Jets from a stellar-mass black hole are as relativistic as those from supermassive black holes
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Relativistic jets from supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei are amongst the most powerful phenomena in the universe. Similar jets from stellar-mass black holes offer a chance to study the phenomena on accessible observation time scales. However, such comparative studies across black hole masses and time scales remain hampered by the long-standing perception that stellar-mass black hole jets are in a less relativistic regime. Here, we show the detection of two distinct, relativistic jet ejections from the Galactic black hole X-ray binary 4U 1543−47 during a single outburst, with radio interferometry monitoring observations. Our measurements reveal a likely Lorentz factor of approximately 8 and a minimum of 4.6 at launch with 95% confidence, demonstrating that stellar-mass black holes in X-ray binaries can launch jets as relativistic as those seen in active galactic nuclei. Relativistic jets launched from stellar-mass black holes (BHs) in our galaxy have been observed in less relativistic regime than those seen in the extra-galactic supermassive BHs named active galactic nucleus (AGN). Here, the authors show two relativistic jets from galactic BH X-ray binary 4U 1543−47, which are comparable to those seen in AGN.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: X. Zhang, W. Yu, F. Carotenuto, R. Fender, S. Motta, A. Bahramian, J. C. A. Miller-Jones, T. D. Russell, S. Corbel, P. A. Woudt, P. Atri, C. Knigge, G. R. Sivakoff, A. K. Hughes, J. van den Eijnden, J. H. Matthews, M. C. Baglio, P. Saikia
Institutions: Guizhou University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Astronomical Observatory of Rome, University of Oxford, National Institute for Astrophysics, Brera Astronomical Observatory, Curtin University, International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica cosmica di Palermo, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris Cité, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Paris-Saclay - Etablissement de Saclay, Astrophysique, Instrumentation et Modélisation, CEA Paris-Saclay, University of Cape Town, Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, University of Southampton, University of Alberta, University of Amsterdam, Yale University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
Funders: Australian Government, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, National Research Foundation, University of Pretoria, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, University of the Western Cape, Universiteit Stellenbosch, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of Cape Town, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, RIKEN
OpenAlex ID: W4414846749