The first resolved imaging of milliarcsecond-scale jets in Circinus X-1
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journal contribution
posted on 2025-01-15, 01:06authored byJCA Miller-Jones, A Moin, SJ Tingay, C Reynolds, CJ Phillips, AK Tzioumis, RP Fender, Jamie McCallumJamie McCallum, GD Nicolson, V Tudose
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.
History
Publication title
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Volume
419
Issue
1
Pagination
L49-L53
ISSN
1745-3933
Department/School
School of Natural Sciences
Publisher
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publication status
Published
Place of publication
On-Line
Rights statement
Copyright 2012 The Authors, Royal Astronomical Society
Socio-economic Objectives
280120 Expanding knowledge in the physical sciences