Chandra Study of the Proper Motion of HST-1 in the Jet of M87

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Main Authors: Thimmappa, Rameshan, Neilsen, Joey, Haggard, Daryl, Nowak, Michael A., Markoff, Sera
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Thimmappa, Rameshan
Neilsen, Joey
Haggard, Daryl
Nowak, Michael A.
Markoff, Sera
author_facet Thimmappa, Rameshan
Neilsen, Joey
Haggard, Daryl
Nowak, Michael A.
Markoff, Sera
contents The radio galaxy M87 is well known for its jet, which features a series of bright knots observable from radio to X-ray wavelengths. We analyze the X-ray image and flux variability of the knot HST-1 in the jet. Our analysis includes all 112 available Chandra ACIS-S observations from 2000-2021, with a total exposure time of $\sim$887 ks. We use de-convolved images to study the brightness profile of the X-ray jet and measure the relative separation between the core and HST-1. From 2003-2005 (which coincides with a bright flare from HST-1), we find a correlation between the flux of HST-1 and its offset from the core. In subsequent data, we find a steady increase in this offset, which implies a bulk superluminal motion for HST-1 of 6.6$\pm$0.9 c (2.0$\pm$0.3 pc yr$^{-1}$), in keeping with prior results. We discuss models for the flux-offset correlation that feature either two or four emission regions separated by tens of parsecs. We attribute these results to moving shocks in the jet, that allow us to measure the internal structure of the jet.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2404_19272
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Chandra Study of the Proper Motion of HST-1 in the Jet of M87
Thimmappa, Rameshan
Neilsen, Joey
Haggard, Daryl
Nowak, Michael A.
Markoff, Sera
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
The radio galaxy M87 is well known for its jet, which features a series of bright knots observable from radio to X-ray wavelengths. We analyze the X-ray image and flux variability of the knot HST-1 in the jet. Our analysis includes all 112 available Chandra ACIS-S observations from 2000-2021, with a total exposure time of $\sim$887 ks. We use de-convolved images to study the brightness profile of the X-ray jet and measure the relative separation between the core and HST-1. From 2003-2005 (which coincides with a bright flare from HST-1), we find a correlation between the flux of HST-1 and its offset from the core. In subsequent data, we find a steady increase in this offset, which implies a bulk superluminal motion for HST-1 of 6.6$\pm$0.9 c (2.0$\pm$0.3 pc yr$^{-1}$), in keeping with prior results. We discuss models for the flux-offset correlation that feature either two or four emission regions separated by tens of parsecs. We attribute these results to moving shocks in the jet, that allow us to measure the internal structure of the jet.
title Chandra Study of the Proper Motion of HST-1 in the Jet of M87
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.19272