Dr James Matthews

Abstract:

Relativistic jets from supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei are amongst the most powerful phenomena in the universe. Similar jets from stellar-mass black holes offer a chance to study the phenomena on accessible observation time scales. However, such comparative studies across black hole masses and time scales remain hampered by the long-standing perception that stellar-mass black hole jets are in a less relativistic regime. Here, we show the detection of two distinct, relativistic jet ejections from the Galactic black hole X-ray binary 4U 1543-47 during a single outburst, with radio interferometry monitoring observations. Our measurements reveal a likely Lorentz factor of approximately 8 and a minimum of 4.6 at launch with 95% confidence, demonstrating that stellar-mass black holes in X-ray binaries can launch jets as relativistic as those seen in active galactic nuclei.

Abstract:

Abstract Disc winds from active galactic nuclei (AGN) can be launched by radiation pressure acting on spectral lines. However, launching a line-driven wind in the X-ray rich environment of AGN is challenging, as the wind easily gets over-ionized. Previous simulations suggested that X-ray self-shielding could enable line driving, though it remained unclear whether this relied on simplified treatments of radiation and ionization. Here, we revisit the X-ray shielding scenario using the first multi-frequency, multi-directional Monte-Carlo radiative photo-ionization hydrodynamical simulations of AGN line-driven winds. We find that sustaining a steady wind with mass-loss rates of ≈20% of the accretion rate requires an unrealistically weak X-ray flux (αOX < −3). For stronger X-ray emission (−3 < αOX < −1), self-shielding is only transient, leading to episodic ejections with mass-loss rates approaching the accretion rate. Our steady winds naturally produce FeLoBAL, HiBAL, and broad emission line signatures, depending on the disc spectral energy distribution and the observer’s inclination. At moderate X-ray luminosities (αOX ∼ −3), transient winds can generate short-lived BAL and ultra-fast outflow (UFO) features. At the highest X-ray luminosities (αOX ∼ −1), the winds are too ionized to form BALs, but still produce UFOs. These results imply that additional physics is required to explain BAL outflows at realistic X-ray levels and to drive winds strong enough for AGN feedback. Nonetheless, our simulations provide a new framework for interpreting the observed diversity of AGN outflow signatures with fully coupled radiation and dynamics.

Abstract:

Abstract Accreting systems can launch powerful outflows which interact with the surrounding medium. We combine new radio observations of the accreting neutron star X-ray binary (XRB) Circinus X-1 (Cir X-1) with archival radio observations going back 24 years. The ∼3 pc scale wide-angle radio and X-ray emitting caps found around Cir X-1 are identified as synchrotron emitting shocks with significant proper motion and morphological evolution on decade timescales. Proper motion measurements of the shocks reveal they are mildly relativistic and decelerating, with apparent velocity of 0.14c ± 0.03c at a propagation distance of 2 pc. We demonstrate that these shocks are likely powered by a hidden relativistic (≳ 0.3c) wide-angle conical outflow launched in 1972 ± 3, in stark contrast to known structures around other XRBs formed by collimated jets over 1000s of years. The minimum time-averaged power of the outflow required to produce the observed synchrotron emission is ∼0.1LEdd, while the time-averaged power required for the kinetic energy of the shocks is $\sim 40 \left(\frac{n}{10^{-2} \textrm{cm}^{-3}}\right)L_\textrm{Edd}$, where n is the average ambient medium number density. This reveals the outflow powering the shocks is likely significantly super-Eddington. We measure significant linear polarisation up to 52 ± 6% in the shocks demonstrating the presence of an ordered magnetic field of strength ∼200 μG. We show that the shocks are potential PeVatrons, capable of accelerating electrons to ∼0.7 PeV and protons to ∼20 PeV, and we estimate the injection and energetic efficiencies of electron acceleration in the shocks. Finally, we predict that next generation gamma-ray facilities may be able to detect hadronic signatures from the shocks.

Abstract:

ABSTRACT We investigate the impact of flickering variability in jet power on the luminosity and morphology of radio galaxies. We use a Lagrangian particle method together with relativistic hydrodynamics simulations using the pluto code to track the evolution of electron spectra through particle acceleration at shocks and cooling processes. We introduce an adapted version of this method which improves tracking of adiabatic cooling in regimes where low density jet material mixes with high density from the ambient medium in the lobes. We find that rapid increases in jet power can lead to large increases in hotspot luminosity due to the interaction of a travelling shock structure with the pre-existing shock structure at the jet head. We show that in some cases it may be possible to identify a bright region of emission corresponding to a shock travelling along the jet axis. We find that the time-averaged radiative efficiency of variable jets is similar to their steady counterparts, but find significant departures from this on an instantaneous basis. We suggest that, together with environmental effects and differences in the average powers of jets, variable jet powers may have a significant impact on how we understand the diversity of radio jets seen in observations and have significant implications for interpretations of jet powers, energy budgets, and luminosity-linear size diagrams.

Abstract:

The origin of cosmic rays (CRs) from outside the Solar system is unknown, as they are deflected by the interstellar magnetic field. Supernova remnants are the main candidate for CRs up to PeV energies but due to lack of evidence, they cannot be concluded as the sources of the most energetic Galactic CRs. We investigate discrete ejecta produced in state transitions of black hole X-ray binary systems as a potential source of CRs, motivated by recent TeV -ray detections by LHAASO. Starting from MAXI J1820+070, we examine the multi-wavelength observations and find that efficient particle acceleration may take place (i.e. into a robust power law), up to eV, where is the ratio of particle energy to magnetic energy. From these calculations, we estimate the global contribution of ejecta to the entire Galactic spectrum to be , with the CR contribution rising to at PeV energies, assuming roughly equal energy in non-thermal protons, non-thermal electrons, and magnetic fields. In addition, we calculate associated -ray and neutrino spectra of the MAXI J1820+070 ejecta to investigate new detection methods with CTAO, which provide strong constraints on initial ejecta size of order Schwarzschild radii ( pc) assuming a period of adiabatic expansion.