Large-scale calculations of supernova neutrino-induced reactions in Z=8-82 target nuclei

Background: In the environment of high neutrino-fluxes provided in core-collapse supernovae or neutron star mergers, neutrino-induced reactions with nuclei contribute to the nucleosynthesis processes. A number of terrestrial neutrino detectors are based on inelastic neutrino-nucleus scattering and modeling of the respective cross sections allow predictions of the expected detector reaction rates. Purpose: To provide a self-consistent microscopic description of neutrino-nucleus cross sections involving a large pool of Z = 8 - 82 nuclei for the implementation in models of nucleosynthesis and neutrino detector simulations. Methods: Self-consistent theory framework based on relativistic nuclear energy density functional is employed to determine the nuclear structure of the initial state and relevant transitions to excited states induced by neutrinos. The weak neutrino-nucleus interaction is employed in the current-current form and a complete set of transition operators is taken into account. Results: We perform large-scale calculations of charged-current neutrino-nucleus cross sections, including those averaged over supernova neutrino fluxes, for the set of even-even target nuclei from oxygen toward lead (Z = 8 - 82), spanning N = 8 - 182 (OPb pool). The model calculations include allowed and forbidden transitions up to J = 5 multipoles. Conclusions: The present analysis shows that the self-consistent calculations result in considerable differences in comparison to previously reported cross sections, and for a large number of target nuclei the cross sections are enhanced. Revision in modeling r-process nucleosynthesis based on a self-consistent description of neutrino-induced reactions would allow an updated insight into the origin of elements in the Universe and it would provide the estimate of uncertainties in the calculated element abundance patterns.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Physical Review

hp-adaptive discontinuous Galerkin solver for elliptic equations in numerical relativity

A considerable amount of attention has been given to discontinuous Galerkin methods for hyperbolic problems in numerical relativity, showing potential advantages of the methods in dealing with hydrodynamical shocks and other discontinuities. This paper investigates discontinuous Galerkin methods for the solution of elliptic problems in numerical relativity. We present a novel hp-adaptive numerical scheme for curvilinear and non-conforming meshes. It uses a multigrid preconditioner with a Chebyshev or Schwarz smoother to create a very scalable discontinuous Galerkin code on generic domains. The code employs compactification to move the outer boundary near spatial infinity. We explore the properties of the code on some test problems, including one mimicking Neutron stars with phase transitions. We also apply it to construct initial data for two or three black holes

Dimensional crossover in Sr2_2RuO4_4 within slave-boson mean-field theory

Motivated by the anomalous temperature dependence of the c-axis resistivity of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, the dimensional crossover from a network of perpendicular one-dimensional chains to a two-dimensional system due to a weak hybridization between the perpendicular chains is studied. The corresponding two-orbital Hubbard model is treated within a slave-boson mean-field theory (SBMFT) to take correlation effects into account such as the spin-charge separation on the one-dimensional chains. Using an RPA-like formulation for the Green's function of collective spinon-holon excitations the emergence of quasiparticles at low-temperatures is examined. The results are used to discuss the evolution of the spectral density and the c-axis transport within a tunneling approach. For the latter a regime change between low- and high-temperature regime is found in qualitative accordance with experimental data

Metastability and uniqueness of vortex states at depinning

We present results from numerical simulations of transport of vortices in the zero-field cooled (ZFC) and the field-cooled (FC) state of a type-II superconductor. In the absence of an applied current $I$, we find that the FC state has a lower defect density than the ZFC state, and is stable against thermal cycling. On the other hand, by cycling $I$, surprisingly we find that the ZFC state is the stable state. The FC state is metastable as manifested by increasing $I$ to the depinning current $I_{c}$, in which case the FC state evolves into the ZFC state. We also find that all configurations acquire a unique defect density at the depinning transition independent of the history of the initial states.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Problem of page size correcte

Enhanced tracer transport by the spiral defect chaos state of a convecting fluid

To understand how spatiotemporal chaos may modify material transport, we use direct numerical simulations of the three-dimensional Boussinesq equations and of an advection-diffusion equation to study the transport of a passive tracer by the spiral defect chaos state of a convecting fluid. The simulations show that the transport is diffusive and is enhanced by the spatiotemporal chaos. The enhancement in tracer diffusivity follows two regimes. For large Peclet numbers (that is, small molecular diffusivities of the tracer), we find that the enhancement is proportional to the Peclet number. For small Peclet numbers, the enhancement is proportional to the square root of the Peclet number. We explain the presence of these two regimes in terms of how the local transport depends on the local wave numbers of the convection rolls. For large Peclet numbers, we further find that defects cause the tracer diffusivity to be enhanced locally in the direction orthogonal to the local wave vector but suppressed in the direction of the local wave vector.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figure