General Relativistic Hydrodynamics Research Articles

Emergence of Microphysical Bulk Viscosity in Binary Neutron Star Postmerger Dynamics

In nuclear matter in isolated neutron stars, the flavor content (e.g., proton fraction) is subject to weak interactions, establishing flavor (β-)equilibrium. However, there can be deviations from this equilibrium during the merger of two neutron stars. We study the resulting out-of-equilibrium dynamics during the collision by incorporating direct and modified Urca processes (in the neutrino-transparent regime) into general-relativistic hydrodynamics simulations with a simplified neutrino transport scheme. We demonstrate how weak-interaction-driven bulk viscosity in postmerger simulations can emerge and assess the bulk viscous dynamics of the resulting flow. We further place limits on the impact of the postmerger gravitational-wave strain. Our results show that weak-interaction-driven bulk viscosity can potentially lead to a phase shift of the postmerger gravitational-wave spectrum, although the effect is currently on the same level as the numerical errors of our simulation.

Bridging relativistic jets from black hole scales to long-term electromagnetic radiation distances: A moving-mesh general relativistic hydrodynamics code with the HLLC Riemann solver

Relativistic jets accompany the collapse of massive stars, the merger of compact objects, or the accretion of gas in active galactic nuclei. They carry information about the central engine and generate electromagnetic radiation. No self-consistent simulations have been able to follow these jets from their birth at the black hole scale to the Newtonian dissipation phase, making the inference of central engine property through astronomical observations undetermined. We present the general relativistic moving-mesh framework to achieve the continuity of jet simulations throughout space and time. We implement the general relativistic extension for the moving-mesh relativistic hydrodynamic code, , and develop a tetrad formulation to utilize the Harten-Lax-van Leer Contact Riemann solver in the general relativistic moving-mesh code. The new framework is able to trace the radial movement of relativistic jets from central regions where strong gravity holds all the way to distances of jet dissipation. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Secular Outflows from Long-Lived Neutron Star Merger Remnants

We study mass ejection from a binary neutron star merger producing a long-lived massive neutron star remnant with general-relativistic neutrino-radiation hydrodynamics simulations. In addition to outflows generated by shocks and tidal torques during and shortly after the merger, we observe the appearance of a wind driven by spiral density waves in the disk. This spiral-wave-driven outflow is predominantly located close to the disk orbital plane and have a broad distribution of electron fractions. At higher latitudes, a high electron-fraction wind is driven by neutrino radiation. The combined nucleosynthesis yields from all the ejecta components is in good agreement with Solar abundance measurements.

Constraining the Onset Density for the QCD Phase Transition with the Neutrino Signal from Core-collapse Supernovae

The occurrence of a first-order hadron–quark matter phase transition at high baryon densities is investigated in astrophysical simulations of core-collapse supernovae, to decipher yet incompletely understood properties of the dense matter equation of state (EOS) using neutrinos from such cosmic events. It is found that the emission of a nonstandard second neutrino burst, dominated by electron antineutrinos, is not only a measurable signal for the appearance of deconfined quark matter but also reveals information about the state of matter at extreme conditions encountered at the supernova (SN) interior. To this end, a large set of spherically symmetric SN models is investigated, studying the dependence on the EOS and the stellar progenitor. General relativistic neutrino-radiation hydrodynamics is employed featuring three-flavor Boltzmann neutrino transport and a microscopic hadron-quark hybrid matter EOS class. Therefore, the DD2 relativistic mean-field hadronic model is employed, and several variations of it, and the string-flip model for the description of deconfined quark matter. The resulting hybrid model covers a representative range of onset densities for the phase transition and latent heats. This facilitates the direct connection between intrinsic signatures of the neutrino signal and properties of the EOS. In particular, a set of linear relations has been found empirically. These potentially provide a constraint for the onset density of a possible QCD phase transition from the future neutrino observation of the next galactic core-collapse SN, if a millisecond electron anti-neutrino burst is present around or less than 1 s.

Probing nuclear physics with supernova gravitational waves and machine learning

ABSTRACT Core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) are sources of powerful gravitational waves (GWs). We assess the possibility of extracting information about the equation of state (EOS) of high density matter from the GW signal. We use the bounce and early post-bounce signals of rapidly rotating supernovae. A large set of GW signals is generated using general relativistic hydrodynamics simulations for various EOS models. The uncertainty in the electron capture rate is parametrized by generating signals for six different models. To classify EOSs based on the GW data, we train a convolutional neural network (CNN) model. Even with the uncertainty in the electron capture rates, we find that the CNN models can classify the EOSs with an average accuracy of about 87 per cent for a set of four distinct EOS models.

General relativistic moving-mesh hydrodynamic simulations with arepo and applications to neutron star mergers

ABSTRACT We implement general relativistic hydrodynamics in the moving-mesh code arepo. We also couple a solver for the Einstein field equations employing the conformal flatness approximation. The implementation is validated by evolving isolated static neutron stars using a fixed metric or a dynamical space–time. In both tests, the frequencies of the radial oscillation mode match those of independent calculations. We run the first moving-mesh simulation of a neutron star merger. The simulation includes a scheme to adaptively refine or derefine cells and thereby adjusting the local resolution dynamically. The general dynamics are in agreement with independent smoothed particle hydrodynamics and static-mesh simulations of neutron star mergers. Coarsely comparing, we find that dynamical features like the post-merger double-core structure or the quasi-radial oscillation mode persist on longer time scales, possibly reflecting a low numerical diffusivity of our method. Similarly, the post-merger gravitational wave emission shows the same features as observed in simulations with other codes. In particular, the main frequency of the post-merger phase is found to be in good agreement with independent results for the same binary system, while, in comparison, the amplitude of the post-merger gravitational wave signal falls off slower, i.e. the post-merger oscillations are less damped. The successful implementation of general relativistic hydrodynamics in the moving-mesh arepo code, including a dynamical space–time evolution, provides a fundamentally new tool to simulate general relativistic problems in astrophysics.

Ab-initio General-relativistic Neutrino-radiation Hydrodynamics Simulations of Long-lived Neutron Star Merger Remnants to Neutrino Cooling Timescales

We perform the first 3D ab-initio general-relativistic neutrino-radiation hydrodynamics of a long-lived neutron star merger remnant spanning a fraction of its cooling timescale. We find that neutrino cooling becomes the dominant energy loss mechanism after the gravitational-wave dominated phase (∼20 ms postmerger). Electron flavor antineutrino luminosity dominates over electron flavor neutrino luminosity at early times, resulting in a secular increase of the electron fraction in the outer layers of the remnant. However, the two luminosities become comparable ∼20–40 ms postmerger. A dense gas of electron antineutrinos is formed in the outer core of the remnant at densities ∼1014.5 g cm−3, corresponding to temperature hot spots. The neutrinos account for ∼10% of the lepton number in this region. Despite the negative radial temperature gradient, the radial entropy gradient remains positive, and the remnant is stably stratified according to the Ledoux criterion for convection. A massive accretion disk is formed from the material squeezed out of the collisional interface between the stars. The disk carries a large fraction of the angular momentum of the system, allowing the remnant massive neutron star to settle to a quasi-steady equilibrium within the region of possible, stable, rigidly rotating configurations. The remnant is differentially rotating, but it is stable against the magnetorotational instability. Other MHD mechanisms operating on longer timescales are likely responsible for the removal of the differential rotation. Our results indicate the remnant massive neutron star is thus qualitatively different from a protoneutron stars formed in core-collapse supernovae.

General-relativistic hydrodynamics simulation of a neutron star–sub-solar-mass black hole merger

General-relativistic hydrodynamics simulation of a neutron star–sub-solar-mass black hole merger

Extremely Relativistic Tidal Disruption Events

Extreme tidal disruption events (eTDEs), which occur when a star passes very close to a supermassive black hole, may provide a way to observe a long-sought general relativistic effect: orbits that wind several times around a black hole and then leave. Through general relativistic hydrodynamics simulations, we show that such eTDEs are easily distinguished from most tidal disruptions, in which stars come close, but not so close, to the black hole. Following the stellar orbit, the debris is initially distributed in a crescent, it then turns into a set of tight spirals circling the black hole, which merge into a shell expanding radially outwards. Some mass later falls back toward the black hole, while the remainder is ejected. Internal shocks within the infalling debris power the observed emission. The resulting lightcurve rises rapidly to roughly the Eddington luminosity, maintains this level for between a few weeks and a year (depending on both the stellar mass and the black hole mass), and then drops. Most of its power is in thermal X-rays at a temperature ∼(1–2) × 106 K (∼100–200 eV). The debris evolution and observational features of eTDEs are qualitatively different from ordinary TDEs, making eTDEs a new type of TDE. Although eTDEs are relatively rare for lower-mass black holes, most tidal disruptions around higher-mass black holes are extreme. Their detection offers a view of an exotic relativistic phenomenon previously inaccessible.

Protoneutron Star Convection Simulated with a New General Relativistic Boltzmann Neutrino Radiation Hydrodynamics Code

We investigate protoneutron star (PNS) convection using our newly developed general relativistic Boltzmann neutrino radiation hydrodynamics code. This is a pilot study for more comprehensive investigations later. As such, we take a snapshot of a PNS at 2.3 s after bounce from a 1D PNS cooling calculation and run our simulation for ∼160 ms in 2D under axisymmetry. The original PNS cooling calculation neglected convection entirely and the initial conditions were linearly unstable to convection. We find in our 2D simulation that convection is instigated there indeed and expands inward after being full-fledged. The convection then settled to a quasi-steady state after ∼100 ms, being sustained by the negative Y e gradient, which is in turn maintained by neutrino emissions. It enhances the luminosities and mean energies of all species of neutrinos compared to 1D. Taking advantage of the Boltzmann solver, we analyse the possible occurrence of neutrino fast flavor conversion (FFC). We found that FFC is likely to occur in regions where Y e is lower, and that the growth rate can be as high as ∼10−1 cm−1.

Comprehensive Study of Mass Ejection and Nucleosynthesis in Binary Neutron Star Mergers Leaving Short-lived Massive Neutron Stars

By performing general relativistic hydrodynamics simulations with an approximate neutrino radiation transfer, the properties of ejecta in the dynamical and post-merger phases are investigated in the cases in which the remnant massive neutron star collapses into a black hole in ≲20 ms after the onset of the merger. The dynamical mass ejection is investigated in three-dimensional simulations. The post-merger mass ejection is investigated in two-dimensional axisymmetric simulations with viscosity using the three-dimensional post-merger systems as the initial conditions. We show that the typical neutron richness of the dynamical ejecta is higher for the merger of more asymmetric binaries; hence, heavier r-process nuclei are dominantly synthesized. The post-merger ejecta are shown to have only mild neutron richness, which results in the production of lighter r-process nuclei, irrespective of the binary mass ratios. Because of the larger disk mass, the post-merger ejecta mass is larger for more asymmetric binary mergers. Thus, the post-merger ejecta can compensate for the underproduced lighter r-process nuclei for asymmetric merger cases. As a result, by summing up both ejecta components, the solar residual r-process pattern is reproduced within the average deviation of a factor of three, irrespective of the binary mass ratio. Our result also indicates that the (about a factor of a few) light-to-heavy abundance scatter observed in r-process-enhanced stars can be attributed to variation in the binary mass ratio and total mass. Implications of our results associated with the mass distribution of compact neutron star binaries and the magnetar scenario of short gamma-ray bursts are discussed.

Exploration of General Relativistic Hydrodynamics for FRW Metric

Published from 1956, the Bulgarian Journal of Physics accepts articles in the fields of: General and Mathematical Physics; Particle Physics and Field Theory; Atomic and Molecular Physics; Nuclear Physics; Fundamental Areas of Phenomenology; Theory of Relativity and Astrophysics; Condensed Matter, Statistical Physics; Cross-Disciplinary Physics; and Related Areas of Science and Technology.

Bouncing cosmological model with general relativistic hydrodynamics in extended gravity

In this paper, in an extended theory of gravity, we have presented bouncing cosmological model at the backdrop of an isotropic, homogeneous space-time, in the presence of general relativistic hydrodynamics (GRH). The scale factor has been chosen in such a manner that with appropriate normalization, the quintom bouncing scenario can be assessed. Accordingly, the bounce occurs at [Formula: see text] and the corresponding Hubble parameter vanishes at the bounce epoch. The equation of state (EoS) parameter and the energy conditions of the model have been analyzed. The violation of strong energy condition further supports the behavior of extended gravity. As the bouncing cosmology suffers with instability, this model also shows the similar behavior.

Simulating neutron star mergers with the Lagrangian Numerical Relativity code SPHINCS_BSSN

We present the first neutron star merger simulations performed with the newly developed Numerical Relativity code SPHINCS_BSSN. This code evolves the spacetime on a mesh using the BSSN formulation, but matter is evolved via Lagrangian particles according to a high-accuracy version of general-relativistic Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH). Our code contains a number of new methodological elements compared to other Numerical Relativity codes. The main focus here is on the new elements that were introduced to model neutron star mergers. These include (a) a refinement (fixed in time) of the spacetime-mesh, (b) corresponding changes in the particle–mesh mapping algorithm and (c) a novel way to construct SPH initial data for binary systems via the recently developed “Artificial Pressure Method.” This latter method makes use of the spectral initial data produced by the library LORENE, and is implemented in a new code called SPHINCS_ID. While our main focus is on introducing these new methodological elements and documenting the current status of SPHINCS_BSSN, we also show as a first application a set of neutron star merger simulations employing “soft” (varGamma =2.00) and “stiff” (varGamma =2.75) polytropic equations of state.

Erratum: Nonlinear causality of general first-order relativistic viscous hydrodynamics [Phys. Rev. D 100 , 104020 (2019)

Received 22 February 2022DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.105.069902© 2022 American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasFluids & classical fields in curved spacetimeGeneral relativity formalismTechniquesRelativistic hydrodynamicsGravitation, Cosmology & AstrophysicsFluid Dynamics

Transonic Accretion and Winds Around Pseudo-Kerr Black Holes And Comparison with General Relativistic Solutions

Spectral and timing properties of accretion flows on a black hole depend on their density and temperature distributions, which in turn come from the underlying dynamics. Thus, an accurate description of the flow which includes hydrodynamics and radiative transfer is a must to interpret the observational results. In the case of non-rotating black holes, a pseudo-Newtonian description of surrounding spacetime enables one to make significant progress in predicting spectral and timing properties. This formalism is lacking for spinning black holes. In this paper, we show that there exists an exact form of a “natural” potential derivable from the general relativistic (GR) radial momentum equation. Use of this potential in an otherwise Newtonian set of equations allows to describe transonic flows very accurately as is evidenced by comparing with solutions obtained from the full GR framework. We study the properties of the critical points and the centrifugal pressure supported shocks in the parameter space spanned by the specific energy and angular momentum, and compare with the results of GR hydrodynamics. We show that this potential can safely be used for the entire range of Kerr parameter −1 < a < 1 for modeling of observational results around spinning black holes. We assume the flow to be inviscid. Thus, it is non-dissipative with constant energy and angular momentum. These assumptions are valid very close to the black hole as the infall timescale is much shorter as compared to the viscous timescale.

Fate of twin stars on the unstable branch: Implications for the formation of twin stars

Hybrid hadron-quark equations of state that give rise a third family of stable compact stars have been shown to be compatible with the LIGO-Virgo event GW170817. Stable configurations in the third family are called hybrid hadron-quark stars. The equilibrium stable hybrid hadron-quark star branch is separated by the stable neutron star branch with a branch of unstable hybrid hadron-quark stars. The end-state of these unstable configurations has not been studied, yet, and it could have implications for the formation and existence of twin stars -- hybrid stars with the same mass as neutron stars but different radii. We modify existing hybrid hadron-quark equations of state with a first-order phase transition in order to guarantee a well-posed initial value problem of the equations of general relativistic hydrodynamics, and study the dynamics of non-rotating or rotating unstable twin stars via 3-dimensional simulations in full general relativity. We find that unstable twin stars naturally migrate toward the hadronic branch. Before settling into the hadronic regime, these stars undergo (quasi)radial oscillations on a dynamical timescale while the core bounces between the two phases. Our study suggests that it may be difficult to form stable twin stars if the phase transition is sustained over a large jump in energy density, and hence it may be more likely that astrophysical hybrid hadron-quark stars have masses above the twin star regime. We also study the minimum-mass instability for hybrid stars, and find that these configurations do not explode, unlike the minimum-mass instability for neutron stars. Additionally, our results suggest that oscillations between the two Quantum Chromodynamic phases could provide gravitational wave signals associated with such phase transitions in core-collapse supernovae and white dwarf-neutron star mergers.

Exploring the Phase Diagram of V-QCD with Neutron Star Merger Simulations

Determining the phase structure of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) and its Equation of State (EOS) at densities and temperatures realized inside neutron stars and their mergers is a long-standing open problem. The holographic V-QCD framework provides a model for the EOS of dense and hot QCD, which describes the deconfinement phase transition between a dense baryonic and a quark matter phase. We use this model in fully general relativistic hydrodynamic (GRHD) simulations to study the formation of quark matter and the emitted gravitational wave signal of binary systems that are similar to the first ever observed neutron star merger event GW170817.

Binary neutron star mergers of quark matter based nuclear equations of state

With observations of gravitational wave signals from binary neutron star mergers (BNSM) by LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) Collaboration and NICER, the nuclear equation of state (EOS) is becoming increasingly testable by complementary numerical simulations. Numerous simulations currently explore the EOS at different density regimes for the constituent neutron stars specifically narrowing the uncertainty in the sub-nuclear densities. In this paper we summarize the three-dimensional general relativistic-hydrodynamics based simulations of BNSMs for EOSs with a specific emphasis on the quark matter EOS at the highest densities.

Tidal disruption discs formed and fed by stream–stream and stream–disc interactions in global GRHD simulations

ABSTRACT When a star passes close to a supermassive black hole (BH), the BH’s tidal forces rip it apart into a thin stream, leading to a tidal disruption event (TDE). In this work, we study the post-disruption phase of TDEs in general relativistic hydrodynamics (GRHD) using our GPU-accelerated code h-amr. We carry out the first grid-based simulation of a deep-penetration TDE (β = 7) with realistic system parameters: a black hole-to-star mass ratio of 106, a parabolic stellar trajectory, and a non-zero BH spin. We also carry out a simulation of a tilted TDE whose stellar orbit is inclined relative to the BH midplane. We show that for our aligned TDE, an accretion disc forms due to the dissipation of orbital energy with ∼20 per cent of the infalling material reaching the BH. The dissipation is initially dominated by violent self-intersections and later by stream–disc interactions near the pericentre. The self-intersections completely disrupt the incoming stream, resulting in five distinct self-intersection events separated by approximately 12 h and a flaring in the accretion rate. We also find that the disc is eccentric with mean eccentricity e ≈ 0.88. For our tilted TDE, we find only partial self-intersections due to nodal precession near pericentre. Although these partial intersections eject gas out of the orbital plane, an accretion disc still forms with a similar accreted fraction of the material to the aligned case. These results have important implications for disc formation in realistic tidal disruptions. For instance, the periodicity in accretion rate induced by the complete stream disruption may explain the flaring events from Swift J1644+57.