Equatorial outflows driven by jets in Population III microquasars

TL;DR

This study uses relativistic hydrodynamic simulations to explore how jets and winds interact in Population III microquasars, revealing their potential role in early universe reionization through gamma-ray and particle injection.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the structure of jet-wind systems in Population III microquasars and their impact on the early intergalactic medium.

Findings

Jet-dominated systems have wider jets and quasi-equatorial winds.

Wind-dominated systems produce narrow, collimated jets.

Population III microquasars could significantly contribute to early universe reionization.

Abstract

Binary systems of Population III can evolve to microquasars when one of the stars collapses into a black hole. When the compact object accretes matter at a rate greater than the Eddington rate, powerful jets and winds driven by strong radiation pressure should form. We investigate the structure of the jet-wind system for a model of Population III microquasar on scales beyond the jet-wind formation region. Using relativistic hydrodynamic simulations we find that the ratio of kinetic power between the jet and the disk wind determines the configuration of the system. When the power is dominated by the wind, the jet fills a narrow channel, collimated by the dense outflow. When the jet dominates the power of the system, part of its energy is diverted turning the wind into a quasi-equatorial flow, while the jet widens. From the results of our simulations, we implement semi-analytical calculations of the impact of the quasiequatorial wind on scales of the order of the size of the binary system. Our results indicate that Population III microquasars might inject gamma rays and relativistic particles into the early intergalactic medium, contributing to its reionization at large distances from the binary system.