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Constraints on X-ray polarization of synchrotron jets from stellar-mass BHs

Constraints on X-ray polarization of synchrotron jets from stellar-mass BHs. Dave Russell Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias In collaboration with:

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Constraints on X-ray polarization of synchrotron jets from stellar-mass BHs

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  1. Constraints on X-ray polarization of synchrotron jets from stellar-mass BHs Dave Russell Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias In collaboration with: Dipankar Maitra, Sera Markoff, Tariq Shahbaz, Paolo Soleri, Rob Fender, Fraser Lewis, Piergiorgio Casella, Peter Curran, James-Miller-Jones... and some results from a larger collaboration 10th July 2012

  2. Let’s start with the conclusions Future spaceborne X-ray polarimeters will* detect variable X-ray polarization from synchrotron emission from the jets released from accreting Galactic black holes *probably X-ray binary – microquasar system I will show: • Sometimes, synchrotron emission from jets can dominate the X-ray • flux of a black hole X-ray binary • This synchrotron emission is polarized at a low, and variable level

  3. Introducing the 2000 outburst of XTE J1550-564 Well monitored in X-ray, optical and near-infrared (NIR) Optical & infrared data published in Jain et al. 2001; radio in Corbel et al. 2001 X-ray analysis as in Dunn et al. 2010 We can separate disc and jet emission Disc flux is approximated by an exponential decay Jet has optically thin spectrum

  4. Could it be a synchrotron jet dominating X-ray? Russell, Maitra, Dunn & Markoff 2010, MNRAS, 405, 1759 NIR jet flux is proportional to X-ray flux α (NIR  optical) ~ -0.7 α (optical  X-ray) = -0.7 α (X-ray power law) = -0.7 (photon index = 1.7) α (X-ray power law before) = -0.6 A single power law decreasing in flux by a factor of ten Jet origin of X-ray emission predicted by Markoff, Falcke & Fender 2001 (modelling of multiwavelength SED of XTE J1118+480)

  5. The black hole XRB XTE J1752-223: late X-ray + optical flare 2009-2010 outburst of this new BH transient: Russell et al. 2012, MNRAS, 419, 1740 Faulkes Telescope monitoring in 4 optical filters α (optical excess) = -0.16 +- 0.29

  6. Polarization of optically thin synchrotron emission Shahbaz et al. 2008 • In NIR, the observed emission can be highly polarized • Depends on magnetic field configuration • Ordered field  up to ~80% polarized • Tangled field  ~ no net polarization

  7. New VLT observations of GX 339-4 in 2008 • We observed GX 339-4 in September 2008 during a hard state with VLT+ISAAC •  We detect significant, variable linear polarization in the near-infrared (when the jet dominated) Polarized γ-ray emission from Cygnus X-1 might be from the jet (Laurent et al. 2011, Science) Polarization strength is very high: 67 +- 30 % !! (0.4-2 MeV) Derived from 58 days of exposure time This would imply a very highly ordered, constant B field at the base of the jet of Cyg X-1 PA is offset from jet axis Resolved radio jet of GX 339-4 (Gallo et al. 2004) • We infer a predominantly tangled, variable magnetic field near the jet base • The PA of polarization is ~ perpendicular to the PA of the resolved radio jet  The magnetic field is approximately parallel to the jet axis

  8. Sco X-1: SAAO 1.9m + HIPPO in 2009  We observed Sco X-1 with HIPPO on the SAAO 1.9m simultaneously with RXTE Sco X-1 is a Z-source First night: “flaring branch” X-ray state Second night: “normal branch” X-ray state y-axis: 2-60 keV flux x-axis: 4.4-6.2keV / 2.0-4.4 keV

  9. Sco X-1: SAAO 1.9m + HIPPO in 2009 Migliari & Fender 2006 Not much evidence for clustering of PA Clustered around PA ~ 100 deg

  10. We are developing a simple model to reproduce the broadband polarization given the input SED (Russell & Shahbaz, in prep.) • Data of GX 339-4 from Gandhi et al. 2011 • Components: • Self-absorbed synchrotron (radio to IR) • Maximum polarization is • (e.g. Blandford et al. 2002) • (<11%) • Optically thin synchrotron (IR to X-ray) with • cut-off in X-ray • Maximum polarization is • (<82%) • Irradiated disc (a few per cent due to • scattering) • Comptonized corona, assumed here to be unpolarized (chaotic geometry, no net aligned field?)

  11. Data of Cyg X-1 from Rahoui et al. 2011, Laurent et al. 2011, Fender et al. 2000, Long et al. 1980 • Components: • Self-absorbed synchrotron (radio to IR) • Maximum polarization is • (e.g. Blandford et al. 2002) • (<11%) • Optically thin synchrotron (IR to X-ray) with • cut-off in X-ray • Maximum polarization is • (<82%) • Irradiated disc (a few per cent due to • scattering) • Comptonized corona, assumed here to be unpolarized (chaotic geometry, no net aligned field?)

  12. Conclusions revisited • NIR synchrotron emission from jets in BH X-ray binaries is polarized • The results so far suggest: • Near the jet base the magnetic field is probably: •  generally turbulent (only partially ordered) and rapidly changing •  parallel to the jet axis • These magnetic geometry/variability properties are useful for jet models • This polarized synchrotron emission can occasionally dominate the X-ray flux • (This is probably true XTE J1550-564, and possibly XTE J1752-223) • Regular X-ray & optical/NIR monitoring is beneficial, such as SMARTS & Faulkes Future spaceborne X-ray polarimeters may be able to detect variable X-ray polarization from synchrotron emission from the jets released from accreting Galactic black holes

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