The role of microquasars in astroparticle physics

Abstract

I present an overview of past, present and future research on microquasars and jets, showing that microquasars, i.e. galactic jet sources, are among the best laboratories for high energy phenomena and astroparticle physics. After reminding the analogy with quasars, I focus on one of the best microquasar representatives, probably the archetype, namely GRS 1915+105, and present accretion and ejection phenomena, showing that only a multi-wavelength approach allows a better understanding of phenomena occurring in these sources. Thereafter, I review jets at different scales: compact jets, large-scale jets, and the interactions between ejection and the surrounding medium. I finish this review by showing that microquasars are good candidates to be emitters of astroparticles: very high energy photons, cosmic rays and neutrinos.