Pulsars, transients and relativistic astrophysics

Abstract:

Using a new radio sample, 6C* designed to find radio galaxies at z > 4 along with the complete 3CRR and 6CE sample we extend the radio galaxy K - z relation to z - 4.5. The 6C* K - z data significantly improve delineation of the K - z relation for radio galaxies at high redshift (z > 2). Accounting for non-stellar contamination, and for correlations between radio luminosity and estimates of stellar mass, we find little support for previous claims that the underlying scatter in the stellar luminosity of radio galaxies increases significantly at z > 2. This indicates that we are not probing into the formation epoch until at least z greater than or similar to 3.

Abstract:

We report the results of a long-term campaign of radio, soft- and hard- X-ray observations of the galactic black hole candidate GX 339-4. In the Low-Hard X-ray state the system displays a strong 3-way linear correlation between soft-and hard-X-rays and radio emission, implying a coupling between the Comptonising corona and a radio-emitting compact jet. In this state the radio emission is linearly polarised at a level of around 2%, with an almost constant polarisation angle, indicative of a favored axis in this system probably related to the compact jet and/or black hole spin axis. In the Off X-ray state the radio emission declines with the X-ray emission to below detectable levels, suggesting that it is simply a lower-luminosity version of the Low-Hard state. In the High-Soft state both the hard-X-ray and radio emission are suppressed. We also note that the transitions from the Low-Hard state to the High-Soft state (and the reverse) are possibly associated with discrete ejection(s) of expanding relativistic plasma.