Three-dimensional general relativistic hydrodynamics II: long-term dynamics of single relativistic stars

This is the second in a series of papers on the construction and validation of a three-dimensional code for the solution of the coupled system of the Einstein equations and of the general relativistic hydrodynamic equations, and on the application of this code to problems in general relativistic astrophysics. In particular, we report on the accuracy of our code in the long-term dynamical evolution of relativistic stars and on some new physics results obtained in the process of code testing. The tests involve single non-rotating stars in stable equilibrium, non-rotating stars undergoing radial and quadrupolar oscillations, non-rotating stars on the unstable branch of the equilibrium configurations migrating to the stable branch, non-rotating stars undergoing gravitational collapse to a black hole, and rapidly rotating stars in stable equilibrium and undergoing quasi-radial oscillations. The numerical evolutions have been carried out in full general relativity using different types of polytropic equations of state using either the rest-mass density only, or the rest-mass density and the internal energy as independent variables. New variants of the spacetime evolution and new high resolution shock capturing (HRSC) treatments based on Riemann solvers and slope limiters have been implemented and the results compared with those obtained from previous methods. Finally, we have obtained the first eigenfrequencies of rotating stars in full general relativity and rapid rotation. A long standing problem, such frequencies have not been obtained by other methods. Overall, and to the best of our knowledge, the results presented in this paper represent the most accurate long-term three-dimensional evolutions of relativistic stars available to date.Comment: 19 pages, 17 figure

Matter flows around black holes and gravitational radiation

We develop and calibrate a new method for estimating the gravitational radiation emitted by complex motions of matter sources in the vicinity of black holes. We compute numerically the linearized curvature perturbations induced by matter fields evolving in fixed black hole backgrounds, whose evolution we obtain using the equations of relativistic hydrodynamics. The current implementation of the proposal concerns non-rotating holes and axisymmetric hydrodynamical motions. As first applications we study i) dust shells falling onto the black hole isotropically from finite distance, ii) initially spherical layers of material falling onto a moving black hole, and iii) anisotropic collapse of shells. We focus on the dependence of the total gravitational wave energy emission on the flow parameters, in particular shell thickness, velocity and degree of anisotropy. The gradual excitation of the black hole quasi-normal mode frequency by sufficiently compact shells is demonstrated and discussed. A new prescription for generating physically reasonable initial data is discussed, along with a range of technical issues relevant to numerical relativity.Comment: 27 pages, 12 encapsulated figures, revtex, amsfonts, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Accurate evolutions of unequal-mass neutron-star binaries: properties of the torus and short GRB engines

We present new results from accurate and fully general-relativistic simulations of the coalescence of unmagnetized binary neutron stars with various mass ratios. The evolution of the stars is followed through the inspiral phase, the merger and prompt collapse to a black hole, up until the appearance of a thick accretion disk, which is studied as it enters and remains in a regime of quasi-steady accretion. Although a simple ideal-fluid equation of state with \Gamma=2 is used, this work presents a systematic study within a fully general relativistic framework of the properties of the resulting black-hole--torus system produced by the merger of unequal-mass binaries. More specifically, we show that: (1) The mass of the torus increases considerably with the mass asymmetry and equal-mass binaries do not produce significant tori if they have a total baryonic mass M_tot >~ 3.7 M_sun; (2) Tori with masses M_tor ~ 0.2 M_sun are measured for binaries with M_tot ~ 3.4 M_sun and mass ratios q ~ 0.75-0.85; (3) The mass of the torus can be estimated by the simple expression M_tor(q, M_tot) = [c_1 (1-q) + c_2](M_max-M_tot), involving the maximum mass for the binaries and coefficients constrained from the simulations, and suggesting that the tori can have masses as large as M_tor ~ 0.35 M_sun for M_tot ~ 2.8 M_sun and q ~ 0.75-0.85; (4) Using a novel technique to analyze the evolution of the tori we find no evidence for the onset of non-axisymmetric instabilities and that very little, if any, of their mass is unbound; (5) Finally, for all the binaries considered we compute the complete gravitational waveforms and the recoils imparted to the black holes, discussing the prospects of detection of these sources for a number of present and future detectors.Comment: 35 pages; small changes to match the published versio

Relativistic hydrodynamics on spacelike and null surfaces: Formalism and computations of spherically symmetric spacetimes

We introduce a formulation of Eulerian general relativistic hydrodynamics which is applicable for (perfect) fluid data prescribed on either spacelike or null hypersurfaces. Simple explicit expressions for the characteristic speeds and fields are derived in the general case. A complete implementation of the formalism is developed in the case of spherical symmetry. The algorithm is tested in a number of different situations, predisposing for a range of possible applications. We consider the Riemann problem for a polytropic gas, with initial data given on a retarded/advanced time slice of Minkowski spacetime. We compute perfect fluid accretion onto a Schwarzschild black hole spacetime using ingoing null Eddington-Finkelstein coordinates. Tests of fluid evolution on dynamic background include constant density and TOV stars sliced along the radial null cones. Finally, we consider the accretion of self-gravitating matter onto a central black hole and the ensuing increase in the mass of the black hole horizon.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Axisymmetric general relativistic hydrodynamics: Long-term evolution of neutron stars and stellar collapse to neutron stars and black holes

We report a new implementation for axisymmetric simulation in full general relativity. In this implementation, the Einstein equations are solved using the Nakamura-Shibata formulation with the so-called cartoon method to impose an axisymmetric boundary condition, and the general relativistic hydrodynamic equations are solved using a high-resolution shock-capturing scheme based on an approximate Riemann solver. As tests, we performed the following simulations: (i) long-term evolution of non-rotating and rapidly rotating neutron stars, (ii) long-term evolution of neutron stars of a high-amplitude damping oscillation accompanied with shock formation, (iii) collapse of unstable neutron stars to black holes, and (iv) stellar collapses to neutron stars. The tests (i)--(iii) were carried out with the $\Gamma$-law equation of state, and the test (iv) with a more realistic parametric equation of state for high-density matter. We found that this new implementation works very well: It is possible to perform the simulations for stable neutron stars for more than 10 dynamical time scales, to capture strong shocks formed at stellar core collapses, and to accurately compute the mass of black holes formed after the collapse and subsequent accretion. In conclusion, this implementation is robust enough to apply to astrophysical problems such as stellar core collapse of massive stars to a neutron star and black hole, phase transition of a neutron star to a high-density star, and accretion-induced collapse of a neutron star to a black hole. The result for the first simulation of stellar core collapse to a neutron star started from a realistic initial condition is also presented.Comment: 28 pages, to appear in PRD 67, 0440XX (2003

Molecular architecture and activation of the insecticidal protein Vip3Aa from Bacillus thuringiensis

Bacillus thuringiensis Vip3 (Vegetative Insecticidal Protein 3) toxins are widely used in biotech crops to control Lepidopteran pests. These proteins are produced as inactive protoxins that need to be activated by midgut proteases to trigger cell death. However, little is known about their three-dimensional organization and activation mechanism at the molecular level. Here, we have determined the structures of the protoxin and the protease-activated state of Vip3Aa at 2.9 Å using cryo-electron microscopy. The reconstructions show that the protoxin assembles into a pyramid-shaped tetramer with the C-terminal domains exposed to the solvent and the N-terminal region folded into a spring-loaded apex that, after protease activation, drastically remodels into an extended needle by a mechanism akin to that of influenza haemagglutinin. These results provide the molecular basis for Vip3 activation and function, and serves as a strong foundation for the development of more efficient insecticidal proteins

Comparing inequalities in the labour market from a segmentation perspective

Production of INCASI Project H2020-MSCA-RISE-2015 GA 691004The purpose of this chapter is to carry out a comparative analysis of labour markets in Europe and Latin America from the perspective of segmentation in order to explain the processes of social inequality that arise in the workplace, in light of recent trends in global socio-economic changes. The chapter proposes two main objectives. The first is to perform a comparative descriptive analysis of the main features of labour markets among 60 European and Latin American countries. The second objective is to propose a model of comparative analysis of labour inequality from the theoretical perspective of the segmentation of the labour market and structural heterogeneity. We will focus our analysis by selecting two countries, Spain and Argentina, which both underwent a late development of capitalism. The following general hypothesis is formulated: Spain and Argentina, having clearly differentiated features in economic structure, level of development, institutional frameworks and socio-historical processes, show common dynamics in the structuring of the capitalist labour market between a primary and secondary segment. Using equivalent databases on the workforce a typology of segmentation of employment is constructed that show, in addition to the specificities of each country, the similarities in the structuring of the labour market

Numerical hydrodynamics in general relativity

The current status of numerical solutions for the equations of ideal general relativistic hydrodynamics is reviewed. With respect to an earlier version of the article the present update provides additional information on numerical schemes and extends the discussion of astrophysical simulations in general relativistic hydrodynamics. Different formulations of the equations are presented, with special mention of conservative and hyperbolic formulations well-adapted to advanced numerical methods. A large sample of available numerical schemes is discussed, paying particular attention to solution procedures based on schemes exploiting the characteristic structure of the equations through linearized Riemann solvers. A comprehensive summary of astrophysical simulations in strong gravitational fields is presented. These include gravitational collapse, accretion onto black holes and hydrodynamical evolutions of neutron stars. The material contained in these sections highlights the numerical challenges of various representative simulations. It also follows, to some extent, the chronological development of the field, concerning advances on the formulation of the gravitational field and hydrodynamic equations and the numerical methodology designed to solve them.Comment: 105 pages, 12 figures. The full online-readable version of this article, including several animations, will be published in Living Reviews in Relativity at http://www.livingreviews.or

Midgut microbiota and host immunocompetence underlie Bacillus thuringiensis killing mechanism

Bacillus thuringiensis is a widely used bacterial entomopathogen producing insecticidal toxins, some of which are expressed in insect-resistant transgenic crops. Surprisingly, the killing mechanism of B. thuringiensis remains controversial. In particular, the importance of the septicemia induced by the host midgut microbiota is still debated as a result of the lack of experimental evidence obtained without drastic manipulation of the midgut and its content. Here this key issue is addressed by RNAi-mediated silencing of an immune gene in a lepidopteran host Spodoptera littoralis, leaving the midgut microbiota unaltered. The resulting cellular immunosuppression was characterized by a reduced nodulation response, which was associated with a significant enhancement of host larvae mortality triggered by B. thuringiensis and a Cry toxin. This was determined by an uncontrolled proliferation of midgut bacteria, after entering the body cavity through toxin-induced epithelial lesions. Consequently, the hemolymphatic microbiota dramatically changed upon treatment with Cry1Ca toxin, showing a remarkable predominance of Serratia and Clostridium species, which switched from asymptomatic gut symbionts to hemocoelic pathogens. These experimental results demonstrate the important contribution of host enteric flora in B. thuringiensis-killing activity and provide a sound foundation for developing new insect control strategies aimed at enhancing the impact of biocontrol agents by reducing the immunocompetence of the host