Astrophysical fluid simulations of thermally ideal gases with non-constant adiabatic index: numerical implementation

An Equation of State (\textit{EoS}) closes the set of fluid equations. Although an ideal EoS with a constant \textit{adiabatic index} $\Gamma$ is the preferred choice due to its simplistic implementation, many astrophysical fluid simulations may benefit from a more sophisticated treatment that can account for diverse chemical processes. Here, we first review the basic thermodynamic principles of a gas mixture in terms of its thermal and caloric EoS by including effects like ionization, dissociation as well as temperature dependent degrees of freedom such as molecular vibrations and rotations. The formulation is revisited in the context of plasmas that are either in equilibrium conditions (local thermodynamic- or collisional excitation- equilibria) or described by non-equilibrium chemistry coupled to optically thin radiative cooling. We then present a numerical implementation of thermally ideal gases obeying a more general caloric EoS with non-constant adiabatic index in Godunov-type numerical schemes.We discuss the necessary modifications to the Riemann solver and to the conversion between total energy and pressure (or vice-versa) routinely invoked in Godunov-type schemes. We then present two different approaches for computing the EoS.The first one employs root-finder methods and it is best suited for EoS in analytical form. The second one leans on lookup table and interpolation and results in a more computationally efficient approach although care must be taken to ensure thermodynamic consistency. A number of selected benchmarks demonstrate that the employment of a non-ideal EoS can lead to important differences in the solution when the temperature range is $500-10^4$ K where dissociation and ionization occur. The implementation of selected EoS introduces additional computational costs although using lookup table methods can significantly reduce the overhead by a factor $3\sim 4$.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures, Accepted for publication in A&

The Effect of Expansion on Mass Entrainment and Stability of Super-Alfv\'enic Jets

We extend investigations of mass entrainment by jets, which previously have focused on cylindrical supermagnetosonic jets and expanding trans-Alfv\'enic jets, to a set of expanding supermagnetosonic jets. We precess these jets at the origin to excite the helical mode of the Kelvin-Helmholtz (or KH) instability, in order to compare the results with predictions from linear stability analysis. We analyze this simulation set for the spatial development of magnetized mass, which we interpret as jet plus entrained, initially unmagnetized external mass. As with the previous simulation sets, we find that the growth of magnetized mass is associated with the growth of the KH instability through linear, nonlinear, and saturated stages and with the expansion of magnetized material in simulated observations of the jet. From comparison of measured wavelengths and wave speeds with the predictions from linear stability analysis, we see evidence that the KH instability is the primary cause for mass entrainment in these simulations, and that the expansion reduces the rate of mass entrainment. This reduced rate can be observed as a somewhat greater distance between the two transition points separating the three stages of expansion.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, AASTeX, to appear in Nov 1 issue of ApJ (vol 543), postscript versions of Figures 3 and 5 are available at http://crux.astr.ua.edu/~rosen/supcon/rh.htm

Fedosov supermanifolds: II. Normal coordinates

The study of recently introduced Fedosov supermanifolds is continued. Using normal coordinates, properties of even and odd symplectic supermanifolds endowed with a symmetric connection respecting given sympletic structure are studied.Comment: 12 pages, Late

Modèles linéaires stochastiques théoriques pour la réponse des petits bassins

En rendant aléatoires les intrants du modèle déterministe en cascade de réservoirs linéaires de Nash-Dooge, on obtient des modèles linéaires stochastiques adaptés aux petits bassins, qui peuvent être formulés comme des systèmes dynamiques stochastiques linéaires simples représentés par des équations différentielles stochastiques (EDS). Les processus du système, la précipitation et les pertes dues à l'évapotranspiration (cette dernière étant considérée comme un intrant négatif), sont respectivement modélisés par un processus composé de Poisson et par un bruit blanc gaussien à moyenne nulle superposé à une moyenne déterministe. Pour la réponse superficielle et la réponse souterraine, on propose des modèles stochastiques en cascades de Nash-Dooge à n réservoirs linéaires égaux et à deux réservoirs en parallèle. Des travaux récents sur la genèse des débits ont conduit à mettre au point un modèle dynamique grossier, plus plausible conceptuellement, formé de régimes à réponse rapide et à réponse lente parallèles. Ce modèle est élaboré en attribuant au réservoir lent toutes les pertes d'évapotranspiration, les fluctuations de celle-ci étant modélisées par un bruit gaussien coloré à moyenne nulle et en rationalisant un modèle d'infiltration linéarisé fonction d'un écoulement à régime lent précédant une précipitation. En fait, cette contribution vise à donner une portée plus générale à la théorie déterministe de Nash-Dooge basée sur l'hydrogramme unitaire, afin de l'étendre à une théorie linéaire stochastique de réponse d'un bassin.By randomizing the inputs to the deterministic Nash-Dooge linear reservoir cascade, linear stochastic conceptual response models suitable for small catchments are formulated as simple linear stochastic dynamical systems within the formalism of stochastic differential equations (SDE’s). The system driving processes, rainfall and evapotranspiration losses, the latter regarded as a negative input, are modeled respectively as a compound Poisson process and a mean zero white Gaussian noise superposed on a deterministic mean. Elementary stochasticized Nash-Dooge cascades of n equal linear reservoirs and two reservoirs in parallel are given as potential models of surface and subsurface response. On consideration of recent discoveries concerning streamflow generation, a more conceptually plausible coarse-grained dynamical model of parallel quick and slow response regimes is developed by confining all evapotranspiration losses to the slow reservoir, modeling evapotranspiration fluctuations as mean zero colored Gaussian noise and rationalizing a linearized infiltration model dependent on slow regime outflow just prior to an event. In essence, the effort is directed towards generalizing the deterministic Nash-Dooge theory of the unit hydrograph to a linear stochastic theory of catchment response

B-Meson Distribution Amplitudes of Geometric Twist vs. Dynamical Twist

Two- and three-particle distribution amplitudes of heavy pseudoscalar mesons of well-defined geometric twist are introduced. They are obtained from appropriately parametrized vacuum-to-meson matrix elements by applying those twist projectors which determine the enclosed light-cone operators of definite geometric twist and, in addition, observing the heavy quark constraint. Comparing these distribution amplitudes with the conventional ones of dynamical twist we derive relations between them, partially being of Wandzura-Wilczek type; also sum rules of Burkhardt-Cottingham type are derived.The derivation is performed for the (double) Mellin moments and then re-summed to the non-local distribution amplitudes. Furthermore, a parametrization of vacuum-to-meson matrix elements for non-local operators off the light-cone in terms of distribution amplitudes accompanying independent kinematical structures is derived.Comment: 18 pages, Latex 2e, no figure

A Particle Module for the PLUTO Code: I - an implementation of the MHD-PIC equations

We describe an implementation of a particle physics module available for the PLUTO code, appropriate for the dynamical evolution of a plasma consisting of a thermal fluid and a non-thermal component represented by relativistic charged particles, or cosmic rays (CR). While the fluid is approached using standard numerical schemes for magnetohydrodynamics, CR particles are treated kinetically using conventional Particle-In-Cell (PIC) techniques. The module can be used to describe either test particles motion in the fluid electromagnetic field or to solve the fully coupled MHD-PIC system of equations with particle backreaction on the fluid as originally introduced by \cite{Bai_etal.2015}. Particle backreaction on the fluid is included in the form of momentum-energy feedback and by introducing the CR-induced Hall term in Ohm's law. The hybrid MHD-PIC module can be employed to study CR kinetic effects on scales larger than the (ion) skin depth provided the Larmor gyration scale is properly resolved. When applicable, this formulation avoids to resolve microscopic scales offering a substantial computational saving with respect to PIC simulations. We present a fully-conservative formulation which is second-order accurate in time and space and extends to either Runge-Kutta (RK) or corner-transport-upwind (CTU) time-stepping schemes (for the fluid) while a standard Boris integrator is employed for the particles. For highly-energetic relativistic CRs and in order to overcome the time step restriction a novel sub-cycling strategy that retains second-order accuracy in time is presented. Numerical benchmarks and applications including Bell instability, diffusive shock acceleration and test particle acceleration in reconnecting layers are discussed.Comment: 27 pages, 16 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ Supplement serie

Dynamics and Structure of Three-Dimensional Trans-Alfvenic Jets. II. The Effect of Density and Winds

Two three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamical simulations of strongly magnetized conical jets, one with a poloidal and one with a helical magnetic field, have been performed. In the poloidal simulation a significant sheath (wind) of magnetized moving material developed and partially stabilized the jet to helical twisting. The fundamental pinch mode was not similarly affected and emission knots developed in the poloidal simulation. Thus, astrophysical jets surrounded by outflowing winds could develop knotty structures along a straight jet triggered by pinching. Where helical twisting dominated the dynamics, magnetic field orientation along the line-of-sight could be organized by the toroidal flow field accompanying helical twisting. On astrophysical jets such structure could lead to a reversal of the direction of Faraday rotation in adjacent zones along a jet. Theoretical analysis showed that the different dynamical behavior of the two simulations could be entirely understood as a result of dependence on the velocity shear between jet and wind which must exceed a surface Alfven speed before the jet becomes unstable to helical and higher order modes of jet distortion.Comment: 25 pages, 15 figures, in press Astrophysical Journal (September

Cosmological Implications of the Tetron Model of Elementary Particles

Based on a possible solution to the tetron spin problem, a modification of the standard Big Bang scenario is suggested, where the advent of a spacetime manifold is connected to the appearance of tetronic bound states. The metric tensor is constructed from tetron constituents and the reason for cosmic inflation is elucidated. Furthermore, there are natural dark matter candidates in the tetron model. The ratio of ordinary to dark matter in the universe is calculated to be 1:5.Comment: 23 page

The KINDRA project – towards Open Science in Hydrogeology for higher impact

Groundwater knowledge and research in the European Union is often scattered and non-standardised. Therefore, KINDRA is conducting an EU-wide assessment of existing groundwater-related practical and scientific knowledge based on a new Hydrogeological Research Classification System (HRC-SYS). The classification is supported by a web service, the European Inventory of Groundwater Research (EIGR), which acts not only as a knowledge repository but also as a tool to help identify relevant research topics, existing research trends and critical research challenges. These results will be useful for producing synergies, implementing policies and optimising water management in Europe. This article presents the work of the project during the first two years in relation to a common classification system and an activity for data collection and training delivered by the EFG’s National Associations in 20 European countries

Charged particles in random magnetic fields and the critical behavior in the fractional quantum Hall effect

As a model for the transitions between plateaus in the fractional Quantum Hall effect we study the critical behavior of non-interacting charged particles in a static random magnetic field with finite mean value. We argue that this model belongs to the same universality class as the integer Quantum Hall effect. The universality is proved for the limiting cases of the lowest Landau level, and slowly fluctuating magnetic fields in arbitrary Landau levels. The conjecture that the universality holds in general is based on the study of the statistical properties of the corresponding random matrix model.Comment: 11 pages, Revtex 3.0, no figures, to appear in PR