Binaries, microquasars and GLAST

Abstract

Radio and X-ray observations of the relativistic jets of microquasars show evidence for the acceleration of particles to very high energies. Signatures of non-thermal processes occurring closer in to the compact object can also be found. In addition, three binaries are now established emitters of high (> 100 MeV) and/or very high (> 100GeV) energy gamma-rays. High-energy emission can originate from a microquasar jet (accretion-powered) or from a shocked pulsar wind (rotation-powered). I discuss the impact GLAST will have in the very near future on studies of such binaries. GLAST is expected to shed new light on the link between accretion and ejection in microquasars and to enable to probe pulsar winds on small scales in rotation-powered binaries.