SS 433: results of a recent multiwavelength campaign

Abstract

We conducted a multiwavelength campaign in 2002 September-October, to observe SS 433. We used the Giant Meter Radio Telescope for radio observations, the Physical Research Laboratory Infrared Telescope at Mt Abu for infrared (IR), the ARIES telescope at Nainital for optical photometry, the telescope at the Vainu Bappu observatory for spectral measurements and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer for X-ray observations. We find sharp variations in intensity on time-scales of a few minutes in the X-ray, IR and radio wavelengths. Differential photometry in the IR observations clearly indicates significant intrinsic variations on short time-scales of minutes throughout the campaign. Combining the results for these wavelengths, we find a signature of delay of about two days between the IR and radio signals. The X-ray spectrum yielded double Fe line profiles which corresponded to red and blue components of the relativistic jet. We also present the broad-band spectrum averaged over the campaign duration.