Revisiting Disc-Jet Coupling in Black Hole X-ray Binaries: On the Nature of Disc Dynamics and Jet Velocity

TL;DR

This study analyzes the complex disc-jet connection in black hole X-ray binaries through wide-band spectro-temporal data, revealing how QPO types and source inclination relate to jet ejections and coronal geometry changes.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the evolution of the corona and its connection to jet ejections, based on comprehensive analysis of QPOs, inclination effects, and radio-X-ray correlations.

Findings

Type-A QPOs precede radio flares, indicating jet ejection signs.

Type-B QPOs are closely associated with transient jets and radio flares.

Jets in the soft-intermediate state are moderately relativistic, with velocities 0.3-0.8c.

Abstract

We perform a comprehensive wide-band ($3-100$keV) spectro-temporal analysis of 13 outbursting BH-XRBs, using data (quasi)simultaneous with radio observations to unravel the complex disc-jet connection. RXTE observations are analyzed for XTEJ1859+226, GX339-4 (2002, 2006, and 2010 outbursts), 4U1543-47, H1743-322 (2003 and 2009 outbursts), XTEJ1550-564, XTEJ1752-223, XTEJ1650-500, SwiftJ1753.5-0127, XTEJ1748-288, and GROJ1655-40. For SwiftJ1727.8-1613 and MAXIJ1535-571, we utilize HXMT data, while both AstroSat and HXMT observations are analyzed for SwiftJ1658.2-4242. Type-C QPOs observed in harder states (LHS, HIMS; $F_{nth}\ge0.4$) exhibit positive lag for low-inclination sources ($i<50^{\circ}$), whereas it generally exhibits negative lag for high-inclination sources ($i>60^{\circ}$), except XTEJ1550-564, SwiftJ1727.8-1613, H1743-322 (2003 outburst) and GROJ1655-40. Notably, type-A QPOs exhibit negative lags ($\sim1-10$ms) regardless of source inclination, while type-B QPOs show positive lags in low-inclination sources, and both positive and negative lags ($\sim1-15$ms) in high-inclination sources, typically occurring in SIMS ($F_{nth}\lesssim0.45$). Systematic appearance of type-A QPOs preceding radio flares in several sources suggests that type-A QPOs indicate telltale signs of jet ejection, while type-B QPOs are closely linked with radio flares (i.e., transient jets). Present findings suggest the corona evolves from a radially extended to a vertically elongated structure during the type-C to type-B transition via type-A QPOs, with type-B QPOs linked to radially compact or vertically extended coronal geometries, resembling jet ejection. The strong radio-X-ray luminosity correlation seems to provide compelling evidence of accretion-powered jets. Finally, we find that jets in SIMS are moderately relativistic in nature with velocities $\gtrsim 0.3-0.8c$ in BH-XRBs under consideration.