Pulsars, transients and relativistic astrophysics

Abstract:

We present late-time (δt > 3000 days) optical (Keck), X-ray (Chandra and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array), and radio (the Very Large Area, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, and the Upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope) observations of the Type Ic-BL (SN Ic-BL) SN 2012ap. Previous studies of this supernova (SN) have suggested that it stands out as a key example of a weak engine-driven explosion due to the lack of gamma-ray burst (GRB) detection and mildly relativistic ejecta. Recently, radio sky surveys revealed the rebrightening of the radio emission from this SN, highlighting the possibilities of a density enhancement at large radii or the existence of an off-axis relativistic jet. While the late-time optical spectra do not exhibit the broad emission lines seen in other interacting supernovae (SNe), our analysis of the broadband radio and X-ray emission implies that both scenarios are plausible. If a density enhancement is responsible for the radio rebrightening, it has to result from a change in the mass-loss rate and/or wind velocity, possibly due to the transition of the progenitor from a red supergiant to a Wolf–Rayet star. If the late-time radio component is a result of an off-axis relativistic jet, we find that an energetic narrow jet viewed at θobs ≥ 80° is needed. In this scenario, SN 2012ap is not a result of a weak engine-driven explosion, and instead, it is similar to other GRBs. However, radio rebrightenings of SN Ic-BL are not enough on their own to determine the existence of off-axis jets, and our planned Very Long Baseline Array observation will help reveal the true nature of this SN.

Abstract:

Abstract We have recently shown evidence that the most relativistic jets (with Lorentz factor >2) from stellar-mass black holes in X-ray binary systems may be locked to a fixed axis, likely the spin axis of the black hole. Slower, mildly relativistic jets (with velocities typically ~0.3c) are often seen to precess and can be associated with both neutron stars and black holes. In this paper we demonstrate an additional clear link between highly obscured systems and these lower-velocity, precessing jets. We speculate that this link may be due to mass-loading of the jets close to their launch sites, since these obscured systems are likely to be examples of (sometimes persistent, other times transient) super-Eddington accretion. The fastest relativistic jets are now seen to be both locked to a fixed direction, likely the black hole spin axis, and to be launched in low-density environments, while jets launched in dense environments are generally slower and very likely to precess.

Abstract:

Abstract Relativistic Doppler boosting significantly affects the observed emission of astrophysical jets resulting in observational biases. In this work we investigate the observational biases and modelling opportunities which arise due to relativistic boosting using two X-ray binary case studies. Using the one-sided jet ejecta from MAXI J1535-571, we demonstrate that incorporating non-detections of the receding jet ejecta into kinematic modelling can significantly improve parameter estimation, reducing posterior uncertainties by over $40{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. For the bipolar jets of MAXI J1820+070, we recover the intrinsic jet rest-frame emission of both approaching and receding jet components, demonstrating that they follow a common powerlaw evolution. Using this rest-frame emission profile as a base model, we show that current observational strategies strongly bias against detecting ejecta with high initial Lorentz factors ≳ 5 and receding ejecta components across a broad region of parameter space. These results highlight the importance of observational strategy selection, particularly early-time and late-time observations, and leveraging non-detections in the modelling of relativistic jets. More generally, quantifying observational biases and maximising modelling capabilities by incorporating the non-detection of receding jets can be employed to enhance interpretation of future gravitational-wave/optically-triggered observations of off-axis, extragalactic jetted transients.