The Disk-Wind-Jet Connection in the Black Hole H 1743-322

TL;DR

This study investigates the presence of disk winds in the black hole H 1743-322 during its low/hard state, finding no evidence of winds and suggesting that winds and jets are mutually exclusive and linked to the accretion flow properties.

Contribution

The paper provides the first deep Chandra observation of H 1743-322 in the low/hard state, showing the absence of disk winds and supporting the idea that winds and jets are state-dependent and anti-correlated.

Findings

No evidence of disk wind in the low/hard state spectrum.

Disk winds are diminished or absent in the low/hard state.

Winds and jets are likely mutually exclusive and linked to accretion properties.

Abstract

X-ray disk winds are detected in spectrally soft, disk-dominated phases of stellar-mass black hole outbursts. In contrast, compact, steady, relativistic jets are detected in spectrally hard states that are dominated by non-thermal X-ray emission. Although these distinctive outflows appear to be almost mutually exclusive, it is possible that a disk wind persists in hard states but cannot be detected via X-ray absorption lines owing to very high ionization. Here, we present an analysis of a deep, 60 ksec Chandra/HETGS observation of the black hole candidate H 1743-322 in the low/hard state. The spectrum shows no evidence of a disk wind, with tight limits, and within the range of ionizing flux levels that were measured in prior Chandra observations wherein a wind was clearly detected. In H 1743-322, at least, disk winds are actually diminished in the low/hard state, and disk winds and jets are likely state-dependent and anti-correlated. These results suggest that although the launching radii of winds and jets may differ by orders of magnitude, they may both be tied to a fundamental property of the inner accretion flow, such as the mass accretion rate and/or the magnetic field topology of the disk. We discuss these results in the context of disk winds and jets in other stellar-mass black holes, and possible launching mechanisms for black hole outflows.