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Highly polarised radio outburst from Cygnus X-3

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Abstract

WE report here the results of extensive observations of a new series of outbursts from Cyg X-3 which we commenced following the recent IAU telegram alert from Sir Martin Ryle. A high degree of linear polarisation has been discovered in one of the recent outbursts. The degree of polarisation changes over a period of 17 d and reaches a maximum of 14%. The observations indicate a high degree of order in the source magnetic field and that a thermal plasma coexists with the radiating relativistic electrons. In addition, a new upper limit of 0.05″ has been obtained for the angular size of Cyg X-3, together with an improved position for the source.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. David Dunlap Observatory, University of Toronto, Richmond Hill, Ontario

    E. R. SEAQUIST

  2. Department of Physics and Institute of Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

    P. C. GREGORY

  3. Astronomy Program, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland

    R. A. PERLEY, R. H. BECKER, J. B. CARLSON & M. R. KUNDU

  4. National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, Virginia

    R. C. BIGNELL

  5. Department of Astronomy, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois

    JOHN R. DICKEL

Authors
  1. E. R. SEAQUIST
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  2. P. C. GREGORY
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  3. R. A. PERLEY
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  4. R. H. BECKER
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  5. J. B. CARLSON
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  6. M. R. KUNDU
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  7. R. C. BIGNELL
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  8. JOHN R. DICKEL
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SEAQUIST, E., GREGORY, P., PERLEY, R. et al. Highly polarised radio outburst from Cygnus X-3. Nature 251, 394–396 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/251394a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/251394a0

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