2013MNRAS.436.1955C

The radio flux from the synchrotron emission of electrons accelerated in the forward bow shock of G2 is expected to peak when the forward shock passes pericentre, possibly 7-9 months before the centre of mass of G2 reaches pericentre ∼ 3x10¹⁵cm from the Galactic Centre. In this paper, we calculate the radio emission from the forward and reverse shock if G2 is a momentum-supported bow shock of a faint star with a high mass-loss rate as suggested by Scoville & Burkert. We show that the radio flux lies well below the quiescent radio flux of Sgr A* and will be difficult to detect. By contrast, in the cloud model of G2, the radio flux of the forward shock is predicted to be much larger than the quiescent radio flux and therefore should have already been detected. Therefore, radio measurements can reveal the nature of G2 well before G2 completes its periapsis passage.