A giant radio flare from Cygnus X-3 with associated ?-ray emission
Corbel S, Dubus G, Tomsick JA, Szostek A, Corbet RHD, Miller-Jones JCA, Richards JL, Pooley G, Trushkin S, Dubois R, Hill AB, Kerr M, Max-Moerbeck W, Readhead ACS, Bodaghee A, Tudose V, Parent D, Wilms J, Pottschmidt K (2012)
Publication Status: Published
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2012
Journal
Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS
Book Volume: 421
Pages Range: 2947-2955
Journal Issue: 4
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20517.x
Abstract
With frequent flaring activity of its relativistic jets, Cygnus X-3 (Cyg X-3) is one of the most active microquasars and is the only Galactic black hole candidate with confirmed high-energy ?-ray emission, thanks to detections by Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi/LAT) and AGILE. In 2011, Cyg X-3 was observed to transit to a soft X-ray state, which is known to be associated with high-energy ?-ray emission. We present the results of a multiwavelength campaign covering a quenched state, when radio emission from Cyg X-3 is at its weakest and the X-ray spectrum is very soft. A giant (similar to 20 Jy) optically thin radio flare marks the end of the quenched state, accompanied by rising non-thermal hard X-rays. Fermi/LAT observations (E= 100 MeV) reveal renewed ?-ray activity associated with this giant radio flare, suggesting a common origin for all non-thermal components. In addition, current observations unambiguously show that the ?-ray emission is not exclusively related to the rare giant radio flares. A three-week period of ?-ray emission is also detected when Cyg X-3 was weakly flaring in radio, right before transition to the radio quenched state. No ?-rays are observed during the similar to 1-month long quenched state, when the radio flux is weakest. Our results suggest transitions into and out of the ultrasoft X-ray (radio-quenched) state trigger ?-ray emission, implying a connection to the accretion process, and also that the ?-ray activity is related to the level of radio flux (and possibly shock formation), strengthening the connection to the relativistic jets.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Stanford University
United States (USA) (US)
University of Paris 7 - Denis Diderot / Université Paris VII Denis Diderot
France (FR)
University of Maryland
United States (USA) (US)
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
United States (USA) (US)
Russian Academy of Sciences / Росси́йская акаде́мия нау́к (RAS)
Russian Federation (RU)
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy
Netherlands (NL)
University of California, Berkeley
United States (USA) (US)
George Mason University
United States (USA) (US)
University of Southampton
United Kingdom (GB)
University of Cambridge
United Kingdom (GB)
Curtin University
Australia (AU)
Université Joseph Fourier (UJF Grenoble 1)
France (FR)
United States (USA) (US)
University of Paris 7 - Denis Diderot / Université Paris VII Denis Diderot
France (FR)
University of Maryland
United States (USA) (US)
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
United States (USA) (US)
Russian Academy of Sciences / Росси́йская акаде́мия нау́к (RAS)
Russian Federation (RU)
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy
Netherlands (NL)
University of California, Berkeley
United States (USA) (US)
George Mason University
United States (USA) (US)
University of Southampton
United Kingdom (GB)
University of Cambridge
United Kingdom (GB)
Curtin University
Australia (AU)
Université Joseph Fourier (UJF Grenoble 1)
France (FR)
How to cite
APA:
Corbel, S., Dubus, G., Tomsick, J.A., Szostek, A., Corbet, R.H.D., Miller-Jones, J.C.A.,... Pottschmidt, K. (2012). A giant radio flare from Cygnus X-3 with associated ?-ray emission. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 421(4), 2947-2955. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20517.x
MLA:
Corbel, S., et al. "A giant radio flare from Cygnus X-3 with associated ?-ray emission." Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 421.4 (2012): 2947-2955.
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