Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Scientific paper
2012-01-16
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 10 pages 5 figures, 1 table
Scientific paper
With frequent flaring activity of its relativistic jets, Cygnus X-3 is one of the most active microquasars and is the only Galactic black hole candidate with confirmed high energy Gamma-ray emission, thanks to detections by Fermi/LAT and AGILE. In 2011, Cygnus X-3 was observed to transit to a soft X-ray state, which is known to be associated with high-energy Gamma-ray emission. We present the results of a multi-wavelength campaign covering a quenched state, when radio emission from Cygnus X-3 is at its weakest and the X-ray spectrum is very soft. A giant (~ 20 Jy) optically thin radio flare marks the end of the quenched state, accompanied by rising non-thermal hard X-rays. Fermi/LAT observations (E >100 MeV) reveal renewed Gamma-ray activity associated with this giant radio flare, suggesting a common origin for all non-thermal components. In addition, current observations unambiguously show that the Gamma-ray emission is not exclusively related to the rare giant radio flares. A 3-week period of Gamma-ray emission is also detected when Cygnus X-3 was weakly flaring in radio, right before transition to the radio quenched state. No Gamma rays are observed during the ~ one-month long quenched state, when the radio flux is weakest. Our results suggest transitions into and out of the ultrasoft X-ray (radio quenched) state trigger Gamma-ray emission, implying a connection to the accretion process, and also that the Gamma-ray activity is related to the level of radio flux (and possibly shock formation), strengthening the connection to the relativistic jets.
Bodaghee Arash
Corbel Sephane
Corbet Robin H. D.
Dubois René
Dubus Guillaume
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