55 research outputs found
IRIS: A Generic Three-Dimensional Radiative Transfer Code
We present IRIS, a new generic three-dimensional (3D) spectral radiative
transfer code that generates synthetic spectra, or images. It can be used as a
diagnostic tool for comparison with astrophysical observations or laboratory
astrophysics experiments. We have developed a 3D short-characteristic solver
that works with a 3D nonuniform Cartesian grid. We have implemented a piecewise
cubic, locally monotonic, interpolation technique that dramatically reduces the
numerical diffusion effect. The code takes into account the velocity gradient
effect resulting in gradual Doppler shifts of photon frequencies and subsequent
alterations of spectral line profiles. It can also handle periodic boundary
conditions. This first version of the code assumes Local Thermodynamic
Equilibrium (LTE) and no scattering. The opacities and source functions are
specified by the user. In the near future, the capabilities of IRIS will be
extended to allow for non-LTE and scattering modeling. IRIS has been validated
through a number of tests. We provide the results for the most relevant ones,
in particular a searchlight beam test, a comparison with a 1D plane-parallel
model, and a test of the velocity gradient effect. IRIS is a generic code to
address a wide variety of astrophysical issues applied to different objects or
structures, such as accretion shocks, jets in young stellar objects, stellar
atmospheres, exoplanet atmospheres, accretion disks, rotating stellar winds,
cosmological structures. It can also be applied to model laboratory
astrophysics experiments, such as radiative shocks produced with high power
lasers.Comment: accepted for publication in A&A; 17 pages, 9 figures, 2 table
Optical Albedo Theory of Strongly-Irradiated Giant Planets: The Case of HD 209458b
We calculate a new suite of albedo models for close-in extrasolar giant
planets and compare with the recent stringent upper limit for HD 209458b of
Rowe et al. using MOST. We find that all models without scattering clouds are
consistent with this optical limit. We explore the dependence on wavelength and
waveband, metallicity, the degree of heat redistribution, and the possible
presence of thermal inversions and find a rich diversity of behaviors.
Measurements of transiting extrasolar giant planets (EGPs) at short wavelengths
by MOST, Kepler, and CoRoT, as well as by proposed dedicated multi-band
missions, can complement measurements in the near- and mid-IR using {\it
Spitzer} and JWST. Collectively, such measurements can help determine
metallicity, compositions, atmospheric temperatures, and the cause of thermal
inversions (when they arise) for EGPs with a broad range of radii, masses,
degrees of stellar insolation, and ages. With this paper, we reappraise and
highlight the diagnostic potential of albedo measurements of hot EGPs shortward
of 1.3 m.Comment: 6 pages, 1 table, 1 color figure; accepted to the Astrophysical
Journa
Origin of the wide-angle hot H2 in DG Tauri: New insight from SINFONI spectro-imaging
We wish to test the origins proposed for the extended hot H2 at 2000K around
the atomic jet from the T Tauri star DGTau, in order to constrain the
wide-angle wind structure and the possible presence of an MHD disk wind. We
present flux calibrated IFS observations in H2 1-0 S(1) obtained with
SINFONI/VLT. Thanks to spatial deconvolution by the PSF and to accurate
correction for uneven slit illumination, we performed a thorough analysis and
modeled the morphology, kinematics, and surface brightness. We also compared
our results with studies in [FeII], [OI], and FUV-pumped H2. The
limb-brightened H2 emission in the blue lobe is strikingly similar to
FUV-pumped H2 imaged 6yr later, confirming that they trace the same hot gas and
setting an upper limit of 12km/s on any expansion proper motion. The wide-angle
H2 rims are at lower blueshifts than probed by narrow long-slit spectra. We
confirm that they extend to larger angle and to lower speed the onion-like
velocity structure observed in optical atomic lines. The latter is shown to be
steady over more/equal than 4yr but undetected in [FeII] by SINFONI, probably
due to strong iron depletion. The H2 rim thickness less/equal than 14AU rules
out excitation by C-shocks, and J-shock speeds are constrained to 10km/s. We
find that explaining the H2 wide-angle emission with a shocked layer requires
either a recent outburst (15yr) into a pre-existing ambient outflow or an
excessive wind mass flux. A slow photoevaporative wind from the dense
irradiated disk surface and an MHD disk wind heated by ambipolar diffusion seem
to be more promising and need to be modeled in more detail
Radiative accretion shocks along nonuniform stellar magnetic fields in classical T Tauri stars
(abridged) AIMS. We investigate the dynamics and stability of post-shock
plasma streaming along nonuniform stellar magnetic fields at the impact region
of accretion columns. We study how the magnetic field configuration and
strength determine the structure, geometry, and location of the shock-heated
plasma. METHODS. We model the impact of an accretion stream onto the
chromosphere of a CTTS by 2D axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Our
model takes into account the gravity, the radiative cooling, and the
magnetic-field-oriented thermal conduction. RESULTS. The structure, stability,
and location of the shocked plasma strongly depend on the configuration and
strength of the magnetic field. For weak magnetic fields, a large component of
B may develop perpendicular to the stream at the base of the accretion column,
limiting the sinking of the shocked plasma into the chromosphere. An envelope
of dense and cold chromospheric material may also develop around the shocked
column. For strong magnetic fields, the field configuration determines the
position of the shock and its stand-off height. If the field is strongly
tapered close to the chromosphere, an oblique shock may form well above the
stellar surface. In general, a nonuniform magnetic field makes the distribution
of emission measure vs. temperature of the shocked plasma lower than in the
case of uniform magnetic field. CONCLUSIONS. The initial strength and
configuration of the magnetic field in the impact region of the stream are
expected to influence the chromospheric absorption and, therefore, the
observability of the shock-heated plasma in the X-ray band. The field strength
and configuration influence also the energy balance of the shocked plasma, its
emission measure at T > 1 MK being lower than expected for a uniform field. The
above effects contribute in underestimating the mass accretion rates derived in
the X-ray band.Comment: 11 pages, 11 Figures; accepted for publication on A&A. Version with
full resolution images can be found at
http://www.astropa.unipa.it/~orlando/PREPRINTS/sorlando_accretion_shocks.pd
Magnetohydrodynamic modeling of the accretion shocks in classical T Tauri stars: the role of local absorption on the X-ray emission
We investigate the properties of X-ray emission from accretion shocks in
classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs), generated where the infalling material impacts
the stellar surface. Both observations and models of the accretion process
reveal several aspects that are still unclear: the observed X-ray luminosity in
accretion shocks is below the predicted value, and the density versus
temperature structure of the shocked plasma, with increasing densities at
higher temperature, deduced from the observations, is at odds with that
proposed in the current picture of accretion shocks. To address these open
issues we investigate whether a correct treatment of the local absorption by
the surrounding medium is crucial to explain the observations. To this end, we
describe the impact of an accretion stream on a CTTS by considering a
magnetohydrodynamic model. From the model results we synthesize the X-ray
emission from the accretion shock by producing maps and spectra. We perform
density and temperature diagnostics on the synthetic spectra, and we directly
compare the results with the observations. Our model shows that the X-ray
fluxes inferred from the emerging spectra are lower than expected because of
the complex local absorption by the optically thick material of the
chromosphere and of the unperturbed stream. Moreover, our model including the
effects of local absorption explains in a natural way the apparently puzzling
pattern of density versus temperature observed in the X-ray emission from
accretion shocks.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letters; 5 pages, 4
figure
X-rays from accretion shocks in classical T Tauri stars: 2D MHD modeling and the role of local absorption
In classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) strong shocks are formed where the accretion funnel impacts with the denser stellar chromosphere. Although current models of accretion provide a plausible global picture of this process, some fundamental aspects are still unclear: the observed X-ray luminosity in accretion shocks is order of magnitudes lower than predicted; the observed density and temperature structures of the hot post-shock region are puzzling and still unexplained by models. To address these issues we performed 2D MHD simulations describing an accretion stream impacting onto the chromosphere of a CTTS, exploring different configurations and strengths of the magnetic field. From the model results we then synthesized the X-ray emission emerging from the hot post-shock, taking into account the local absorption due to the pre-shock stream and surrounding atmosphere. We find that the different configurations and strengths of the magnetic field profoundly affect the hot post-shock properties. Moreover the emerging X-ray emission strongly depends also on the viewing angle under which accretion is observed. Some of the explored configuration are able to reproduce the observed features of X-ray spectra of CTTS. © International Astronomical Union 2014
WASP-31b: a low-density planet transiting a metal-poor, late-F-type dwarf star
We report the discovery of the low-density, transiting giant planet WASP-31b.
The planet is 0.48 Jupiter masses and 1.55 Jupiter radii. It is in a 3.4-day
orbit around a metal-poor, late-F-type, V = 11.7 dwarf star, which is a member
of a common proper motion pair. In terms of its low density, WASP-31b is second
only to WASP-17b, which is a more highly irradiated planet of similar mass.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, 4 tables. As accepted for publication in A&A;
bibcode = 2011A&A...531A..60
3D YSO accretion shock simulations: a study of the magnetic, chromospheric and stochastic flow effects
The structure and dynamics of young stellar object (YSO) accretion shocks depend strongly on the local magnetic field strength and configuration, as well as on the radiative transfer effects responsible for the energy losses. We present the first 3D YSO shock simulations of the interior of the stream, assuming a uniform background magnetic field, a clumpy infalling gas, and an acoustic energy flux flowing at the base of the chromosphere. We study the dynamical evolution and the post-shock structure as a function of the plasma-beta (thermal pressure over magnetic pressure). We find that a strong magnetic field (~hundreds of Gauss) leads to the formation of fibrils in the shocked gas due to the plasma confinement within flux tubes. The corresponding emission is smooth and fully distinguishable from the case of a weak magnetic field (~tenths of Gauss) where the hot slab demonstrates chaotic motion and oscillates periodicall
3D numerical modeling of YSO accretion shocks
The dynamics of YSO accretion shocks is determined by radiative processes as well as the strength and structure of the magnetic field. A quasi-periodic emission signature is theoretically expected to be observed, but observations do not confirm any such pattern. In this work, we assume a uniform background field, in the regime of optically thin energy losses, and we study the multi-dimensional shock evolution in the presence of perturbations, i.e. clumps in the stream and an acoustic energy flux flowing at the base of the chromosphere. We perform 3D MHD simulations using the PLUTO code, modelling locally the impact of the infalling gas onto the chromosphere. We find that the structure and dynamics of the post-shock region is strongly dependent on the plasma-beta (thermal over magnetic pressure), different values of which may give distinguishable emission signatures, relevant for observations. In particular, a strong magnetic field effectively confines the plasma inside its flux tubes and leads to the formation of quasi-independent fibrils. The fibrils may oscillate out of phase and hence the sum of their contributions in the emission results in a smooth overall profile. On the contrary, a weak magnetic field is not found to have any significant effect on the shocked plasma and the turbulent hot slab that forms is found to retain its periodic signature
Thermal Emission and Tidal Heating of the Heavy and Eccentric Planet XO-3b
We determined the flux ratios of the heavy and eccentric planet XO-3b to its
parent star in the four IRAC bands of the Spitzer Space Telescope: 0.101% +-
0.004% at 3.6 micron; 0.143% +- 0.006% at 4.5 micron; 0.134% +- 0.049% at 5.8
micron and 0.150% +- 0.036% at 8.0 micron. The flux ratios are within
[-2.2,0.3, -0.8, -1.7]-sigma of the model of XO-3b with a thermally inverted
stratosphere in the 3.6 micron, 4.5 micron, 5.8 micron and 8.0 micron channels,
respectively. XO-3b has a high illumination from its parent star (Fp ~(1.9 -
4.2) x 10^9 ergs cm^-2 s^-1) and is thus expected to have a thermal inversion,
which we indeed observe. When combined with existing data for other planets,
the correlation between the presence of an atmospheric temperature inversion
and the substellar flux is insufficient to explain why some high insolation
planets like TrES-3 do not have stratospheric inversions and some low
insolation planets like XO-1b do have inversions. Secondary factors such as
sulfur chemistry, atmospheric metallicity, amounts of macroscopic mixing in the
stratosphere or even dynamical weather effects likely play a role. Using the
secondary eclipse timing centroids we determined the orbital eccentricity of
XO-3b as e = 0.277 +- 0.009. The model radius-age trajectories for XO-3b imply
that at least some amount of tidal-heating is required to inflate the radius of
XO-3b, and the tidal heating parameter of the planet is constrained to Qp <
10^6 .Comment: Accepted for publications in The Astrophysical Journa
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