High-energy gamma-ray observations of the accreting black hole V404 Cygni during its June 2015 outburst

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection of a possible gamma-ray excess from V404 Cygni during its 2015 outburst, suggesting jet-related high-energy emission linked to the black hole's activity.

Contribution

First detection of gamma-ray excess from V404 Cygni during outburst, indicating jet-related high-energy processes in a black hole binary.

Findings

Possible gamma-ray excess detected on 26 June 2015

Gamma-ray emission coincides with radio and X-ray flares

Supports jet origin of high-energy gamma rays

Abstract

We report on Fermi/Large Area Telescope observations of the accreting black hole low-mass X-ray binary V404 Cygni during its outburst in June-July 2015. Detailed analyses reveal a possible excess of $\gamma$-ray emission on 26 June 2015, with a very soft spectrum above $100$ MeV, at a position consistent with the direction of V404 Cyg (within the $95\%$ confidence region and a chance probability of $4 \times 10^{-4}$). This emission cannot be associated with any previously-known Fermi source. Its temporal coincidence with the brightest radio and hard X-ray flare in the lightcurve of V404 Cyg, at the end of the main active phase of its outburst, strengthens the association with V404 Cyg. If the $\gamma$-ray emission is associated with V404 Cyg, the simultaneous detection of $511\,$keV annihilation emission by INTEGRAL requires that the high-energy $\gamma$ rays originate away from the corona, possibly in a Blandford-Znajek jet. The data give support to models involving a magnetically-arrested disk where a bright $\gamma$-ray jet can re-form after the occurrence of a major transient ejection seen in the radio.