A past capture event at Sagittarius A* inferred from the fluorescent X-ray emission of Sagittarius B clouds

Abstract

The fluorescent X-ray emission from neutral iron in the molecular clouds (Sgr B) indicates that the clouds are being irradiated by an external X-ray source. The source is probably associated with the Galactic central black hole (Sgr A*), which triggered a bright outburst one hundred years ago. We suggest that such an outburst could be due to a partial capture of a star by Sgr A*, during which a jet was generated. By constraining the observed flux and the time variability ($\sim$ 10 years) of the Sgr B's fluorescent emission, we find that the shock produced by the interaction of the jet with the dense interstellar medium represents a plausible candidate for the X-ray source emission.

7 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in MNRAS

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• Variable accretion and emission from the stellar winds in the Galactic centre
• The Origin of Diffuse X-ray and $\gamma$-ray Emission from the Galactic Center Region: Cosmic Ray Particles
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• K-shell Emission of Neutral Iron Line from Sgr B2 Excited by Subrelativistic Protons
• Is there an intermediate massive black hole in the Galactic center: Imprints on the stellar tidal-disruption rate
• Star Formation and Dynamics in the Galactic Centre
• Recurring tidal disruption events a decade apart in IRAS F01004-2237
• The origin of the 6.4 keV line emission and H${}_2$ ionization in the diffuse molecular gas of the Galactic center region
• Multiple accretion events as a trigger for Sgr A* activity
• X-Ray afterglow of SWIFT J1644+57: a Compton echo?
• X-ray observations of the hot phase in Sgr~A*
• Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Diffuse Iron 6.4 keV Line in the Galactic Center Region
• Mini-spiral as source of material for Sgr A* in bright state
• High Energy Emission from the Galactic Center