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

ISM: jets and outflows

X-rays: binaries

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

Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)

Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB)

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

Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)

Eureka Scientific

Karri I.I. Koljonen

Aalto University

University of Turku

Fraser Lewis

Liverpool John Moores University

Cardiff 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

Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias

University of La Laguna

G. R. Sivakoff

University of Alberta

Roberto Soria

Curtin University

Chinese Academy of Sciences

The University of Sydney

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

Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma

University of Insubria

Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)

Astrophysical Journal

0004-637X (ISSN) 1538-4357 (eISSN)

Vol. 867 2 114

Subject Categories

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Other Physics Topics

DOI

10.3847/1538-4357/aae532

More information

Latest update

9/15/2023