TY - JOUR
T1 - The first resolved imaging of milliarcsecond-scale jets in Circinus X-1
AU - Miller-Jones, J. C.A.
AU - Moin, A.
AU - Tingay, S. J.
AU - Reynolds, C.
AU - Phillips, C. J.
AU - Tzioumis, A. K.
AU - Fender, R. P.
AU - Mccallum, J. N.
AU - Nicolson, G. D.
AU - Tudose, V.
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - We present the first resolved imaging of the milliarcsecond-scale jets in the neutron star X-ray binary Circinus X-1, made using the Australian Long Baseline Array. The angular extent of the resolved jets is ∼20mas, corresponding to a physical scale of ∼150au at the assumed distance of 7.8kpc. The jet position angle is relatively consistent with previous arcsecond-scale imaging with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. The radio emission is symmetric about the peak, and is unresolved along the minor axis, constraining the opening angle to be <20°. We observe evidence for outward motion of the components between the two halves of the observation. Constraints on the proper motion of the radio-emitting components suggest that they are only mildly relativistic, although we cannot definitively rule out the presence of the unseen, ultrarelativistic (Γ > 15) flow previously inferred to exist in this system.
AB - We present the first resolved imaging of the milliarcsecond-scale jets in the neutron star X-ray binary Circinus X-1, made using the Australian Long Baseline Array. The angular extent of the resolved jets is ∼20mas, corresponding to a physical scale of ∼150au at the assumed distance of 7.8kpc. The jet position angle is relatively consistent with previous arcsecond-scale imaging with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. The radio emission is symmetric about the peak, and is unresolved along the minor axis, constraining the opening angle to be <20°. We observe evidence for outward motion of the components between the two halves of the observation. Constraints on the proper motion of the radio-emitting components suggest that they are only mildly relativistic, although we cannot definitively rule out the presence of the unseen, ultrarelativistic (Γ > 15) flow previously inferred to exist in this system.
KW - ISM: jets and outflows
KW - Radio continuum: stars
KW - Stars: individual: Circinus X-1
KW - X-rays: binaries
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1745-3933.2011.01176.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1745-3933.2011.01176.x
M3 - Letter
AN - SCOPUS:84055199112
SN - 1745-3933
VL - 419
SP - L49-L53
JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
IS - 1
ER -