Jave O. Kane

Similarity Criteria for the Laboratory Simulation of Supernova Hydrodynamics

The conditions for validity and the limitations of experiments intended to simulate astrophysical hydrodynamics are discussed, with application to some ongoing experiments. For systems adequately described by the Euler equations, similarity criteria required for properly scaled experiments are identified. The conditions for the applicability of the Euler equations are formulated, based on the analysis of localization, heat conduction, viscosity, and radiation. Other considerations involved in such a scaling, including its limitations at small spatial scales, are discussed. The results are applied to experiments aimed at simulating three-dimensional hydrodynamics during supernova explosions and hydrodynamic instabilities in young supernova remnants. In addition, hydrodynamic situations with significant radiative effects are discussed.

On validating an astrophysical simulation code

We present a case study of validating an astrophysical simulation code. Our study focuses on validating FLASH, a parallel, adaptive-mesh hydrodynamics code for studying the compressible, reactive flows found in many astrophysical environments. We describe the astrophysics problems of interest and the challenges associated with simulating these problems. We describe methodology and discuss solutions to difficulties encountered in verification and validation. We describe verification tests regularly administered to the code, present the results of new verification tests, and outline a method for testing general equations of state. We present the results of two validation tests in which we compared simulations to experimental data. The first is of a laser-driven shock propagating through a multilayer target, a configuration subject to both Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities. The second test is a classic Rayleigh-Taylor instability, where a heavy fluid is supported against the force of gravity by a light fluid. Our simulations of the multilayer target experiments showed good agreement with the experimental results, but our simulations of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability did not agree well with the experimental results. We discuss our findings and present results of additional simulations undertaken to further investigate the Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

Supernova hydrodynamics experiments on the Nova laser

In studying complex astrophysical phenomena such as supernovae, one does not have the luxury of setting up clean, well-controlled experiments in the universe to test the physics of current models and theories. Consequently, creating a surrogate environment to serve as an experimental astrophysics testbed would be highly beneficial. The existence of highly sophisticated, modern research lasers, developed largely as a result of the world-wide effort in inertial confinement fusion, opens a new potential for creating just such an experimental testbed utilizing well-controlled, well-diagnosed laser-produced plasmas. Two areas of physics critical to an understanding of supernovae are discussed that are amenable to supporting research on large lasers: (1) compressible nonlinear hydrodynamic mixing and (2) radiative shock hydrodynamics.

An experimental testbed for the study of hydrodynamic issues in supernovae

More than a decade after the explosion of supernova 1987A, unresolved discrepancies still remain in attempts to numerically simulate the mixing processes initiated by the passage of a very strong shock through the layered structure of the progenitor star. Numerically computed velocities of the radioactive 56Ni and 56Co, produced by shock-induced explosive burning within the silicon layer, for example, are still more than 50% too low as compared with the measured velocities. To resolve such discrepancies between observation and simulation, an experimental testbed has been designed on the Omega Laser for the study of hydrodynamic issues of importance to supernovae (SNe). In this paper, results are presented from a series of scaled laboratory experiments designed to isolate and explore several issues in the hydrodynamics of supernova explosions. The results of the experiments are compared with numerical simulations and are generally found to be in reasonable agreement.

Type X Silicon Carbide Presolar Grains: Type Ia Supernova Condensates?

In terms of nucleosynthesis issues alone, we demonstrate that the type X silicon carbide particles have chemical and isotopic compositions resembling those from explosive helium burning in 14N-rich matter. These particles are extracted chemically from meteorites and were once interstellar particles. They have already been identi-ed by their discoverers as supernova particles on the basis of their isotopic composi- tions, but we argue that they are from supernovae of Type Ia that explode with a cap of helium atop their CO structure. The relative abundances of the isotopes of C and Si and trace N, Mg, and Ca match those in the X particles without need of complicated and arbitrary mixing postulates. Furthermore, both C and Si abundances are enhanced and more abundant than O, which suggests that SiC is in fact the natural condensate of such matter. We also brieNy address special issues relevant to the growth of dust within Type Ia interiors during their expansions. Subject headings: dust, extinction E ISM: abundances E ISM: molecules E nuclear reactions, nucleosynthesis, abundances E supernovae: general

Experiments to Produce a Hydrodynamically Unstable, Spherically Diverging System of Relevance to Instabilities in Supernovae

Results of the first spherically diverging, hydrodynamically unstable laboratory experiments of relevance to supernovae (SNe) are reported. The experiments are accomplished by using laser radiation to explode a hemispherical capsule, having a perturbed outer surface, which is embedded within a volume of low-density foam. The evolution of the experiment, like that of a supernova, is well described by the Euler equations. We have compared the experimental results to those of two-dimensional simulations using both a radiation-hydrodynamics code and a pure hydrodynamics code with front tracking.

Multi-keV x-ray source development experiments on the National Ignition Facility

We report results from a five shot campaign carried out with Ar–Xe gas-filled targets at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The targets were shot with ≈350 kJ of 3ω laser energy delivered with a 5 ns trapezoidal laser pulse. We report measured x-ray output from the target in different spectral bands both below and above 1.5 keV photon energies: We find yields of ≈20.5 kJ/sr with peak x-ray power approaching 4 TW/sr over all energies, as measured for the unique viewing angle of our detector, and ≈3.6 kJ/sr with peak x-ray power of 1 TW/sr for x-rays with energies >3 keV. This is a laser-to-x-ray conversion efficiency of 13±1.3% for isotropic x-rays with energies >3 keV. Laser energy reflected by the target plasma for both inner and outer-cone beams is measured and found to be small, between 1% and 4% of the drive energy. The energy emitted in hard x-rays (with energies >25 keV) is measured and found to be ≈1 J/sr. Two-dimensional imaging of the target plasma during the laser pulse confirms a fast, volum...

Formation of pillars at the boundaries between H II regions and molecular clouds

We investigate numerically the hydrodynamic instability of an ionization front (IF) accelerating into a molecular cloud, with imposed initial perturbations of different amplitudes. When the initial amplitude is small, the imposed perturbation is completely stabilized and does not grow. When the initial perturbation amplitude is large enough, roughly, the ratio of the initial amplitude to wavelength is greater than 0.02, portions of the IF temporarily separate from the molecular cloud surface, locally decreasing the ablation pressure. This causes the appearance of a large, warm H I region and triggers nonlinear dynamics of the IF. The local difference of the ablation pressure and acceleration enhances the appearance and growth of a multimode perturbation. The stabilization usually seen at the IF in the linear regime does not work due to the mismatch of the modes of the perturbations at the cloud surface and of the density in the H II region above the cloud surface. Molecular pillars are observed in the late stages of the large amplitude perturbation case. The velocity gradient in the pillars is in reasonably good agreement with that observed in the Eagle Nebula. The initial perturbation is imposed in three different ways: in density, in incident photon number flux, and in the surface shape. All cases show both stabilization for a small initial perturbation and large growth of the second harmonic by increasing amplitude of the initial perturbation above a critical value.

HYDRODYNAMIC INSTABILITY OF IONIZATION FRONTS IN H II REGIONS

We investigate hydrodynamic instability of accelerating ionization fronts using two dimensional hydrodynamic simulations that include detailed energy deposition and release due to the absorption of UV radiation, recombination of hydrogen, radiative molecular cooling, and magnetic pressure. We consider linear perturbation growth and find that the stabilization mechanism associated with non-accelerated fronts remains a significant factor even when acceleration is present. Conversely, if recombination in the ionized region is turned off, RayleighTaylor (RT) instability becomes effective, and the classical RT growth rate recovered.

Supernova-relevant hydrodynamic instability experiments on the Nova laser

Supernova 1987A focused attention on the critical role of hydrodynamic instabilities in the evolution of supernovae. To test the modeling of these instabilities we are developing laboratory experiments of hydrodynamic mixing under conditions relevant to supernovae. The target consists of two-layer planar package composed on 85 micron Cu backed by 500 micron CH2, having a single mode sinusoidal perturbation at the interface, with gamma = 200 microns, nuo + 20 microns. The Nova laser is used to generate a 10-15 Mbar (10- 15x10{sup 12} dynes/cm2) shock at the interface, which triggers perturbation growth, due to the Richtmyer-Meshov instability followed by the Raleigh-Taylor instability as the interface decelerates. This resembles the hydrodynamics of the He-H interface of a Type II supernova at the intermediate times, up to a few x10{sup 3} s. The experiment is modeled using the hydrodynamic codes HYADES and CALE, and the supernova code PROMETHEUS. We are designing experiments to test the differences in the growth of 2D vs 3D single mode perturbations; such differences may help explain the high observed velocities of radioactive core material in SN1987A. Results of the experiments and simulations are presented.