A Wildly Flickering Jet in the Black Hole X-Ray Binary MAXI J1535-571
Journal article, 2018
We report on the results of optical, near-infrared (NIR), and mid-infrared observations of the black hole X-ray binary candidate (BHB) MAXI J1535-571 during its 2017/2018 outburst. During the first part of the outburst (MJD 58004-58012), the source shows an optical-NIR spectrum that is consistent with an optically thin synchrotron power law from a jet. After MJD 58015, however, the source faded considerably, the drop in flux being much more evident at lower frequencies. Before the fading, we measure a dereddened flux density of 100 mJy in the mid-infrared, making MAXI J1535-571 one of the brightest mid-infrared BHBs known so far. A significant softening of the X-ray spectrum is evident contemporaneous with the infrared fade. We interpret it as being due to the suppression of the jet emission, similar to the accretion-ejection coupling seen in other BHBs. However, MAXI J1535-571 did not transition smoothly to the soft state, instead showing X-ray hardness deviations associated with infrared flaring. We also present the first mid-IR variability study of a BHB on minute timescales, with a fractional rms variability of the light curves of ∼15%-22%, which is similar to that expected from the internal shock jet model, and much higher than the optical fractional rms (≲7%). These results represent an excellent case of multiwavelength jet spectral timing and demonstrate how rich, multiwavelength time-resolved data of X-ray binaries over accretion state transitions can help in refining models of the disk-jet connection and jet launching in these systems.
accretion, accretion disks
X-rays: binaries
ISM: jets and outflows
black hole physics
Author
Maria Cristina Baglio
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
New York University Abu Dhabi
David M. Russell
New York University Abu Dhabi
Piergiorgio Casella
Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma
Hind Al Noori
New York University Abu Dhabi
Aisha Al Yazeedi
New York University Abu Dhabi
Tomaso Belloni
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
David A.H. Buckley
South African Astronomical Observatory
Marion Cadolle Bel
SIXT Leasing
Chiara Ceccobello
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics
S. Corbel
Institut de Recherche sur les Lois Fondamentales de l'Univers
Station de Radioastronomie de Nançay
Francesco Coti Zelati
Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC)
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB)
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
M. Diaz-Trigo
European Southern Observatory (ESO)
R. P. Fender
University of Oxford
Elena Gallo
University of Michigan
Poshak Gandhi
University of Southampton
Jeroen Homan
Eureka Scientific
Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)
Karri I.I. Koljonen
Aalto University
University of Turku
Fraser Lewis
Cardiff University
Liverpool John Moores University
T. J. Maccarone
Texas Tech University at Lubbock
Julien Malzac
University of Toulouse
S. Markoff
University of Amsterdam
J. C. A. Miller-Jones
Curtin University
Kieran O'Brien
Durham University
Thomas D. Russell
University of Amsterdam
P. Saikia
New York University Abu Dhabi
Tariq Shahbaz
University of La Laguna
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
G. R. Sivakoff
University of Alberta
Roberto Soria
Curtin University
The University of Sydney
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Vincenzo Testa
Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma
Alexandra J. Tetarenko
University of Alberta
East Asian Observatory
Mario E. Van Den Ancker
European Southern Observatory (ESO)
Federico M. Vincentelli
University of Insubria
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma
Astrophysical Journal
0004-637X (ISSN) 1538-4357 (eISSN)
Vol. 867 2 114Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
Other Physics Topics
DOI
10.3847/1538-4357/aae532