Draping of Cluster Magnetic Fields over Bullets and Bubbles -- Morphology and Dynamic Effects

High-resolution X-ray observations have revealed cavities and `cold fronts' with sharp edges in temperature, density, and metallicity within galaxy clusters. Their presence poses a puzzle since these features are not expected to be hydrodynamically stable, or to remain sharp in the presence of diffusion. However, a moving core or bubble in even a very weakly magnetized plasma necessarily sweeps up enough magnetic field to build up a dynamically important sheath around the object; the layer's strength is set by a competition between `plowing up' of field and field lines slipping around the core. We show that a two-dimensional approach to the problem is quite generally not possible. In three dimensions, we show with analytic arguments and in numerical experiments, that this magnetic layer modifies the dynamics of a plunging core, greatly modifies the effects of hydrodynamic instabilities on the core, modifies the geometry of stripped material, and even slows the fall of the core through magnetic tension. We derive an expression for the maximum magnetic field strength, the thickness of the layer, and the opening angle of the magnetic wake. The morphology of the magnetic draping layer implies the suppression of thermal conduction across the layer, thus conserving strong temperature gradients over the contact surface. The intermittent amplification of the magnetic field as well as the injection of MHD turbulence in the wake of the core is identified to be due to vorticity generation within the magnetic draping layer. These results have important consequences for understanding the physical properties and the complex gasdynamical processes of the intra-cluster medium, and apply quite generally to motions through other magnetized environments, e.g., the ISM.Comment: For version of this paper with interactive 3D graphics and full-resolution figures, see http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~ljdursi/draping/ . 19p, 26 figures, emulateapj format. Version accepted by ApJ - new references, improved figure

Propagation of the First Flames in Type Ia Supernovae

We consider the competition of the different physical processes that can affect the evolution of a flame bubble in a Type Ia supernovae -- burning, turbulence and buoyancy. Even in the vigorously turbulent conditions of a convecting white dwarf, thermonuclear burning that begins at a point near the center (within 100 km) of the star is dominated by the spherical laminar expansion of the flame, until the burning region reaches kilometers in size. Consequently flames that ignite in the inner ~20 km promptly burn through the center, and flame bubbles anywhere must grow quite large--indeed, resolvable by large-scale simulations of the global system--for significant motion or deformation occur. As a result, any hot-spot that successfully ignites into a flame can burn a significant amount of white dwarf material. This potentially increases the stochastic nature of the explosion compared to a scenario where a simmering progenitor can have small early hot-spots float harmlessly away. Further, the size where the laminar flame speed dominates other relevant velocities sets a characteristic scale for fragmentation of larger flame structures, as nothing--by definition--can easily break the burning region into smaller volumes. This makes possible the development of semi-analytic descriptions of the earliest phase of the propagation of burning in a Type Ia supernovae, which we present here. Our analysis is supported by fully resolved numerical simulations of flame bubbles.Comment: 33 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Simulations of Astrophysical Fluid Instabilities

We present direct numerical simulations of mixing at Rayleigh-Taylor unstable interfaces performed with the FLASH code, developed at the ASCI/Alliances Center for Astrophysical Thermonuclear Flashes at the University of Chicago. We present initial results of single-mode studies in two and three dimensions. Our results indicate that three-dimensional instabilities grow significantly faster than two-dimensional instabilities and that grid resolution can have a significant effect on instability growth rates. We also find that unphysical diffusive mixing occurs at the fluid interface, particularly in poorly resolved simulations.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure. To appear in the proceedings of the 20th Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysic

Large-Scale Simulations of Clusters of Galaxies

We discuss some of the computational challenges encountered in simulating the evolution of clusters of galaxies. Eulerian adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) techniques can successfully address these challenges but are currently being used by only a few groups. We describe our publicly available AMR code, FLASH, which uses an object-oriented framework to manage its AMR library, physics modules, and automated verification. We outline the development of the FLASH framework to include collisionless particles, permitting it to be used for cluster simulation.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Proceedings of the VII International Workshop on Advanced Computing and Analysis Techniques in Physics Research (ACAT 2000), Fermilab, Oct. 16-20, 200

Onset of Convectionon a Pre-Runaway White Dwarf

Observed novae abundances and explosion energies estimated from observations indicate that there must be significant mixing of the heavier material of the white dwarf (C+O) into the lighter accreted material (H+He). Accordingly, nova models must incorporate a mechanism that will dredge up the heavier white dwarf material, and fluid motions from an early convection phase is one proposed mechanism. We present results from two-dimensional simulations of classical nova precursor models that demonstrate the beginning of a convective phase during the `simmering' of a Nova precursor. We use a new hydrostatic equilibrium hydrodynamics module recently developed for the adaptive-mesh code FLASH. The two-dimensional models are based on the one-dimensional models of Ami Glasner, and were evolved with FLASH from a pre-convective state to the onset of convection.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, from the 2002 International Conference on Classical Novae in Sitges, Spai

Adaptively refined large eddy simulations of clusters

We present a numerical scheme for modelling unresolved turbulence in cosmological adaptive mesh refinement codes. As a first application, we study the evolution of turbulence in the intra-cluster medium and in the core of a galaxy cluster. Simulations with and without subgrid scale model are compared in detail. Since the flow in the ICM is subsonic, the global turbulent energy contribution at the unresolved length scales is smaller than 1% of the internal energy. We find that the production of turbulence is closely correlated with merger events occurring in the cluster environment, and its dissipation locally affects the cluster energy budget. Because of this additional source of dissipation, the core temperature is larger and the density is smaller in the presence of subgrid scale turbulence than in the standard adiabatic run, resulting in a higher entropy core value.Comment: Submitted to ApJ, 14 pages, 14 figures, 3 table

Mixing by Non-linear Gravity Wave Breaking on a White Dwarf Surface

We present the results of a simulation of a wind-driven non-linear gravity wave breaking on the surface of a white dwarf. The ``wind'' consists of H/He from an accreted envelope, and the simulation demonstrates that this breaking wave mechanism can produce a well-mixed layer of H/He with C/O from the white dwarf above the surface. Material from this mixed layer may then be transported throughout the accreted envelope by convection, which would enrich the C/O abundance of the envelope as is expected from observations of novae.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the International Conference on Classical Nova Explosions, Sitges, Spain, 20-24 May 200

Mixing by Non-linear Gravity Wave Breaking on a White Dwarf Surface

We present the results of a simulation of a wind-driven non-linear gravity wave breaking on the surface of a white dwarf. The ``wind'' consists of H/He from an accreted envelope, and the simulation demonstrates that this breaking wave mechanism can produce a well-mixed layer of H/He with C/O from the white dwarf above the surface. Material from this mixed layer may then be transported throughout the accreted envelope by convection, which would enrich the C/O abundance of the envelope as is expected from observations of novae.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the International Conference on Classical Nova Explosions, Sitges, Spain, 20-24 May 200

The Linear Instability of Astrophysical Flames in Magnetic Fields

Supernovae of Type Ia are used as standard candles for cosmological observations despite the as yet incomplete understanding of their explosion mechanism. In one model, these events are thought to result from subsonic burning in the core of an accreting Carbon/Oxygen white dwarf that is accelerated through flame wrinkling and flame instabilities. Many such white dwarfs have significant magnetic fields. Here we derive the linear effects of such magnetic fields on one flame instability, the well-known Landau-Darrieus instability. When the magnetic field is strong enough that the flame is everywhere sub-Alfvenic, the instability can be greatly suppressed. Super-Alfvenic flames are much less affected by the field, with flames propagating parallel to the field somewh at destabilized, and flames propagating perpendicular to the field somewhat stabili zed. Trans-Alfvenic parallel flames, however, like trans-Alfvenic parallel shocks, are seen to be non-evolutionary; understanding the behavior of these flames will require careful numerical simulation.Comment: 31 pp, 11 fig, submitted to Ap