The Geometric Crisis in Cygnus~X-3: Limitations of Wind-Fed Accretion and the Case for Roche-Lobe Overflow

Cygnus~X-3 is a Galactic X-ray binary with a 4.8-hr orbital period operating in the ultraluminous regime. Although the system is viewed at relatively low inclination ($i\approx28^\circ$), it exhibits a deep orbital modulation. Recent IXPE observations show strong linear polarization orthogonal to th