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Session 110 - X-ray, Binaries & Accretion Disks.
Display session, Saturday, January 10
Exhibit Hall,

[110.01] Relativistic Jet in the X-ray Binary Cygnus X-3

A. J. Mioduszewski (JIVE/NRAO), R. M. Hjellming, M. P. Rupen (NRAO), M. McCollough (USRA/BATSE), E. B. Waltman (NRL), G. G. Pooley (University of Cambridge)

The X-ray binary Cyg X-3 experiences coincident radio and hard X-ray flares which are associated on VLBI scales with ejection of material in the form of a jet. The radio light curves for Cyg X-3 show 3 states: quiescence (flux densities \sim 100 mJy), quenched (flux densities \sim 10 mJy), and large outbursts (flux densities > 1 Jy). Large flares are always preceded by a quenched state. We present VLBA 2 cm observations of Cyg X-3 after a 10 Jy radio flare that peaked on 4 February 1997. These shows a one-sided curved jet and stationary core, this is first one-sided jet seen in the Galaxy. Assuming there is a two sided jet and relativistic affects boost the flux of the approaching jet and dim the flux of the receding jet causing the appearance of a one-sided jet, the implied speed of the jet is >0.8c. During individual observations the flux in the core varies by a factor of two or more and the core does not change size.


Program listing for Saturday