Naofumi Ohnishi

EFFECTS OF ROTATION ON STANDING ACCRETION SHOCK INSTABILITY IN NONLINEAR PHASE FOR CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE

We study the effects of rotation on standing accretion shock instability (SASI) by performing three-dimensional hydrodynamics simulations. Taking into account a realistic equation of state and neutrino heating/cooling, we prepare a spherically symmetric and steady accretion flow through a standing shock wave onto a proto-neutron star (PNS). When the SASI enters the nonlinear phase, we impose uniform rotation on the flow advecting from the outer boundary of the iron core, whose specific angular momentum is assumed to agree with recent stellar evolution models. Using spherical harmonics in space and Fourier decompositions in time, we perform mode analysis of the nonspherical deformed shock wave to observe rotational effects on the SASI in the nonlinear phase. We find that rotation imposed on the axisymmetric flow does not make any spiral modes and hardly affects sloshing modes, except for steady l = 2, m = 0 modes. In contrast, rotation imposed on the nonaxisymmetric flow increases the amplitude of spiral modes so that some spiral flows accreting on the PNS are more clearly formed inside the shock wave than without rotation. The amplitudes of spiral modes increase significantly with rotation in the progressive direction.

Stochastic nature of gravitational waves from supernova explosions with standing accretion shock instability

We study the properties of gravitational waves (GWs) based on three-dimensional (3D) simulations, which demonstrate neutrino-driven explosions aided by standing accretion shock instability (SASI). Pushed by evidence supporting slow rotation prior to core collapse, we focus on the asphericities in neutrino emissions and matter motions outside the protoneutron star. By performing a ray-tracing calculation in 3D, we estimate accurately the gravitational waveforms from anisotropic neutrino emissions. In contrast to the previous work assuming axisymmetry, we find that the gravitational waveforms vary much more stochastically because the explosion anisotropies depend sensitively on the growth of SASI which develops chaotically in all directions. Our results show that the GW spectrum has its peak near ~100 Hz, reflecting SASI-induced matter overturns of ~O(10) ms. We point out that the detection of such signals, possibly visible to the LIGO-class detectors for a Galactic supernova, could be an important probe into the long-veiled explosion mechanism.

Baroclinic vortex influence on wave drag reduction induced by pulse energy deposition

We present the results of numerical analysis of wave drag reduction by a single-pulse energy deposition in a supersonic flow field around a sphere. The wave drag for the sphere was reduced as a result of the interaction between a low-density core following the blast wave produced by the energy deposition and the bow shock developed in front of the sphere. We investigated the drag reduction mechanism in terms of the unsteady flow field induced by the interaction. The effects of deposited energy and deposition location on energy reduction were examined by parametric study. From the obtained results, we refined the parameters, utilizing the baroclinic source term that produced vorticity in the vortex equation when the gradients of density and pressure were not parallel. The baroclinic vortex driven by Richtmyer–Meshkov-like instability was strong enough to contribute to the temporary low-entropy shock formation that caused low wave drag for the supersonic object. We determined that the reduced energy had a l...

RAY-TRACING ANALYSIS OF ANISOTROPIC NEUTRINO RADIATION FOR ESTIMATING GRAVITATIONAL WAVES IN CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE

We propose a ray-tracing method to estimate gravitational waves (GWs) generated by anisotropic neutrino emission in supernova cores. To calculate the gravitational waveforms, we derive analytic formulae in a useful form, which are applicable also for three-dimensional computations. Pushed by evidence of slow rotation prior to core-collapse, we focus on asphericities in neutrino emission and matter motions outside the protoneutron star. Based on the two-dimensional models, which mimic standing accretion shock instability (SASI)-aided neutrino heating explosions, we compute the neutrino anisotropies via the ray-tracing method in a post-processing manner and calculate the resulting waveforms. For simplicity, neutrino absorption and emission by free nucleons, dominant processes outside the protoneutron stars, are only taken into account, while the neutrino scattering and the velocity-dependent terms in the transport equations are neglected. With these computations, it is found that the waveforms exhibit more variety in contrast to the ones previously estimated by the ray-by-ray analysis. In addition to a positively growing feature, which was predicted to determine the total wave amplitudes predominantly, the waveforms are shown to exhibit large negative growth for some epochs during the growth of SASI. These features are found to stem from the excess of neutrino emission in lateral directions,morexa0» which can be precisely captured by the ray-tracing calculation. Reflecting the nature of SASI which grows chaotically with time, there is little systematic dependence of the input neutrino luminosities on the maximum wave amplitudes. Due to the negative contributions and the neutrino absorptions appropriately taken into account by the ray-tracing method, the wave amplitudes become more than one order of magnitude smaller than the previous estimation, thus making their detections very hard for a Galactic source. On the other hand, it is pointed out that the GW spectrum from matter motions have its peak near approx100 Hz, reflecting the SASI-induced matter overturns of O(10) ms. Such a feature could be characteristic for the SASI-induced supernova explosions. The proposed ray-tracing method will be useful for the GW prediction in the first generation of three-dimensional core-collapse supernova simulations that do not solve the angle-dependent neutrino transport equations as part of the numerical evolution.«xa0less

EFFECTS OF ROTATION ON STOCHASTICITY OF GRAVITATIONAL WAVES IN THE NONLINEAR PHASE OF CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE

By performing three-dimensional (3D) simulations that demonstrate the neutrino-driven core-collapse supernovae aided by the standing accretion shock instability (SASI), we study how the spiral modes of the SASI can impact the properties of the gravitational-wave (GW) emission. To see the effects of rotation in the nonlinear postbounce phase, we give a uniform rotation on the flow advecting from the outer boundary of the iron core, the specific angular momentum of which is assumed to agree with recent stellar evolution models. We compute fifteen 3D models in which the initial angular momentum and the input neutrino luminosities from the protoneutron star are changed in a systematic manner. By performing a ray-tracing analysis, we accurately estimate the GW amplitudes generated by anisotropic neutrino emission. Our results show that the gravitational waveforms from neutrinos in models that include rotation exhibit a common feature; otherwise, they vary much more stochastically in the absence of rotation. The breaking of the stochasticity stems from the excess of the neutrino emission parallel to the spin axis. This is because the compression of matter is more enhanced in the vicinity of the equatorial plane due to the growth of the spiral SASI modes, leading to the formation of the spiral flows circulating around the spin axis with higher temperatures. We point out that recently proposed future space interferometers like Fabry-Perot-type DECIGO would permit the detection of these signals for a Galactic supernova.

EXPLOSIVE NUCLEOSYNTHESIS IN THE NEUTRINO-DRIVEN ASPHERICAL SUPERNOVA EXPLOSION OF A NON-ROTATING 15 M ☉ STAR WITH SOLAR METALLICITY

We investigate explosive nucleosynthesis in a non-rotating 15 M{sub sun} star with solar metallicity that explodes by a neutrino-heating supernova (SN) mechanism aided by both standing accretion shock instability (SASI) and convection. To trigger explosions in our two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations, we approximate the neutrino transport with a simple light-bulb scheme and systematically change the neutrino fluxes emitted from the protoneutron star. By a post-processing calculation, we evaluate abundances and masses of the SN ejecta for nuclei with a mass number {<=}70, employing a large nuclear reaction network. Aspherical abundance distributions, which are observed in nearby core-collapse SN remnants, are obtained for the non-rotating spherically symmetric progenitor, due to the growth of a low-mode SASI. The abundance pattern of the SN ejecta is similar to that of the solar system for models whose masses range between (0.4-0.5) M{sub sun} of the ejecta from the inner region ({<=}10, 000 km) of the precollapse core. For the models, the explosion energies and the {sup 56}Ni masses are {approx_equal} 10{sup 51}erg and (0.05-0.06) M{sub sun}, respectively; their estimated baryonic masses of the neutron star are comparable to the ones observed in neutron-star binaries. These findings may have little uncertainty because most of the ejectamorexa0» is composed of matter that is heated via the shock wave and has relatively definite abundances. The abundance ratios for Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe observed in the Cygnus loop are reproduced well with the SN ejecta from an inner region of the 15 M{sub sun} progenitor.«xa0less

Laboratory investigations on the origins of cosmic rays

We report our recent efforts on the experimental investigations related to the origins of cosmic rays. The origins of cosmic rays are long standing open issues in astrophysics. The galactic and extragalactic cosmic rays are considered to be accelerated in non-relativistic and relativistic collisionless shocks in the universe, respectively. However, the acceleration and transport processes of the cosmic rays are not well understood, and how the collisionless shocks are created is still under investigation. Recent high-power and high-intensity laser technologies allow us to simulate astrophysical phenomena in laboratories. We present our experimental results of collisionless shock formations in laser-produced plasmas.

A new attempt for radiation hydrodynamics simulation with anisotropic and non-equilibrium distribution

We present a computational method for solving time-dependent radiation moment equations with an Eddington tensor which represents an anisotropic field of radiation. For estimating the Eddington tensor, we propose a conical-ray method covering the whole solid angle with which the steady-state radiative transfer equation is solved. Computed radiation flux shows an excellent agreement with an analytical solution using the proposed conical-ray method even if a light source is located at a distant place from the computed point.

Toward hybrid simulation of flow generation in DBD plasma actuator

We developed a particle code based on the PIC-MCC method and a plasma fluid code solving drift-diffusion equations. Fluid simulation produces a streamer-type discharge for a positively biased input applied to the exposed electrode against to the buried electrode as obtained in particle simulation. However, we found differences in micro-discharge formation around the exposed electrode between the results of the two codes, suggesting that a hybrid approach based on particle and fluid models may be needed for a long-term precise simulation. Our hybrid code and perspective models are presented for reliably predicting the entire dynamics from micro-discharge to flow generation in a DBD plasma actuator.

PIC simulation of electrodeless plasma thruster with rotating electric field

For longer lifetime of electric propulsion system, an electrodeless plasma thruster with rotating electric field have been proposed utilizing a helicon plasma source. The rotating electric field may produce so-called Lissajous acceleration of helicon plasma in the presence of diverging magnetic field through a complicated mechanism originating from many parameters. Two-dimensional simulations of the Lissajous acceleration were conducted by a code based on Particle-In-Cell (PIC) method and Monte Carlo Collision (MCC) method for understanding plasma motion in acceleration area and for finding the optimal condition. Obtained results show that azimuthal current depends on ratio of electron drift radius to plasma region length, AC frequency, and axial magnetic field. When ratio of cyclotron frequency to the AC frequency is higher than unity, reduction of the azimuthal current by collision effect is little or nothing.