Aligned molecular clouds towards SS 433 and L = 348°.5: Possible evidence for a galactic "vapor trail" created by a relativistic jet

Hiroaki Yamamoto*, Shingo Ito, Shinji Ishigami, Motosuji Fujishita, Tokuichi Kawase, Akiko Kawamura, Norikazu Mizuno, Toshikazu Onishi, Akira Mizuno, Naomi M. McClure-Griffiths, Yasuo Fukui

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We carried out a detailed analysis of the NANTEN 12CO (J = 1-0) dataset in two large areas towards SS 433 (l ∼ 40°) and l ∼ 348°.5. In SS 433, we detected ten clouds, which are well aligned nearly along the axis of an X-ray jet emanating from SS 433 at VLSR = 42-56km s-1. The total length of the feature is ∼ 300 pc, three-times longer than that of the X-ray jet, at 3 kpc. Towards l ∼ 348°.5, we detected four aligned clouds at VLSR = -80-100 km s-1, nearly perpendicular to the Galactic plane. The total length of the feature is ∼ 400 pc at 6 kpc. In both cases, the CO clouds are distributed at | b | ∼ 1 °-5° and their alignments and coincidence in velocity should be rare, suggesting that they are physically associated. We present a scenario to explain these aligned clouds in which the interaction between a relativistic jet and the interstellar medium induced molecular cloud formation over the last ∼ 105-6yr. It is suggested that the timescale of the relativistic jet may be considerably larger, on the order of 105-6 yr, than previously thought in SS 433. The driving engine of the jet is obviously SS 433, itself, in SS 433, although the engine is not yet identified in l ∼ 348°.5 among possible several candidates detected in X-rays and TeV gamma rays.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)715-729
Number of pages15
JournalPublication of the Astronomical Society of Japan
Volume60
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008
Externally publishedYes

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