Special Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamics Research Articles

A 4th-order accurate finite volume method for ideal classical and special relativistic MHD based on pointwise reconstructions

We present a novel implementation of a genuinely 4th-order accurate finite volume scheme for multidimensional classical and special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) based on the constrained transport (CT) formalism. The scheme introduces several novel aspects when compared to its predecessors yielding a more efficient computational tool. Among the most relevant ones, our scheme exploits pointwise to pointwise reconstructions (rather than one-dimensional finite volume ones), employs the generic upwind constrained transport averaging and sophisticated limiting strategies that include both a discontinuity detector and an order reduction procedure. Selected numerical benchmarks demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of the method.

Particles in Relativistic MHD Jets. I. Role of Jet Dynamics in Particle Acceleration

Relativistic jets from (supermassive) black holes are typically observed in nonthermal emission, caused by highly relativistic electrons. Here, we study the interrelation between three-dimensional (special) relativistic magnetohydrodynamics, and particle acceleration in these jets. We inject Lagrangian particles into the jet that are accelerated through diffusive shock acceleration and radiate energy via synchrotron and inverse Compton processes. We investigate the impact of different injection nozzles on the jet dynamics, propagation, and the spectral energy distribution of relativistic particles. We consider three different injection nozzles—injecting steady, variable, and precessing jets. These jets evolve with substantially different dynamics, driving different levels of turbulence and shock structures. The steady jet shows a strong, stationary shock feature, resulting from a head-on collision with an inner back-flow along the jet axis—a jet inside a jet. This shock represents a site for highly efficient particle acceleration for electrons up to a few tens of TeV and should be visible in emission as a jet knot. Overall, we find that the total number of shocks is more essential for particle acceleration than the strength of the shocks. The precessing jet is most efficient in accelerating electrons to high energies reaching even few hundred TeVs, with power-law index ranging from 2.3 to 3.1. We compare different outflow components, such as the jet and the entrained material concerning particle acceleration. For the precessing nozzle, the particle acceleration in the entrained material is as efficient as that in the jet stream. This is due to the higher level of turbulence induced by the precession motion.

An analytical solution of the isentropic vortex problem in the special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

The isentropic vortex problem is frequently solved to test the accuracy of numerical methods and verify corresponding code. Unfortunately, its existing solution was derived in the relativistic magnetohydrodynamics by numerically solving an ordinary differential equation. This note provides an analytical solution of the 2D isentropic vortex problem with explicit algebraic expressions in the special relativistic hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics and extends it to the 3D case.

Gravitomagnetic Instabilities of Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamics

Abstract We study gravitomagnetic instabilities of a static homogeneous medium with an aligned magnetic field in the two contexts of relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (MHD): first, MHD with post-Newtonian (PN) corrections, and second, special relativistic (SR) MHD with weak gravity. The analysis in the PN MHD is made without taking the temporal gauge condition, thus results are gauge-invariant. The PN corrections of the internal energy, pressure, sound velocity, and the Alfvén velocity lower the critical (Jeans) wavelength. All relativistic effects tend to destabilize the system. Although the SR MHD with weak gravity is presented in the harmonic gauge, in the presence of gravity the stability analysis is strictly valid to Newtonian order. In the absence of gravity, the SR MHD is independent of the gauge condition. We present the plane wave velocities and the stability criteria in both cases.

High-order accurate entropy stable nodal discontinuous Galerkin schemes for the ideal special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

This paper studies high-order accurate entropy stable nodal discontinuous Galerkin (DG) schemes for the ideal special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (RMHD). It is built on the modified RMHD equations with a particular source term, which is analogous to the Powell's eight-wave formulation and can be symmetrized so that an “entropy pair” is obtained. We design an affordable “fully consistent” two-point entropy conservative flux, which is not only consistent with the physical flux, but also maintains the zero parallel magnetic component, and then construct high-order accurate semi-discrete entropy stable DG schemes based on the quadrature rules and the entropy conservative and stable fluxes. The Lax-Friedrichs flux is proven to be entropy stable when its viscosity coefficient is chosen as the speed of light, and the other two entropy stable fluxes are also derived by adding the dissipation terms to our proposed entropy conservative flux and compared to the Lax-Friedrichs flux by using numerical experiments in terms of the CPU time and accuracy. All three entropy stable numerical fluxes maintain the zero parallel magnetic component in one dimension. The resulting entropy stable DG schemes satisfy the semi-discrete “entropy inequality” for the given “entropy pair” and are integrated in time by using the high-order explicit strong stability preserving Runge-Kutta schemes to get further the fully-discrete nodal DG schemes. Extensive numerical tests are conducted to validate the accuracy and the ability to capture discontinuities of our schemes with the help of the TVB limiter. Moreover, our entropy conservative flux is compared to an existing flux through some numerical tests. The results show that the zero parallel magnetic component in the numerical flux can help to decrease the error in the parallel magnetic component in one-dimensional tests, but two entropy conservative fluxes give similar results since the error in the magnetic field divergence seems dominated in the two-dimensional tests.

Magnetorotational core collapse of possible GRB progenitors – I. Explosion mechanisms

ABSTRACT We investigate the explosion of stars with zero-age main-sequence masses between 20 and 35 M⊙ and varying degrees of rotation and magnetic fields including ones commonly considered progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The simulations, combining special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics, a general relativistic approximate gravitational potential, and two-moment neutrino transport, demonstrate the viability of different scenarios for the post-bounce evolution. Having formed a highly massive proto-neutron star (PNS), several models launch successful explosions, either by the standard supernova mechanism based on neutrino heating and hydrodynamic instabilities or by magnetorotational processes. It is, however, quite common for the PNS to collapse to a black hole (BH) within a few seconds. Others might produce proto-magnetar-driven explosions. We explore several ways to describe the different explosion mechanisms. The competition between the time-scales for advection of gas through the gain layer and heating by neutrinos provides an approximate explanation for models with insignificant magnetic fields. The fidelity of this explosion criterion in the case of rapid rotation can be improved by accounting for the strong deviations from spherical symmetry and mixing between pole and equator. We furthermore study an alternative description including the ram pressure of the gas falling through the shock. Magnetically driven explosions tend to arise from a strongly magnetized region around the polar axis. In these cases, the onset of the explosion corresponds to the equality between the advection time-scale and the time-scale for the propagation of Alfvén waves through the gain layer.

The impact of non-dipolar magnetic fields in core-collapse supernovae

ABSTRACT The magnetic field is believed to play an important role in at least some core-collapse supernovae (CCSN) if its magnitude reaches $10^{15}\, \rm {G}$, which is a typical value for a magnetar. In the presence of fast rotation, such a strong magnetic field can drive powerful jet-like explosions if it has the large-scale coherence of a dipole. The topology of the magnetic field is, however, probably much more complex with strong multipolar and small-scale components and the consequences for the explosion are so far unclear. We investigate the effects of the magnetic field topology on the dynamics of CCSN and the properties of the forming proto-neutron star (PNS) by comparing pre-collapse fields of different multipolar orders and radial profiles. Using axisymmetric special relativistic MHD simulations and a two-moment neutrino transport, we find that higher multipolar magnetic configurations lead to generally less energetic explosions, slower expanding shocks, and less collimated outflows. Models with a low order multipolar configuration tend to produce more oblate PNS, surrounded in some cases by a rotationally supported toroidal structure of neutron-rich material. Moreover, magnetic fields which are distributed on smaller angular scales produce more massive and faster rotating central PNS, suggesting that higher order multipolar configurations tend to decrease the efficiency of the magnetorotational launching mechanism. Even if our dipolar models systematically display a far more efficient extraction of the rotational energy of the PNS, fields distributed on smaller angular scales are still capable of powering magnetorotational explosions and shape the evolution of the central compact object.

Special Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamics with Gravitation

Abstract We present a fully nonlinear and exact perturbation formulation of Einstein’s gravity with a general fluid and ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) without imposing the slicing (temporal gauge) condition. Using this formulation, we derive equations of special relativistic (SR) MHD in the presence of weak gravitation. The equations are consistently derived in the limits of weak gravity and action-at-a-distance in the maximal slicing. We show that in this approximation the relativistic nature of gravity does not affect the SR MHD dynamics, but SR effects manifest themselves in the metric, and thus in gravitational lensing. Our formulation can account for strong SR effects, which might dominate over the Newtonian lensing potentials. Neglecting these SR effects may lead to an overestimation of lensing masses.

Core collapse with magnetic fields and rotation

We study the effects of magnetic fields and rotation on the core collapse of a star of an initial mass of using axisymmetric simulations coupling special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics, an approximately relativistic gravitational potential, and spectral neutrino transport. We compare models of the same core with different, artificially added profiles of rotation and magnetic field. A model with weak field and slow rotation does not produce an explosion, while stronger fields and fast rotation open the possibility of explosions. Whereas the neutrino luminosities of the exploding models are the same as or even less than those of the non-exploding model, magnetic fields locally in equipartition with the gas pressure provide a strong contribution to the shock revival and the acceleration of bipolar outflows. Among the amplification processes generating such strong fields, we find the magneto-rotational instability. However, our limited grid resolution allows us to find it only in limited regions of the model with the strongest pre-collapse field () and fastest rotation.

On physical-constraints-preserving schemes for special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics with a general equation of state

The paper studies the physical-constraints-preserving (PCP) schemes for multi-dimensional special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics with a general equation of state (EOS) on more general meshes. It is an extension of the work [Math. Models Methods Appl. Sci., 27:1871-1928, 2017] which focuses on the ideal EOS and uniform Cartesian meshes. The general EOS without a special expression poses some additional difficulties in discussing the mathematical properties of admissible state set with the physical constraints on the fluid velocity, density and pressure. Rigorous analyses are provided for the PCP property of finite volume or discontinuous Galerkin schemes with the Lax-Friedrichs (LxF) type flux on a general mesh with non-self-intersecting polytopes. Those are built on a more general form of generalized LxF splitting property and a different convex decomposition technique. It is shown in theory that the PCP property is closely connected with a discrete divergence-free condition, which is proposed on the general mesh and milder than that in [Math. Models Methods Appl. Sci., 27:1871-1928, 2017].

Runge–Kutta discontinuous Galerkin methods for the special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

This paper develops PK-based non-central and central Runge–Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods with WENO limiter for the one- and two-dimensional special relativistic magnetohydrodynamical (RMHD) equations, K=1,2,3. The non-central DG methods are locally divergence-free, while the central DG are “exactly” divergence-free but have to find two approximate solutions defined on mutually dual meshes. The adaptive WENO limiter first identifies the “troubled” cells by using a modified TVB minmod function, and then uses the WENO technique and the cell average values of the DG solutions in the neighboring cells as well as the original cell averages of the “troubled” cells to locally reconstruct a new polynomial of degree (2K+1) inside the “troubled” cells instead of the DG solution. The WENO limiting procedure does not destroy the locally or “exactly” divergence-free property of magnetic field and is only employed for finite “troubled” cells so that the computational cost can be as little as possible. Several test problems in one and two dimensions are solved by using our non-central and central Runge–Kutta DG methods with WENO limiter. The numerical results demonstrate that our methods are stable, accurate, and robust in resolving complex wave structures.

Protomagnetar and black hole formation in high-mass stars

Abstract Using axisymmetric simulations coupling special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), an approximate post-Newtonian gravitational potential and two-moment neutrino transport, we show different paths for the formation of either protomagnetars or stellar mass black holes. The fraction of prototypical stellar cores which should result in collapsars depends on a combination of several factors, among which the structure of the progenitor star and the profile of specific angular momentum are probably the foremost. Along with the implosion of the stellar core, we also obtain supernova-like explosions driven by neutrino heating and hydrodynamic instabilities or by magneto-rotational effects in cores of high-mass stars. In the latter case, highly collimated, mildly relativistic outflows are generated. We find that after a rather long post-collapse phase (lasting ≳1 s) black holes may form in cases both of successful and failed supernova-like explosions. A basic trend is that cores with a specific angular momentum smaller than that obtained by standard, one-dimensional stellar evolution calculations form black holes (and eventually collapsars). Complementary, protomagnetars result from stellar cores with the standard distribution of specific angular momentum obtained from prototypical stellar evolution calculations including magnetic torques and moderate to large mass-loss rates.

Efficient conservative ADER schemes based on WENO reconstruction and space-time predictor in primitive variables.

We present a new version of conservative ADER-WENO finite volume schemes, in which both the high order spatial reconstruction as well as the time evolution of the reconstruction polynomials in the local space-time predictor stage are performed in primitive variables, rather than in conserved ones. To obtain a conservative method, the underlying finite volume scheme is still written in terms of the cell averages of the conserved quantities. Therefore, our new approach performs the spatial WENO reconstruction twice: the first WENO reconstruction is carried out on the known cell averages of the conservative variables. The WENO polynomials are then used at the cell centers to compute point values of the conserved variables, which are subsequently converted into point values of the primitive variables. This is the only place where the conversion from conservative to primitive variables is needed in the new scheme. Then, a second WENO reconstruction is performed on the point values of the primitive variables to obtain piecewise high order reconstruction polynomials of the primitive variables. The reconstruction polynomials are subsequently evolved in time with a novel space-time finite element predictor that is directly applied to the governing PDE written in primitive form. The resulting space-time polynomials of the primitive variables can then be directly used as input for the numerical fluxes at the cell boundaries in the underlying conservative finite volume scheme. Hence, the number of necessary conversions from the conserved to the primitive variables is reduced to just one single conversion at each cell center. We have verified the validity of the new approach over a wide range of hyperbolic systems, including the classical Euler equations of gas dynamics, the special relativistic hydrodynamics (RHD) and ideal magnetohydrodynamics (RMHD) equations, as well as the Baer-Nunziato model for compressible two-phase flows. In all cases we have noticed that the new ADER schemes provide less oscillatory solutions when compared to ADER finite volume schemes based on the reconstruction in conserved variables, especially for the RMHD and the Baer-Nunziato equations. For the RHD and RMHD equations, the overall accuracy is improved and the CPU time is reduced by about 25 %. Because of its increased accuracy and due to the reduced computational cost, we recommend to use this version of ADER as the standard one in the relativistic framework. At the end of the paper, the new approach has also been extended to ADER-DG schemes on space-time adaptive grids (AMR).

High order cell-centered Lagrangian-type finite volume schemes with time-accurate local time stepping on unstructured triangular meshes

We present a novel cell-centered direct Arbitrary-Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) finite volume scheme on unstructured triangular meshes that is high order accurate in space and time and that also allows for time-accurate local time stepping (LTS). It extends our previous investigations on high order Lagrangian finite volume schemes with LTS carried out in [46] in one space dimension. The new scheme uses the following basic ingredients: a high order WENO reconstruction in space on unstructured meshes, an element-local high-order accurate space–time Galerkin predictor that performs the time evolution of the reconstructed polynomials within each element, the computation of numerical ALE fluxes at the moving element interfaces through approximate Riemann solvers, and a one-step finite volume scheme for the time update which is directly based on the integral form of the conservation equations in space–time. The inclusion of the LTS algorithm requires a number of crucial extensions, such as a proper scheduling criterion for the time update of each element and for each node; a virtual projection of the elements contained in the reconstruction stencils of the element that has to perform the WENO reconstruction; and the proper computation of the fluxes through the space–time boundary surfaces that will inevitably contain hanging nodes in time due to the LTS algorithm.We have validated our new unstructured Lagrangian LTS approach over a wide sample of test cases solving the Euler equations of compressible gas dynamics in two space dimensions, including shock tube problems, cylindrical explosion problems, as well as specific tests typically adopted in Lagrangian calculations, such as the Kidder, the Saltzman and the Sedov problem. When compared to the traditional global time stepping (GTS) method, the newly proposed LTS algorithm allows to reduce the number of element updates in a given simulation by a factor that may depend on the complexity of the dynamics, but which can be as large as ∼4.7. Finally, we have also shown the improvement in terms of computational efficiency in a representative test for the special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (RMHD) equations.

Radiation drag effects in black hole outflows from super-critical accretion disks via special relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamics simulations

Abstract By performing 2.5-dimensional special relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamics simulations, we study super-critical accretion disks and the outflows launched via the radiation force. We find that the outflow is accelerated by the radiation flux force, but the radiation drag force prevents the outflow velocity from increasing. The outflow velocity saturates around 30%–40% of the light speed around the rotation axis, since then the flux force balances with the drag force. Our simulations show that the outflow velocity is kept nearly constant in the region of $\skew4\dot{M}_{\rm BH}\sim 10^{2-3}L_{\rm Edd}/c^{\,2}$, where $\skew4\dot{M}_{\rm BH}$ is the mass accretion rate, LEdd is the Eddington luminosity, and c is the light speed. Such a faster outflow is surrounded by a slower outflow of ∼ 0.1c. This velocity is also determined by the balance between the radiation flux force and the radiation drag. The radiation drag works to collimate the slower outflow in cooperation with the Lorentz force, although the faster outflow is mainly collimated by the Lorentz force. The kinetic energy is carried by the slower outflow rather than by the faster outflow. The total kinetic luminosity of the outflow as well as the photon luminosity is ∼ LEdd, almost independent of the mass accretion rate.

Primitive Variable Determination in Conservative Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations

In nonrelativistic hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics, conservative integration schemes for the fluid equations of motion are generally employed. The computed quantities, namely, the mass density, (vector) momentum density, and energy density, can readily be converted back into the primitive variables that define the problem, namely, the mass density, (vector) velocity, and thermal pressure. In practical terms, the primitive variables can be “peeled away” from the computed variables. In relativistic problems, however, the appearance of the Lorentz factor in the computed quantities dramatically complicates the problem owing to its near-singular dependence upon relativistic velocities. Conservative integration schemes for the hyperbolic partial differential equations of special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (RMHD) yield estimates of the five conserved quantities that are related in a highly nonlinear way to the five primitive variables. We also observe that an equivalent set of five nonlinear equations emerges in describing the general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics problem. Conversion from the conserved quantities to primitive variables is the most computationally intensive part of the simulation, consuming almost all the computational effort. This paper presents a new algorithm for accurately and rapidly addressing this problem. We provide an analytic representation for this nonlinear system as a single equation in a single unknown. This equation lends itself to an iterative approach, emerging from its underlying physical and analytic properties, one whose convergence is rapid and sufficiently close to geometric that the Aitken acceleration scheme renders the iterations quadratically convergent. The new algorithm enjoys robust convergence properties that render it well-suited to parallel computing architectures. We show how our new scheme facilitates the rapid and accurate computation of solutions to the RMHD equations for moderate Lorentz factors as well as extreme relativistic situations that are observed in high-energy astrophysical objects, where the Lorentz factor can exceed $10^4$ and magnetic fields can exceed $10^{13}$ Gauss, and in laboratory plasmas associated with fusion research where very high velocities and magnetic fields are introduced.

A multidimensional numerical scheme for two-fluid relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

The paper describes an explicit multi-dimensional numerical scheme for Special Relativistic Two-Fluid Magnetohydrodynamics of electron-positron plasma and a suit of test problems. The scheme utilizes Cartesian grid and the third order WENO interpolation. The time integration is carried out using the third order TVD method of Runge-Kutta type, thus ensuring overall third order accuracy on smooth solutions. The magnetic field is kept near divergence-free by means of the method of generalized Lagrange multiplier. The test simulations, which include linear and non-linear continuous plasma waves, shock waves, strong explosions and the tearing instability, show that the scheme is sufficiently robust and confirm its accuracy.

Numerical simulations of dynamics and emission from relativistic astrophysical jets

Broadband emission from relativistic outflows (jets) of active galactic nuclei (AGN) and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) contains valuable information about the nature of the jet itself and about the central engine which launches it. Using special relativistic hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics simulations we study the dynamics of the jet and its interaction with the surrounding medium. The observational signature of the simulated jets is computed using a radiative transfer code developed specifically for the purpose of computing multi-wavelength, time-dependent, non-thermal emission from astrophysical plasmas. We present results of a series of long-term projects devoted to understanding the dynamics and emission of jets in parsec-scale AGN jets, blazars and the afterglow phase of the GRBs.

The space–time CE/SE method for solving one-dimensional special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics equations

The development of powerful computational tools for simulating phenomena that inhibits the relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) structure has become one of the core research issues in astrophysics and is one of the compelling fields. The relativistic MHD equations are more complex than the non-relativistic ones due to non-linear relations between conserved and state (primitive) variables. The non-linearity of the systems and the flow near speed of light pose major challenges to the theoretical investigation of the models and to the numerical solution techniques. The current numerical study is related to the implementation of the space–time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) method for solving one-dimensional special relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (SRMHD) equations. In contrast to the existing upwind finite volume schemes, the Riemann solver and reconstruction procedure are not the building blocks of the suggested method. The method differs from previous techniques because of global and local flux conservation in a space–time domain without resorting to interpolation or extrapolation. For validation, the numerical results of the method are compared with the second order central and kinetic flux-vector splitting schemes. The one-dimensional computations of this paper verify the method’s efficiency, robustness and accuracy which are the key parameters in the context of astrophysical scenario.

THE PLUTO CODE FOR ADAPTIVE MESH COMPUTATIONS IN ASTROPHYSICAL FLUID DYNAMICS

We present a description of the adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) implementation of the PLUTO code for solving the equations of classical and special relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (MHD and RMHD). The current release exploits, in addition to the static grid version of the code, the distributed infrastructure of the CHOMBO library for multidimensional parallel computations over block-structured, adaptively refined grids. We employ a conservative finite-volume approach where primary flow quantities are discretized at the cell-center in a dimensionally unsplit fashion using the Corner Transport Upwind (CTU) method. Time stepping relies on a characteristic tracing step where piecewise parabolic method (PPM), weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) or slope-limited linear interpolation schemes can be handily adopted. A characteristic decomposition-free version of the scheme is also illustrated. The solenoidal condition of the magnetic field is enforced by augmenting the equations with a generalized Lagrange multiplier (GLM) providing propagation and damping of divergence errors through a mixed hyperbolic/parabolic explicit cleaning step. Among the novel features, we describe an extension of the scheme to include non-ideal dissipative processes such as viscosity, resistivity and anisotropic thermal conduction without operator splitting. Finally, we illustrate an efficient treatment of point-local, potentially stiff source terms over hierarchical nested grids by taking advantage of the adaptivity in time. Several multidimensional benchmarks and applications to problems of astrophysical relevance assess the potentiality of the AMR version of PLUTO in resolving flow features separated by large spatial and temporal disparities.