to date only TXS 0506+056 has been identified as neutrino emitter. The aim of this paper is to determine what makes the parsec-scale jet of TXS 0506+056 specific in this respect. Methods. We reanalyzed and remodeled 16 VLBA 15 GHz observations between 2009 and 2018. We thoroughly examined the jet kinematics and flux-density evolution of individual jet components during the time of enhanced neutrino activity between September 2014 and March 2015, and in particular before and after the neutrino event. Results. Our results suggest that the jet is very strongly curved and most likely observable under a special viewing angle of close to zero. We may observe the interaction between jet features that cross each other’s paths. We find subsequent flux-density flaring of six components passing the likely collision site. In addition, we find a strong indication for precession of the inner jet, and model a precession period of about 10 yr via the Lense-Thirring effect. We discuss an alternative scenario, which is the interpretation of observing the signature of two jets within TXS 0506+056, again hinting toward a collision of jetted material. We essentially suggest that the neutrino emission may result from the interaction of jetted material in combination with a special viewing angle and jet precession. Conclusions. We propose that the enhanced neutrino activity during the neutrino flare in 2014–2015 and the single EHE neutrino IceCube-170922A could have been generated by a cosmic collision within TXS 0506+056. Our findings seem capable of explaining the neutrino generation at the time of a low gamma-ray flux and also indicate that TXS 0506+056 might be an atypical blazar. It seems to be the first time that a potential collision of two jets on parsec scales has been reported and that the detection of a cosmic neutrino might be traced back to a cosmic jet-collision.

Context. In the binary system LS I +61• 303 the peak flux density of the radio outburst, which is related to the orbital period of 26.4960 ± 0.0028 d, exibits a modulation of 1667 ± 8 d. The radio emission at high spatial resolution appears structured in a precessing jet with a precessional period of 27−28 d. Aims. How close is the precessional period of the radio jet to the orbital period? Any periodicity in the radio emission should be revealed by timing analysis. The aim of this work is to establish the accurate value of the precessional period. Methods. We analyzed 6.7 years of the Green Bank Interferometer database at 2.2 GHz and 8.3 GHz with the Lomb-Scargle and phase dispersion minimization methods and performed simulations. Results. The periodograms show two periodicities, P 1 = 26.49 ± 0.07 d (ν 1 = 0.03775 d −1 ) and P 2 = 26.92 ± 0.07 d (ν 2 = 0.03715 d −1 ). Whereas radio outbursts have been known to have nearly orbital occurrence P 1 with timing residuals exhibiting a puzzling sawtooth pattern, we probe in this paper that they are actually periodical outbursts and that their period is P average = 2 ν 1 +ν 2 = 26.70 ± 0.05 d. The period P average as well as the long-term modulation P beat = 1 ν 1 −ν 2 = 1667 ± 393 d result from the beat of the two close periods, the orbital P 1 and the precessional P 2 periods. Conclusions. The precessional period, indicated by the astrometry to be of 27-28 d, is P 2 = 26.92 d. The system LS I +61• 303 seems to be one more case in astronomy of beat, i.e., a phenomenon occurring when two physical processes create stable variations of nearly equal frequencies. The very small difference in frequency creates a long-term variation of period 1/(ν 1 −ν 2 ). The long-term modulation of 1667 d results from the beat of the two close orbital and precessional rates.

Aims. The aim of this paper is to analyse the previously discovered discontinuity of the periodicity of the GeV γ-ray emission of the radio-loud X-ray binary LS I +61• 303 and to determine its physical origin. Methods. We used a wavelet analysis to explore the temporal development of periodic signals. The wavelet analysis was first applied to the whole data set of available Fermi-LAT data and then to the two subsets of orbital phase intervals Φ = 0.0−0.5 and Φ = 0.5−1.0. We also performed a Lomb-Scargle timing analysis. We investigated the similarities between GeV γ-ray emission and radio emission by comparing the folded curves of the Fermi-LAT data and the Green Bank Interferometer radio data. Results. During the epochs when the timing analysis fails to determine the orbital periodicity, the periodicity is present in the two orbital phase intervals Φ = 0.0−0.5 and Φ = 0.5−1.0. That is, there are two periodical signals, one towards periastron (i.e., Φ = 0.0−0.5) and another one towards apoastron (Φ = 0.5−1.0). The apoastron peak seems to be affected by the same orbital shift as the radio outbursts and, in addition, reveals the same two periods P 1 and P 2 that are present in the radio data. Conclusions. The γ-ray emission of the apoastron peak normally just broadens the emission of the peak around periastron. Only when it appears at Φ ≈ 0.8−1.0 because of the orbital shift, it is enough detached from the first peak to become recognisable as a second orbital peak, which is the reason why the timing analysis fails. Two γ-ray peaks along the orbit are predicted by the two-peak accretion model for an eccentric orbit that was proposed by several authors for LS I +61• 303.

Context. One possible scenario to explain the emission from the stellar binary system LS I +61• 303 is that the observed flux is emitted by precessing jets powered by accretion. Accretion models predict two ejections along the eccentric orbit of LS I +61• 303: one major ejection at periastron and a second, lower ejection towards apastron. Our GeV gamma-ray observations show two peaks along the orbit (orbital period P 1 ) but reveal that at apastron the emission is also affected by a second periodicity, P 2 . Strong radio outbursts also occur at apastron, which are affected by both periodicities (i.e. P 1 and P 2 ), and radio observations show that P 2 is the precession of the radio jet. Consistently, a long-term modulation, equal to the beating of P 1 and P 2 , affects both radio and gamma-ray emission at apastron but it does not affect gamma-ray emission at periastron. Aims. If there are two ejections, why does the one at periastron not produce a radio outburst there? Is the lack of a periastron radio outburst somehow related to the lack of P 2 from the periastron gamma-ray emission? Methods. We develop a physical model in which relativistic electrons are ejected twice along the orbit. The ejecta form a conical jet that is precessing with P 2 . The jet radiates in the radio band by the synchrotron process and the jet radiates in the GeV energy band by the external inverse Compton and synchrotron self-Compton processes. We compare the output fluxes of our physical model with two available large archives: Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) radio and Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) GeV observations, the two databases overlapping for five years. Results. The larger ejection around periastron passage results in a slower jet, and severe inverse Compton losses result in the jet also being short. While large gamma-ray emission is produced, there is only negligible radio emission. Our results are that the periastron jet has a length of 3.0 × 10 6 r s and a velocity β ∼ 0.006, whereas the jet at apastron has a length of 6.3 × 10 7 r s and β ∼ 0.5. Conclusions. In the accretion scenario the observed periodicities can be explained if the observed flux is the intrinsic flux, which is a function of P 1 , times the Doppler factor, a function of β cos( f (P 2 )). At periastron, the Doppler factor is scarcely influenced by P 2 because of the low β. At apastron the larger β gives rise to a significant Doppler factor with noticeable variations induced by jet precession.