3,632 research outputs found
The Dynamics of Radiative Shock Waves: Linear and Nonlinear Evolution
The stability properties of one-dimensional radiative shocks with a power-law
cooling function of the form are the main
subject of this work. The linear analysis originally presented by Chevalier &
Imamura, is thoroughfully reviewed for several values of the cooling index
and higher overtone modes. Consistently with previous results, it is
shown that the spectrum of the linear operator consists in a series of modes
with increasing oscillation frequency. For each mode a critical value of the
cooling index, , can be defined so that modes with are unstable, while modes with
are stable. The perturbative analysis is complemented by several numerical
simulations to follow the time-dependent evolution of the system for different
values of . Particular attention is given to the comparison between
numerical and analytical results (during the early phases of the evolution) and
to the role played by different boundary conditions. It is shown that an
appropriate treatment of the lower boundary yields results that closely follow
the predicted linear behavior. During the nonlinear regime, the shock
oscillations saturate at a finite amplitude and tend to a quasi-periodic cycle.
The modes of oscillations during this phase do not necessarily coincide with
those predicted by linear theory, but may be accounted for by mode-mode
coupling.Comment: 33 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication on the Astrophysical
Journa
Gravitational Waves from Axisymmetric, Rotational Stellar Core Collapse
We have carried out an extensive set of two-dimensional, axisymmetric,
purely-hydrodynamic calculations of rotational stellar core collapse with a
realistic, finite-temperature nuclear equation of state and realistic massive
star progenitor models. For each of the total number of 72 different
simulations we performed, the gravitational wave signature was extracted via
the quadrupole formula in the slow-motion, weak-field approximation. We
investigate the consequences of variation in the initial ratio of rotational
kinetic energy to gravitational potential energy and in the initial degree of
differential rotation. Furthermore, we include in our model suite progenitors
from recent evolutionary calculations that take into account the effects of
rotation and magnetic torques. For each model, we calculate gravitational
radiation wave forms, characteristic wave strain spectra, energy spectra, final
rotational profiles, and total radiated energy. In addition, we compare our
model signals with the anticipated sensitivities of the 1st- and 2nd-generation
LIGO detectors coming on line. We find that most of our models are detectable
by LIGO from anywhere in the Milky Way.Comment: 13 pages, 22 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ (v600, Jan.
2004). Revised version: Corrected typos and minor mistakes in text and
references. Minor additions to the text according to the referee's
suggestions, conclusions unchange
PIC simulations of stable surface waves on a subcritical fast magnetosonic shock front
We study with particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations the stability of fast
magnetosonic shocks. They expand across a collisionless plasma and an
orthogonal magnetic field that is aligned with one of the directions resolved
by the 2D simulations. The shock speed is 1.6 times the fast magnetosonic speed
when it enters a layer with a reduced density of mobile ions, which decreases
the shock speed by up to 15\% in 1D simulations. In the 2D simulations, the
density of mobile ions in the layer varies sinusoidally perpendicularly to the
shock normal. We resolve one sine period. This variation only leads to small
changes in the shock speed evidencing a restoring force that opposes a shock
deformation. As the shock propagates through the layer, the ion density becomes
increasingly spatially modulated along the shock front and the magnetic field
bulges out where the mobile ion density is lowest. The perturbed shock
eventually reaches a steady state. Once it leaves the layer, the perturbations
of the ion density and magnetic field oscillate along its front at a frequency
close to the lower-hybrid frequency; the shock is mediated by a standing wave
composed of obliquely propagating lower-hybrid waves. We perform three 2D
simulations with different box lengths along the shock front. The shock front
oscillations are aperiodically damped in the smallest box with the fastest
variation of the ion density, strongly damped in the intermediate one, and
weakly damped in the largest box. The shock front oscillations perturb the
magnetic field in a spatial interval that extends by several electron skin
depths upstream and downstream of the shock front and could give rise to
Whistler waves that propagate along the shock's magnetic field overshoot.
Similar waves were observed in hybrid and PIC simulations and by the MMS
satellite mission.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Physica Script
Anisotropies in the Neutrino Fluxes and Heating Profiles in Two-dimensional, Time-dependent, Multi-group Radiation Hydrodynamics Simulations of Rotating Core-Collapse Supernovae
Using the 2D multi-group, flux-limited diffusion version of the code
VULCAN/2D, that also incorporates rotation, we have calculated the collapse,
bounce, shock formation, and early post-bounce evolutionary phases of a
core-collapse supernova for a variety of initial rotation rates. This is the
first series of such multi-group calculations undertaken in supernova theory
with fully multi-D tools. We find that though rotation generates
pole-to-equator angular anisotropies in the neutrino radiation fields, the
magnitude of the asymmetries is not as large as previously estimated. Moreover,
we find that the radiation field is always more spherically symmetric than the
matter distribution, with its plumes and convective eddies. We present the
dependence of the angular anisotropy of the neutrino fields on neutrino
species, neutrino energy, and initial rotation rate. Only for our most rapidly
rotating model do we start to see qualitatively different hydrodynamics, but
for the lower rates consistent with the pre-collapse rotational profiles
derived in the literature the anisotropies, though interesting, are modest.
This does not mean that rotation does not play a key role in supernova
dynamics. The decrease in the effective gravity due to the centripetal effect
can be quite important. Rather, it means that when a realistic mapping between
initial and final rotational profiles and 2D multi-group
radiation-hydrodynamics are incorporated into collapse simulations the
anisotropy of the radiation fields may be only a secondary, not a pivotal
factor, in the supernova mechanism.Comment: Includes 11 low-resolution color figures, accepted to the
Astrophysical Journal (June 10, 2005; V. 626); high-resolution figures and
movies available from the authors upon reques
Evolution and Nucleosynthesis of Very Massive Stars
In this chapter, after a brief introduction and overview of stellar
evolution, we discuss the evolution and nucleosynthesis of very massive stars
(VMS: M>100 solar masses) in the context of recent stellar evolution model
calculations. This chapter covers the following aspects: general properties,
evolution of surface properties, late central evolution, and nucleosynthesis
including their dependence on metallicity, mass loss and rotation. Since very
massive stars have very large convective cores during the main-sequence phase,
their evolution is not so much affected by rotational mixing, but more by mass
loss through stellar winds. Their evolution is never far from a homogeneous
evolution even without rotational mixing. All VMS at metallicities close to
solar end their life as WC(-WO) type Wolf-Rayet stars. Due to very important
mass loss through stellar winds, these stars may have luminosities during the
advanced phases of their evolution similar to stars with initial masses between
60 and 120 solar masses. A distinctive feature which may be used to disentangle
Wolf-Rayet stars originating from VMS from those originating from lower initial
masses is the enhanced abundances of neon and magnesium at the surface of WC
stars. At solar metallicity, mass loss is so strong that even if a star is born
with several hundred solar masses, it will end its life with less than 50 solar
masses (using current mass loss prescriptions). At the metallicity of the LMC
and lower, on the other hand, mass loss is weaker and might enable star to
undergo pair-instability supernovae.Comment: 42 pages, 20 figures, Book Chapter in "Very Massive Stars in the
Local Universe", Springer, Ed. Jorick S. Vin
Fingerprinting of chlorinated paraffins and their transformation products in plastic consumer products
Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) can be classified according to their length as short-chain (SC, C10-C13), medium-chain (MC, C14-C17) and long-chain (LC, C â„ 18) CPs. Technical CP-mixtures can contain a wide range of carbon- (C-, nC = 10-30) and chlorine- (Cl-, nCl = 3-19) homologues. CPs are high-production volume chemicals (>106 t/y). They are used as flame-retardants, plasticizers and coolant fluids. Due to the persistence, bioaccumulation, long-range environmental transport potential and adverse effects, SCCPs are regulated as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) by the Stockholm Convention. Transformation of CPs can lead to the formation of unsaturated compounds such as chlorinated mono- (CO), di- (CdiO) and tri-olefins (CtriO). Such transformation reactions can occur at different stages of CP manipulation providing characteristic C-/Cl-homologue distributions. All this results in unique patterns that collectively create a fingerprint, which can be distinguished from CP-containing samples. Therefore, CP-fingerprinting can develop into a promising tool for future source apportionment studies and with it, the reduction of environmental burden of CPs and hazards to humans. Herein, CP-containing plastics were studied to establish fingerprints and develop this method. We analyzed four household items by reverse-phase liquid-chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source and an Orbitrap mass analyzer (RP-LC-APCI-Orbitrap-MS) operated at a resolution of 120000 (FWHM at m/z 200). MS-data of different CP-, CO-, CdiO- and CtriO-homologues were efficiently processed with an R-based automatic mass spectra evaluation routine (RASER). From the 16720 ions searched for, up to 4300 ions per sample were assigned to 340 C-/Cl-homologues of CPs and their transformation products. Specific fingerprints were deduced from the C-/Cl-homologues distributions, the carbon- (nC) and chlorine- (nCl) numbers and saturation degree. These fingerprints were compared with the ones obtained by a GC-ECNI-Orbitrap-MS method
Connecting RS OPh to [some] Type Ia Supernovae
Aims: Recurrent nova systems like RS Oph have been proposed as a possible
channel to Type Ia Supernova explosions, based on the high mass of the
accreting white dwarf. Additional support to this hypothesis has been recently
provided by the detection of circumstellar material around SN2006X and
SN2007le, showing a structure compatible with that expected for recurrent nova
outbursts.In this paper we investigate the circumstellar environment of RS Oph
and its structure, with the aim of establishing a firmer and independent link
between this class of objects and Type Ia SN progenitors.
Methods: We study the time evolution of CaII, NaI and KI absorption features
in RS Oph, before, during, and after the last outburst, using multi-epoch,
high-resolution spectroscopy, and applying the same method adopted for SN2006X
and SN2007le.
Results: A number of components, blue-shifted with respect to the systemic
velocity of RS Oph, are detected. In particular, one feature strongly weakens
in the first two weeks after the outburst, simultaneously with the
disappearance of very narrow P-Cyg profiles overimposed on the much wider nova
emission lines of H, He, FeII and other elements.
Conclusions: We interpret these facts as the signature of density
enhancements in the circumstellar material, suggesting that the recurrent
eruptions might indeed create complex structures within the material lost by
the donor star. This establishes a strong link between RS Oph and the
progenitor system of the Type Ia SN2006X, for which similar features have been
detected.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
Neutrino signatures and the neutrino-driven wind in Binary Neutron Star Mergers
We present VULCAN/2D multi-group flux-limited-diffusion radiation
hydrodynamics simulations of binary neutron star (BNS) mergers, using the Shen
equation of state, covering ~100 ms, and starting from azimuthal-averaged 2D
slices obtained from 3D SPH simulations of Rosswog & Price for 1.4 Msun
(baryonic) neutron stars with no initial spins, co-rotating spins, and
counter-rotating spins. Snapshots are post-processed at 10 ms intervals with a
multi-angle neutrino-transport solver. We find polar-enhanced neutrino
luminosities, dominated by and ``'' neutrinos at peak,
although emission may be stronger at late times. We obtain typical peak
neutrino energies for , , and ``'' of ~12, ~16,
and ~22 MeV. The super-massive neutron star (SMNS) formed from the merger has a
cooling timescale of ~1 s. Charge-current neutrino reactions lead to the
formation of a thermally-driven bipolar wind with ~10
Msun/s, baryon-loading the polar regions, and preventing any production of a
GRB prior to black-hole formation. The large budget of rotational free energy
suggests magneto-rotational effects could produce a much greater polar mass
loss. We estimate that ~10 Msun of material with electron fraction in
the range 0.1-0.2 become unbound during this SMNS phase as a result of neutrino
heating. We present a new formalism to compute the
annihilation rate based on moments of the neutrino specific intensity computed
with our multi-angle solver. Cumulative annihilation rates, which decay as
, decrease over our 100 ms window from a few 10 to ~10
erg/s, equivalent to a few 10 to ~10 pairs per second.Comment: 23 pages, 20 figures, 2 tables, submitted to ApJ, high resolution
version of the paper available at http://hermes.as.arizona.edu/~luc/ms.pd
PIC simulations of stable surface waves on a subcritical fast magnetosonic shock front
We study with particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations the stability of fast magnetosonic shocks. They expand across a collisionless plasma and an orthogonal magnetic field that is aligned with one of the directions resolved by the 2D simulations. The shock speed is 1.6 times the fast magnetosonic speed when it enters a layer with a reduced density of mobile ions, which decreases the shock speed by up to 15\% in 1D simulations. In the 2D simulations, the density of mobile ions in the layer varies sinusoidally perpendicularly to the shock normal. We resolve one sine period. This variation only leads to small changes in the shock speed evidencing a restoring force that opposes a shock deformation. As the shock propagates through the layer, the ion density becomes increasingly spatially modulated along the shock front and the magnetic field bulges out where the mobile ion density is lowest. The perturbed shock eventually reaches a steady state. Once it leaves the layer, the perturbations of the ion density and magnetic field oscillate along its front at a frequency close to the lower-hybrid frequency; the shock is mediated by a standing wave composed of obliquely propagating lower-hybrid waves. We perform three 2D simulations with different box lengths along the shock front. The shock front oscillations are aperiodically damped in the smallest box with the fastest variation of the ion density, strongly damped in the intermediate one, and weakly damped in the largest box. The shock front oscillations perturb the magnetic field in a spatial interval that extends by several electron skin depths upstream and downstream of the shock front and could give rise to Whistler waves that propagate along the shock's magnetic field overshoot. Similar waves were observed in hybrid and PIC simulations and by the MMS satellite mission
Photoevaporating flows from the cometary knots in the Helix nebula (NGC 7293)
We explain the Ha emission of the cometary knots in the Helix Nebula (NGC
7293) with an analytical model that describes the emission of the head of the
globules as a photoevaporated flow produced by the incident ionizing radiation
of the central star.We compare these models with the Ha emission obtained from
the HST archival images of the Helix Nebula. From a comparison of the Ha
emission with the predictions of the analytical model we obtain a rate of
ionizing photons from the central star of about 5e45 s^-1, which is consistent
with estimates based on the total Hb flux of the nebula. We also model the
tails of the cometary knots as a photoevaporated wind from a neutral shadow
region produced by the diffuse ionizing photon field of the nebula. A
comparison with the HST images allows us to obtain a direct determination of
the value of the diffuse ionizing flux. We compare the ratio of diffuse to
direct stellar flux as a function of radius inside an HII region with those
obtained from the observational data through the analytical tail and head wind
model. The agreement of this model with the values determined from the
observations of the knots is excellent.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
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