Radiation Signatures of Electron Acceleration in the Decelerating Jet of MAXI J1348-630

A discrete jet component (blob) ejection and its subsequent deceleration were observed in the 2019/2020 outburst of the low-mass X-ray binary MAXI J1348-630. A first kinematic analysis of the deceleration due to an abrupt transition from an evacuated cavity to the interstellar medium (ISM) suggested...

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Main Authors: Aishwarya Sarath, Markus Böttcher
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adcac1
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author Aishwarya Sarath
Markus Böttcher
author_facet Aishwarya Sarath
Markus Böttcher
author_sort Aishwarya Sarath
collection DOAJ
description A discrete jet component (blob) ejection and its subsequent deceleration were observed in the 2019/2020 outburst of the low-mass X-ray binary MAXI J1348-630. A first kinematic analysis of the deceleration due to an abrupt transition from an evacuated cavity to the interstellar medium (ISM) suggested a kinetic energy exceeding 10 ^46 erg, surpassing estimates of the available total ejection energy. However, incorporating a transition layer with exponential density growth between the cavity and the ISM recently enabled a kinematic analysis with much more realistic energy requirements of approximately 10 ^44 erg. Here, we study the expected radiative signatures of electrons accelerated within the decelerating blob by introducing a model akin to the relativistic blast wave model for gamma-ray bursts, considering radiative energy losses and radiation drag, to simulate the deceleration of a relativistically moving plasmoid. This model yields snapshot spectral energy distributions and multiwavelength light curves from synchrotron and synchrotron-self-Compton emission. Notably, the synchrotron emission peaks in the X-rays, but the predicted X-ray flux is negligible compared to thermal emission from the accretion disk. The predicted radio light curve closely resembles the observed one during the jet deceleration phase following the outburst in 2019/2020.
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spelling doaj-art-5c9548858ece4b778471c028bc8793ae2025-08-20T02:28:24ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-01984216810.3847/1538-4357/adcac1Radiation Signatures of Electron Acceleration in the Decelerating Jet of MAXI J1348-630Aishwarya Sarath0Markus Böttcher1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8434-5692St Joseph’s University , Langford Road, Bangalore, Karnataka, IndiaCenter for Space Research, North-West University , Potchefstroom, South AfricaA discrete jet component (blob) ejection and its subsequent deceleration were observed in the 2019/2020 outburst of the low-mass X-ray binary MAXI J1348-630. A first kinematic analysis of the deceleration due to an abrupt transition from an evacuated cavity to the interstellar medium (ISM) suggested a kinetic energy exceeding 10 ^46 erg, surpassing estimates of the available total ejection energy. However, incorporating a transition layer with exponential density growth between the cavity and the ISM recently enabled a kinematic analysis with much more realistic energy requirements of approximately 10 ^44 erg. Here, we study the expected radiative signatures of electrons accelerated within the decelerating blob by introducing a model akin to the relativistic blast wave model for gamma-ray bursts, considering radiative energy losses and radiation drag, to simulate the deceleration of a relativistically moving plasmoid. This model yields snapshot spectral energy distributions and multiwavelength light curves from synchrotron and synchrotron-self-Compton emission. Notably, the synchrotron emission peaks in the X-rays, but the predicted X-ray flux is negligible compared to thermal emission from the accretion disk. The predicted radio light curve closely resembles the observed one during the jet deceleration phase following the outburst in 2019/2020.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adcac1X-ray binary starsRelativistic jets
spellingShingle Aishwarya Sarath
Markus Böttcher
Radiation Signatures of Electron Acceleration in the Decelerating Jet of MAXI J1348-630
The Astrophysical Journal
X-ray binary stars
Relativistic jets
title Radiation Signatures of Electron Acceleration in the Decelerating Jet of MAXI J1348-630
title_full Radiation Signatures of Electron Acceleration in the Decelerating Jet of MAXI J1348-630
title_fullStr Radiation Signatures of Electron Acceleration in the Decelerating Jet of MAXI J1348-630
title_full_unstemmed Radiation Signatures of Electron Acceleration in the Decelerating Jet of MAXI J1348-630
title_short Radiation Signatures of Electron Acceleration in the Decelerating Jet of MAXI J1348-630
title_sort radiation signatures of electron acceleration in the decelerating jet of maxi j1348 630
topic X-ray binary stars
Relativistic jets
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adcac1
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