Radiation from hypervelocity impact generated plasma.
Hypervelocity impact flash resolved into submicrosecond continuum radiation pulse succeeded by slow rising long duration light pulse from neutral atomic line emission
Jean, B.↗
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Radiation from hypervelocity impact generated plasma
Hypervelocity impact flash resolved into submicrosecond continuum radiation pulse succeeded by slow rising long duration light pulse from neutral atomic line emission
Jean, B.↗
Protostellar condensations in the core of NGC 2024
The J = 4-3 transition of HCO(+) was observed in the core of NGC 2024. The findings indicate a possibly expanding torus centered around the FIR 6 continuum source and an E-W ridge below the ionization front. The presence of HCO(+) J = 4-3 emission from the torus and E-W ridge suggests relatively high gas densities in these regions. The relatively strong intensity of the observed HCO(+) J = 4-3 emission toward the FIR source suggests that the emission originates from relatively warm and dense gas. Continuum radiation transport modeling of the core shows that submillimeter and millimeter continuum observations of the cores can be reproduced under the assumption that the cores are externally heated objects without internal heating sources. This requires a factor of about 250 enhancement of the external radiation field intensity compared to the standard Galactic radiation field. This enhancement is consistent with the stellar luminosities required to explain the observed FIR continuum emission from the region.
Lis, D. C.↗
Ablation and radiation coupled viscous hypersonic shock layers.
Coupled ablator shock layer solutions for the stagnation point are presented for typical hyperbolic entry atmospheric flight conditions. These solutions were obtained by numerically solving the stagnation line shock layer equations and quasi-steady ablator equations. These equations included ablation and radiation coupling within the viscous shock layer, line and continuum radiation for both air and phenolic-nylon ablation species and local thermodynamic equilibrium throughout. The results presented provide a sound basis for understanding many of the processes characteristic of hypersonic shock layer heating.-
Engel, C. D.↗
The effect of ablation injection on radiative and convective heating
A viscous shock-layer analysis is for calculating high energy equilibrium flow fields about blunt axisymmetric bodies is applied to the problem of massive ablation injection with radiation transport. A nongray radiation model is used that accounts for both line and continuum radiation. The solution method is direct and provides both stagnation and downstream solutions. Results for shock heated air show that phenolic-nylon injection is substantially more effective in reducing the wall radiant flux than air injection. Also, for large included body angles, the wall radiative flux and the coupled phenolic-nylon injection rate do not continue to decrease with increasing distance downstream.
Moss, J. N.↗
The effect of ablation injection on radiative and convective heating
A viscous shock-layer analysis for calculating high energy equilibrium flow fields about blunt axisymmetric bodies is applied to the problem of massive ablation injection with radiation transport. A nongray radiation model is used that accounts for both line and continuum radiation. The solution method is direct and provides both stagnation and downstream solutions. Results for shock heated air show that phenolic-nylon injection is substantially more effective in reducing the wall radiant flux than air injection. Also, for large included body angles, the wall radiative flux and the coupled phenolic-nylon injection rate do not continue to decrease with increasing distance downstream.
Moss, J. N.↗
Path Integral Monte Carlo Simulations of Iron Plasmas (Final Technical Report)
This documents is the final technical report for our grant entitled "Path Integral Monte Carlo Simulations of Iron Plasmas" that focused on developing path integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) computer simulations. This techniques will be developed to study plasmas composed of heavier elements including iron and other third row elements. Equations of state (EOS) and transport properties will be derived in the regime of warm dense matter (WDM) and dense plasmas where existing first-principles methods cannot be applied. While standard density functional theory (DFT) has been used to accurately predict the structure of many solids and liquids up to temperatures on the order of 100,000 K, this method is not applicable at much higher temperature because the number of partially occupied electronic orbitals reaches intractably large numbers or the use of finite-temperature free energy functionals in orbital-free DFT introduces an uncontrolled approximation. Here we focus on PIMC methods that become more and more efficient with increasing temperatures and still include all electronic correlation effects. In this approach, electronic excitations increase the efficiency rather than reduce it. While it had commonly been assumed this method could only be applied to elements without core electrons, we showed that PIMC with free-particle nodes works well for first-row elements (PRL 108 (2012) 115502). Most recently, we extended the applicability range of all-electron PIMC to second-row elements by adopting localized nodal surfaces (PRL 115 (2015) 176403). To simulate third-row elements efficiently under WDM conditions, we propose a new method to remove core electrons by introducing pseudo-nodes. We explain our approach step by step and present preliminary results. We focus our method development on getting PIMC simulations of iron to work because of its fundamental importance for WDM and astrophysics. Then we move on to krypton and copper-doped beryllium, a ICF ablator material. We plan to continue working on key second-row material such as Na, Mg, MgO, Al, silica, and silicon-doped plastic ablators. Our collaborators at LLNL, will use our PIMC EOS data both as comparisons to existing semi-empirical, EOS-generating schemes, and as input for continuum radiation hydrodynamics simulations. We will establish an efficient pipeline from PIMC to macroscopic continuum studies of materials response. An emphasis will be placed on benchmarking such methods for plasmas of heavy elements at the very high temperatures (~100 eV) and low densities that are generated when Hohlraum radiation heats the ablator material in indirect drive laser experiments. Results from changes to the EOS will be of immeasurable importance to the designers at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and at other facilities. Starting with our EOS of Cu-doped Be, our second collaborator at LLE, will perform real-time simulations of laser fusion experiments at the Omega laser and at the NIF to determine how sensitive the compression path depends on the ablator EOS. Since our collaborator also has experience in performing orbital-free DFT calculations, we propose to compare predictions from this method with PIMC results. In joint publications, we plan to analyze the accuracy of different free-energy functionals in order to understand why existing orbital-free DFT calculations do not predict compression peaks along the shock Hugoniot curve that we see with PIMC. The peaks are caused by the ionization of various electron shells. Their accurate characterization is important to compare with experimental results. We will break new ground by developing PIMC techniques that can simulate iron and all other third row elements in the plasma and WDM regimes. We introduce the concept of pseudo-nodes for the efficient treatment of the core-electrons. The EOS and transport properties will be derived and published online in the form of a new WDM database. Our PIMC EOS calculations will benchmark and possibly replace semi-analytical EOS tables like QEOS or SESAME, which will impact the hydrocode simulation community and will affect the design of NIF targets. Our PIMC results will help to improve the accuracy of orbital-free DFT simulations.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Physics of the central engine
Physical processes which may be important in the central engines of AGNs are discussed. Black hole accretion models have been elaborated during the past few years, and provide a plausible framework for jet and spectrum formation. However, the specific mechanisms responsible for producing the observed continuum radiation remain uncertain. Consideration is given to nonthermal models for the IR continuum, constraints on thermal plasma, and the production of relativistic electrons.
Begelman, Mitchell C.↗
Radiative shock dynamics. II - Hydrogen continua
The interaction between radiation and a shock wave propagating through a stellar atmosphere is investigated. Departures from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) are permitted in the first two levels of a 10-level hydrogen atom; levels 3-10 are in LTE. A piston moving at constant velocity into the bottom of the atmosphere drives a shock wave. This shock produces precursor radiation that diffuses through the gas well ahead of the shock and causes a mild luminosity flash in the emergent Balmer and free-free radiation when it reaches the surface. The precursor wave deposits a large amount of radiative energy in the outer layers of the atmosphere, initiating a radiation-induced pressure wave. The process of energy transfer from the radiation field to the compression wave is similar to the Eddington valve mechanism which drives stellar pulsations. Material is accelerated outward by the radiation-induced wave; eventually it free-falls inward, hits the quasistationary atmosphere, and forms an accretion shock. The piston driven shock is weakened by radiative energy losses. When it reaches the surface, the shock is invisible in the continuum radiation.
Klein, R. I.↗
Emission Lines and the High Energy Continuum
Quasars show many striking relationships between line and continuum radiation whose origins remain a mystery. FeII, [OIII], Hbeta, and HeII emission line properties correlate with high energy continuum properties such as the relative strength of X-ray emission, and X-ray continuum slope. At the same time, the shape of the high energy continuum may vary with luminosity. An important tool for studying global properties of Quasi Stellar Objects (QSOs) is the co-addition of data for samples of QSOS. We use this to show that X-ray bright (XB) QSOs show stronger emission lines in general, but particularly from the narrow line region. The difference in the [OIII]/Hbeta ratio is particularly striking, and even more so when blended FeII emission is properly subtracted. Weaker narrow forbidden lines ([OII] and NeV) are enhanced by factors of 2 to 3 in both UV and optical XB composite spectra. The physical origin of these diverse and interrelated correlations has yet to be determined. Unfortunately, many physically informative trends intrinsic to QSOs may be masked by dispersion in the data due to either low signal-to-noise or variability. An important tool for studying global properties of QSOs is the co-addition of data for samples of QSOS. We use this to show that X-ray bright (XB) QSOs show stronger emission lines in general, but particularly from the narrow line region. The difference in the [OIII]/Hbeta ratio is particularly striking, and even more so when blended Fell emission is properly subtracted. Weaker narrow forbidden lines ([OII] and NeV) are enhanced by factors of 2 to 3 in both UV and optical XB composite spectra. We describe a large-scale effort now underway to probe these effects in large samples, using both data and analysis as homogeneous as possible. Using an HST FOS Atlas of QSO spectra, with primary comparison to ROSAT PSPC spectral constraints, we will model the Big Blue Bump, its relationship to luminosity and QSO type, and we will analyze and contrast line emission and UV/X-ray continuum properties. Absorption of the continuum near the broad emission line region may play a profound role, which we will be able to constrain by direct analysis of observed UV/X-ray spectral absorption.
Green, Paul↗
Disk-driven hydromagnetic winds as a key ingredient of active galactic nuclei unification schemes
Centrifugally driven winds from the surfaces of magnetized accretion disks have been recognized as an attractive mechanism of removing the angular momentum of the accreted matter and of producing the bipolar outflows and jets that are often associated with compact astronomical objects. As previously suggested in the context of young stellar objects, such winds have unique observational manifestations stemming from their highly stratified density and velocity structure and from their exposure to the strong continuum radiation field of the compact object. We have applied this scenario to active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and investigated the properties of hydromagnetic outflows that originate within approximately 10(M(sub 8)) pc of the central 10(exp 8)(M(sub 8)) solar mass black hole. On the basis of our results, we propose that hydromagnetic disk-driven winds may underlie the classification of broad-line and narrow-line AGNs (e.g., the Seyfert 1/Seyfert 2 dichotomy) as well as the apparent dearth of luminous Seyfert 2 galaxies. More generally, we demonstrate that such winds could strongly influence the spectral characteristics of Seyfert galaxies, QSOs, and BL Lac objects (BLOs). In our picture, the torus is identified with the outer regions of the wind where dust uplifted from the disk surfaces by gas-grain collisions is embedded in the outflow. Using an efficient radiative transfer code, we show that the infrared emission of Seyfert galaxies and QSOs can be attributed to the reprocessing of the UV/soft X-ray AGN continuum by the dust in the wind and the disk. We demonstrate that the radiation pressure force flattens the dust distribution in objects with comparatively high (but possibly sub-Eddington) bolometric luminosities, and we propose this as one likely reason for the apparent paucity of narrow-line objects among certain high-luminosity AGNs. Using the XSTAR photoionization code, we show that the inner regions of the wind could naturally account for the warm (greater than or approximately equal to 10(exp 5) K) and hot (greater than or approximately equal to 10(exp 6) K) gas components that have been inferred to exist on scales less than or approximately equal to 10(exp 2) pc in several Seyfert galaxies. We suggest that the partially ionized gas in the inner regions of the wind, rather than the dusty, neutral outflow that originates further out in the disk, could account for the bulk of the X-ray absorption in Seyferts observed at relatively small angles to their symmetry axes. Finally, we discuss the application of this model to the interpretation of the approximately 0.6 keV X-ray absorption feature reported in several BLOs.
Konigl, Arieh↗
Radiatively driven winds for different power law spectra
The analytic solutions for radiatively driven winds are given for the case in which the winds are driven by absorption of line and continuum radiation. The wind solutions are analytically estimated for different parameters of the central source and for different power law spectra. For flat spectra, three sonic points can exist; it is shown, however, that only one of these sonic points is physically realistic. Parameters of the central source are given which generate winds of further interest for explaining the narrow and broad absorption lines in quasars. For the quasar model presented here, winds which could give rise to the narrow absorption lines are generated by central sources with parameters which are not realistic for quasars.
Beltrametti, M.↗
Gamma rays and supernova explosions
Thermal radiation associated with the explosion of supernovae is investigated. High temperature is required to produce copious gamma radiation of this sort. It appears that type 11 supernovae do not release much of their energy as gamma ray continuum radiation.
Arnett, W. D.↗
On the Formation of Massive Stars
We calculate numerically the collapse of slowly rotating, nonmagnetic, massive molecular clumps of masses 30,60, and 120 Stellar Mass, which conceivably could lead to the formation of massive stars. Because radiative acceleration on dust grains plays a critical role in the clump's dynamical evolution, we have improved the module for continuum radiation transfer in an existing two-dimensional (axial symmetry assumed) radiation hydrodynamic code. In particular, rather than using "gray" dust opacities and "gray" radiation transfer, we calculate the dust's wavelength-dependent absorption and emission simultaneously with the radiation density at each wavelength and the equilibrium temperatures of three grain components: amorphous carbon particles. silicates, and " dirty ice " -coated silicates. Because our simulations cannot spatially resolve the innermost regions of the molecular clump, however, we cannot distinguish between the formation of a dense central cluster or a single massive object. Furthermore, we cannot exclude significant mass loss from the central object(s) that may interact with the inflow into the central grid cell. Thus, with our basic assumption that all material in the innermost grid cell accretes onto a single object. we are able to provide only an upper limit to the mass of stars that could possibly be formed. We introduce a semianalytical scheme for augmenting existing evolutionary tracks of pre-main-sequence protostars by including the effects of accretion. By considering an open outermost boundary, an arbitrary amount of material could, in principal, be accreted onto this central star. However, for the three cases considered (30, 60, and 120 Stellar Mass originally within the computation grid), radiation acceleration limited the final masses to 3 1.6, 33.6, and 42.9 Stellar Mass, respectively, for wavelength-dependent radiation transfer and to 19.1, 20.1, and 22.9 Stellar Mass. for the corresponding simulations with gray radiation transfer. Our calculations demonstrate that massive stars can in principle be formed via accretion through a disk. The accretion rate onto the central source increases rapidly after one initial free-fall time and decreases monotonically afterward. By enhancing the nonisotropic character of the radiation field, the accretion disk reduces the effects of radiative acceleration in the radial direction - a process we call the "flashlight effect." The flashlight effect is further amplified in our case by including the effects of frequency-dependent radiation transfer. We conclude with the warning that a careful treatment of radiation transfer is a mandatory requirement for realistic simulations of the formation of massive stars.
Yorke, Harold W.↗
Synchrotron radiation calibration of the EUVE variable line-spaced diffraction gratings at the NBS SURF II facility
The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) has a spectrometer which utilizes variable line-spaced, plane diffraction gratings in the converging beam of a Wolter-Schwarzschild type II mirror. The gratings, microchannel plate detector, and thin film filters have been calibrated with continuum radiation provided by the NBS SURF II facility. These were calibrated in a continuum beam to find edges or other sharp spectral features in the transmission of the filters, quantum efficiency of the microchannel plate detector, and efficiency of the gratings. The details of the calibration procedure and the results of the calibration are presented.
Jelinsky, P.↗
Radiative cooling of shock-heated air in an explosively driven shock tube.
Results are presented of an experimental program to measure the effect of radiative cooling on the enthalpy distribution behind incident shock waves traveling in air. The shock velocity was nominally 16 km/sec and the preshock ambient pressure was varied from 0.4 to 1.6 torr. Shock-tube diameters of 4.7 and 9.4 cm were used to investigate the effects of varying optical depths. Radiative cooling rates were determined from spatially resolved measurements of the profile of the H sub alpha line and from absolute measurements of the continuum radiation. The measured enthalpy profiles are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions of Chien and Compton which account for both nongrey and multidimensional aspects of the radiative transport in the shock tube.
Cooper, D. M.↗
Oxygen impurity radiation from Tokamak-like plasmas
We have constructed a nonhydrodynamic coronal model for calculating radiation from impurity atoms in a heated plasma. Some recent developments in the calculation of dielectronic recombination rate coefficients and collisional excitation rate coefficients are included. The model is applied to oxygen impurity radiation during the first few milliseconds of a TFR Tokamak plasma discharge, and good agreement with experimental results is obtained. Estimates of total line and continuum radiation from the oxygen impurity are given. It is shown that impurity radiation represents a considerable energy loss.
Rogerson, J. E.↗
Finite-rate chemistry effects upon convective and radiative heating of an atmospheric entry vehicle
A mathematical model of the aerothermochemical environment along the stagnation line of a planetary return spacecraft using an ablative thermal protection system was developed and solved for conditions typical of atmospheric entry from planetary missions. The model, implemented as a FORTRAN 4 computer program, was designed to predict viscous, reactive and radiative coupled shock layer structure and the resulting body heating rates. The analysis includes flow field coupling with the ablator surface, binary diffusion, coupled line and continuum radiative and equilibrium or finite rate chemistry effects. The gas model used includes thermodynamic, transport, kinetic and radiative properties of air and ablation product species, including 19 chemical species and 16 chemical reactions. Specifically, the impact of nonequilibrium chemistry effects upon stagnation line shock layer structure and body heating rates was investigated.
Guillermo, P.↗