Matthew J. Middleton, Physics Department, University of Durham & Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek
James C. A. Miller-Jones, International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, Curtin University
Sera Markoff, Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek
Rob Fender, School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Southampton
Martin Henze, Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse
Natasha Hurley-Walker, International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, Curtin University
Anna M. M. Scaife, School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Southampton
Timorthy P. Roberts, Physics Department, University of Durham
Dominic Walton, Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge University & Astronomy Department, California Institute of Technology
John Carpenter, California Institute of Technology
Jean-Pierre Macquart, Curtin University of Technology
Geoffrey C. Bower, University of California - Berkeley
Mark Gurwell, Harvard - Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Wolfgang Pietsch, Max-Planck - Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Frank Haberl, Max-Planck - Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Jonathan Harris, University of Durham
Michael Daniel, University of Durham
Junayd Miah, University of Durham
Chris Done, University of Durham
John Morgan, Curtin University of Technology
Hugh Dickinson, Stockholm University
Phil Charles, University of Southampton
Vadim Burwitz, Max-Planck - Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Massimo Della Valle, Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, INAF
Michael Freyberg, Max-Planck - Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Jochen Greiner, Max-Planck - Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Margarita Hernanz, Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC-IEEC)
Dieter H. Hartmann, Clemson UniversityFollow
Despina Hatzidimitriou, Kapodistrian University of Athens
Arno Riffeser, Ludwig Maximilians Universitat, Munchen
Gloria Sala, EUETIB (UPC-IEEC)
Stella Seitz, Ludwig Maximilians Universitat, Munchen
Pablo Reig, Foundation for Research & Technology - Hellas
Arne Rau, Max-Planck - Institut für extraterrestrische Physik
Marina Orio, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova
David Titterington, Cambridge University
Keith Grainge, Cambridge University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2013

Publication Title

Nature

Volume

493

Issue

7431

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Abstract

A subset of ultraluminous X-ray sources (those with luminosities < 10^40 erg s^-1)^1 are thought to be powered by the accretion of gas onto black holes with masses of ~5-20 M⊙, probably via an accretion disc. The X-ray and radio emission are coupled in such Galactic sources, with the radio emission originating in a relativistic jet thought to be launched from the innermost regions near the black hole4,5, with the most powerful emission occurring when the rate of infalling matter approaches a theoretical maximum (the Eddington limit). Only four such maximal sources are known in the Milky Way, and the absorption of soft X-rays in the interstellar medium precludes determining the causal sequence of events that leads to the ejection of the jet. Here we report radio and X-ray observations of a bright new X-ray source whose peak luminosity can exceed 1039 erg s^-1 in the nearby galaxy, M31. The radio luminosity is extremely high and shows variability on a timescale of tens of minutes, arguing that the source is highly compact and powered by accretion close to the Eddington limit onto a stellar mass black hole. Continued radio and X-ray monitoring of such sources should reveal the causal relationship between the accretion flow and the powerful jet emission.

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