Joint radiative and kinematic modelling of X-ray binary ejecta: energy estimate and reverse shock detection

Cooper, AJ ORCID: 0000-0002-4033-3139, Matthews, JH ORCID: 0000-0002-3493-7737, Carotenuto, F ORCID: 0000-0002-0426-3276, Fender, R ORCID: 0000-0002-5654-2744, Lamb, GP ORCID: 0000-0001-5169-4143, Russell, TD ORCID: 0000-0001-6958-8891, Sarin, N ORCID: 0000-0003-2700-1030, Savard, K ORCID: 0009-0001-8598-0639 and Zdziarski, AA ORCID: 0000-0002-0333-2452 (2025) Joint radiative and kinematic modelling of X-ray binary ejecta: energy estimate and reverse shock detection. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 541 (4). pp. 3518-3533. ISSN 0035-8711

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Abstract

Black hole X-ray binaries in outburst launch discrete, large-scale jet ejections, which can propagate to parsec scales. The kinematics of these ejecta appear to be well described by relativistic blast wave models originally devised for gamma-ray burst afterglows. In previous kinematic-only modelling, a crucial degeneracy prevented the initial ejecta energy and the interstellar medium density from being accurately determined. In this work, we present the first joint Bayesian modelling of the radiation and kinematics of a large-scale jet ejection from the X-ray binary MAXI J1535−571. We demonstrate that a reverse shock powers the bright, early ejecta emission. The joint model breaks the energetic degeneracy, and we find the ejecta has an initial energy of E0 ∼ 3 ×1043 erg⁠, and propagates into a low density interstellar medium of nism ∼ 4 × 10−5 cm−3.
The ejecta is consistent with being launched perpendicular to the disc and could be powered by an efficient conversion of available accretion power alone. This work lays the foundation for future parameter estimation studies using all available data of X-ray binary jet ejecta.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	5101 Astronomical Sciences; 51 Physical Sciences; 7 Affordable and Clean Energy; 5101 Astronomical Sciences; 51 Physical Sciences; 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences; Astronomy & Astrophysics; 5101 Astronomical sciences; 5107 Particle and high energy physics; 5109 Space sciences
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Astrophysics Research Institute
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Date of acceptance:	30 June 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	3 June 2026
Date Deposited:	03 Jun 2026 15:17
Last Modified:	03 Jun 2026 15:17
DOI or ID number:	10.1093/mnras/staf1085
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/28728

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