Opening angles, Lorentz factors and confinement of X-ray binary jets

Abstract

We present a collation of the available data on the opening angles of jets in X-ray binaries, which in most cases are small (less than 10 degrees). Under the assumption of no confinement, we calculate the Lorentz factors required to produce such small opening angles via the transverse relativistic Doppler effect. The derived Lorentz factors, which are in most cases lower limits, are found to be large, with a mean greater than 10, comparable to those estimated for AGN and much higher than the commonly-assumed values for X-ray binaries of 2 to 5. Jet power constraints do not in most cases rule out such high Lorentz factors. The upper limits on the opening angles show no evidence for smaller Lorentz factors in the steady jets of Cygnus X-1 and GRS 1915+105. In those sources in which deceleration has been observed (notably XTE J1550-564 and Cygnus X-3), some confinement of the jets must be occurring, and we briefly discuss possible confinement mechanisms. It is however possible that all the jets could be confined, in which case the requirement for high bulk Lorentz factors can be relaxed.

11 pages, 4 figures (2 colour), accepted for publication in MNRAS

References in corpus (38)

• Towards a unified model for black hole X-ray binary jets
• Jets in GRBs
• A universal radio/X-ray correlation in low/hard state black hole binaries
• MERLIN observations of relativistic ejections from GRS 1915+105
• Multi-Epoch VLBA Observations of EGRET-Detected Quasars and BL Lac Objects: Superluminal Motion of Gamma-Ray Bright Blazars
• A relativistic jet from Cygnus X-1 in the low/hard X-ray state
• Do X-ray Binary Spectral State Transition Luminosities Vary?
• A dark jet dominates the power output of the stellar black hole Cygnus X-1
• AU-Scale Synchrotron Jets and Superluminal Ejecta in GRS 1915+105
• Large-Scale, Decelerating, Relativistic X-ray Jets from the Microquasar XTE J1550-654
• Dynamical Evidence for a Black Hole in the Microquasar XTE J1550-564
• A Black Hole in the Superluminal source SAX J1819.3-2525 (V4641 Sgr)
• Broad-band X-ray/gamma-ray spectra and binary parameters of GX 339-4 and their astrophysical implications
• A One-sided, Highly Relativistic Jet from Cygnus X-3
• The High Resolution X-ray Spectrum of SS 433 using the Chandra HETGS
• Sco X-1: The Evolution and Nature of the Twin Compact Radio Lobes
• The Distance and Interstellar Sight Line to GX339-4
• An ultra-relativistic outflow from a neutron star accreting gas from a companion
• Time-sequenced Multi-Radio-Frequency Observations of Cygnus X-3 in Flare
• Discovery of X-ray Jets in the Microquasar H 1743-322
• A transient large-scale relativistic radio jet from GX 339-4
• Radio Lobe Dynamics and the Environment of Microquasars
• LS 5039: a runaway microquasar ejected from the galactic plane
• Repeated Relativistic Ejections in GRS 1915+105
• X-Ray Emission from the Jets of XTE J1550-564
• Confirmation of persistent radio jets in the microquasar LS 5039
• Uses and limitations of relativistic jet proper motions: lessons from galactic microquasars
• X-Ray Jet Emission from the Black Hole X-Ray Binary XTE J1550-564 with Chandra in 2000
• Simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of GRS 1915+105
• Revision of the properties of the GRS 1915+105 jets: Clues from the large-scale structure
• VLT optical observations of V821 Ara(=GX339-4) in an extended "off" state
• Constraints on relativistic beaming from estimators of the unbeamed flux
• A search for possible interactions between ejections from GRS 1915+105 and the surrounding interstellar medium
• On the Soft Excess in the X-ray Spectrum of Cir X-1: Revisitation of the Distance to Cir X-1
• CI Cam: A Shell-shocked X-ray Nova
• A search for microquasar candidates at low galactic latitudes
• Possible hot spots excited by the relativistic jets of Cygnus X-3
• EVN and MERLIN observations of microquasar candidates at low galactic latitudes

Cited by in corpus (71)

• Magnetic acceleration of relativistic AGN jets
• The propagation of relativistic jets in external media
• The Nature of SS433 and the Ultraluminous X-ray Sources
• A Parallax Distance to the Microquasar GRS 1915+105 and a Revised Estimate of its Black Hole Mass
• Gemini and Hubble Space Telescope Evidence for an Intermediate Mass Black Hole in omega Centauri
• A log-quadratic relation for predicting supermassive black hole masses from the host bulge Sersic index
• Transient Black Hole Binaries
• No evidence for black hole spin powering of jets in X-ray binaries
• Testing the jet quenching paradigm with an ultradeep observation of a steadily soft state black hole
• Disk-jet coupling in the 2017/2018 outburst of the Galactic black hole candidate X-ray binary MAXI J1535-571
• Periodic Fast Radio Bursts from Luminous X-ray Binaries
• Observational constraints on the powering mechanism of transient relativistic jets
• The spectral energy distribution of compact jets powered by internal shocks
• Extreme Jet Ejections from the Black Hole X-ray Binary V404 Cygni
• A transient relativistic radio jet from Cygnus X-1
• Core shifts, magnetic fields and magnetization of extragalactic jets
• The black hole transient MAXI J1348-630: evolution of the compact and transient jets during its 2019/2020 outburst
• GRB060218 as a Tidal Disruption of a White Dwarf by an Intermediate Mass Black Hole
• Measuring fundamental jet properties with multi-wavelength fast timing of the black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1820+070
• Causal connection in parsec-scale relativistic jets: results from the MOJAVE VLBI survey
• High-energy emission from jet-clump interactions in microquasars
• The Varying Kinematics of Multiple Ejecta from the Black Hole X-ray Binary MAXI J1820+070
• Radio Frequency Timing Analysis of the Compact Jet in the Black Hole X-ray Binary Cygnus X-1
• The gamma-ray emitting region of the jet in Cyg X-3
• rHARM: Accretion and Ejection in Resistive GR-MHD
• FRB as Products of Accretion Disc Funnels
• Resolved, expanding jets in the Galactic black hole candidate XTE J1908+094
• Steady General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic Inflow/Outflow Solution along Large-Scale Magnetic Fields that Thread a Rotating Black Hole
• Lorentz Factors of compact jets in Black hole X-ray binaries
• On the radio properties of the intermediate-mass black hole candidate ESO 243-49 HLX-1
• Jet Parameters in the Black-Hole X-Ray Binary MAXI J1820+070
• Modeling the kinematics of the decelerating jets from the black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1348$-$630
• Correlated radio--X-ray variability of Galactic Black Holes: A radio--X-ray flare in Cygnus X-1
• Mapping Jet-ISM Interactions in X-ray Binaries with ALMA: A GRS 1915$+$105 Case Study
• Evidence for deceleration in the radio jets of GRS1915+105?
• A systematic study of the phase difference between QPO harmonics in black hole X-ray binaries
• Radio Variability from a Quiescent Stellar Mass Black Hole Jet
• A new method for extending solutions to the self-similar relativistic magnetohydrodynamics equations for black hole outflows
• Modelling the compact jet in MAXI J1836-194 with disc-driven shocks
• The minimum jet power and equipartition
• Chasing the break: Tracing the full evolution of a black hole X-ray binary jet with multi-wavelength spectral modeling
• Constraints on Electron Acceleration in Gamma-Ray Bursts Afterglows from Radio Peaks
• Connection between accretion disk and superluminal radio jets and the role of radio plateau state in GRS 1915+105
• On the nature of the soft gamma-ray emission in the hard state of the black hole transient GRS 1716-249
• Interface instabilities in hydrodynamic relativistic jets
• The Donor of the Black-Hole X-Ray Binary MAXI J1820+070
• Time-dependent search for neutrino emission from x-ray binaries with the ANTARES telescope
• State transitions of GX 339-4 during its outburst rising phase
• LMC X-1: A New Spectral Analysis of the O-star in the binary and surrounding nebula
• Comprehensive coverage of particle acceleration and kinetic feedback from the stellar mass black hole V404 Cygni
• Time-dependent visibility modelling of a relativistic jet in the X-ray binary MAXI J1803-298
• MeerKAT discovers a jet-driven bow shock near GRS 1915+105. How an invisible large-scale jet sculpts a microquasar's environment
• Spectacular Trailing Streamers near LMC X-1: The First Evidence of a Jet?
• Paving the way to simultaneous multi-wavelength astronomy
• The jet-disk symbiosis without maximal jets: 1-D hydrodynamical jets revisited
• Anisotropy of partially self-absorbed jets and the jet of Cyg X-1
• Testing jet geometries and disk-jet coupling in the neutron star LMXB 4U 0614+091 with the internal shocks model
• A broadband radio view of transient jet ejecta in the black hole candidate X-ray binary MAXI J1535-571
• Radiation driving and heating of general relativistic jets under Compton scattering regime
• Radio emission and jets from microquasars
• The Science Case for Simultaneous mm-Wavelength Receivers in Radio Astronomy
• Eclipses of jets and discs of X-ray binaries as a powerful tool for understanding jet physics and binary parameters
• Multiwavelength Observations of the Black Hole X-ray Binary MAXI J1820$+$070 in the Rebrightening Phase
• A simple analytical model of magnetic jets
• Extending the "Energetic Scaling of Relativistic Jets From Black Hole Systems" to Include $\gamma$-ray-loud X-ray Binaries
• Infrared interferometry to spatially and spectrally resolve jets in X-ray binaries
• Large-scale radio bubbles around the black hole transient V4641 Sgr
• High-resolution radio observations of X-ray binaries
• Opacity effect on core-shift and the spectral properties of jets
• Broadband Emission Spectra from the Cygnus X-3 Jet in the Soft Spectral State
• Galactic X-ray binary jets