Flaring and quiescent infrared behaviour of Cygnus X-3

Fender, R. P.; Burnell, S. J. Bell; Williams, P. M.; Webster, Adrian

doi:10.1093/mnras/283.3.798

Cited by 26 publications

(39 citation statements)

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“…Anyway, it seems plausible that during accretion disk instabilities consisting on the sudden disappearance of its inner part, most of it is advected into the black hole, and only some fraction is propelled into synchrotron-emitting clouds of plasma. Energy outbursts in the flat synchrotron spectrum over at least four decades of frequency have also been observed in Cygnus X-3 (Fender et al 1996). The optical polarization observed in GRO J1655-40 (Scaltriti et al 1997) could also be related to the presence of synchrotron emission at optical wavelengths.…”

Section: Accretion Disk Instabilities and Jet Formationmentioning

confidence: 92%

Sources of Relativistic Jets in the Galaxy

Mirabel

Rodrı́guez²

1999

Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys.

856

768

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Black holes of stellar mass and neutron stars in binary systems are first detected as hard X-ray sources using high-energy space telescopes. Relativistic jets in some of these compact sources are found by means of multiwavelength observations with ground-based telescopes. The X-ray emission probes the inner accretion disk and immediate surroundings of the compact object, whereas the synchrotron emission from the jets is observed in the radio and infrared bands, and in the future could be detected at even shorter wavelengths. Black-hole Xray binaries with relativistic jets mimic, on a much smaller scale, many of the phenomena seen in quasars and are thus called microquasars. Because of their proximity, their study opens the way for a better understanding of the relativistic jets seen elsewhere in the Universe. From the observation of two-sided moving jets it is inferred that the ejecta in microquasars move with relativistic speeds similar to those believed to be present in quasars. The simultaneous multiwavelength approach to microquasars reveals in short timescales the close connection between instabilities in the accretion disk seen in the X-rays, and the ejection of relativistic clouds of plasma observed as synchrotron emission at longer wavelengths. Besides contributing to a deeper comprehension of accretion disks and jets, microquasars may serve in the future to determine the distances of jet sources using constraints from special relativity, and the spin of black holes using general relativity.

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Section: Accretion Disk Instabilities and Jet Formationmentioning

confidence: 92%

Sources of Relativistic Jets in the Galaxy

Mirabel

Rodrı́guez²

1999

Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys.

856

768

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“…Depending on whether Cyg X-3 is in quiescence or in outburst, the infrared magnitudes can vary by a magnitude (Hanson et al 2000). Figure 1 shows the infrared magnitudes given in Hanson et al (2000): m H = 13.1 ± 0.1 and m K = 11.7 ± 0.1, based on observations during quiescence by Fender et al (1996). The soft X-ray excess is likely due to background issues and/or an inadequate representation of the absorption in the RXTE/PCA spectra.…”

Section: Xstar Simulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Orbital modulation of X-ray emission lines in Cygnus X-3

Vilhu

Hakala

Hannikainen

et al. 2009

A&A

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Aims. We address the problem where the X-ray emission lines are formed and investigate orbital dynamics using Chandra HETG observations, photoionizing calculations and numerical wind-particle simulations. The aims were to set constraints on the masses of the components of this close binary system consisting of a Wolf-Rayet (WR) star and a compact component and to investigate the nature of the latter (neutron star or black hole). The goal was also to investigate P Cygni signatures in line profiles.Methods. The observed Si xiv (6.185 Å) and S xvi (4.733 Å) line profiles at four orbital phases were fitted with P Cygni-type profiles consisting of an emission and a blue-shifted absorption component. Numerical models were constructed using photoionizing calculations and particle simulations. In the models, the emission originates in the photoionized wind of the WR companion illuminated by a hybrid source: the X-ray radiation of the compact star and the photospheric EUV-radiation from the WR star.Results. Spectral lines with moderate excitation (such as Si xiv and S xvi) arise in the photoionized wind. The emission component exhibits maximum blue-shift at phase 0.5 (when the compact star is in front), while the velocity of the absorption component is constant (around −900 km s −1 ). Both components, like the continuum flux, have intensity maxima around phase 0.5. The simulated Fe xxvi Lyα line (1.78 Å, H-like) from the wind is weak compared to the observed one. We suggest that it originates in the vicinity of the compact star, with a maximum blue shift at phase 0.25 (compact star approaching). By combining the mass function derived with that from the infrared He i absorption (arising from the WR companion), we constrain the masses and the inclination of the system. Conclusions. The Si xiv and S xvi lines and their radial velocity curves can be understood in the framework of a photoionized wind involving a hybrid ionizer. Constraints on the compact star mass and orbital inclination (i) are given using the mass functions derived from the Fe xxvi line and He i 2.06 μm absorption. Both a neutron star at large inclination (i ≥ 60 degrees) and a black hole at small inclination are possible solutions. The radial velocity amplitude of the He ii 2.09 μm emission (formed in the X-ray shadow behind the WR star) suggests i = 30 degrees, implying a possible compact star mass between 2.8-8.0 M . For i = 60 degrees the same range is 1.0-3.2 M .

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“…A possible constant emission in Cyg X-3 during quiescence is much smaller than the peaks of the flares and hence can be considered negligible in the radio, but not in the infrared. We therefore assume a quiescent flux density contribution in the K-band of 16.6 mJy, as measured on 7 August 1984 (Fender et al 1996).…”

Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Synchrotron flaring behaviour of Cygnus X-3 during the February-March 1994 and September 2001 outbursts

Lindfors

Türler

Hannikainen

et al. 2007

A&A

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Aims. In this paper we study whether the shock-in-jet model, widely used to explain the outbursting behaviour of quasars, can be used to explain the radio flaring behaviour of the microquasar Cygnus X-3. Methods. We have used a method developed to model the synchrotron outbursts of quasar jets, which decomposes multifrequency lightcurves into a series of outbursts. The method is based on the Marscher & Gear (1985, ApJ, 298, 114) shock model, but we have implemented the modifications to the model suggested by Björnsson & Aslaksen (2000, ApJ, 533, 787), which make the flux density increase in the initial phase less abrupt. We study the average outburst evolution, as well as specific characteristics of individual outbursts and physical jet properties of Cyg X-3. Results. We find that the lightcurves of the February−March 1994 and September 2001 outbursts can be described with the modified shock model. The average evolution shows that, instead of the expected synchrotron plateau, the flux density is still increasing during the synchrotron stage. We also find that high frequency peaking outbursts are shorter in duration than those peaking at lower frequencies. Finally, we show that the method can be used, complementary to radio interferometric jet imaging, for deriving the physical parameters such as the magnetic field strength and the energy density of relativistic electrons in the jet of Cyg X-3.

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Flaring and quiescent infrared behaviour of Cygnus X-3

Cited by 26 publications

References 0 publications

Sources of Relativistic Jets in the Galaxy

Sources of Relativistic Jets in the Galaxy

Orbital modulation of X-ray emission lines in Cygnus X-3

Synchrotron flaring behaviour of Cygnus X-3 during the February-March 1994 and September 2001 outbursts

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