Detection and Evolution of Linear Polarization of the Galactic Center Transient MAXI J1744-294
Fuente:
arXiv
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1866908948109459456 |
|---|---|
| author | Michail, Joseph M. von Fellenberg, Sebastiano D. Balakrishnan, Mayura Bower, Geoffrey C. Ford, Nicole M. Sumners, Zach Fazio, Giovanni G. Haggard, Daryl Hora, Joseph L. Keating, Garrett K. Livingston, J. D. Markoff, Sera Ripperda, Bart Sánchez-Maes, Sophia Smith, Howard A. Willner, S. P. Zhao, Jun-Hui |
| author_facet | Michail, Joseph M. von Fellenberg, Sebastiano D. Balakrishnan, Mayura Bower, Geoffrey C. Ford, Nicole M. Sumners, Zach Fazio, Giovanni G. Haggard, Daryl Hora, Joseph L. Keating, Garrett K. Livingston, J. D. Markoff, Sera Ripperda, Bart Sánchez-Maes, Sophia Smith, Howard A. Willner, S. P. Zhao, Jun-Hui |
| contents | MAXI J1744$-$294, likely a low-mass X-ray binary system, is a Galactic-center transient source, detected at radio and X-ray wavelengths, located approximately $19''$ southeast of Sgr A*. We report the first detection of its variable linear polarization in four epochs spanning 2025 Apr 04--09. The normalized 33 and 43 GHz Stokes parameters $q$ and $u$ over the four epochs imply a common Faraday rotation screen with a rotation measure RM $=-63\,606^{+844}_{-861}$ radians m$^{-2}$, the third largest RM detected within the Galaxy. The RM is consistent with that of the Galactic center magnetar PSR J1745$-$2900, giving the first direct evidence that MAXI J1744 lies within the Galactic center region, is bound to Sgr A*, and therefore, is part of the nuclear star cluster. The uniformity in the Galactic center Faraday screen suggests that Sgr A*'s $\approx-10^5$ rad m$^{-2}$ RM is intrinsic rather than originating from an unrelated line-of-sight source. On 2025 Apr 06, we detected a secondary polarized component with an additional RM $\approx-6000$ rad m$^{-2}$, which was not seen at any other epoch. Assuming this secondary component primarily cools by synchrotron radiation, the implied local magnetic field strength is $\sim$15--30 gauss. In the context of a jetted X-ray binary progenitor, the additional RM screen and magnetic field strength are explainable with a short-lived knot in a putative jet. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_07431 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Detection and Evolution of Linear Polarization of the Galactic Center Transient MAXI J1744-294 Michail, Joseph M. von Fellenberg, Sebastiano D. Balakrishnan, Mayura Bower, Geoffrey C. Ford, Nicole M. Sumners, Zach Fazio, Giovanni G. Haggard, Daryl Hora, Joseph L. Keating, Garrett K. Livingston, J. D. Markoff, Sera Ripperda, Bart Sánchez-Maes, Sophia Smith, Howard A. Willner, S. P. Zhao, Jun-Hui High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Astrophysics of Galaxies MAXI J1744$-$294, likely a low-mass X-ray binary system, is a Galactic-center transient source, detected at radio and X-ray wavelengths, located approximately $19''$ southeast of Sgr A*. We report the first detection of its variable linear polarization in four epochs spanning 2025 Apr 04--09. The normalized 33 and 43 GHz Stokes parameters $q$ and $u$ over the four epochs imply a common Faraday rotation screen with a rotation measure RM $=-63\,606^{+844}_{-861}$ radians m$^{-2}$, the third largest RM detected within the Galaxy. The RM is consistent with that of the Galactic center magnetar PSR J1745$-$2900, giving the first direct evidence that MAXI J1744 lies within the Galactic center region, is bound to Sgr A*, and therefore, is part of the nuclear star cluster. The uniformity in the Galactic center Faraday screen suggests that Sgr A*'s $\approx-10^5$ rad m$^{-2}$ RM is intrinsic rather than originating from an unrelated line-of-sight source. On 2025 Apr 06, we detected a secondary polarized component with an additional RM $\approx-6000$ rad m$^{-2}$, which was not seen at any other epoch. Assuming this secondary component primarily cools by synchrotron radiation, the implied local magnetic field strength is $\sim$15--30 gauss. In the context of a jetted X-ray binary progenitor, the additional RM screen and magnetic field strength are explainable with a short-lived knot in a putative jet. |
| title | Detection and Evolution of Linear Polarization of the Galactic Center Transient MAXI J1744-294 |
| topic | High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Astrophysics of Galaxies |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.07431 |