Global Simulations of the Interaction of Microquasar Jets with a Stellar Wind in High-Mass X-ray Binaries

Abstract

Jets powered by high-mass X-ray binaries must traverse the powerful wind of the companion star. We present the first global 3D simulations of jet-wind interaction in high-mass X-ray binaries. We show that the wind momentum flux intercepted by the jet can lead to significant bending of the jet and that jets propagating through a spherical wind will be bent to an asymptotic angle ${\psi }_{\infty }$. We derive simple expressions for ${\psi }_{\infty }$ as a function of jet power and wind thrust. For known wind parameters, measurements of ${\psi }_{\infty }$ can be used to constrain the jet power. In the case of Cygnus X-1, the lack of jet precession as a function of orbital phase observed by the VLBA can be used to put a lower limit on the jet power of $L_{\mathrm{jet}}\gtrsim 10^{36}\mathrm{ergs}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$. We further discuss the case where the initial jet is inclined relative to the binary orbital axis. We also analyze the case of Cygnus X-3 and show that jet bending is likely negligible unless the jet is significantly less powerful or much wider than currently thought. Our numerical investigation is limited to isotropic stellar winds. We discuss the possible effect of wind clumping on jet-wind interaction, which are likely significant, but argue that our limits on jet power for Cygnus X-1 are likely unaffected by clumping unless the global wind mass loss rate is orders of magnitude below the commonly assumed range for Cyg X-1.

15 pages, 14 figures, Accepted to ApJ on January 6, 2015

References in corpus (11)

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Cited by in corpus (10)

• Cygnus X-1 contains a 21-solar mass black hole -- implications for massive star winds
• Jet Formation in 3D GRMHD Simulations of Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton Accretion
• 3D RMHD simulations of jet-wind interactions in High Mass X-ray Binaries
• Modeling the effects of clumpy winds in the high-energy light curves of γ-ray binaries
• What are the Composition and Power of the Jet in Cyg X-1?
• Polarization study of gamma-ray binary
• Electromagnetic signatures of black hole clusters in the center of super-Eddington galaxies
• The constraining power of X-ray polarimetry: detailed structure of the intrabinary bow shock in Cygnus X-3
• Effects of radiative losses on the relativistic jets of high-mass microquasars
• Relativistic hydrodynamical simulations of the effects of the stellar wind and the orbit on high-mass microquasar jets