Discovery of radio emission from the symbiotic X-ray binary system GX 1+4
We report the discovery of radio emission from the accreting X-ray pulsar and symbiotic X-ray binary GX 1+4 with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. This is the first radio detection of such a system, wherein a strongly magnetized neutron star accretes from the stellar wind of an M-type giant compa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
2018
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| Online Access: | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT140101082 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/67979 |
| _version_ | 1848761709283508224 |
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| author | Van den Eijnden, J. Degenaar, N. Russell, T. Miller-Jones, James Wijnands, R. Miller, J. King, A. Rupen, M. |
| author_facet | Van den Eijnden, J. Degenaar, N. Russell, T. Miller-Jones, James Wijnands, R. Miller, J. King, A. Rupen, M. |
| author_sort | Van den Eijnden, J. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | We report the discovery of radio emission from the accreting X-ray pulsar and symbiotic X-ray binary GX 1+4 with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. This is the first radio detection of such a system, wherein a strongly magnetized neutron star accretes from the stellar wind of an M-type giant companion. We measure a 9 GHz radio flux density of 105.3 ± 7.3 μJy, but cannot place meaningful constraints on the spectral index due to a limited frequency range. We consider several emission mechanisms that could be responsible for the observed radio source. We conclude that the observed properties are consistent with shocks in the interaction of the accretion flow with the magnetosphere, a synchrotron-emitting jet, or a propeller-driven outflow. The stellar wind from the companion is unlikely to be the origin of the radio emission. If the detected radio emission originates from a jet, it would show that strong magnetic fields (≥1012 G) do not necessarily suppress jet formation. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:35:59Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-67979 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:35:59Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-679792022-11-23T06:53:50Z Discovery of radio emission from the symbiotic X-ray binary system GX 1+4 Van den Eijnden, J. Degenaar, N. Russell, T. Miller-Jones, James Wijnands, R. Miller, J. King, A. Rupen, M. We report the discovery of radio emission from the accreting X-ray pulsar and symbiotic X-ray binary GX 1+4 with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. This is the first radio detection of such a system, wherein a strongly magnetized neutron star accretes from the stellar wind of an M-type giant companion. We measure a 9 GHz radio flux density of 105.3 ± 7.3 μJy, but cannot place meaningful constraints on the spectral index due to a limited frequency range. We consider several emission mechanisms that could be responsible for the observed radio source. We conclude that the observed properties are consistent with shocks in the interaction of the accretion flow with the magnetosphere, a synchrotron-emitting jet, or a propeller-driven outflow. The stellar wind from the companion is unlikely to be the origin of the radio emission. If the detected radio emission originates from a jet, it would show that strong magnetic fields (≥1012 G) do not necessarily suppress jet formation. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/67979 10.1093/mnrasl/slx181 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT140101082 Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Van den Eijnden, J. Degenaar, N. Russell, T. Miller-Jones, James Wijnands, R. Miller, J. King, A. Rupen, M. Discovery of radio emission from the symbiotic X-ray binary system GX 1+4 |
| title | Discovery of radio emission from the symbiotic X-ray binary system GX 1+4 |
| title_full | Discovery of radio emission from the symbiotic X-ray binary system GX 1+4 |
| title_fullStr | Discovery of radio emission from the symbiotic X-ray binary system GX 1+4 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Discovery of radio emission from the symbiotic X-ray binary system GX 1+4 |
| title_short | Discovery of radio emission from the symbiotic X-ray binary system GX 1+4 |
| title_sort | discovery of radio emission from the symbiotic x-ray binary system gx 1+4 |
| url | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT140101082 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/67979 |