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Three-dimensional hydrodynamic Bondi-Hoyle accretion. 1: Code validation and stationary accretors

We investigate the hydrodynamics of three-dimensional classical Bondi-Hoyle accretion. Totally absorbing stationary spheres of varying sizes (from 10.0 down to 0.02 Bondi radii) accrete matter from a homogeneous and slightly perturbed medium, which is taken to be an ideal gas (gamma = 5/3 or 1.2). To accommodate the long-range gravitational forces, the extent of the computational volume is typically a factor of 100 larger than the radius of the accretor. We compare the numerical mass accretion rates with the theoretical predictions of Bondi, to assess the validity of the code. The hydrodynamics is modeled by the piecewise parabolic method. No energy sources (nuclear burning) or sinks (radiation, conduction) are included. The resolution in the vicinity of the accretor is increased by multiply nesting several (6-8) grids around the stationary sphere, each finer grid being a factor of 2 smaller spatially than the next coarser grid. This allows us to include a coarse model for the surface of the accretor (vacuum sphere) on the finest grid while at the same time evolving the gas on the coarser grids. The accretion rates derived numerically are in in very good agreement (to about 10% over several orders of magnitude) with the values given by Bondi for a stationary accretor within a hydrodynamic medium. However, the equations have to be changed in order to include the finite size of the accretor (in some cases very large compared to the sonic point or even to the Bondi radius).

Ruffert, Maximilian↗

Test problems for radiation and radiation-hydrodynamics codes

A number of test problems for radiation and radiation-hydrodynamics computer codes are described. These include evolution to radiative equilibrium, cooling from radiative equilibrium, subcritical and supercritical radiating shocks, and a radiating blast wave in a power-law density distribution. For each test problem, example input parameters and plots of the results are presented. Some test problems for pure hydrodynamics are also suggested. The radiation-hydrodynamics code used to perform the example test problems and the equations it solves are described in some detail.

Ensman, Lisa↗

Hydrodynamic instability and coalescence of binary neutron stars

We study the importance of hydrodynamic effects on the evolution of coalescing binary neutron stars. Using an approximate energy functional constructed from equilibrium solutions for polytropic binary configuration, we incorporate hydrodynamic effects into the calculation of the orbital decay driven by gravitational wave emission. In particular, we follow the transition between the quasi-static, secular decay of the orbit at large separation and the rapid dynamical evolution of confirgurations approaching contact. We show that a purely Newtonian hydrodynamic instability can significantly accelerate the coalescence at small separation. Such an instability occurs in all close binary configurations containing sufficiently incompressible stars. Calculations are performed for various neutron star masses, radii, and spins. The influence of the stiffness of the equation of state is also explored by varying the effective polytopic index. Typically, we find that the radial infall velocity just prior to contact is about 10% of the tangential orbital velocity. Once the stability limit is reached, the final evolution only takes another orbit. Post-Newtonian effects can move the stability limit to a larger binary separation, and may induce an even larger radial velocity. We also consider the possibiltiy of mass transfer form one neutron star to the other. We show that stable mass transfer is unlikely except when the mass of one of the components is very small (M is less than or approximately 0.4 solar mass) and the viscosity is high enough to maintain corotation. Otherwise, either the two stars come into contact or the dynamical instability sets in before a Roche limit can be reached.

Lai, Dong↗

Protostellar hydrodynamics: Constructing and testing a spacially and temporally second-order accurate method. 2: Cartesian coordinates

In Boss & Myhill (1992) we described the derivation and testing of a spherical coordinate-based scheme for solving the hydrodynamic equations governing the gravitational collapse of nonisothermal, nonmagnetic, inviscid, radiative, three-dimensional protostellar clouds. Here we discuss a Cartesian coordinate-based scheme based on the same set of hydrodynamic equations. As with the spherical coorrdinate-based code, the Cartesian coordinate-based scheme employs explicit Eulerian methods which are both spatially and temporally second-order accurate. We begin by describing the hydrodynamic equations in Cartesian coordinates and the numerical methods used in this particular code. Following Finn & Hawley (1989), we pay special attention to the proper implementations of high-order accuracy, finite difference methods. We evaluate the ability of the Cartesian scheme to handle shock propagation problems, and through convergence testing, we show that the code is indeed second-order accurate. To compare the Cartesian scheme discussed here with the spherical coordinate-based scheme discussed in Boss & Myhill (1992), the two codes are used to calculate the standard isothermal collapse test case described by Bodenheimer & Boss (1981). We find that with the improved codes, the intermediate bar-configuration found previously disappears, and the cloud fragments directly into a binary protostellar system. Finally, we present the results from both codes of a new test for nonisothermal protostellar collapse.

Myhill, Elizabeth A.↗

Hydrodynamics of coalescing binary neutron stars: Ellipsoidal treatment

We employ an approximate treatment of dissipative hydrodynamics in three dimensions to study the coalescence of binary neutron stars driven by the emission of gravitational waves. The stars are modeled as compressible ellipsoids obeying a polytropic equation of state; all internal fluid velocities are assumed to be linear functions of the coordinates. The hydrodynamics equations then reduce to a set of coupled ordinary differential equations for the evolution of the principal axes of the ellipsoids, the internal velocity parameters, and the binary orbital parameters. Gravitational radiation reaction and viscous dissipation are both incorporated. We set up exact initial binary equilibrium configurations and follow the transition from the quasi-static, secular decay of the orbit at large separation to the rapid dynamical evolution of the configurations just prior to contact. A hydrodynamical instability resulting from tidal interactions significantly accelerates the coalescence at small separation, leading to appreciable radial infall velocity and tidal lag angles near contact. This behavior is reflected in the gravitational waveforms and may be observable by gravitational wave detectors under construction. In cases where the neutron stars have spins which are not aligned with the orbital angular momentum, the spin-induced quadrupole moment can lead to precession of the orbital plane and therefore modulation of the gravitational wave amplitude even at large orbital radius. However, the amplitude of the modulation is small for typical neutron star binaries with spins much smaller than the orbital angular momentum.

Lai, Dong↗

Effects of Structure and Hydrodynamics on the Sooting Behavior of Spherical Microgravity Diffusion Flames

Recent experimental, numerical and analytical work has shown that the stoichiometric mixture fraction (Z(sub st)) can have a profound effect on soot formation in diffusion flames. These findings were obtained at constant flame temperature (T(sub ad)), employing the approach described in Du and Axelbaum (1995, 1996). For example, a fuel mixture containing 1 mole of ethylene and 11.28 moles of nitrogen burning in pure oxygen ((Z(sub st)) = 0.78) has the same adiabatic flame temperature (2370 K) as that of pure ethylene burning in air ((Z(sub st)) = 0.064). An important finding of these works was that at sufficiently high (Z(sub st)), flames remain blue as strain rate approaches zero in counterflow flames, or as flame height and residence time approach infinity in coflowing flames. Lin and Faeth (1996a) coined the term permanently blue to describe such flames. Two theories have been proposed to explain the appearance of permanently-blue flames at high (Z(sub st)). They are based on (1) hydrodynamics and (2) flame structure. Previous experimental studies in normal gravity are not definitive as to which, if either, mechanism is dominant because both hydrodynamics and structure suppress soot formation at high (Z(sub st)) in coflowing and counterflowing diffusion flames. In counterflow flames with (Z(sub st)) < 0.5 streamlines at the flame sheet are directed toward the fuel. Newly formed soot is convected into richer regions, favoring soot growth over oxidation. For (Z(sub st)) > 0.5, convection at the flame is toward the oxidizer, thus enhancing soot oxidization. Thus, in counterflow flames, hydrodynamics causes soot to be convected towards the oxidizer at high (Z(sub st)) which suppresses soot formation. Axelbaum and co-workers maintain that while the direction of convection can impact soot growth and oxidation, these processes alone cannot cause permanently-blue flames. Soot growth and oxidation are dependent on the existence of soot particles and the presence of soot is invariably accompanied by yellow luminosity. Soot-particle inception, on the other hand, arises from gas-phase reactions and its dependence on flow direction is weak, similar to that of other gas-phase reactions in flames. For example, when the flame moves across the stagnation plane no significant changes in flame chemistry are observed. Furthermore, since the soot-inception zone has a finite thickness, soot has been produced in counterflow flames with (Z(sub st)) > 0.5. For large (Z(sub st)) the fuel concentration decreases and oxygen concentration increases in the soot forming regions of the flame. This yields a shift in the OH profile toward the fuel side of the flame, and this shift can dramatically influence soot inception because it essentially narrows the soot inception zone. Soot-free (permanently-blue) conditions can be realized when the structure of the flame is adjusted to the extent that significant oxidizing species exist on the fuel side of the flame at temperatures above the critical temperature for soot inception, ca. 1250 K. In previously considered flames it was impossible to independently vary flame structure and convection direction. In contrast, spherical diffusion flames (which generally require microgravity) allow both properties to be varied independently. We altered structure (Z(sub st)) by exchanging inert between the oxidizer and the fuel and we independently varied convection direction at the flame sheet by interchanging the injected and ambient gases. In this work we established four flames: (a) ethylene issuing into air, (b) diluted ethylene issuing into oxygen, (c) air issuing into ethylene, and (d) oxygen issuing into diluted ethylene. (Z(sub st)) is 0.064 in flames (a) and (c) and 0.78 in flames (b) and (d). The convection direction is from fuel to oxidizer in flames (a) and (b) and from oxidizer to fuel in flames (c) and (d). Under the assumption of equal diffusivities of all species and heat, the stoichiometric contours of these flames have identical temperatures and nitrogen concentrations.

Sunderland, P. B.↗

Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Simulations of the Postimpact Proto-Earth

Astrophysical fluid configurations are susceptible to a variety of nonaxisymmetric instabilities under the combined effects of rotation, self-gravity, and thermal pressure. When strong enough, they can induce rapid transport of mass and angular momentum. Our own previous studies of nonaxisymmetric instabilities in model protostars and protostellar disks show that significant transport can occur on orbital timescales and that material can be ejected to large distances. In this contribution, we present three-dimensional simulations of the circumterrestrial debris belt that may have resulted from a giant impact. Our three-dimensional hydrodynamics code with self-gravity and artificial viscosity is fully second-order in space and time; the equations of hydrodynamics and the Poisson equation are solved on an Eulerian cylindrical grid. In the preliminary calculations presented here, we use a simplified EOS where the central proto-Earth is treated as an n = 1/2 polytropic fluid, surrounded by a more compressible, rapidly rotating, fluid disk that represents silicate vapor. Our initial disk parameters are generated from the endstate data of recent smoothed particle hydrodynamics giant-impact calculations. Ultimately, we wish to detennine under what conditions nonaxisymmetric instabilities grow in the postimpact disk and whether they facilitate the transport of material outside the proto-Earth's Roche Limit, leading to the formation of the Moon. In future work, we hope to include a more realistic EOS and the consequences of heating, cooling, and phase transitions.

Pickett, B. K.↗

Comparison of Non-Parabolic Hydrodynamic Simulations for Semiconductor Devices

Parabolic drift-diffusion simulators are common engineering level design tools for semiconductor devices. Hydrodynamic simulators, based on the parabolic band approximation, are becoming more prevalent as device dimensions shrink and energy transport effects begin to dominate device characteristic. However, band structure effects present in state-of-the-art devices necessitate relaxing the parabolic band approximation. This paper presents simulations of ballistic diodes, a benchmark device, of Si and GaAs using two different non-parabolic hydrodynamic formulations. The first formulation uses the Kane dispersion relationship in the derivation of the conservation equations. The second model uses a power law dispersion relation {(hk)(exp 2)/2m = xW(exp Y)}. Current-voltage relations show that for the ballistic diodes considered. the non-parabolic formulations predict less current than the parabolic case. Explanations of this will be provided by examination of velocity and energy profiles. At low bias, the simulations based on the Kane formulation predict greater current flow than the power law formulation. As the bias is increased this trend changes and the power law predicts greater current than the Kane formulation. It will be shown that the non-parabolicity and energy range of the hydrodynamic model based on the Kane dispersion relation are limited due to the binomial approximation which was utilized in the derivation.

Smith, A. W.↗

Viscous and Thermal Effects on Hydrodynamic Instability in Liquid-Propellant Combustion

A pulsating form of hydrodynamic instability has recently been shown to arise during the deflagration of liquid propellants in those parameter regimes where the pressure-dependent burning rate is characterized by a negative pressure sensitivity. This type of instability can coexist with the classical cellular, or Landau, form of hydrodynamic instability, with the occurrence of either dependent on whether the pressure sensitivity is sufficiently large or small in magnitude. For the inviscid problem, it has been shown that when the burning rate is realistically allowed to depend on temperature as well as pressure, that sufficiently large values of the temperature sensitivity relative to the pressure sensitivity causes the pulsating form of hydrodynamic instability to become dominant. In that regime, steady, planar burning becomes intrinsically unstable to pulsating disturbances whose wavenumbers are sufficiently small. In the present work, this analysis is extended to the fully viscous case, where it is shown that although viscosity is stabilizing for intermediate and larger wavenumber perturbations, the intrinsic pulsating instability for small wavenumbers remains. Under these conditions, liquid-propellant combustion is predicted to be characterized by large unsteady cells along the liquid/gas interface.

Margolis, Stephen B.↗

On Pulsating and Cellular Forms of Hydrodynamic Instability in Liquid-Propellant Combustion

An extended Landau-Levich model of liquid-propellant combustion, one that allows for a local dependence of the burning rate on the (gas) pressure at the liquid-gas interface, exhibits not only the classical hydrodynamic cellular instability attributed to Landau but also a pulsating hydrodynamic instability associated with sufficiently negative pressure sensitivities. Exploiting the realistic limit of small values of the gas-to-liquid density ratio p, analytical formulas for both neutral stability boundaries may be obtained by expanding all quantities in appropriate powers of p in each of three distinguished wave-number regimes. In particular, composite analytical expressions are derived for the neutral stability boundaries A(sub p)(k), where A, is the pressure sensitivity of the burning rate and k is the wave number of the disturbance. For the cellular boundary, the results demonstrate explicitly the stabilizing effect of gravity on long-wave disturbances, the stabilizing effect of viscosity (both liquid and gas) and surface tension on short-wave perturbations, and the instability associated with intermediate wave numbers for negative values of A(sub p), which is characteristic of many hydroxylammonium nitrate-based liquid propellants over certain pressure ranges. In contrast, the pulsating hydrodynamic stability boundary is insensitive to gravitational and surface-tension effects but is more sensitive to the effects of liquid viscosity because, for typical nonzero values of the latter, the pulsating boundary decreases to larger negative values of A(sub p) as k increases through O(l) values. Thus, liquid-propellant combustion is predicted to be stable (that is, steady and planar) only for a range of negative pressure sensitivities that lie below the cellular boundary that exists for sufficiently small negative values of A(sub p) and above the pulsating boundary that exists for larger negative values of this parameter.

Margolis, Stephen B.↗

Viscous Analysis of Pulsating Hydrodynamic Instability and Thermal Coupling Liquid-Propellant Combustion

A pulsating form of hydrodynamic instability has recently been shown to arise during liquid-propellant deflagration in those parameter regimes where the pressure-dependent burning rate is characterized by a negative pressure sensitivity. This type of instability can coexist with the classical cellular, or Landau form of hydrodynamic instability, with the occurrence of either dependent on whether the pressure sensitivity is sufficiently large or small in magnitude. For the inviscid problem, it has been shown that, when the burning rate is realistically allowed to depend on temperature as well as pressure, sufficiently large values of the temperature sensitivity relative to the pressure sensitivity causes like pulsating form of hydrodynamic instability to become dominant. In that regime, steady, planar burning becomes intrinsically unstable to pulsating disturbances whose wave numbers are sufficiently small. This analysis is extended to the fully viscous case, where it is shown that although viscosity is stabilizing for intermediate and larger wave number perturbations, the intrinsic pulsating instability for small wave numbers remains. Under these conditions, liquid-propellant combustion is predicted to be characterized by large unsteady cells along the liquid/gas interface.

Margolis, Stephen B.↗

Inducer Hydrodynamic Forces in a Cavitating Environment

Marshall Space Flight Center has developed and demonstrated a measurement device for sensing and resolving the hydrodynamic loads on fluid machinery. The device - a derivative of the six-component wind tunnel balance - senses the forces and moments on the rotating device through a weakened shaft section instrumented with a series of strain gauges. This rotating balance was designed to directly measure the steady and unsteady hydrodynamic loads on an inducer, thereby defining the amplitude and frequency content associated with operating in various cavitation modes. The rotating balance was calibrated statically using a dead-weight load system in order to generate the 6 x 12 calibration matrix later used to convert measured voltages to engineering units. Structural modeling suggested that the rotating assembly first bending mode would be significantly reduced with the balance s inclusion. This reduction in structural stiffness was later confirmed experimentally with a hammer-impact test. This effect, coupled with the relatively large damping associated with the rotating balance waterproofing material, limited the device s bandwidth to approximately 50 Hertz Other pre-test validations included sensing the test article rotating assembly built-in imbalance for two configurations and directly measuring the assembly mass and buoyancy while submerged under water. Both tests matched predictions and confirmed the device s sensitivity while stationary and rotating. The rotating balance was then demonstrated in a water test of a full-scale Space Shuttle Main Engine high-pressure liquid oxygen pump inducer. Experimental data was collected a scaled operating conditions at three flow coefficients across a range of cavitation numbers for the single inducer geometry and radial clearance. Two distinct cavitation modes were observed symmetric tip vortex cavitation and alternate-blade cavitation. Although previous experimental tests on the same inducer demonstrated two additional cavitation modes at lower inlet pressures, these conditions proved unreachable with the rotating balance installed due to the intense dynamic environment. The sensed radial load was less influenced by flow coefficient than by cavitation number or cavitation mode although the flow coefficient range was relatively narrow. Transition from symmetric tip vortex to alternate-blade cavitation corresponded to changes in both radial load magnitude and radial load orientation relative to the inducer. Sensed moments indicated that the effective load center moved downstream during this change in cavitation mode. An occurrence of "higher+rdex cavitation" was also detected in both the stationary pressures and the rotating balance data although the frequency of the phenomena was well above the reliable bandwidth of the rotating balance. In summary the experimental tests proved both the concept and device s capability despite the limitations and confirmed that hydrodynamically-induced forces and moments develop in response to the unbalanced pressure field, which is, in turn, a product of the cavitation environment.

Skelley, Stephen E.↗

Analytic Modeling of the Hydrodynamic, Thermal, and Structural Behavior of Foil Thrust Bearings

A simulation and modeling effort is conducted on gas foil thrust bearings. A foil bearing is a self acting hydrodynamic device capable of separating stationary and rotating components of rotating machinery by a film of air or other gaseous lubricant. Although simple in appearance these bearings have proven to be complicated devices in analysis. They are sensitive to fluid structure interaction, use a compressible gas as a lubricant, may not be in the fully continuum range of fluid mechanics, and operate in the range where viscous heat generation is significant. These factors provide a challenge to the simulation and modeling task. The Reynolds equation with the addition of Knudsen number effects due to thin film thicknesses is used to simulate the hydrodynamics. The energy equation is manipulated to simulate the temperature field of the lubricant film and combined with the ideal gas relationship, provides density field input to the Reynolds equation. Heat transfer between the lubricant and the surroundings is also modeled. The structural deformations of the bearing are modeled with a single partial differential equation. The equation models the top foil as a thin, bending dominated membrane whose deflections are governed by the biharmonic equation. A linear superposition of hydrodynamic load and compliant foundation reaction is included. The stiffness of the compliant foundation is modeled as a distributed stiffness that supports the top foil. The system of governing equations is solved numerically by a computer program written in the Mathematica computing environment. Representative calculations and comparisons with experimental results are included for a generation I gas foil thrust bearing.

Bruckner, Robert J.↗

Laboratory Study of Magnetorotational Instability and Hydrodynamic Stability at Large Reynolds Numbers

Two plausible mechanisms have been proposed to explain rapid angular momentum transport during accretion processes in astrophysical disks: nonlinear hydrodynamic instabilities and magnetorotational instability (MRI). A laboratory experiment in a short Taylor-Couette flow geometry has been constructed in Princeton to study both mechanisms, with novel features for better controls of the boundary-driven secondary flows (Ekman circulation). Initial results on hydrodynamic stability have shown negligible angular momentum transport in Keplerian-like flows with Reynolds numbers approaching one million, casting strong doubt on the viability of nonlinear hydrodynamic instability as a source for accretion disk turbulence.

Ji, H.↗

Hydrodynamical Simulations of the Jet in the Symbiotic Star MWC 560: Application to X-ray Jets in Symbiotic Stars - 3

In Papers I and II in this series, we presented hydrodynamical simulations of jet models with parameters representative of the symbiotic system MWC 560. These were simulations of a pulsed, initially underdense jet in a high-density ambient medium. Since the pulsed emission of the jet creates internal shocks and since the jet velocity is very high, the jet bow shock and the internal shocks are heated to high temperatures and should therefore emit X-ray radiation. In this paper, we investigate in detail the X-ray properties of the jets in our models. We have focused our study on the total X-ray luminosity and its temporal variability, the resulting spectra, and the spatial distribution of the emission. Temperature and density maps from our hydrodynamical simulations with radiative cooling presented in the second paper are used, together with emissivities calculated with the atomic database ATOMDB. The jets in our models show extended and variable X-ray emission, which can be characterized as a sum of hot and warm components with temperatures that are consistent with observations of CH Cyg and R Aqr. The X-ray spectra of our model jets show emission-line features that correspond to observed features in the spectra of CH Cyg. The innermost parts of our pulsed jets show iron line emission in the 6.4-6.7 keV range, which may explain such emission from the central source in R Aqr. We conclude that MWC 560 should be detectable with Chandra or XMM-Newton, and such X-ray observations will prove crucial for understanding jets in symbiotic stars.

hydrodynamics↗

Hydrodynamic models of a cepheid atmosphere

A method for including the solution of the transfer equation in a standard Henyey type hydrodynamic code was developed. This modified Henyey method was used in an implicit hydrodynamic code to compute deep envelope models of a classical Cepheid with a period of 12(d) including radiative transfer effects in the optically thin zones. It was found that the velocity gradients in the atmosphere are not responsible for the large microturbulent velocities observed in Cepheids but may be responsible for the occurrence of supersonic microturbulence. It was found that the splitting of the cores of the strong lines is due to shock induced temperature inversions in the line forming region. The adopted light, color, and velocity curves were used to study three methods frequently used to determine the mean radii of Cepheids. It is concluded that an accuracy of 10% is possible only if high quality observations are used.

Karp, A. H.↗

A modified Henyey method for computing radiative transfer hydrodynamics

The implicit hydrodynamic code of Kutter and Sparks (1972), which is limited to optically thick regions and employs the diffusion approximation for radiative transfer, is modified to include radiative transfer effects in the optically thin regions of a model star. A modified Henyey method is used to include the solution of the radiative transfer equation in this implicit code, and the convergence properties of this method are proven. A comparison is made between two hydrodynamic models of a classical Cepheid with a 12-day period, one of which was computed with the diffusion approximation and the other with the modified Henyey method. It is found that the two models produce nearly identical light and velocity curves, but differ in the fact that the former never has temperature inversions in the atmosphere while the latter does when sufficiently strong shocks are present.

Karp, A. H.↗

Hydrodynamic effects in the atmosphere of variable stars

Numerical models of variable stars are established, using a nonlinear radiative transfer coupled hydrodynamics code. The variable Eddington method of radiative transfer is used. Comparisons are for models of W Virginis, beta Doradus, and eta Aquilae. From these models it appears that shocks are formed in the atmospheres of classical Cepheids as well as W Virginis stars. In classical Cepheids, with periods from 7 to 10 days, the bumps occurring in the light and velocity curves appear as the result of a compression wave that reflects from the star's center. At the head of the outward going compression wave, shocks form in the atmosphere. Comparisons between the hydrodynamic motions in W Virginis and classical Cepheids are made. The strong shocks in W Virginis do not penetrate into the interior as do the compression waves formed in classical Cepheids. The shocks formed in W Virginis stars cause emission lines, while in classical Cepheids the shocks are weaker.

Davis, C. G., Jr.↗