Ultrahigh-energy gamma-ray emission associated with black hole-jet systems

Abstract

Black holes (BHs), one of the most intriguing objects in the universe, can manifest themselves through electromagnetic radiation initiated by the accretion flow. Some stellar-mass BHs drive relativistic jets when accreting matter from their companion stars, forming microquasars. Non-thermal emission from the radio to teraelectronvolt gamma-ray band has been observed from microquasars, indicating the acceleration of relativistic particles. Here we report detection of four microquasars (SS 433, V4641 Sgr, GRS 1915+105, MAXI J1820+070) of spectra extending to the ultrahigh-energy (UHE; photon energy 100$]]> TeV) band, and one microquasar (Cygnus X-1) with a spectrum approaching 100 TeV, using the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory. Notably, the total emission associated with SS 433 cannot be interpreted with a single leptonic component. In the UHE band, its emission is in spatial coincidence with a giant atomic cloud, which is consistent with a hadronic origin. An elongated source is discovered from V4641 Sgr with the spectrum continuing up to 800 TeV. The detection of UHE gamma rays demonstrates that accreting BHs and their environments can operate as extremely efficient accelerators of particles up to 1 PeV, suggesting that microquasars are important contributors to Galactic cosmic rays, especially around the 'knee' region.