{
  "id": "1308.0279",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2013-08-01T17:44:12.000Z",
  "updated": "2013-08-01T17:44:12.000Z",
  "title": "Fast X-Ray/IR cross-correlations and relativistic jet formation in GRS 1915+105",
  "authors": [
    "Nestor M. Lasso-Cabrera",
    "Stephen S. Eikenberry"
  ],
  "comment": "Accepted for publication in ApJ. 34 pages, 12 figures, 4 tables",
  "categories": [
    "astro-ph.HE"
  ],
  "abstract": "We present cross-correlation analyses of simultaneous X-ray and near-infrared (near-IR) observations of the microquasar GRS 1915+105 during relativistic jet-producing epochs (X-ray class $\\alpha$ and $\\beta$). While previous studies have linked the large-amplitude IR flares and X-ray behaviors to jet formation in these states, our new analyses are sensitive to much lower-amplitude IR variability, providing more sensitive probes of the jet formation process. The X-ray to IR cross-correlation function (CCF) shows significant correlations which vary in form between the different X-ray states. During low/hard dips in both classes, we find no significant X-ray/IR correlation. During high-variability epochs, we find consistently significant correlations in both $\\alpha$ and $\\beta$ classes, but with strong differences in the CCF structure. The high-variability $\\alpha$ CCF shows strong anti-correlation between X-ray/IR, with the X-ray preceding the IR by $\\sim$ 13 $\\pm$ 2s. The high-variability $\\beta$ state shows time-variable CCF structure, which is statistically significant but without a clearly consistent lag. Our simulated IR light curves, designed to match the observed CCFs, show variably-flickering IR emission during the class $\\beta$ high-variability epoch, while the class $\\alpha$ can be fit by IR flickering with frequencies in the range 0.1 to 0.3 Hz, strengthening $\\sim$10 s after every X-ray subflare. We interpret these features in the context of the X-ray-emitting accretion disk and IR emission from relativistic jet formation in GRS 1915+105, concluding that the CCF analysis places the origin in a synchrotron-emitting relativistic compact jet at a distance from the compact object of $\\sim$0.02AU.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2013-08-01T17:44:12.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "relativistic jet formation",
      "fast x-ray/ir cross-correlations",
      "significant correlations",
      "ir emission",
      "high-variability epoch"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "journal article"
    ],
    "publication": {
      "doi": "10.1088/0004-637X/775/2/82",
      "journal": "The Astrophysical Journal",
      "year": 2013,
      "month": "Oct",
      "volume": 775,
      "number": 2,
      "pages": 82
    },
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 34,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable",
      "inspire": 1245989,
      "adsabs": "2013ApJ...775...82L"
    }
  }
}