Electron-Neutrino Bremsstrahlung in Electro-Weak Theory

The electron-neutrino bremsstrahlung process has been considered in the framework of electro-weak theory. The scattering cross section has been calculated in the center of mass frame and approximated to extreme relativistic as well as non-relativistic case. The rate of energy-loss via this type of bremsstrahlung process has been obtained both in non-degenerate and degenerate region. The effect of this electron-neutrino bremsstrahlung process in different ranges of temperature and density characterizing the late stages of stellar evolution has been discussed. It is found from our study that this bremsstrahlung process is highly important in the non-degenerate region, although it might have some significant effect in the extreme relativistic degenerate region.Comment: 18 pages including 4 figures and 1 table; Published in J. Phys

Asymptotic self-similar solutions with a characteristic time-scale

For a wide variety of initial and boundary conditions, adiabatic one dimensional flows of an ideal gas approach self-similar behavior when the characteristic length scale over which the flow takes place, $R$, diverges or tends to zero. It is commonly assumed that self-similarity is approached since in the $R\to\infty(0)$ limit the flow becomes independent of any characteristic length or time scales. In this case the flow fields $f(r,t)$ must be of the form $f(r,t)=t^{\alpha_f}F(r/R)$ with $R\propto(\pm t)^\alpha$. We show that requiring the asymptotic flow to be independent only of characteristic length scales imply a more general form of self-similar solutions, $f(r,t)=R^{\delta_f}F(r/R)$ with $\dot{R}\propto R^\delta$, which includes the exponential ($\delta=1$) solutions, $R\propto e^{t/\tau}$. We demonstrate that the latter, less restrictive, requirement is the physically relevant one by showing that the asymptotic behavior of accelerating blast-waves, driven by the release of energy at the center of a cold gas sphere of initial density $\rho\propto r^{-\omega}$, changes its character at large $\omega$: The flow is described by $0\le\delta<1$, $R\propto t^{1/(1-\delta)}$, solutions for $\omega1$ solutions with $R\propto (-t)^{1/(\delta-1)}$ diverging at finite time ($t=0$) for $\omega>\omega_c$, and by exponential solutions for $\omega=\omega_c$ ($\omega_c$ depends on the adiabatic index of the gas, $\omega_c\sim8$ for $4/3<\gamma<5/3$). The properties of the new solutions obtained here for $\omega\ge\omega_c$ are analyzed, and self-similar solutions describing the $t>0$ behavior for $\omega>\omega_c$ are also derived.Comment: Minor corrections, Accepted to Ap

Neutrino Bremsstrahlung Process in highly degenerate magnetized electron gas

In this article the neutrino bremsstrahlung process is considered in presence of strong magnetic field, though the calculations for this process in absence of magnetic field are also carried out simultaneously. The electrons involved in this process are supposed to be highly degenerate and relativistic. The scattering cross sections and energy loss rates for both cases, in presence and absence of magnetic field, are calculated in the extreme-relativistic limit. Two results are compared in the range of temperature $5.9\times 10^{9}$ K $< T\leq 10^{11}$ K and magnetic field $10^{14} - 10^{16}$ G at a fixed density $\sim 10^{15}$ $gm/cc$, a typical environment during the cooling of magnetized neutron star. The interpretation of our result is briefly discussed and the importance of this process during the stellar evolution is speculated.Comment: 12 pages including 2 figures and 1 tabl

On the stability of accelerating relativistic shock waves

We consider the corrugation instability of the self-similar flow with an accelerating shock in the highly relativistic regime. We derive the correct dispersion relation for the proper modes in the self-similar regime, and conclude that this solution is unstable.Comment: 25 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

The early UV/Optical emission from core-collapse supernovae

We derive a simple approximate model describing the early, hours to days, UV/optical supernova emission, which is produced by the expansion of the outer <~0.01 solar mass part of the shock-heated envelope, and precedes the optical emission driven by radioactive decay. Our model includes an approximate description of the time dependence of the opacity (due mainly to recombination), and of the deviation of the emitted spectrum from a black body spectrum. We show that the characteristics of the early UV/O emission constrain the radius of the progenitor star, its envelope composition, and the ratio of the ejecta energy to its mass, E/M. For He envelopes, neglecting the effect of recombination may lead to an over estimate of progenitor radius by more than an order of magnitude. We also show that the relative extinction at different wavelengths may be inferred from the light-curves at these wave-lengths, removing the uncertainty in the estimate of progenitor radius due to reddening (but not the uncertainty in E/M due to uncertainty in absolute extinction). The early UV/O observations of the type Ib SN2008D and of the type IIp SNLS-04D2dc are consistent with our model predictions. For SN2008D we find progenitor radius to be approx. 10^11 cm, and an indication that the He envelope contains a significant C/O fraction.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figures. Expanded discussion of diffusio

Supernova Properties from Shock Breakout X-rays

We investigate the potential of the upcoming LOBSTER space observatory (due circa 2009) to detect soft X-ray flashes from shock breakout in supernovae, primarily from Type II events. LOBSTER should discover many SN breakout flashes, although the number is sensitive to the uncertain distribution of extragalactic gas columns. X-ray data will constrain the radii of their progenitor stars far more tightly than can be accomplished with optical observations of the SN light curve. We anticipate the appearance of blue supergiant explosions (SN 1987A analogs), which will uncover a population of these underluminous events. We consider also how the mass, explosion energy, and absorbing column can be constrained from X-ray observables alone and with the assistance of optically-determined distances. These conclusions are drawn using known scaling relations to extrapolate, from previous numerical calculations, the LOBSTER response to explosions with a broad range of parameters. We comment on a small population of flashes with 0.2 < z < 0.8 that should exist as transient background events in XMM, Chandra, and ROSAT integrations.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, accepted by MNRAS, presented at AAS 203rd meetin