Professor Rob Fender

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.

Abstract:

We have analyzed in detail a set of Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations of the galactic microquasar GRS 1915+105 corresponding to times when quasi-periodic oscillations in the infrared have been reported. From time-resolved spectral analysis, we have estimated the mass accretion rate through the (variable) inner edge of the accretion disk. We compare this accretion rate to an estimate of the mass/energy outflow rate in the jet. We discuss the possible implications of these results in terms of disk-instability and jet ejection, and in particular note an apparent anti-correlation between the accretion and ejection rates, implying that the gas expelled in the jet must leave the accretion disk before reaching its innermost radius.