0000000000075259
AUTHOR
Masaru Shibata
Gravitational Waves from the Papaloizou-Pringle Instability in Black-Hole-Torus Systems
Black hole (BH)--torus systems are promising candidates for the central engine of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), and also possible outcomes of the collapse of supermassive stars to supermassive black holes (SMBHs). By three-dimensional general relativistic numerical simulations, we show that an $m=1$ nonaxisymmetric instability grows for a wide range of self-gravitating tori orbiting BHs. The resulting nonaxisymmetric structure persists for a timescale much longer than the dynamical one, becoming a strong emitter of large amplitude, quasiperiodic gravitational waves. Our results indicate that both, the central engine of GRBs and newly formed SMBHs, can be strong gravitational wave sources observa…
NADA: A new code for studying self-gravitating tori around black holes
We present a new two-dimensional numerical code called Nada designed to solve the full Einstein equations coupled to the general relativistic hydrodynamics equations. The code is mainly intended for studies of self-gravitating accretion disks (or tori) around black holes, although it is also suitable for regular spacetimes. Concerning technical aspects the Einstein equations are formulated and solved in the code using a formulation of the standard 3+1 (ADM) system, the so-called BSSN approach. A key feature of the code is that derivative terms in the spacetime evolution equations are computed using a fourth-order centered finite difference approximation in conjunction with the Cartoon metho…
Robustness of a high-resolution central scheme for hydrodynamic simulations in full general relativity
A recent paper by Lucas-Serrano et al. indicates that a high-resolution central (HRC) scheme is robust enough to yield accurate hydrodynamical simulations of special relativistic flows in the presence of ultrarelativistic speeds and strong shock waves. In this paper we apply this scheme in full general relativity (involving {\it dynamical} spacetimes), and assess its suitability by performing test simulations for oscillations of rapidly rotating neutron stars and merger of binary neutron stars. It is demonstrated that this HRC scheme can yield results as accurate as those by the so-called high-resolution shock-capturing (HRSC) schemes based upon Riemann solvers. Furthermore, the adopted HRC…
On the runaway instability of self-gravitating torus around black holes
Black holes surrounded by self-gravitating tori are astrophysical systems which may naturally form following the core collapse of a massive star or the merger of two neutron stars. We present here results from fully general relativistic numerical simulations of such systems in order to assess the influence of the torus self-gravity on the onset of the so-called runaway instability. This instability, which might drive the rapid accretion of the disk on shorter timescales than those required to power a relativistic fireball, potentially challenges current models of gamma-ray bursts. Our simulations indicate that the self-gravity of the torus does not actually favour the onset of the instabili…
Influence of self-gravity on the runaway instability of black-hole-torus systems.
Results from the first fully general relativistic numerical simulations in axisymmetry of a system formed by a black hole surrounded by a self-gravitating torus in equilibrium are presented, aiming to assess the influence of the torus self-gravity on the onset of the runaway instability. We consider several models with varying torus-to-black hole mass ratio and angular momentum distribution orbiting in equilibrium around a non-rotating black hole. The tori are perturbed to induce the mass transfer towards the black hole. Our numerical simulations show that all models exhibit a persistent phase of axisymmetric oscillations around their equilibria for several dynamical timescales without the …
Efficient magnetic-field amplification due to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in binary neutron star mergers
We explore magnetic-field amplification due to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability during binary neutron star mergers. By performing high-resolution general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics simulations with a resolution of $17.5$ m for $4$--$5$ ms after the onset of the merger on the Japanese supercomputer "K", we find that an initial magnetic field of moderate maximum strength $10^{13}$ G is amplified at least by a factor of $\approx 10^3$. We also explore the saturation of the magnetic-field energy and our result shows that it is likely to be $\gtrsim 4 \times 10^{50}$ erg, which is $\gtrsim 0.1\%$ of the bulk kinetic energy of the merging binary neutron stars.