Jet Power and Black Hole Spin: Testing an Empirical Relationship and Using it to Predict the Spins of Six Black Holes

TL;DR

This study confirms an empirical relationship between jet power and black hole spin using radio luminosity data, and applies it to predict spins of six black holes, revealing generally low spins in transient systems.

Contribution

It validates the jet power-spin relationship with additional data and demonstrates its use in predicting black hole spins in multiple transient systems.

Findings

Confirmed the jet power-spin relationship with a new source.

Predicted low spins for six black holes in transient systems.

Found high spins in persistent, wind-fed black holes.

Abstract

Using 5 GHz radio luminosity at light-curve maximum as a proxy for jet power and black-hole spin measurements obtained via the continuum-fitting method, Narayan & McClintock (2012) presented the first direct evidence for a relationship between jet power and black hole spin for four transient black-hole binaries. We test and confirm their empirical relationship using a fifth source, H1743-322, whose spin was recently measured. We show that this relationship is consistent with Fe-line spin measurements provided that the black hole spin axis is assumed to be aligned with the binary angular momentum axis. We also show that, during a major outburst of a black hole transient, the system reasonably approximates an X-ray standard candle. We further show, using the standard synchrotron bubble model, that the radio luminosity at light-curve maximum is a good proxy for jet kinetic energy. Thus, the observed tight correlation between radio power and black hole spin indicates a strong underlying link between mechanical jet power and black hole spin. Using the fitted correlation between radio power and spin for the above five calibration sources, we predict the spins of six other black holes in X-ray/radio transient systems with low-mass companions. Remarkably, these predicted spins are all relatively low, especially when compared to the high measured spins of black holes in persistent, wind-fed systems with massive companions.