0000000000048486
AUTHOR
José-maría Martí
A Divergence-Free High-Resolution Code for MHD
We describe a 2.5D numerical code to solve the equations of ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The numerical code, based on high-resolution shock-capturing (HRSC) techniques, solves the equations written in conservation form and computes the numerical fluxes using a linearized Riemann solver. A special procedure is used to force the conservation of magnetic flux along the time.
Numerical Simulations of Jets from Active Galactic Nuclei
Numerical simulations have been playing a crucial role in the understanding of jets from active galactic nuclei (AGN) since the advent of the first theoretical models for the inflation of giant double radio galaxies by continuous injection in the late 1970s. In the almost four decades of numerical jet research, the complexity and physical detail of simulations, based mainly on a hydrodynamical/magneto-hydrodynamical description of the jet plasma, have been increasing with the pace of the advance in theoretical models, computational tools and numerical methods. The present review summarizes the status of the numerical simulations of jets from AGNs, from the formation region in the neighborho…
Radio mode feedback: Does relativity matter?
Radio mode feedback, associated with the propagation of powerful outflows in active galaxies, is a crucial ingredient in galaxy evolution. Extragalactic jets are well collimated and relativistic, both in terms of thermodynamics and kinematics. They generate strong shocks in the ambient medium, associated with observed hotspots, and carve cavities that are filled with the shocked jet flow. In this Letter, we compare the pressure evolution in the hotspot and the cavity generated by relativistic and classical jets. Our results show that the classical approach underestimates the cavity pressure by a factor larger or equal to 2 for a given shocked volume during the whole active phase. The tensio…
On the deceleration of Fanaroff–Riley Class I jets: mass loading by stellar winds
Jets in low-luminosity radio galaxies are known to decelerate from relativistic speeds on parsec scales to mildly or sub-relativistic speeds on kiloparsec scales. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this effect, including strong reconfinement shocks and the growth of instabilities (both leading to boundary-layer entrainment) and mass loading from stellar winds or molecular clouds. We have performed a series of axisymmetric simulations of the early evolution of jets in a realistic ambient medium to probe the effects of mass loading from stellar winds using the code Ratpenat. We study the evolution of Fanaroff-Riley Class I (FRI) jets, with kinetic powers L_j \sim 1.e41-1.e44 erg…
Cosmic magnetic fields with masclet: an application to galaxy clusters
We describe and test a new version of the adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) cosmological code MASCLET. The new version of the code includes all the ingredients of its previous version plus a description of the evolution of the magnetic field under the approximation of the ideal magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD). To preserve the divergence-free condition of MHD, the original divergence cleaning algorithm of Dedner et al. (2002) is implemented. We present a set of well-known 1D and 2D tests, such as several shock-tube problems, the fast rotor and the Orszag-Tang vortex. The performance of the code in all the tests is excellent with estimated median relative errors of $\nabla \cdot {\bf B}$ in the 2D t…
The structure of steady, relativistic, magnetised jets with rotation
We present equilibrium models of relativistic magnetised, infinite, axisymmetric jets with rotation propagating through an homogeneous, unmagnetised ambient medium at rest. The jet models are characterised by six functions defining the radial profiles of density, pressure, and the toroidal and axial components of velocity and magnetic field. Fixing the ambient pressure and the jet rest-mass density and axial components of the flow velocity and magnetic field, we analyze the influence of the toroidal magnetic field and several rotation laws on the structure of the equilibrium models. Our approach excludes by construction the analysis of the self-consistently magnetically launched jet models …
Hydrodynamical and Emission Simulations of Relativistic Jets: Stability and Generation of Superluminal and Stationary Components
We present 2D hydrodynamical and emission simulations of the jet stabilityafter the introduction of strong perturbations on a relativistic jet. These simulations show that the interaction of a single strong perturbation with the underlying jet results in the formation of multiple conical shocks with very specific observational properties.
A Numerical Study of Relativistic Jets
Numerical simulations of supersonic jets are able to explain the structures observed in many VLA images of radio sources. The improvements achieved in classical simulations (see Hardee, these proceedings) are in contrast with the almost complete lack of relativistic simulations the reason being that numerical difficulties arise from the highly relativistic flows typical of extragalactic jets. For our study, we have developed a two-dimensional code which is based on (i) an explicit conservative differencing of the special relativistic hydrodynamics (SRH) equations and (ii) the use of an approximate Riemann solver (see Marti et al. 1995a,b and references therein).
On the correction of conserved variables for numerical RMHD with staggered constrained transport
Despite the success of the combination of conservative schemes and staggered constrained transport algorithms in the last fifteen years, the accurate description of highly magnetized, relativistic flows with strong shocks represents still a challenge in numerical RMHD. The present paper focusses in the accuracy and robustness of several correction algorithms for the conserved variables, which has become a crucial ingredient in the numerical simulation of problems where the magnetic pressure dominates over the thermal pressure by more than two orders of magnitude. Two versions of non-relativistic and fully relativistic corrections have been tested and compared using a magnetized cylindrical …
Studies of Relativistic Jets in Active Galactic Nuclei with SKA
Relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGN) are among the most powerful astrophysical objects discovered to date. Indeed, jetted AGN studies have been considered a prominent science case for SKA, and were included in several different chapters of the previous SKA Science Book (Carilli & Rawlings 2004). Most of the fundamental questions about the physics of relativistic jets still remain unanswered, and await high-sensitivity radio instruments such as SKA to solve them. These questions will be addressed specially through analysis of the massive data sets arising from the deep, all-sky surveys (both total and polarimetric flux) from SKA1. Wide-field very-long-baseline-interferometri…
Probing the Internal Structure of Magnetized, Relativistic Jets with Numerical Simulations
From an observational point of view, unveiling the physical processes behind the nature of the jets emanating from radio-loud AGN demands the resolution of the structure across the jet with the highest angular resolutions. Relying on a magneto-fluid dynamical description, numerical simulations can help to characterize the internal structure of jets (transversal structure, magnetic field structure, internal shocks, etc.). In the first part of the paper, we shall discuss equilibrium models of magnetized, relativistic, infinite, axisymmetric jets with rotation propagating through a homogeneous, static, unmagnetized ambient medium. Then, these transversal equilibrium profiles will be used to bu…
Relativistic MHD simulations of extragalactic jets
We have performed a comprehensive parameter study of the morphology and dynamics of axisymmetric, magnetized, relativistic jets by means of numerical simulations. The simulations have been performed with an upgraded version of the GENESIS code which is based on a second-order accurate finite volume method involving an approximate Riemann solver suitable for relativistic ideal magnetohydrodynamic flows, and a method of lines. Starting from pure hydrodynamic models we consider the effect of a magnetic field of increasing strength (up to β ≡ |b|2/2p ≈ 3.3 times the equipartition value) and different topology (purely toroidal or poloidal). We computed several series of models investigating the …
Large-scale jets from active galactic nuclei as a source of intracluster medium heating: cavities and shocks
The evolution of powerful extragalactic jets is not only interesting by itself, but also for its impact on the evolution of the host galaxy and its surroundings. We have performed long-term axisymmetric numerical simulations of relativistic jets with different powers to study their evolution through an environment with a pressure and density gradient. Our results show key differences in the evolution of jets with different powers in terms of the spatial and temporal scales of energy deposition. According to our results, the observed morphology in X-ray cavities requires that an important fraction of the jet’s energetic budget is in the form of internal energy. Thus, light, lepton-dominated …
Sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array for probing cosmology and fundamental physics with gamma-ray propagation
Full list of authors: Abdalla, H.; Abe, H.; Acero, F.; Acharyya, A.; Adam, R.; Agudo, I; Aguirre-Santaella, A.; Alfaro, R.; Alfaro, J.; Alispach, C.; Aloisio, R.; Batista, R. Alves; Amati, L.; Amato, E.; Ambrosi, G.; Anguner, E. O.; Araudo, A.; Armstrong, T.; Arqueros, F.; Arrabito, L.; Asano, K.; Ascasibar, Y.; Ashley, M.; Backes, M.; Balazs, C.; Balbo, M.; Balmaverde, B.; Baquero Larriva, A.; Martins, V. Barbosa; Barkov, M.; Baroncelli, L.; de Almeida, U. Barres; Barrio, J. A.; Batista, P-, I; Becerra Gonzalez, J.; Becherini, Y.; Beck, G.; Tjus, J. Becker; Belmont, R.; Benbow, W.; Bernardini, E.; Berti, A.; Berton, M.; Bertucci, B.; Beshley, V; Bi, B.; Biasuzzi, B.; Biland, A.; Bissaldi, …
Analytical and Numerical Studies of Fluid Instabilities in Relativistic Jets
Relativistic outflows represent one of the best-suited tools to probe the physics of AGN. Numerical modelling of internal structure of the relativistic outflows on parsec scales provides important clues about the conditions and dynamics of the material in the immediate vicinity of the central black holes in AGN. We investigate possible causes of the structural patterns and regularities observed in the parsec-scale jet of the well known quasar 3C 273. We compare the model with the radio structure observed in 3C 273 on parsec scales using very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) and constrain the basic properties of the flow. Our results show that Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities are the most p…
RadioAstron reveals a spine-sheath jet structure in 3C 273
We present Space-VLBI RadioAstron observations at 1.6 GHz and 4.8 GHz of the flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 273, with detections on baselines up to 4.5 and 3.3 Earth Diameters, respectively. Achieving the best angular resolution at 1.6 GHz to date, we have imaged limb-brightening in the jet, not previously detected in this source. In contrast, at 4.8 GHz, we detected emission from a central stream of plasma, with a spatial distribution complementary to the limb-brightened emission, indicating an origin in the spine of the jet. While a stratification across the jet width in the flow density, internal energy, magnetic field, or bulk flow velocity are usually invoked to explain the limb-brighte…
Magnetized relativistic jets and helical magnetic fields
This is the first of a series of two papers that deepen our understanding of the transversal structure and the properties of recollimation shocks of axisymmetric, relativistic, superfast magnetosonic, overpressured jets. They extend previous work that characterized these properties in connection with the dominant type of energy (internal, kinetic, or magnetic) in the jet to models with helical magnetic fields with larger magnetic pitch angles and force-free magnetic fields. In this paper, the magnetohydrodynamical models were computed following an approach that allows studying the structure of steady, axisymmetric, relativistic (magnetized) flows using one-dimensional time-dependent simulat…
Relativistic simulations of superluminal sources
Abstract We present numerical simulations of the radio emission from hydrodynamical relativistic jets. The quiescent-state jet emission consists of quasi-periodic knots of high emission, associated with internal recollimation shocks. Superluminal components can be reproduced by introducing a square-wave perturbation in the injection velocity of the jet. Strong interactions of the resulting moving shock and the standing recollimations result in a “drag” and increase in emission of the latter.
Magnetized relativistic jets and helical magnetic fields: II. Radiation
This is the second of a series of two papers that deepen our understanding of the transversal structure and the properties of recollimation shocks of axisymmetric, relativistic, superfast magnetosonic, overpressured jets. They extend previous work that characterized these properties in connection with the dominant type of energy (internal, kinetic, or magnetic) in the jet to models with helical magnetic fields with larger magnetic pitch angles and force-free magnetic fields. In the first paper of this series, the magnetohydrodynamical models were computed following an approach that allows studying the structure of steady, axisymmetric, relativistic (magnetized) flows using one-dimensional t…
Long-term FRII jet evolution: Clues from three-dimensional simulations
We present a long-term numerical three-dimensional simulation of a relativistic outflow designed to be compared with previous results from axisymmetric, two-dimensional simulations, with existing analytical models and state-of-art observations. We follow the jet evolution from 1~kpc to 200~kpc, using a relativistic gas equation of state and a galactic profile for the ambient medium. We also show results from smaller scale simulations aimed to test convergence and different three-dimensional effects. We conclude that jet propagation can be faster than expected from axisymmetric simulations, covering tens of kiloparsecs in a few million years, until the dentist drill effect produced by the gr…
Stability of Relativistic Hydrodynamical Planar Jets: Linear and Nonlinear Evolution of Kelvin-Helmholtz Modes
Some aspects about the stability of relativistic flows against Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) perturbations are studied by means of relativistic, hydrodynamical simulations. In particular, we analyze the transition to the fully nonlinear regime and the long-term evolution of two jet models with different specific internal energies.
Upwind Relativistic MHD Code for Astrophysical Applications
We describe the status of devolpment of a 2.5D numerical code to solve the equations of ideal relativistic magnetohydrodynamics. The numerical code, based on high-resolution shock-capturing techniques, solves the equations written in conservation form and computes the numerical fluxes using a linearized Riemann solver. A special procedure is used to force the conservation of magnetic flux along the evolution.
A sensitive study of the peculiar jet structure HST-1 in M87
To obtain a better understanding of the location and mechanisms for the production of the gamma-ray emission in jets of AGN we present a detailed study of the HST-1 structure, 0.8 arcsec downstream the jet of M87, previously identified as a possible candidate for TeV emission. HST-1 shows a very peculiar structure with superluminal as well as possible stationary sub-components, and appears to be located in the transition from a parabolic to a conical jet shape, presumably leading to the formation of a recollimation shock. This scenario is supported by our new RHD simulations in which the interaction of a moving component with a recollimation shock leads to the appearance of a new superlumin…
An Exact Riemann Solver for Multidimensional Special Relativistic Hydrodynamics
We have generalised the exact solution of the Riemann problem in special relativistic hydrodynamics (Marti and Muller, 1994) for arbitrary tangential flow velocities. The solution is obtained by solving the jump conditions across shocks plus an ordinary differential equation arising from the self-similarity condition along rarefaction waves, in a similar way as in purely normal flow. This solution has been used to build up an exact Riemann solver implemented in a multidimensional relativistic (Godunov-type) hydro-code.
Does the plasma composition affect the long term evolution of relativistic jets?
We study the influence of the matter content of extragalactic jets on their morphology, dynamics and emission properties. For this purpose we consider jets of extremely different compositions including pure leptonic and baryonic plasmas. Our work is based on two-dimensional relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of the long-term evolution of powerful extragalactic jets propagating into a homogeneous environment. The equation of state used in the simulations accounts for an arbitrary mixture of electrons, protons and electron-positron pairs. Using the hydrodynamic models we have also computed synthetic radio maps and the thermal Bremsstrahlung X-ray emission from their cavities. Although ther…
Simulations of Precessing Jets
We report on the results of a three-dimensional, relativistic, hydrodynamical simulation of a precessing jet through which a compact blob of matter is set to propagate. We conclude that the morphology of superluminal sources is the result of a complex combination of phase motions, viewing angle selection effects, and non-linear interactions between perturbations and the underlying jet and/or external medium.
On the convexity of relativistic ideal magnetohydrodynamics
We analyze the influence of the magnetic field in the convexity properties of the relativistic magnetohydrodynamics system of equations. To this purpose we use the approach of Lax, based on the analysis of the linearly degenerate/genuinely non-linear nature of the characteristic fields. Degenerate and non-degenerate states are discussed separately and the non-relativistic, unmagnetized limits are properly recovered. The characteristic fields corresponding to the material and Alfv\'en waves are linearly degenerate and, then, not affected by the convexity issue. The analysis of the characteristic fields associated with the magnetosonic waves reveals, however, a dependence of the convexity con…