The influence of the optical star on the jets of high-mass microquasars

TL;DR

This paper reviews how strong stellar winds from high-mass companion stars influence the behavior and emission of relativistic jets in microquasars, combining analytical, numerical, and observational insights.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of effects of stellar winds on microquasar jets, including new models for non-thermal emission and comparisons with observations.

Findings

Stellar winds significantly modify jet dynamics.

Models predict specific non-thermal emission signatures.

Observations of Cygnus X-1 and Cygnus X-3 support the models.

Abstract

Microquasars are binary systems consisting of a compact object and a star that present relativistic jets. When the companion is a high-mass star, significant interaction between the stellar wind and the jets is expected. In this work, an overview of the different effects that a strong stellar wind may have in microquasar jets is given. Both analytical estimates and numerical simulations performed in the last years are reviewed. The results of a model for the non-thermal emission of such jets at large scales are also shown and discussed. Observational studies of two high-mass microquasars, Cygnus X-1 and Cygnus X-3, are compared to the model predictions.