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Register a new userConfirmation of persistent radio jets in the microquasar LS 5039
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Authors
J. M. Paredes
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We present here new observations conducted with the EVN and MERLIN of the persistent microquasar LS 5039 discovered by Paredes et al. (2000) with the VLBA. The new observations confirm the presence of an asymmetric two-sided jet reaching up to 1000 AU on the longest jet arm. The results suggest a bending of the jets with increasing distance from the core and/or precession. The origin and location of the high-energy gamma-ray emission associated with the system is discussed and an estimate of the magnetic field at the base of the jet given. Our results suggest a well collimated radio jet. We also comment on new observing strategies to be used with satellites and forthcoming detectors, since this persistent source appears to be a rather good laboratory to explore the accretion/ejection processes taking place near compact objects.
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We present the first optical polarimetric observations of the runaway microquasar LS 5039. Our results reveal the presence of a large amount (~5%) of polarized emission towards this binary system. By combining polarimetric and spectroscopic observations of some stars in the field together with available statistical information on the galactic interstellar polarization of the region, we have estimated and subtracted the contribution of the interstellar polarization in this direction. As a result, we obtain an intrinsic polarization of ~3% for the object, much higher than what would be expected from jet emission in the optical domain. We suggest that the polarized light originates by electron Thomson scattering in the stellar envelope of the companion star. This allows us to constrain the size of the region where the polarized emission originates, as well as estimating the scattering electronic density and the wind velocity at such distance.
LS 5039 is the only X-ray binary persistently detected at TeV energies by the Cherenkov HESS telescope. It is moreover a gamma-ray emitter in the GeV and possibly MeV energy ranges. To understand important aspects of jet physics, like the magnetic field content or particle acceleration, and emission processes, such as synchrotron and inverse Compton (IC), a complete modeling of the multiwavelength data is necessary. LS 5039 has been detected along almost all the electromagnetic spectrum thanks to several radio, infrared, optical and soft X-ray detections. However, hard X-ray detections above 20 keV have been so far elusive and/or doubtful, partly due to source confusion for the poor spatial resolution of hard X-ray instruments. We report here on deep (300 ksec) serendipitous INTEGRAL hard X-ray observations of LS 5039, coupled with simultaneous VLA radio observations. We obtain a 20-40 keV flux of 1.1 +/- 0.3 mCrab (5.9 (+/-1.6) X 10^{-12} erg cm^{-2} s^{-1}), a 40-100 keV upper limit of 1.5 mCrab (9.5 x 10^{-12} erg cm^{-2}s^{-1}), and typical radio flux densities of about 25 mJy at 5GHz. These hard X-ray fluxes are significantly lower than previous estimates obtained with BATSE in the same energy range but, in the lower interval, agree with extrapolation of previous RXTE measurements. The INTEGRAL observations also hint to a break in the spectral behavior at hard X-rays. A more sensitive characterization of the hard X-ray spectrum of LS 5039 from 20 to 100 keV could therefore constrain key aspects of the jet physics, like the relativistic particle spectrum and the magnetic field strength. Future multiwavelength observations would allow to establish whether such hard X-ray synchrotron emission is produced by the same population of relativistic electrons as those presumably producing TeV emission through IC.
We have compiled optical and radio astrometric data of the microquasar LS 5039 and derived its proper motion. This, together with the distance and radial velocity of the system, allows us to state that this source is escaping from its own regional standard of rest, with a total systemic velocity of about 150 km/s and a component perpendicular to the galactic plane larger than 100 km/s. This is probably the result of an acceleration obtained during the supernova event that created the compact object in this binary system. We have computed the trajectory of LS 5039 in the past, and searched for OB associations and supernova remnants in its path. In particular, we have studied the possible association between LS 5039 and the supernova remnant G016.8-01.1, which, despite our efforts, remains dubious. We have also discovered and studied an HI cavity in the ISM, which could have been created by the stellar wind of LS 5039 or by the progenitor of the compact object in the system. Finally, in the symmetric supernova explosion scenario, we estimate that at least 17 solar masses were lost in order to produce the high eccentricity observed. Such a mass loss could also explain the observed runaway velocity of the microquasar.
Recent HESS observations show that microquasars in high-mass systems are sources of VHE gamma-rays. A leptonic jet model for microquasar gamma-ray emission is developed. Using the head-on approximation for the Compton cross section and taking into account angular effects from the stars orbital motion, we derive expressions to calculate the spectrum of gamma rays when nonthermal jet electrons Compton-scatter photons of the stellar radiation field. Calculations are presented for power-law distributions of nonthermal electrons that are assumed to be isotropically distributed in the comoving jet frame, and applied to $gamma$-ray observations of LS 5039. We conclude that (1) the TeV emission measured with HESS cannot result only from Compton-scattered stellar radiation (CSSR), but could be synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) emission or a combination of CSSR and SSC; (2) fitting both the HESS data and the EGRET data associated with LS 5039 requires a very improbable leptonic model with a very hard electron spectrum. Because the gamma rays would be variable in a leptonic jet model, the data sets are unlikely to be representative of a simultaneously measured gamma-ray spectrum. We therefore attribute EGRET gamma rays primarily to CSSR emission, and HESS gamma rays to SSC emission. Detection of periodic modulation of the TeV emission from LS 5039 would favor a leptonic SSC or cascade hadron origin of the emission in the inner jet, whereas stochastic variability alone would support a more extended leptonic model. The puzzle of the EGRET gamma rays from LS 5039 will be quickly solved with GLAST. (Abridged)
LS 5039 is a high-mass gamma-ray binary hosting a compact object of unknown type. NuSTAR observed LS 5039 during its entire 3.9 day binary period. We performed a periodic signal search up to 1000 Hz which did not produce credible period candidates. We do see the 9.05 s period candidate, originally reported by Yoneda et al. 2020 using the same data, in the Fourier power spectrum, but we find that the statistical significance of this feature is too low to claim it as a real detection. We also did not find significant bursts or quasi-periodic variability. The modulation with the orbital period is clearly seen and remains unchanged over a decade long timescale when compared to the earlier Suzaku light curve. The joint analysis of the NuSTAR and Suzaku XIS data shows that the 0.7-70 keV spectrum can be satisfactory described by a single absorbed power-law model with no evidence of cutoff at higher energies. The slope of the spectrum anti-correlates with the flux during the binary orbit. Therefore, if LS 5039 hosts a young neutron star, its X-ray pulsations appear to be outshined by the intrabinary shock emission. The lack of spectral lines and/or an exponential cutoff at higher energies suggests that the putative neutron star is not actively accreting. Although a black hole scenario still remains a possibility, the lack of variability or Fe K$alpha$ lines, which typically accompany accretion, makes it less likely.
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