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arXiv · 1005.3304

Characterizing the radio--X-ray connection in GRS 1915+105

Lionel Prat·Jérôme Rodriguez·Guy Pooley
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Abstract

We analyzed radio and X-ray observations of GRS 1915+105, between May 1995 and June 2006, focusing on the times characterized by radio flares and cycles of hard dips-soft spikes in the X-ray lightcurve. Assuming these flares to be discrete ejections, we applied a plasmon model to the radio data, with good agreement with the lightcurves. We fitted a total of 687 radio flares with a standard model of a plasmon. We found that the distribution of width is t_0=1160 s with an rms deviation of 360 s, while that of the amplitude is S_{max}=59 mJy with an rms deviation of 28 mJy. The distribution of width is thus rather peaked, while that of the amplitude not. Regarding radio and X-ray links, this study confirms previous observations on smaller datasets, namely that X-ray cycles of hard dips-soft spikes are always followed by radio flares. A strong correlation is found between the length of X-ray "dips" in the X-ray lightcurves, and the amplitude and fluence of the subsequent radio oscillations. A model of an exponential rise of the form L_{15 GHz}(Delta t) = L_{max} (1-exp(-(Delta t - Delta t_{min})/tau) is in good agreement with the observations, with the maximum fluence L_{max} of the order 70 Jy.s, and the characteristic time tau of the order 200-500 s. We discuss possible physical interpretations of this correlation, regarding the nature of the ejected material, and the physical process responsible for the ejection.

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Lionel Prat, Jérôme Rodriguez, Guy Pooley. 2010-05-18. Characterizing the radio--X-ray connection in GRS 1915+105. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x%2F717%2F2%2F1222

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