SpECTRE: A Task-based Discontinuous Galerkin Code for Relativistic Astrophysics

We introduce a new relativistic astrophysics code, SpECTRE, that combines a discontinuous Galerkin method with a task-based parallelism model. SpECTRE's goal is to achieve more accurate solutions for challenging relativistic astrophysics problems such as core-collapse supernovae and binary neutron star mergers. The robustness of the discontinuous Galerkin method allows for the use of high-resolution shock capturing methods in regions where (relativistic) shocks are found, while exploiting high-order accuracy in smooth regions. A task-based parallelism model allows efficient use of the largest supercomputers for problems with a heterogeneous workload over disparate spatial and temporal scales. We argue that the locality and algorithmic structure of discontinuous Galerkin methods will exhibit good scalability within a task-based parallelism framework. We demonstrate the code on a wide variety of challenging benchmark problems in (non)-relativistic (magneto)-hydrodynamics. We demonstrate the code's scalability including its strong scaling on the NCSA Blue Waters supercomputer up to the machine's full capacity of 22,380 nodes using 671,400 threads.Comment: 41 pages, 13 figures, and 7 tables. Ancillary data contains simulation input file

High-order accurate physical-constraints-preserving finite difference WENO schemes for special relativistic hydrodynamics

The paper develops high-order accurate physical-constraints-preserving finite difference WENO schemes for special relativistic hydrodynamical (RHD) equations, built on the local Lax-Friedrich splitting, the WENO reconstruction, the physical-constraints-preserving flux limiter, and the high-order strong stability preserving time discretization. They are extensions of the positivity-preserving finite difference WENO schemes for the non-relativistic Euler equations. However, developing physical-constraints-preserving methods for the RHD system becomes much more difficult than the non-relativistic case because of the strongly coupling between the RHD equations, no explicit expressions of the primitive variables and the flux vectors, in terms of the conservative vector, and one more physical constraint for the fluid velocity in addition to the positivity of the rest-mass density and the pressure. The key is to prove the convexity and other properties of the admissible state set and discover a concave function with respect to the conservative vector replacing the pressure which is an important ingredient to enforce the positivity-preserving property for the non-relativistic case. Several one- and two-dimensional numerical examples are used to demonstrate accuracy, robustness, and effectiveness of the proposed physical-constraints-preserving schemes in solving RHD problems with large Lorentz factor, or strong discontinuities, or low rest-mass density or pressure etc.Comment: 39 pages, 13 figure

A New Spherical Harmonics Scheme for Multi-Dimensional Radiation Transport I: Static Matter Configurations

Recent work by McClarren & Hauck [29] suggests that the filtered spherical harmonics method represents an efficient, robust, and accurate method for radiation transport, at least in the two-dimensional (2D) case. We extend their work to the three-dimensional (3D) case and find that all of the advantages of the filtering approach identified in 2D are present also in the 3D case. We reformulate the filter operation in a way that is independent of the timestep and of the spatial discretization. We also explore different second- and fourth-order filters and find that the second-order ones yield significantly better results. Overall, our findings suggest that the filtered spherical harmonics approach represents a very promising method for 3D radiation transport calculations.Comment: 29 pages, 13 figures. Version matching the one in Journal of Computational Physic

A well-balanced discontinuous Galerkin method for the first--order Z4 formulation of the Einstein--Euler system

In this paper we develop a new well-balanced discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite element scheme with subcell finite volume (FV) limiter for the numerical solution of the Einstein--Euler equations of general relativity based on a first order hyperbolic reformulation of the Z4 formalism. The first order Z4 system, which is composed of 59 equations, is analyzed and proven to be strongly hyperbolic for a general metric. The well-balancing is achieved for arbitrary but a priori known equilibria by subtracting a discrete version of the equilibrium solution from the discretized time-dependent PDE system. Special care has also been taken in the design of the numerical viscosity so that the well-balancing property is achieved. As for the treatment of low density matter, e.g. when simulating massive compact objects like neutron stars surrounded by vacuum, we have introduced a new filter in the conversion from the conserved to the primitive variables, preventing superluminal velocities when the density drops below a certain threshold, and being potentially also very useful for the numerical investigation of highly rarefied relativistic astrophysical flows. Thanks to these improvements, all standard tests of numerical relativity are successfully reproduced, reaching three achievements: (i) we are able to obtain stable long term simulations of stationary black holes, including Kerr black holes with extreme spin, which after an initial perturbation return perfectly back to the equilibrium solution up to machine precision; (ii) a (standard) TOV star under perturbation is evolved in pure vacuum ($\rho=p=0$) up to $t=1000$ with no need to introduce any artificial atmosphere around the star; and, (iii) we solve the head on collision of two punctures black holes, that was previously considered un--tractable within the Z4 formalism.Comment: 44 pages, 15 figure

Small Collaboration: Advanced Numerical Methods for Nonlinear Hyperbolic Balance Laws and Their Applications (hybrid meeting)

This small collaborative workshop brought together experts from the Sino-German project working in the field of advanced numerical methods for hyperbolic balance laws. These are particularly important for compressible fluid flows and related systems of equations. The investigated numerical methods were finite volume/finite difference, discontinuous Galerkin methods, and kinetic-type schemes. We have discussed challenging open mathematical research problems in this field, such as multidimensional shock waves, interfaces with different phases or efficient and problem suited adaptive algorithms. Consequently, our main objective was to discuss novel high-order accurate schemes that reliably approximate underlying physical models and preserve important physically relevant properties. Theoretical questions concerning the convergence of numerical methods and proper solution concepts were addressed as well

ADER-WENO Finite Volume Schemes with Space-Time Adaptive Mesh Refinement

We present the first high order one-step ADER-WENO finite volume scheme with Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) in multiple space dimensions. High order spatial accuracy is obtained through a WENO reconstruction, while a high order one-step time discretization is achieved using a local space-time discontinuous Galerkin predictor method. Due to the one-step nature of the underlying scheme, the resulting algorithm is particularly well suited for an AMR strategy on space-time adaptive meshes, i.e.with time-accurate local time stepping. The AMR property has been implemented 'cell-by-cell', with a standard tree-type algorithm, while the scheme has been parallelized via the Message Passing Interface (MPI) paradigm. The new scheme has been tested over a wide range of examples for nonlinear systems of hyperbolic conservation laws, including the classical Euler equations of compressible gas dynamics and the equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). High order in space and time have been confirmed via a numerical convergence study and a detailed analysis of the computational speed-up with respect to highly refined uniform meshes is also presented. We also show test problems where the presented high order AMR scheme behaves clearly better than traditional second order AMR methods. The proposed scheme that combines for the first time high order ADER methods with space--time adaptive grids in two and three space dimensions is likely to become a useful tool in several fields of computational physics, applied mathematics and mechanics.Comment: With updated bibliography informatio

THC: a new high-order finite-difference high-resolution shock-capturing code for special-relativistic hydrodynamics

We present THC: a new high-order flux-vector-splitting code for Newtonian and special-relativistic hydrodynamics designed for direct numerical simulations of turbulent flows. Our code implements a variety of different reconstruction algorithms, such as the popular weighted essentially non oscillatory and monotonicity-preserving schemes, or the more specialised bandwidth-optimised WENO scheme that has been specifically designed for the study of compressible turbulence. We show the first systematic comparison of these schemes in Newtonian physics as well as for special-relativistic flows. In particular we will present the results obtained in simulations of grid-aligned and oblique shock waves and nonlinear, large-amplitude, smooth adiabatic waves. We will also discuss the results obtained in classical benchmarks such as the double-Mach shock reflection test in Newtonian physics or the linear and nonlinear development of the relativistic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in two and three dimensions. Finally, we study the turbulent flow induced by the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and we show that our code is able to obtain well-converged velocity spectra, from which we benchmark the effective resolution of the different schemes.Comment: Updated to match the published versio

The Inertial Range of Turbulence in the Inner Heliosheath and in the Local Interstellar Medium

The governing mechanisms of magnetic field annihilation in the outer heliosphere is an intriguing topic. It is currently believed that the turbulent fluctuations pervade the inner heliosheath (IHS) and the Local Interstellar Medium (LISM). Turbulence, magnetic reconnection, or their reciprocal link may be responsible for magnetic energy conversion in the IHS.   As 1-day averaged data are typically used, the present literature mainly concerns large-scale analysis and does not describe inertial-cascade dynamics of turbulence in the IHS. Moreover, lack of spectral analysis make IHS dynamics remain critically understudied. Our group showed that 48-s MAG data from the Voyager mission are appropriate for a power spectral analysis over a frequency range of five decades, from 5e-8 Hz to 1e-2 Hz [Gallana et al., JGR 121 (2016)]. Special spectral estimation techniques are used to deal with the large amount of missing data (70%). We provide the first clear evidence of an inertial-cascade range of turbulence (spectral index is between -2 and -1.5). A spectral break at about 1e-5 Hz is found to separate the inertial range from the enegy-injection range (1/f energy decay). Instrumental noise bounds our investigation to frequencies lower than 5e-4 Hz. By considering several consecutive periods after 2009 at both V1 and V2, we show that the extension and the spectral energy decay of these two regimes may be indicators of IHS regions governed by different physical processes. We describe fluctuations’ regimes in terms of spectral energy density, anisotropy, compressibility, and statistical analysis of intermittency.   In the LISM, it was theorized that pristine interstellar turbulence may coexist with waves from the IHS, however this is still a debated topic. We observe that the fluctuating magnetic energy cascades as a power law with spectral index in the range [-1.35, -1.65] in the whole range of frequencies unaffected by noise. No spectral break is observed, nor decaying turbulence