Speaker
Description
Accretion and outflows are astrophysical phenomena observed across a wide range of objects, from white dwarfs to supermassive black holes. Developing a complete picture of these processes requires complementary studies across this full spectrum of jet-launching sources. In particular, jet–interstellar medium interaction sites near black hole X-ray binaries provide an indirect probe of the energetics of the jets launched from stellar-mass black holes and their long-term impact on their surroundings.
In this talk, I will present the discovery of bow shock structures near two unique black hole X-ray binaries, Cyg X-1 and GRS 1915+105. We used MeerKAT, a radio telescope based in South Africa, to investigate the surroundings of these active black hole X-ray binaries. We discovered a bow shock structure near GRS 1915+105, which was long theorized but never detected before. Additionally, we conducted a deep study of the Cyg X-1 bow shock in multiple frequencies, providing the first spectral index map of the bow shock.
The dark jets that create these structures, though undetectable in the electromagnetic spectrum at large distances, encode their life-long activity and energetics in these structures. Beyond showcasing MeerKAT’s ability to detect faint, extended emission, these systems serve as benchmarks for future searches, shaping our understanding of jet feedback from stellar-mass black holes in the Galaxy.
| Talk category | NOVA Network 3 |
|---|---|
| Preference for a talk or poster | Talk |
