Milliarcsec-scale radio emission of ultraluminous X-ray sources: steady jet emission from an intermediate-mass black hole?

The origin of the high X-ray luminosities of most ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) still remains poorly understood. Most of the scenarios proposed to explain their nature assume that ULXs are powered by accretion on to a black hole (BH). In this case, the detection of compact radio emission and the location of the ULXs in the Fundamental Plane (X-ray versus radio-luminosity plane) can provide an estimate of the ULX BH mass and help address the question of their physical nature. We present the results of a high-resolution (very long baseline interferometry) radio observational campaign aimed at detecting and studying compact radio emission in four ULXs with known radio counterparts. We find that one of the targets (N4559-X4) was previously misclassified: its low X-ray luminosity indicates that the source is not a ULX. No milliarcsec-scale radio emission is detected for N4559-X4 nor for the ULXs N4490-X1 and N5194-X2, for which upper limits on the radio luminosities are estimated. These limits argue strongly against the presence of supermassive BHs in these three systems. For N4559-X4, the low X-ray luminosity and the ratio of the radio and X-ray luminosities suggest the presence of an X-ray binary. Compact radio emission is detected for the ULX N5457-X9 within its Chandra positional error, making N5457-X9 a potential intermediate-mass BH with steady jet emission.

[1]  Liverpool John Moores University,et al.  OPTICAL COUNTERPARTS OF THE NEAREST ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCES , 2013, 1303.1213.

[2]  D. Walton,et al.  Bright radio emission from an ultraluminous stellar-mass microquasar in M 31 , 2012, Nature.

[3]  Chung-Pei Ma,et al.  REVISITING THE SCALING RELATIONS OF BLACK HOLE MASSES AND HOST GALAXY PROPERTIES , 2012, 1211.2816.

[4]  M. Volonteri The Formation and Evolution of Massive Black Holes , 2012, Science.

[5]  Didier Barret,et al.  Radio Detections During Two State Transitions of the Intermediate-Mass Black Hole HLX-1 , 2012, Science.

[6]  N. Gehrels,et al.  INVESTIGATING SLIM DISK SOLUTIONS FOR HLX-1 IN ESO 243-49 , 2012, 1204.3461.

[7]  R. Fender,et al.  Assessing luminosity correlations via cluster analysis: evidence for dual tracks in the radio/X-ray domain of black hole X-ray binaries , 2012, 1203.4263.

[8]  Z. Paragi,et al.  BLACK HOLE POWERED NEBULAE AND A CASE STUDY OF THE ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCE IC 342 X-1 , 2012, 1201.4473.

[9]  France.,et al.  A YOUNG MASSIVE STELLAR POPULATION AROUND THE INTERMEDIATE-MASS BLACK HOLE ESO 243-49 HLX-1 , 2011, 1110.6510.

[10]  D. Swartz,et al.  A COMPLETE SAMPLE OF ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCE HOST GALAXIES , 2011 .

[11]  S. Smartt,et al.  On the association of ULXs with young superclusters: M82 X-1 and a new candidate in NGC 7479 , 2011, 1109.6336.

[12]  Hua Feng,et al.  Ultraluminous X-ray sources in the Chandra and XMM-Newton era , 2011, 1109.1610.

[13]  M. Servillat,et al.  X-RAY VARIABILITY AND HARDNESS OF ESO 243–49 HLX-1: CLEAR EVIDENCE FOR SPECTRAL STATE TRANSITIONS , 2011, 1108.4405.

[14]  P. Kaaret,et al.  COMPACT OPTICAL COUNTERPARTS OF ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCES , 2011, 1106.0315.

[15]  M. Servillat,et al.  THE COOL ACCRETION DISK IN ESO 243-49 HLX-1: FURTHER EVIDENCE OF AN INTERMEDIATE-MASS BLACK HOLE , 2011, 1104.2614.

[16]  S. Cenko,et al.  LARGE HIGHLY IONIZED NEBULAE AROUND ULTRA-LUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCES , 2011, 1103.2773.

[17]  S. Corbel,et al.  BROAD COMPONENTS IN OPTICAL EMISSION LINES FROM THE ULTRA-LUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCE NGC 5408 X-1 , 2011, 1101.1446.

[18]  C. Brogan,et al.  Low-mass black holes as the remnants of primordial black hole formation , 2012, Nature Communications.

[19]  A. Lobanov,et al.  Compact radio emission in Ultraluminous X-ray sources , 2010, 1011.0946.

[20]  M. Mezcua,et al.  A search for radio counterparts to Chandra ULX candidates , 2010, 1010.3851.

[21]  University of Leicester,et al.  No) dynamical constraints on the mass of the black hole in two ULXs , 2010, 1011.2155.

[22]  K. Wiersema,et al.  New observations of ULX supershells, and their implications , 2010, 1011.0598.

[23]  T. Quinn,et al.  WANDERING BLACK HOLES IN BRIGHT DISK GALAXY HALOS , 2010, 1008.5147.

[24]  L. Zampieri,et al.  The black hole in NGC 1313 X-2: constraints on the mass from optical observations , 2010, 1011.2038.

[25]  Iac,et al.  Radio structures of the nuclei of nearby Seyfert galaxies and the nature of the missing diffuse emission , 2009, 0911.0852.

[26]  Chris L. Fryer,et al.  ON THE MAXIMUM MASS OF STELLAR BLACK HOLES , 2009, 0904.2784.

[27]  Jifeng Liu CHANDRA ACIS SURVEY OF X-RAY POINT SOURCES IN 383 NEARBY GALAXIES. I. THE SOURCE CATALOG , 2008, 0811.0804.

[28]  Didier Barret,et al.  An intermediate-mass black hole of over 500 solar masses in the galaxy ESO 243-49 , 2009, Nature.

[29]  T. P. Roberts,et al.  The Ultraluminous State , 2009, 0905.4076.

[30]  U. Durham,et al.  A systematic study of variability in a sample of ultraluminous X-ray sources , 2009, 0905.1265.

[31]  T. Roberts,et al.  The ultraluminous X-ray source population of NGC 4485/4490. , 2009, 0904.3852.

[32]  Philip Kaaret,et al.  submitted to ApJ Preprint typeset using L ATEX style emulateapj v. 10/09/06 A PHOTOIONIZED NEBULA SURROUNDING AND VARIABLE OPTICAL CONTINUUM EMISSION FROM THE ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCE IN NGC 5408 , 2022 .

[33]  S. Komossa,et al.  THE X-RAY POINT-SOURCE POPULATION OF NGC 1365: THE PUZZLE OF TWO HIGHLY-VARIABLE ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY SOURCES , 2008, 0810.3793.

[34]  J. P. Osborne,et al.  Methods and results of an automatic analysis of a complete sample of Swift-XRT observations of GRBs , 2008, 0812.3662.

[35]  A. R. King,et al.  Masses, beaming and Eddington ratios in ultraluminous X-ray sources , 2008, 0811.1473.

[36]  P. Madau,et al.  Off-Nuclear AGNs as a Signature of Recoiling Massive Black Holes , 2008, 0809.4007.

[37]  D. Gelino,et al.  A population explosion : the nature & evolution of X-ray binaries in diverse environments : St. Pete Beach, Florida, 28 October-2 November 2007 , 2008 .

[38]  Technion,et al.  The Hard X-Ray Spectrum as a Probe for Black Hole Growth in Radio-Quiet Active Galactic Nuclei , 2008, 0804.0803.

[39]  L. Ho Nuclear Activity in Nearby Galaxies , 2008, 0803.2268.

[40]  A. R. King,et al.  Accretion rates and beaming in ultraluminous X-ray sources , 2008, 0801.2025.

[41]  P. Natarajan,et al.  The evolution of massive black hole seeds , 2007, 0709.0529.

[42]  C. Lang,et al.  A Radio Nebula Surrounding the Ultraluminous X-Ray Source in NGC 5408 , 2007, 0705.1978.

[43]  W. Goss,et al.  VLA Observations of J1228+441, a Luminous Supernova Remnant in NGC 4449 , 2007, astro-ph/0701397.

[44]  M. Cropper,et al.  Quasi-periodic Variability in NGC 5408 X-1 , 2007, astro-ph/0701390.

[45]  Juri Poutanen,et al.  Supercritically accreting stellar mass black holes as ultraluminous X-ray sources , 2006, astro-ph/0609274.

[46]  E. Feigelson,et al.  Hard X-Rays from Ultracompact H II Regions in W49A , 2006, astro-ph/0611103.

[47]  A. Gonçalves,et al.  On the weakness of disc models in bright ULXs , 2006, astro-ph/0606273.

[48]  Cambridge,et al.  Supermassive black hole formation during the assembly of pre-galactic discs , 2006, astro-ph/0606159.

[49]  J. R. Sanchez-Sutil,et al.  A catalogue of ultra-luminous X-ray source coincidences with FIRST radio sources , 2006, astro-ph/0605555.

[50]  J. R. Sanchez-Sutil,et al.  A catalogue of ULX coincidences with FIRST radio sources , 2006, astro-ph/0605555.

[51]  A. R. King,et al.  The nature of SS433 and the ultraluminous X-ray sources , 2006, astro-ph/0604497.

[52]  J. McClintock,et al.  Compact Stellar X-Ray Sources: Black hole binaries , 2006 .

[53]  H. Falcke,et al.  Refining the fundamental plane of accreting black holes , 2006, astro-ph/0603117.

[54]  M. Rees,et al.  Rapid Growth of High-Redshift Black Holes , 2005, astro-ph/0506040.

[55]  Radio Emission Associated with the Ultraluminous X-Ray Source in Holmberg II , 2005 .

[56]  H. Falcke,et al.  A Radio Monitoring Survey of Ultra-Luminous X-Ray Sources , 2005, astro-ph/0502265.

[57]  J. Bregman,et al.  Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources in Nearby Galaxies from ROSAT High Resolution Imager Observations I. Data Analysis , 2005, astro-ph/0501309.

[58]  Ph. Podsiadlowski,et al.  Stellar-mass black hole binaries as ultraluminous X-ray sources , 2005 .

[59]  I. Mirabel,et al.  A catalogue of ultraluminous X-ray sources in external galaxies , 2005 .

[60]  T. Roberts,et al.  An XMM-Newton view of M101 - II. Global X-ray source properties , 2004, astro-ph/0411535.

[61]  S. Rappaport,et al.  Stellar Mass Black Hole Binaries as ULXs , 2004, astro-ph/0408032.

[62]  P. Kaaret,et al.  High-resolution imaging of the He II λ4686 emission line nebula associated with the ultraluminous X-ray source in Holmberg II , 2004, astro-ph/0407031.

[63]  Douglas A. Swartz,et al.  The Ultraluminous X-Ray Source Population from the Chandra Archive of Galaxies , 2004, astro-ph/0405498.

[64]  R. Mushotzky Ultra-luminous sources in nearby galaxies , 2004, astro-ph/0411040.

[65]  P. Hut,et al.  Formation of massive black holes through runaway collisions in dense young star clusters , 2004, Nature.

[66]  H. Falcke,et al.  A scheme to unify low-power accreting black holes Jet-dominated accretion flows and the radio/X-ray correlation , 2003, astro-ph/0305335.

[67]  Martin P. Ward,et al.  An XMM–Newton view of M101 – I. The luminous X-ray source population , 2003, astro-ph/0312457.

[68]  S. Neff,et al.  Radio Emission Associated with Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources in the Galaxy Merger NGC 3256 , 2003, astro-ph/0310499.

[69]  T. D. Matteo,et al.  A Fundamental plane of black hole activity , 2003, astro-ph/0305261.

[70]  G. Pooley,et al.  A universal radio-X-ray correlation in low/hard state black hole binaries , 2003, astro-ph/0305231.

[71]  Tod E. Strohmayer,et al.  Discovery of X-Ray Quasi-periodic Oscillations from an Ultraluminous X-Ray Source in M82: Evidence against Beaming , 2003, astro-ph/0303665.

[72]  A. Tzioumis,et al.  Radio/X-ray correlation in the low/hard state of GX 339-4 , 2003, astro-ph/0301436.

[73]  S. Corbel,et al.  Radio Emission from an Ultraluminous X-ray Source , 2003, Science.

[74]  U. Maryland,et al.  X-Ray Spectroscopic Evidence for Intermediate-Mass Black Holes: Cool Accretion Disks in Two Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources , 2002, astro-ph/0211178.

[75]  Y. Terashima,et al.  SUBMITTED TO The Astrophysical Journal Preprint typeset using L ATEX style emulateapj v. 21/08/00 CHANDRA SNAPSHOT OBSERVATIONS OF LOW-LUMINOSITY AGNS WITH A COMPACT RADIO SOURCE , 2002 .

[76]  T. Roberts,et al.  A Chandra observation of the interacting pair of galaxies NGC 4485/4490 , 2002, astro-ph/0208196.

[77]  UK.,et al.  A parsec‐scale study of the 5/15‐GHz spectral indices of the compact radio sources in M82 , 2002, astro-ph/0207158.

[78]  Moscow,et al.  Super-Eddington outburst of V4641 Sgr , 2002, astro-ph/0204132.

[79]  M. Begelman Super-Eddington Fluxes from Thin Accretion Disks? , 2002, astro-ph/0203030.

[80]  Q. Wang,et al.  Ultraluminous X-ray source 1E 0953.8+6918 (M81 X-9): an intermediate-mass black hole candidate and its environs , 2002, astro-ph/0201230.

[81]  H. Falcke,et al.  Population X: Are the super-Eddington X-ray sources beamed jets in microblazars or intermediate mass black holes? , 2001, astro-ph/0112385.

[82]  P. Conti,et al.  A Sample of Clusters of Extragalactic Ultracompact H II Regions , 2001, astro-ph/0107181.

[83]  A. King,et al.  Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources in External Galaxies , 2001, astro-ph/0104333.

[84]  B. Mihov,et al.  The Nature of Accreting Black Holes in Nearby Galaxy Nuclei , 1999, astro-ph/9901023.

[85]  H. Ford,et al.  Final Results from the Hubble Space Telescope Key Project to Measure the Hubble Constant , 1998, astro-ph/9801080.

[86]  Richard L. White,et al.  The FIRST Survey: Faint Images of the Radio Sky at twenty centimeters , 1995 .

[87]  I. Mirabel,et al.  A superluminal source in the Galaxy , 1994, Nature.

[88]  M. Pierce,et al.  Nearby Galaxy Flows Modeled by the Light Distribution: Distances, Model, and the Local Velocity Anomaly , 1992 .

[89]  Brian McLean,et al.  The Guide Star Catalog. I. Astronomical Foundations and Image Processing , 1990 .

[90]  Giuseppina Fabbiano,et al.  X Rays From Normal Galaxies , 1989 .

[91]  J. Fisher,et al.  Catalog of Nearby Galaxies , 1988 .

[92]  R. Giacconi X-ray Astronomy , 1973 .