The structure of the jet in Cyg X-1 inferred from orbital modulation of the radio emission

TL;DR

This paper models free-free absorption in the stellar wind of Cyg X-1 to constrain the jet structure, revealing how orbital modulation varies with radio flux and providing insights into the jet's base location and absorption effects.

Contribution

It introduces a formalism for calculating wind absorption effects on radio emission from jets and applies it to Cyg X-1, linking orbital modulation to jet structure and flux levels.

Findings

Peak radio emission occurs at about one orbital separation.

Orbital modulation strength varies with radio flux, being stronger at lower flux levels.

The jet base is located at approximately 1000 gravitational radii.

Abstract

We study free-free absorption of radio emission by winds of massive stars. We derive formulae for the optical depth through the wind measured from a point of emission along a jet, taking into account Compton and photoionization heating and Compton, recombination, line and advection cooling. We apply the developed formalism to radio monitoring data for Cyg X-1, which allows us to obtain strong constraints on the structure of its inner jet. With the data at 15 GHz, and taking into account an anisotropy of the stellar wind in Cyg X-1, we estimate the location of the peak of that emission along the jet at about one orbital separation, i.e., $\sim 3\times 10^{12}$ cm. Given a previous determination of the turnover frequency in Cyg X-1, this implies the location of the base of the jet at $\sim 10^3$ gravitational radii. We also obtain corresponding results at 8.3 GHz and 2.25 GHz, which roughly follow the standard conical partially self-absorbed jet model. Furthermore, we find that the level of the orbital modulation depends on the radio flux, with the modulation being substantially stronger when the radio flux is lower. This is explained by the height of the radio emission along the jet decreasing with the decreasing radio flux, as predicted by jet models. Based on the finding of the flux-dependent orbital modulation, we are able to estimate a range of the possible changes of the form of the radio/X-ray correlation in Cyg X-1 due to free-free absorption. We also derive predictions for the orbital modulation and flux attenuation at frequencies beyond the 2.25--15 GHz range.