Proto-neutron Star Research Articles

Proto-neutron star evolution with improved charged-current neutrino–nucleon interactions

ABSTRACT We perform simulations of the Kelvin–Helmholtz cooling phase of proto-neutron stars with a new numerical code in spherical symmetry and using the quasi-static approximation. We use for the first time the full set of charged-current neutrino–nucleon reactions, including neutron decay and modified Urca processes, together with the energy-dependent numerical representation for the inclusion of nuclear correlations with random phase approximation. Moreover, convective motions are taken into account within the mixing length theory. As we vary the assumptions for computing neutrino–nucleon reaction rates, we show that the dominant effect on the cooling time-scale, neutrino signal, and composition of the neutrino-driven wind comes from the inclusion of convective motion. Computation of nuclear correlations within the random phase approximation, as compared to mean field approach, has a relatively small impact.

Convection and Dynamo in Newly Born Neutron Stars

Abstract To study properties of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) convection and resultant dynamo activities in proto-neutron stars (PNSs), we construct a “PNS in a box” simulation model and solve the compressible MHD equation coupled with a nuclear equation of state (EOS) and simplified leptonic transport. As a demonstration, we apply it to two types of PNS model with different internal structures: a fully convective model and a spherical-shell convection model. By varying the spin rate of the models, the rotational dependence of convection and the dynamo that operate inside the PNS is investigated. We find that, as a consequence of turbulent transport by rotating stratified convection, large-scale structures of flow and thermodynamic fields are developed in all models. Depending on the spin rate and the depth of the convection zone, various profiles of the large-scale structures are obtained, which can be physically understood as steady-state solutions to the “mean-field” equation of motion. Additionally to those hydrodynamic structures, a large-scale magnetic component of  ( 10 15 ) G is also spontaneously organized in disordered tangled magnetic fields in all models. The higher the spin rate, the stronger the large-scale magnetic component grows. Intriguingly, as an overall trend, the fully convective models have a stronger large-scale magnetic component than that in the spherical-shell convection models. The deeper the convection zone extends, the larger the size of the convective eddies becomes. As a result, rotationally constrained convection seems to be more easily achieved in the fully convective model, resulting in a higher efficiency of the large-scale dynamo there. To gain a better understanding of the origin of the diversity of a neutron star’s magnetic field, we need to study the PNS dynamo in a wider parameter range.

Observing Supernova Neutrino Light Curves with Super-Kamiokande. II. Impact of the Nuclear Equation of State

Abstract The late-time evolution of the neutrino event rate from supernovae is evaluated for Super-Kamiokande using simulated results of proto-neutron star (PNS) cooling. In the present work, we extend the result of Suwa et al., who studied the dependence of the neutrino event rate on the PNS mass, but focus on the impact of the nuclear equation of state (EOS). We find that the neutrino event rate depends on both the high-density and low-density EOS, where the former determines the radius of the PNS and the latter affects its surface temperature. Based on the present evaluation of the neutrino event rate, we propose a new analysis method to extract the time variability of the neutrino average energy taking into account the statistical error in the observation.

Effect of the Nuclear Equation of State and Relativistic Turbulence on Core-Collapse Supernovae

The nuclear Equation of State (EoS) is an important component in the evolution and subsequent explosion of core collapse supernovae. We make a survey of various equations of state that can be found in the literature and analyze their effect on the explosion. To simulate the supernovae, we use the general relativistic spherically-symmetric code GR1D, modified to take into account the effects of three-dimensional turbulence through a new mixing length theory approach (STIR). We show that the viability of the explosion is quite EoS dependent and that the strength of explosions correlate best with the central entropy density right after bounce and the onset of turbulent mixing in the proto-neutron star.

Finite-temperature equation of state with hyperons

We present the novel finite-temperature FSU2H* equation-of-state model that covers a wide range of temperatures and lepton fractions for the conditions in proto-neutron stars, neutron star mergers and supernovae. The temperature effects on the thermodynamical observables and the composition of the neutron star core are stronger when the hyperonic degrees of freedom are considered. We pay a special attention to the temperature and density dependence of the thermal index in the presence of hyperons and conclude that the true thermal effects cannot be reproduced with the use of a constant Г law

Hyperonic equation of state at finite temperature for neutron stars

We review the composition and the equation of state of the hyperonic core of neutron stars at finite temperature within a relativistic mean-field approach. We make use of the new FSU2H∗ model, which is built upon the FSU2H scheme by improving on the Ξ potential according to the recent analysis on the Ξ atoms, and we extend it to include finite temperature corrections. The calculations are done for a wide range of densities, temperatures and charge fractions, thus exploring the different conditions that can be found in protoneutron stars, binary mergers remnants and supernovae explosions. The inclusion of hyperons has a strong effect on the composition and the equation of state at finite temperature, which consequently would lead to significant changes in the properties and evolution of hot neutron stars.

Core-collapse Supernova Simulations and the Formation of Neutron Stars, Hybrid Stars, and Black Holes

Abstract We investigate observable signatures of a first-order quantum chromodynamics (QCD) phase transition in the context of core-collapse supernovae. To this end, we conduct axially symmetric numerical relativity simulations with multi-energy neutrino transport, using a hadron–quark hybrid equation of state (EOS). We consider four nonrotating progenitor models, whose masses range from 9.6 to 70 M ⊙. We find that the two less-massive progenitor stars (9.6 and 11.2 M ⊙) show a successful explosion, which is driven by the neutrino heating. They do not undergo the QCD phase transition and leave behind a neutron star. As for the more massive progenitor stars (50 and 70 M ⊙), the proto-neutron star (PNS) core enters the phase transition region and experiences the second collapse. Because of a sudden stiffening of the EOS entering to the pure quark matter regime, a strong shock wave is formed and blows off the PNS envelope in the 50 M ⊙ model. Consequently the remnant becomes a quark core surrounded by hadronic matter, leading to the formation of the hybrid star. However, for the 70 M ⊙ model, the shock wave cannot overcome the continuous mass accretion and it readily becomes a black hole. We find that the neutrino and gravitational wave (GW) signals from supernova explosions driven by the hadron–quark phase transition are detectable for the present generation of neutrino and GW detectors. Furthermore, the analysis of the GW detector response reveals unique kHz signatures, which will allow us to distinguish this class of supernova explosions from failed and neutrino-driven explosions.

Competition of Electron Capture and Beta Decay Rates in Explosive Astrophysical Scenario of Type II Supernova

Stellar weak interaction processes play a significant role during the supernova explosion condition after collapse leading to the formation of neutron star. In dynamic events like core-collapse supernovae the high entropy wind scenario arises from considerations of the newly born proto-neutron star. Here, the late neutrinos interact with matter of the outermost neutron star layers leading to moderately neutron rich ejecta. We study the electron capture and beta decay rates of Co and Cd isotopes at various temperature and density conditions in an astrophysical environment and found that the beta decay rates are much higher than the corresponding electron capture rates at all the conditions.

Gravitational wave signals from 2D core–collapse supernova models with rotation and magnetic fields

ABSTRACT We investigate the impact of rotation and magnetic fields on the dynamics and gravitational wave emission in 2D core–collapse supernova simulations with neutrino transport. We simulate 17 different models of $15\, {\rm M}_\odot$ and $39\, {\rm M}_\odot$ progenitor stars with various initial rotation profiles and initial magnetic fields strengths up to $10^{12}\, \mathrm{G}$, assuming a dipolar field geometry in the progenitor. Strong magnetic fields generally prove conducive to shock revival, though this trend is not without exceptions. The impact of rotation on the post-bounce dynamics is more variegated, in line with previous studies. A significant impact on the time-frequency structure of the gravitational wave signal is found only for rapid rotation or strong initial fields. For rapid rotation, the angular momentum gradient at the proto-neutron star surface can appreciably affect the frequency of the dominant mode, so that known analytic relations for the high-frequency emission band no longer hold. In case of two magnetorotational explosion models, the deviation from these analytic relations is even more pronounced. One of the magnetorotational explosions has been evolved to more than half a second after the onset of the explosion and shows a subsidence of high-frequency emission at late times. Its most conspicuous gravitational wave signature is a high-amplitude tail signal. We also estimate the maximum detection distances for our waveforms. The magnetorotational models do not stick out for higher detectability during the post-bounce and explosion phase.

Neutron star oscillations in pseudo-Newtonian gravity

ABSTRACT We investigate the oscillations of neutron stars using a purely Newtonian approach and three other pseudo-Newtonian formulations. Our work is motivated by the fact that pseudo-Newtonian formulations are commonly used in core-collapse supernova (CCSN) simulations. We derive and solve numerically the radial and non-radial perturbation equations for neutron star oscillations using different combinations of modified Newtonian hydrodynamics equations and gravitational potentials. We pay special attention to the formulation proposed recently by Zha et al. that implements the standard Case A effective potential in CCSN simulations with an additional lapse-function correction to the hydrodynamics equations. We find that this ‘Case A + lapse’ formulation can typically approximate the frequency of the fundamental radial mode of a 1.4-M⊙ neutron star computed in general relativity to about a few tens of per cent for our chosen EOS models. For the non-radial quadrupolar f mode, which is expected to contribute strongly to the gravitational waves emitted from a protoneutron star, the Case A + lapse formulation performs much better and can approximate the f-mode frequency to within about a few per cent even for the maximum-mass configuration in general relativity.

Pairing effects in nuclear pasta phase within the relativistic Thomas–Fermi formalism

Pairing effects in non-uniform nuclear matter, surrounded by electrons, are studied in the protoneutron star early stage and in other conditions. The so-called nuclear pasta phases at subsaturation densities are solved in a Wigner–Seitz cell, within the Thomas–Fermi approximation. The solution of this problem is important for the understanding of the physics of a newly born neutron star after a supernova explosion. It is shown that the pasta phase is more stable than uniform nuclear matter on some conditions and the pairing force relevance is studied in the determination of these stable phases.

Thermal Support and Rapid Uniform Rotation: Implications on Protoneutron Stars, Hot Neutron Stars, and Neutron Star Merger Remnants

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.

Universal relation for supernova gravitational waves

Using the numerical simulation data for two-dimensional core-collapse supernova, we examine the protoneutron star (PNS) asteroseismology with the relativistic Cowling approximation. As shown in the previous study, e.g., [H. Sotani and T. Takiwaki, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 498, 3503 (2020).], the gravitational wave signals appearing in the numerical simulation can be well identified with the gravity (fundamental) oscillation in the early (later) phase before (after) the avoided crossing between the gravity and fundamental oscillations. On the other hand, the time evolution of supernova gravitational waves strongly depends on the PNS models, such as the progenitor mass and the equation of state for dense matter. Nevertheless, we find that the fundamental and gravity mode frequencies according to the gravitational wave signals appearing in the numerical simulations can be expressed as a function of the protoneutron star average density independently of the PNS models. Using the average density, we derive the empirical formula for supernova gravitational wave frequency. In addition, we confirm that the dependence of the PNS surface density on the PNS average density is almost independent of the PNS models, and we also discuss how the different treatment of the nonuniform matter in the equation of state affects the observables.

Equation-of-state Dependence of Gravitational Waves in Core-collapse Supernovae

Abstract Gravitational waves (GWs) provide unobscured insight into the birthplace of neutron stars and black holes in core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe). The nuclear equation of state (EOS) describing these dense environments is yet uncertain, and variations in its prescription affect the proto−neutron star (PNS) and the post-bounce dynamics in CCSN simulations, subsequently impacting the GW emission. We perform axisymmetric simulations of CCSNe with Skyrme-type EOSs to study how the GW signal and PNS convection zone are impacted by two experimentally accessible EOS parameters, (1) the effective mass of nucleons, m ⋆, which is crucial in setting the thermal dependence of the EOS, and (2) the isoscalar incompressibility modulus, K sat. While K sat shows little impact, the peak frequency of the GWs has a strong effective mass dependence due to faster contraction of the PNS for higher values of m ⋆ owing to a decreased thermal pressure. These more compact PNSs also exhibit more neutrino heating, which drives earlier explosions and correlates with the GW amplitude via accretion plumes striking the PNS, exciting the oscillations. We investigate the spatial origin of the GWs and show the agreement between a frequency-radial distribution of the GW emission and a perturbation analysis. We do not rule out overshoot from below via PNS convection as another moderately strong excitation mechanism in our simulations. We also study the combined effect of effective mass and rotation. In all our simulations we find evidence for a power gap near ∼1250 Hz; we investigate its origin and report its EOS dependence.

Equations of state for hot neutron stars

We review the equation of state (EoS) models covering a large range of temperatures, baryon number densities and electron fractions presently available on the \textsc{CompOSE} database. These models are intended to be directly usable within numerical simulations of core-collapse supernovae, binary neutron star mergers and proto-neutron star evolution. We discuss their compliance with existing constraints from astrophysical observations and nuclear data. For a selection of purely nucleonic models in reasonable agreement with the above constraints, after discussing the properties of cold matter, we review thermal properties for thermodynamic conditions relevant for core-collapse supernovae and binary neutron star mergers. We find that the latter are strongly influenced by the density dependence of the nucleon effective mass. The selected bunch of models is used to investigate the EoS dependence of hot star properties, where entropy per baryon and electron fraction profiles are inspired from proto-neutron star evolution. The $\Gamma$-law analytical thermal EoS used in many simulations is found not to describe well these thermal properties of the EoS. However, it may offer a fair description of the structure of hot stars whenever thermal effects on the baryonic part are small, as shown here for proto-neutron stars starting from several seconds after bounce.

Supernova Constraints on Dark Flavored Sectors

Proto-neutron stars forming a few seconds after core-collapse supernovae are hot and dense environments where hyperons can be efficiently produced by weak processes. By making use of various state-of-the-art supernova simulations combined with the proper extensions of the equations of state including Λ hyperons, we calculate the cooling of the star induced by the emission of dark particles X0 through the decay Λ → nX 0. Comparing this novel energy-loss process to the neutrino cooling of SN 1987A allows us to set a stringent upper limit on the branching fraction, BR(Λ → nX 0) ≤ 8 × 10−9, that we apply to massless dark photons and axions with flavor-violating couplings to quarks. We find that the new supernova bound can be orders of magnitude stronger than other limits in dark-sector models.

Proto-neutron star stability under rotational space-time component

Proto-neutron star stability under rotational space-time component

Bulk viscosity from Urca processes: npeμ matter in the neutrino-trapped regime

In this work, we extend our previous study of the bulk viscosity of hot and dense $npe$ matter induced by the Urca processes in the neutrino trapped regime to $npe\ensuremath{\mu}$ matter by adding the muonic Urca processes as well as the purely leptonic electroweak processes involving electron-muon transition. The nuclear matter is modeled in a relativistic density functional approach with two different parametrizations which predict neutrino dominated matter (DDME2 model) and antineutrino dominated matter (NL3 model) at temperatures for which neutrinos/antineutrinos are trapped. In the case of neutrino-dominated matter, the main equilibration mechanism is lepton capture, whereas in the case of antineutrino-dominated matter this is due to neutron decay. We find that the equilibration rates of Urca processes are higher than that of the pure leptonic processes, which implies that the Urca-process-driven bulk viscosity can be computed with the leptonic reactions assumed to be frozen. We find that the bulk viscosity decreases with temperature as $\ensuremath{\zeta}\ensuremath{\sim}{T}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ at moderate temperatures. At high temperatures this scaling breaks down by sharp drops of the bulk viscosity close to the temperature where the proton fraction is density-independent and the matter becomes scale-invariant. This occurs also when the matter undergoes a transition from the antineutrino-dominated regime to the neutrino-dominated regime where the bulk viscosity attains a local maximum. We also estimate the bulk viscous dissipation timescales and find that these are in the $\mathrm{range}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}1\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{s}$ for temperatures above the neutrino trapping temperature. These timescales would be relevant only for long-lived objects formed in binary neutron star mergers and hot proto-neutron stars formed in core-collapse supernovas.

Observable signatures of enhanced axion emission from protoneutron stars

We perform general relativistic one-dimensional supernova (SN) simulations to identify observable signatures of enhanced axion emission from the pion-induced reaction $\pi^- + p \rightarrow n + a$ inside a newly born protoneutron star (PNS).We focus on the early evolution after the onset of the supernova explosion to predict the temporal and spectral features of the neutrino and axion emission during the first 10 s. Pions are included as explicit new degrees of freedom in hot and dense matter. Their thermal population and their role in axion production are both determined consistently to include effects due to their interactions with nucleons. For a wide range of ambient conditions encountered inside a PNS, we find that the pion-induced axion production dominates over nucleon-nucleon bremsstrahlung processes. By consistently including the role of pions on the dense matter equation of state and on the energy loss, our simulations predict robust discernible features of neutrino and axion emission from a galactic supernova that can be observed in terrestrial detectors. For axion couplings that are compatible with current bounds, we find a significant suppression with time of the neutrino luminosity during the first 10 s. This suggests that current bounds derived from the neutrino signal from SN 1987A can be improved and that future galactic supernovae may provide significantly more stringent constraints.

Neutron Stars and Gravitational Waves: The Key Role of Nuclear Equation of State

Neutron stars are the densest known objects in the universe and an ideal laboratory for the strange physics of super-condensed matter. Theoretical studies in connection with recent observational data of isolated neutron stars, as well as binary neutron stars systems, offer an excellent opportunity to provide robust solutions on the dense nuclear problem. In the present work, we review recent studies concerning the applications of various theoretical nuclear models on a few recent observations of binary neutron stars or neutron-star–black-hole systems. In particular, using a simple and well-established model, we parametrize the stiffness of the equation of state with the help of the speed of sound. Moreover, in comparison to the recent observations of two events by LIGO/VIRGO collaboration, GW170817 and GW190425, we suggest possible robust constraints. We also concentrate our theoretical study on the resent observation of a compact object with mass ∼2.59−0.09+0.08M⊙ (GW190814 event), as a component of a system where the main companion was a black hole with mass ∼23M⊙. There is scientific debate concerning the identification of the low mass component, as it falls into the neutron-star–black-hole mass gap. This is an important issue since understanding the nature of GW190814 event will offer rich information concerning the upper limit of the speed of sound in dense matter and the possible phase transition into other degrees of freedom. We systematically study the tidal deformability of a possible high-mass candidate existing as an individual star or as a component in a binary neutron star system. Finally, we provide some applications of equations of state of hot, dense nuclear matter in hot neutron stars (nonrotating and rapidly rotating with the Kepler frequency neutron stars), protoneutron stars, and binary neutron star merger remnants.