1,686 research outputs found
Stationary state after a quench to the Lieb-Liniger from rotating BECs
We study long-time dynamics of a bosonic system after suddenly switching on
repulsive delta-like interactions. As initial states, we consider two
experimentally relevant configurations: a rotating BEC and two
counter-propagating BECs with opposite momentum, both on a ring. In the first
case, the rapidity distribution function for the stationary state is derived
analytically and it is given by the distribution obtained for the same quench
starting from a BEC, shifted by the momentum of each boson. In the second case,
the rapidity distribution function is obtained numerically for generic values
of repulsive interaction and initial momentum. The significant differences for
the case of large versus small quenches are discussed.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figures; v2) added proof and clarifications in the
appendix; matches published versio
Polarization properties of turbulent synchrotron bubbles: an approach based on Chandrasekhar-Kendall functions
Synchrotron emitting bubbles arise when the outflow from a compact
relativistic engine, either a Black Hole or a Neutron Star, impacts on the
environment. The emission properties of synchrotron radiation are widely used
to infer the dynamical properties of these bubbles, and from them the injection
conditions of the engine. Radio polarization offers an important tool to
investigate the level and spectrum of turbulence, the magnetic field
configuration, and possibly the degree of mixing. Here we introduce a formalism
based on Chandrasekhar-Kendall functions that allows us to properly take into
account the geometry of the bubble, going beyond standard analysis based on
periodic cartesian domains. We investigate how different turbulent spectra,
magnetic helicity and particle distribution function, impact on global
properties that are easily accessible to observations, even at low resolution,
and we provide fitting formulae to relate observed quantities to the underlying
magnetic field structure.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, to be published in MNRA
Modeling Radio Circular Polarization in the Crab Nebula
In this paper we present, for the first time, simulated maps of the
circularly polarized synchrotron emission from the Crab nebula, using
multidimensional state of the art models for the magnetic field geometry.
Synchrotron emission is the signature of non-thermal emitting particles,
typical of many high-energy astrophysical sources, both Galactic and
extra-galactic ones. Its spectral and polarization properties allow us to infer
key informations on the particles distribution function and magnetic field
geometry. In recent years our understanding of pulsar wind nebulae has improved
substantially thanks to a combination of observations and numerical models. A
robust detection or non-detection of circular polarization will enable us to
discriminate between an electron-proton plasma and a pair plasma, clarifying
once for all the origin of the radio emitting particles, setting strong
constraints on the pair production in pulsar magnetosphere, and the role of
turbulence in the nebula. Previous attempts at measuring the circular
polarization have only provided upper limits, but the lack of accurate
estimates, based on reliable models, makes their interpretation ambiguous. We
show here that those results are above the expected values, and that current
polarimetric tecniques are not robust enough for conclusive result, suggesting
that improvements in construction and calibration of next generation radio
facilities are necessary to achieve the desired sensitivity.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
GRMHD in axisymmetric dynamical spacetimes: the X-ECHO code
We present a new numerical code, X-ECHO, for general relativistic
magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD) in dynamical spacetimes. This is aimed at studying
astrophysical situations where strong gravity and magnetic fields are both
supposed to play an important role, such as for the evolution of magnetized
neutron stars or for the gravitational collapse of the magnetized rotating
cores of massive stars, which is the astrophysical scenario believed to
eventually lead to (long) GRB events. The code is based on the extension of the
Eulerian conservative high-order (ECHO) scheme [Del Zanna et al., A&A 473, 11
(2007)] for GRMHD, here coupled to a novel solver for the Einstein equations in
the extended conformally flat condition (XCFC). We fully exploit the 3+1
Eulerian formalism, so that all the equations are written in terms of familiar
3D vectors and tensors alone, we adopt spherical coordinates for the conformal
background metric, and we consider axisymmetric spacetimes and fluid
configurations. The GRMHD conservation laws are solved by means of
shock-capturing methods within a finite-difference discretization, whereas, on
the same numerical grid, the Einstein elliptic equations are treated by
resorting to spherical harmonics decomposition and solved, for each harmonic,
by inverting band diagonal matrices. As a side product, we build and make
available to the community a code to produce GRMHD axisymmetric equilibria for
polytropic relativistic stars in the presence of differential rotation and a
purely toroidal magnetic field. This uses the same XCFC metric solver of the
main code and has been named XNS. Both XNS and the full X-ECHO codes are
validated through several tests of astrophysical interest.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Magnetars and Gamma Ray Bursts
In the last few years, evidences for a long-lived and sustained engine in
Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) have increased the attention to the so called
millisecond-magnetar model, as a competitive alternative to the standard
collapsar scenario. I will review here the key aspects of the {\it millisecond
magnetar} model for Long Duration Gamma Ray Bursts (LGRBs). I will briefly
describe what constraints, present observations put on any engine model, both
in term of energetic, outflow properties, and the relation with the associated
Supernova (SN). For each of these I will show how the millisecond magnetar
model satisfies the requirements, what are the limits of the model, how can it
be further tested, and what observations might be used to discriminate against
it. I will also discuss numerical results that show the importance of the
confinement by the progenitor star in explaining the formation of a collimated
outflow, how a detailed model for the evolution of the central engine can be
built, and show that a wide variety of explosive events can be explained by
different magnetar parameters. I will conclude with a suggestion that magnetars
might be at the origin of the Extended Emission (EE) observed in a significant
fraction of Short GRBs.Comment: 8 pages; to appear in Proceedings of IAU 279 "Death of Massive Stars:
Supernovae and Gamma-ray Bursts
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