Electrostatic Potentials in Supernova Remnant Shocks

Recent advances in the understanding of the properties of supernova remnant shocks have been precipitated by theChandra and XMM X-ray Observatories, and the HESS Atmospheric Čerenkov Telescope in the TeV band. A critical problem for this field is the understanding of the relative degree of dissipative heating/energization of electrons and ions in the shock layer. This impacts the interpretation of X-ray observations, and moreover influences the efficiency of injection into the acceleration process, which in turn feeds back into the thermal shock layer energetics and dynamics. This paper outlines the first stages of our exploration of the role of charge separation potentials in non-relativistic electron-ion shocks where the inertial gyro-scales are widely disparate, using results from a Monte Carlo simulation. Charge density spatial profiles were obtained in the linear regime, sampling the inertial scales for both ions and electrons, for different magnetic field obliquities. These were readily integrated to acquire electric field profiles in the absence of self-consistent, spatial readjustments between the electrons and the ions. It was found that while diffusion plays little role in modulating the linear field structure in highly oblique and perpendicular shocks, in quasi-parallel shocks, where charge separations induced by gyrations are small, and shock-layer electric fields are predominantly generated on diffusive scales.     

General polytropic magnetofluid under self-gravity: Voids and shocks

We study the self-similar magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) of a quasi-spherical expanding void (viz. cavity or bubble) surrounding the centre of a self-gravitating gas sphere with a general polytropic equation of state. We show various analytic asymptotic solutions near the void boundary in different parameter regimes and obtain the corresponding void solutions by extensive numerical explorations. We find novel void solutions of zero density on the void boundary. These new void solutions exist only in a general polytropic gas and feature shell-type density profiles. These void solutions, if not encountering the magnetosonic critical curve (MCC), generally approach the asymptotic expansion solution far from the central void with a velocity proportional to radial distance. We identify and examine free-expansion solutions, Einstein–de Sitter expansion solutions, and thermal-expansion solutions in three different parameter regimes. Under certain conditions, void solutions may cross the MCC either smoothly or by MHD shocks, and then merge into asymptotic solutions with finite velocity and density far from the centre. Our general polytropic MHD void solutions provide physical insight for void evolution, and may have astrophysical applications such as massive star collapses and explosions, shell-type supernova remnants and hot bubbles in the interstellar and intergalactic media, and planetary nebulae.     

Instability of isothermal stellar wind bowshocks

We present hydrodynamical simulations illustrating the instability of stellar wind bowshocks in the limit of an isothermal equation of state. In this limit, the bowshock is characterized by a thin dense shell bounded on both sides by shocks. In a time-averaged sense the shape of this bowshock shell roughly matches the steady state solution of Wilkin (1996)[ApJ, 459, L31], although the apex of the bowshock can deviate in or out by a factor of two or more. The shape of the bowshock is distorted by large amplitude kinks with a characteristic wavelength of order the standoff distance from the star. The instability is driven by a strong shear flow within the shock-bounded shell, suggesting an origin related to the nonlinear thin-shell instability. This instability occurs when both the forward bowshock and the reverse wind shock are effectively isothermal and the star is moving through the interstellar medium with a Mach number greater than a few. This work therefore suggests that ragged, clumpy bowshocks should be expected to surround stars with a slow, dense wind (which leads to rapid cooling behind the reverse wind shock), whose velocity with respect to the surrounding interstellar medium is of order 60 km s⁻¹ (leading both to rapid cooling behind the forward bowshock and sufficiently high Mach numbers to drive the instability).     

After the Supernova: Runaway Stars and Massive X-ray Binary Populations with Metallicity

One of the main pathways by which massive runaways are thought to be produced is by the disruption of a binary system after the supernova (SN) of one of its components. Under such a scenario, the populations of runaway stars in different phases should reflect the input binary population and its evolution. Conversely, if the system stays together after the SN, a High Mass X-Ray Binary (HMXB) may result. We present simulations exploring the behaviour of such runaway and HMXB populations with metallicity, and compare them to observations. As many as two-thirds of massive runaway stars may be produced by supernovae in binaries. Decreasing metallicity lowers the fraction of O stars which are runaway, but increases the Wolf-Rayet runaway fractions and the number of potential HMXBs.     

Colliding Blast Waves Driven by the Interaction of a Short-Pulse Laser with a Gas of Atomic Clusters

Collisions between shocks are commonly found in many astrophysical objects, however robust numerical models or laboratory analogues of these complex systems remain challenging to implement. We report on the development of scaled laboratory experiments which employ new techniques for launching and diagnosing colliding shocks and high Mach number blast waves, scalable to a limited subset of astrophysically-relevant regimes. Use of an extended medium of atomic clusters enables efficient (>80%) coupling of 700 fs, 1 J, 1054 nm laser pulses to a “cluster” gas with an average density of ≈10¹⁹ particles cm⁻³, producing an initial energy density >10⁵ J cm⁻³, equivalent to ≈5×10⁹ J/g. Multiple laser foci are used to tailor the spatial profile of energy deposition, or to launch pairs of counter-propagating cylindrical shocks which then collide. By probing the collision interferometrically at multiple view angles in 5^{^} increments and applying an inverse Radon transform to the resulting phase projections we have been able to tomographicall reconstruct the full three-dimensional, time-framed electron density profile of the system.     

Spin Evolution of Neutron Stars in OB／X-ray Binaries

We have investigated the relation between the orbital period Porb and the spin period Ps of neutron stars in OB/X-ray binaries. By simulating the time-development of the mass loss rate and radius expansion of a 20A⊙ donor star, we have calculated the detailed spin evolution of the neutron star before steady wind accretion occurs (that is, when the break spin period is reached), or when the OB star begins evolving off the main sequence or has filled its Roche lobe. Our results are compatible with the observations of OB/X-ray binaries. We find that in relatively narrow systems with orbital periods less than tens of days, neutron stars with initial magnetic field B0 stronger than about 3×1012 G can reach the break spin period to allow steady wind accretion in the main sequence time, whereas neutron stars with B0 < 3×1012 G and/or in wide systems would still be in one of the pulsar, rapid rotator or propeller phases when the companion evolves off the main sequence or fills its Roche lobe. Our results may     

A young cooling neutron star in the remnant of Supernova 1987A

We describe the cooling theory for isolated neutron stars that are several tens of years old. Their cooling differs greatly from the cooling of older stars that has been well studied in the literature. It is sensitive to the physics of the inner stellar crust and even to the thermal conductivity of the stellar core, which is never important at later cooling stages. The absence of observational evidence for the formation of a neutron star during the explosion of Supernova 1987A is consistent with the fact that the star was actually born there. It may still be hidden in the dense center of the supernova remnant. If, however, the star is not hidden, then it should have a low thermal luminosity (below ～10³⁴ erg s^?1) and a short internal thermal relaxation time (shorter than 13 yr). This requires that the star undergo intense neutrino cooling (e.g., via the direct Urca process) and have a thin crust with strong superfluidity of free neutrons and/or an anomalously high thermal conductivity.     

On the Existence of Massive Neutron Stars

Methods for estimating the masses of neutron stars in the Vela X-1, 4U 1700-37, and J0751+1807 are analyzed. The possible existence of massive neutron stars, the fraction of such stars among the overall total of neutron stars, and possible channels for their formation are discussed.__________Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 211–222 (May 2005).     

Dynamic evolution model of isothermal voids and shocks

We explore self-similar hydrodynamic evolution of central voids embedded in an isothermal gas of spherical symmetry under the self-gravity. More specifically, we study voids expanding at constant radial speeds in an isothermal gas and construct all types of possible void solutions without or with shocks in surrounding envelopes. We examine properties of void boundaries and outer envelopes. Voids without shocks are all bounded by overdense shells and either inflows or outflows in the outer envelope may occur. These solutions, referred to as type void solutions, are further divided into subtypes and according to their characteristic behaviours across the sonic critical line (SCL). Void solutions with shocks in envelopes are referred to as type voids and can have both dense and quasi-smooth edges. Asymptotically, outflows, breezes, inflows, accretions and static outer envelopes may all surround such type voids. Both cases of constant and varying temperatures across isothermal shock fronts are analyzed; they are referred to as types and void shock solutions. We apply the ‘phase net matching procedure’ to construct various self-similar void solutions. We also present analysis on void generation mechanisms and describe several astrophysical applications. By including self-gravity, gas pressure and shocks, our isothermal self-similar void (ISSV) model is adaptable to various astrophysical systems such as planetary nebulae, hot bubbles and superbubbles in the interstellar medium as well as supernova remnants.      

Massive stars in the UV

We emphasize in this paper the importance of the UV range for our knowledge of massive stars and the fundamental role played by past and present space-based UV capabilities (IUE, HST, FUSE and others). Based on a review of the work developed in the last years and the state of the art situation for quantitative spectroscopy of massive stars, we present crucial advances which could be addressed by hypothetical future space-based UV missions. Advantages and unique data that these missions could provide are explained in the context of our present knowledge and theories on massive stars in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies. It is argued that these studies are our key to a correct interpretation of observations of more distant objects.     

3D models of radiatively driven colliding winds in massive O+O star binaries – I. Hydrodynamics

The dynamics of the wind–wind collision in massive stellar binaries are investigated using 3D hydrodynamical models which incorporate gravity, the driving of the winds, the orbital motion of the stars and radiative cooling of the shocked plasma. In this first paper, we restrict our study to main-sequence O+O binaries. The nature of the wind–wind collision region is highly dependent on the degree of cooling of the shocked plasma, and the ratio of the flow time-scale of the shocked plasma to the orbital time-scale. The pre-shock wind speeds are lower in close systems as the winds collide prior to their acceleration to terminal speeds. Radiative inhibition may also reduce the pre-shock wind speeds. Together, these effects can lead to rapid cooling of the post-shock gas. Radiative inhibition is less important in wider systems, where the winds are accelerated to higher speeds before they collide, and the resulting collision region can be largely adiabatic. In systems with eccentric orbits, cold gas formed during periastron passage can persist even at apastron, before being ablated and mixed into its surroundings and/or accelerated out of the system.     

超新星遗迹G1.9+0.3射电流量密度的时间演化

对年轻超新星遗迹的射电观测有助于理解超新星遗迹的早期演化. 选取银河系最年轻的超新星遗迹\lk G1.9+0.3进行了研究. 收集了已有的射电流量密度测量, 转化到同一频率, 从而获得了G1.9+0.3的流量密度在过去近50 yr的演化. 发现流量密度在2008年之前几乎一直在增加, 随后开始减小, 流量密度达到峰值的年龄约为\lk 150--155 yr. 流量密度的增加可能由磁场放大或者粒子加速效率提高产生的高能电子增多导致. 根据流量密度到达峰值的年龄, 结合前人的数值模拟, 讨论了超新星抛射物的质量和超新星爆发释放的动能.     

大质量恒星演化研究

由于高光度和高质量损失率等特性，大质量恒星在星系形成和演化等现代天体物理学的研究中扮演着重要的角色。自上世纪中叶以来，恒星物理研究揭示了大质量恒星内部结构和演化的主要特性，并且构造了一些大质量恒星的演化模型。然而，近年来对大质量恒星的观测表明，已有的这些理论演化模型与观测结果之间存在着严重的分歧。在主导大质量恒星演化最主要因素(即质量损失、内部对流等问题)的处理上，现有的理论有很大的缺陷。综述了目前对上述这些问题的研究现状，并探讨了今后的研究方向。     

年轻脉冲星周期-磁场分类及演化

年轻脉冲星多处于超新星遗迹(Supernova Remnant, SNR)中, 其分为转动供能脉冲星(Rotation-powered SNR-PSR)、磁星(Magnetar)和中心致密天体(Central Compact Object, CCO), 这3类年轻脉冲星有着不同的自旋周期及磁场强度分布. % 其中, 遗迹磁星(SNR-Magnetar)的平均自旋周期比转动供能遗迹脉冲星大近一个量级, 平均磁场强度高近两个量级. % 同时, 中心致密天体比转动供能遗迹脉冲星的平均磁场强度低近两个量级. % 这3类年轻脉冲星不同的物理性质, 可能源于其不同的前身星或不同的超新星爆发过程, 也可能源于其中子星诞生后的不同演化过程. % 此外, 转动供能遗迹脉冲星比年轻的转动供能非遗迹脉冲星具有更快的平均自旋周期、更大的平均磁场强度和更短的平均特征年龄. % 这暗示新诞生的中子星经时间约为$10^5$--$10^6$yr的演化过程, 其自旋速度将减小近一半, 同时其磁场强度也将衰减近一半.     

Diagnostics of the Internal Structure of Stars using the Differential Response Technique

We address the problem of the diagnosing the deep interior structure of stars using acoustic p-modes, and investigate the diagnostic capabilities of two complementary approaches both based on the differential response technique (Vorontsov, 1998): (a) direct calibration using a grid of evolutionary stellar models, and (b) linear and non-linear (with consecutive linearisations) inversion of low-degree frequencies. We apply this analysis to the frequencies of a model of an old 0.8M star, and to the solar frequencies obtained from BiSON measurements, using a 2-D grid of reference models of different mass and age. We explore the convergence and stability of the asteroseismic inversion, performed with the adaptive regularisation technique of Strakhov and Vorontsov (2001).     

Velocity Distribution of Stars in the Pup-CMa Association

The distribution of proper motions of stars in the Pup-CMa association is presented. The stars' velocities are approximately parallel to each other, which indicates that the stars are close together in space. The mutual distribution of stars and molecular clouds in the association is interpreted as proof that the stars emerged from a single gigantic primordial molecular cloud (or several large clouds), destroyed by radiation and/or stellar wind coming from those stars. It is assumed that part of that cloud is being dissipated, while part is being broken into several small clouds, which we are observing at present.     

The interaction of the stellar wind with an extrasolar planet—3D hybrid and drift-kinetic simulations

To be able to simulate the interaction of extrasolar planets with the stellar wind, a number of planetary parameters are required. Some of these (like planetary mass and radius) can be obtained directly from observational data. Other properties are not known very precisely. For example, up to now, there is no observation providing information on the strength of planetary magnetic moments. However, there is good reason to expect only very small magnetic moments for planets in very close orbits around their stars (like HD 209458 b and OGLE-TR-56 b). Thus, as a first step towards a more complete treatment, it seems reasonable to treat the interaction of the stellar wind with an unmagnetized planet. Calculations were performed for a nonconducting as well as for a weakly conducting planet. The interaction with the stellar wind and the resulting induced magnetosphere was simulated using a three dimensional hybrid code as well as in the drift-kinetic approximation. The effect of a interplanetary magnetic field oriented perpendicular to the incoming stellar wind was included. In the case of a weakly conducting body an asymmetrical Mach cone is formed, whereas for a nonconducting body no Mach cone is observed. These investigations will serve as the first step in the search for particular effects occurring at extrasolar planets, which could possibly lead to observable effects, e.g. radio emission. The results are also relevant for plasma structures near weakly conducting, unmagnetized bodies like the Earth's moon.