The non-thermal, time-variable radio emission from Cyg OB2#5: A wind-collision region

Abstract

The radio emission from the well-studied massive stellar system Cyg OB2 #5 is known to fluctuate with a period of 6.7years between a low-flux state, when the emission is entirely of free-free origin, and a high-flux state, when an additional non-thermal component (of hitherto unknown nature) appears. In this paper, we demonstrate that the radio flux of that non-thermal component is steady on timescales of hours and that its morphology is arc-like. This shows that the non-thermal emission results from the collision between the strong wind driven by the known contact binary in the system and that of an unseen companion on a somewhat eccentric orbit with a 6.7 year period and a 5-10 mas semimajor axis. Together with the previously reported wind-collision region located about 08 to the northeast of the contact binary, so far Cyg OB2 #5 appears to be the only multiple system known to harbor two radio-imaged wind-collision regions. © 2011. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..