Sudden radio flux decline in MAXI J1659-152
ATel #2918; A. J. van der Horst (NASA/MSFC/ORAU), J. D. Linford, G. B. Taylor (U of New Mexico), Z. Paragi (JIVE), A. Lundgren (ESO), A. de Ugarte Postigo (Dark/NBI), T. M. Belloni (INAF-Brera), E. Kuulkers (ESA/ESAC), J. Granot (U of Hertfordshire), C. Kouveliotou (NASA/MSFC), R. A.M. J. Wijers (U of Amsterdam), M. A. Garrett (ASTRON), on behalf of a larger collaboration
on 10 Oct 2010; 23:21 UT
Credential Certification: Alexander van der Horst (Alexander.J.VanDerHorst@nasa.gov)
Subjects: Radio, Binary, Black Hole, Transient
We have continued observations of the black-hole candidate MAXI J1659-152 (GCN 11296, ATel #2873, ATel #2881) at radio and sub-millimeter wavelengths with the WSRT, EVLA, ATCA, e-VLBI, VLBA and APEX (for initial detections see GCN 11304, ATel #2874, ATel #2906). The source flux has been evolving for a week at levels between 5 and 15 mJy, but dropped below 0.6 mJy on 8 October at all wavelengths. Quenching of the radio emission has been often observed in X-ray binaries before the occurrence of strong radio flaring, during which discrete relativistic ejecta may appear. We note, however, that based on RXTE/PCA data the transition from the hard to the soft state is not complete yet (see this website); this is supported by the fact that there are no sudden changes in the X-ray timing properties at that date.
