ALMA Observations of DEM L241/LMC P3 in the Large Magellanic Cloud: Evidence for the Formation of Cool Molecular Jets Driven by a Microquasar
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: We present ALMA observations of DEML 241/LMC P3, the most luminous γ -ray binary consisting of a compact object and an O star, in CO emission. We have found a one-sided jet-like CO feature of 8 pc length and 1 pc width, which accompanies another weaker CO jet candidate with slightly different orientation. The one-sided CO jet exhibits striking alignment with LMC P3, suggesting that the jet was driven by LMC P3. We have determined the kinetic temperature of the CO jet to be significantly high at 33−60 K as compared with ∼15 K in the nearby nonjet CO cloud, where no radiative heat source is found. We interpret that the high temperatures are due to shock heating of a microquasar jet driven by the γ -ray binary, where the compact object has an accretion disk fed by the O star winds. The CO jet matches existing predictions from magnetohydrodynamical simulations, which show that CO jet can form from the interaction of the microquasar jet and an ambient interstellar medium (ISM) cloud. These results provide strong evidence that CO jets are a signature sculpted by microquasar jets, lending support for mass accretion in LMC P3 as the γ -ray origin. The results suggest a second case of CO jets potentially driven by a microquasar along with the CO jets in the microquasar candidate HESS J1023-575 recently identified in the Milky Way. Furthermore, our results suggest the use of submillimeter observations for identifying microquasars, opening a new possible window for their discovery and study.
Authors: Yasuo Fukui, Bhuvana G. R., Hidetoshi Sano, Kisetsu Tsuge, Rami Z. E. Alsaberi, Rin Yamada, Yuya Asano, Aya Bamba, Miroslav Filipovic, Charles Law, Norikazu Mizuno, Toshikazu Onishi, Paul Plucinsky, Gavin Rowell, Manami Sasaki, Piyush Sharda, Hiromasa Suzuki, Kengo Tachihara, Kazuki Tokuda, Yumiko Yamane
Institutions: Gifu University, Nagoya University, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Western Sydney University, The University of Tokyo, University of Minnesota, University of Virginia, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University, Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian, The University of Adelaide, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Leiden University, University of Miyazaki, Kagawa University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,400
Funders: National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Space Telescope Science Institute, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, National Science and Technology Council, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
Awards: G2643923133, Exploring cosmic-ray diffusion processes through a detailed analysis of the ISM, G433322167, G58316358, Unveiling the Nature of the Most Powerful Cosmic-Ray Accelerators in the Milky Way through Southern Sky Gamma-Ray and Radio Line Surveys, G6273510985, Cosmic-ray acceleration in supernova remnants revealed by ALMA, Probing the Evolution of the Interstellar Medium Driven by Galaxy Interactions, G6691652766
OpenAlex ID: W7204861490