Synthetic line and continuum linear-polarisation signatures of axisymmetric type II supernova ejecta

We present synthetic single-line and continuum linear-polarisation signatures due to electron scattering in axially-symmetric Type II supernovae (SNe) which we calculate using a Monte Carlo and a long-characteristic radiative-transfer code. Aspherical ejecta are produced by prescribing a latitudinal scaling or stretching of SN ejecta inputs obtained from 1-D non-LTE time-dependent calculations. We study polarisation signatures as a function of inclination, shape factor, wavelength, line identity, post-explosion time. At early times, cancellation and optical-depth effects make the polarisation intrinsically low, causing complicated sign reversals with inclination or continuum wavelength, and across line profiles. While the line polarisation is positive (negative) for an oblate (prolate) morphology at the peak and in the red wing, the continuum polarisation may be of any sign. These complex polarisation variations are produced not just by the asymmetric distribution of scatterers but also of the flux. Our early-time signatures are in contradiction with predictions for a centrally illuminated aspherical nebula, although this becomes a better approximation at nebular times. For a fixed asymmetry, our synthetic continuum polarisation is generally low, may evolve non-monotonically during the plateau phase, but it systematically rises as the ejecta become optically thin. Changes in polarization over time do not necessarily imply a change in the asymmetry of the ejecta. The SN structure (e.g., density/ionization) critically influences the level of polarisation. Importantly, a low polarisation (<0.5%) at early times does not necessarily imply a low degree of asymmetry as usually assumed. Asphericity influences line-profile morphology and the luminosity, which may compromise the accuracy of SN characteristics inferred from these.Comment: 25 pages, 23 figures, accepted to MNRA

Time Dependent Radiative Transfer Calculations for Supernovae

In previous papers we discussed results from fully time-dependent radiative transfer models for core-collapse supernova (SN) ejecta, including the Type II-peculiar SN 1987A, the more "generic" SN II-Plateau, and more recently Type IIb/Ib/Ic SNe. Here we describe the modifications to our radiative modeling code, CMFGEN, which allowed those studies to be undertaken. The changes allow for time-dependent radiative transfer of SN ejecta in homologous expansion. In the modeling we treat the entire SN ejecta, from the innermost layer that does not fall back on the compact remnant out to the progenitor surface layers. From our non-LTE time-dependent line-blanketed synthetic spectra, we compute the bolometric and multi-band light curves: light curves and spectra are thus calculated simultaneously using the same physical processes and numerics. These upgrades, in conjunction with our previous modifications which allow the solution of the time dependent rate equations, will improve the modeling of SN spectra and light curves, and hence facilitate new insights into SN ejecta properties, the SN progenitors and the explosion mechanism(s). CMFGEN can now be applied to the modeling of all SN typesComment: 20 pages, 10 figures, to appear in MNRA

Topological optimisation of rod-stirring devices

There are many industrial situations where rods are used to stir a fluid, or where rods repeatedly stretch a material such as bread dough or taffy. The goal in these applications is to stretch either material lines (in a fluid) or the material itself (for dough or taffy) as rapidly as possible. The growth rate of material lines is conveniently given by the topological entropy of the rod motion. We discuss the problem of optimising such rod devices from a topological viewpoint. We express rod motions in terms of generators of the braid group, and assign a cost based on the minimum number of generators needed to write the braid. We show that for one cost function -- the topological entropy per generator -- the optimal growth rate is the logarithm of the golden ratio. For a more realistic cost function,involving the topological entropy per operation where rods are allowed to move together, the optimal growth rate is the logarithm of the silver ratio, $1+\sqrt{2}$. We show how to construct devices that realise this optimal growth, which we call silver mixers.Comment: 22 pages, 53 figures. PDFLaTeX with RevTex4 macros

A one-dimensional Chandrasekhar-mass delayed-detonation model for the broad-lined Type Ia supernova 2002bo

We present 1D non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) time-dependent radiative-transfer simulations of a Chandrasekhar-mass delayed-detonation model which synthesizes 0.51 Msun of 56Ni, and confront our results to the Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) 2002bo over the first 100 days of its evolution. Assuming only homologous expansion, this same model reproduces the bolometric and multi-band light curves, the secondary near-infrared (NIR) maxima, and the optical and NIR spectra. The chemical stratification of our model qualitatively agrees with previous inferences by Stehle et al., but reveals significant quantitative differences for both iron-group and intermediate-mass elements. We show that +/-0.1 Msun (i.e., +/-20 per cent) variations in 56Ni mass have a modest impact on the bolometric and colour evolution of our model. One notable exception is the U-band, where a larger abundance of iron-group elements results in less opaque ejecta through ionization effects, our model with more 56Ni displaying a higher near-UV flux level. In the NIR range, such variations in 56Ni mass affect the timing of the secondary maxima but not their magnitude, in agreement with observational results. Moreover, the variation in the I, J, and K_s magnitudes is less than 0.1 mag within ~10 days from bolometric maximum, confirming the potential of NIR photometry of SNe Ia for cosmology. Overall, the delayed-detonation mechanism in single Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf progenitors seems well suited for SN 2002bo and similar SNe Ia displaying a broad Si II 6355 A line. Whatever multidimensional processes are at play during the explosion leading to these events, they must conspire to produce an ejecta comparable to our spherically-symmetric model.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. The hydrodynamical input and synthetic spectra are available at https://www-n.oca.eu/supernova/home.html . Minor changes from v1: corrected several typos and updated acknowledgement

Topological Mixing with Ghost Rods

Topological chaos relies on the periodic motion of obstacles in a two-dimensional flow in order to form nontrivial braids. This motion generates exponential stretching of material lines, and hence efficient mixing. Boyland et al. [P. L. Boyland, H. Aref, and M. A. Stremler, J. Fluid Mech. 403, 277 (2000)] have studied a specific periodic motion of rods that exhibits topological chaos in a viscous fluid. We show that it is possible to extend their work to cases where the motion of the stirring rods is topologically trivial by considering the dynamics of special periodic points that we call ghost rods, because they play a similar role to stirring rods. The ghost rods framework provides a new technique for quantifying chaos and gives insight into the mechanisms that produce chaos and mixing. Numerical simulations for Stokes flow support our results.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures. RevTeX4 format. (Final version

A Fake Split Supersymmetry Model for the 126 GeV Higgs

We consider a scenario where supersymmetry is broken at a high energy scale, out of reach of the LHC, but leaves a few fermionic states at the TeV scale. The particle content of the low-energy effective theory is similar to that of Split Supersymmetry. However, the gauginos and higgsinos are replaced by fermions carrying the same quantum numbers but having different couplings, which we call fake gauginos and fake higgsinos. We study the prediction for the light-Higgs mass in this Fake Split SUSY Model (FSSM). We find that, in contrast to Split or high-scale supersymmetry, a 126 GeV Higgs boson is easily obtained even for arbitrarily high values of the supersymmetry scale. For a supersymmetry scale greater than roughly 100 PeV, the Higgs mass is almost independent of the supersymmetry scale and the stop mixing parameter, while the observed value is achieved for tan beta between 1.3 and 1.8 depending on the gluino mass.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures; v2: matches published versio

Critical ingredients of supernova Ia radiative-transfer modeling

We explore the physics of SN Ia light curves and spectra using the 1-D non-LTE time-dependent radiative-transfer code CMFGEN. Rather than adjusting ejecta properties to match observations, we select as input one "standard" 1-D Chandrasekhar-mass delayed-detonation hydrodynamical model, and then explore the sensitivity of radiation and gas properties on radiative-transfer modeling assumptions. The correct computation of SN Ia radiation is not exclusively a solution to an "opacity problem", characterized by the treatment of a large number of lines. It is also key to treat important atomic processes consistently. Besides handling line blanketing in non-LTE, we show that including forbidden line transitions of metals is increasingly important for the temperature and ionization of the gas beyond maximum light. Non-thermal ionization and excitation are also critical since they affect the color evolution and the Delta-M15 of our model. While impacting little the bolometric luminosity, a more complete treatment of decay routes leads to enhanced line blanketing, e.g., associated with 48Ti in the U and B bands. Overall, we find that SN Ia radiation properties are influenced in a complicated way by the atomic data we employ, so that obtaining converged results is a challenge. We nonetheless obtain a good match to the golden standard type Ia SN 2005cf in the optical and near-IR, from 5 to 60d after explosion, suggesting that assuming spherical symmetry is not detrimental to SN Ia radiative-transfer modeling at these times. Multi-D effects no doubt matter, but they are perhaps less important than accurately treating non-LTE processes [abridged].Comment: Accepted to MNRA

Constraints on the explosion mechanism and progenitors of type Ia supernovae

Observations of SN 2011fe at early times reveal an evolution analogous to a fireball model of constant color. In contrast, our unmixed delayed detonations of Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarfs (DDC series) exhibit a faster brightening concomitant with a shift in color to the blue. In this paper, we study the origin of these discrepancies. We find that strong chemical mixing largely resolves the photometric mismatch at early times, but it leads to an enhanced line broadening that contrasts, for example, with the markedly narrow SiII6355A line of SN 2011fe. We also explore an alternative configuration with pulsational-delayed detonations (PDDEL model series). Because of the pulsation, PDDEL models retain more unburnt carbon, have little mass at high velocity, and have a much hotter outer ejecta after the explosion. The pulsation does not influence the inner ejecta, so PDDEL and DDC models exhibit similar radiative properties beyond maximum. However, at early times, PDDEL models show bluer optical colors and a higher luminosity, even for weak mixing. Their early-time radiation is derived primarily from the initial shock-deposited energy in the outer ejecta rather than radioactive decay heating. Furthermore, PDDEL models show short-lived CII lines, reminiscent of SN 2013dy. They typically exhibit lines that are weaker, narrower, and of near-constant width, reminiscent of SN 2011fe. In addition to multi-dimensional effects, varying configurations for such ``pulsations" offer a source of spectral diversity amongst SNe Ia. PDDEL and DDC models also provide one explanation for low- and high-velocity gradient SNe Ia.Comment: Accepted to MNRA