Astrophysics Consolidated Grant
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Applied Mathematics
Abstract
Many astrophysical phenomena involve complex fluid flows and interactions between flows and magnetic fields, often at parameter values far beyond any terrestrial laboratory experiments. We intend to undertake a systematic programme of research to investigate some of these interactions in several astrophysical objects. We shall utilise a combination of analytical and numerical techniques (including the application of state-of-the-art numerical algorithms optimised for use on massively parallel computer facilities) to gain an understanding of such phenomena. Our unifying philosophy is to investigate the fundamental physical interactions in these astrophysical objects and to use expertise gained in one area in order to make progress in other situations with similar underlying dynamics. In all cases we also intend to connect our theoretical/numerical results with astronomically observable quantities. The specific phenomena that we shall address in this proposal are:
(1) Magnetic and thermal evolution of highly magnetised neutron stars, and how this relates to the X-ray emissions observed in such stars.
(2) Tidal flows in stars and planets, and how the energy dissipated by them affects the evolution of extra-solar planetary systems and binary stars.
(3) Dynamics and radiation of highly magnetised relativistic plasma.
(4) The atmospheres of extra-solar planets, and how they respond to extremely asymmetric heating from their parent stars.
(1) Magnetic and thermal evolution of highly magnetised neutron stars, and how this relates to the X-ray emissions observed in such stars.
(2) Tidal flows in stars and planets, and how the energy dissipated by them affects the evolution of extra-solar planetary systems and binary stars.
(3) Dynamics and radiation of highly magnetised relativistic plasma.
(4) The atmospheres of extra-solar planets, and how they respond to extremely asymmetric heating from their parent stars.
Organisations
Publications
Astoul A
(2023)
Tidally Excited Inertial Waves in Stars and Planets: Exploring the Frequency-dependent and Averaged Dissipation with Nonlinear Simulations
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Astoul A
(2022)
The effects of non-linearities on tidal flows in the convective envelopes of rotating stars and planets in exoplanetary systems
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
| Description | White paper for the STFC about the magneto-thermal evolution of neutron stars |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/pdf/2301.05457.pdf |
| Title | Connection between proto-neutron star Tayler-Spruit dynamos and low-field magnetars: dataset |
| Description | Raw scientific data for Nature Astronomy publication Andrei Igoshev, Paul Barrere, Raphael Raynaud, Jerome Guilet, Toby Wood and Rainer Hollerbach Connection between proto-neutron star Tayler-Spruit dynamos and low-field magnetars The folder contains the following files: Figure1.vtu stores crust-confined magnetic fields at the beginning of simulations. We provide Python Notebook Figure2_NA.ipynb to produce Figure 2 using custom output files produced with Parody code. This script extract surface magnetic fields from snapshoots Gt=0.00064.HD2, Gt=0.00256.HD2 and Gt=0.01016.HD2. These files contains dimensionless magnetic fields and temperatures everywhere in the crust of neutron star. Figure3.vtu contains surface temperature and external magnetic fields. Figure4.vtu contains crust confined magnetic fields and cracks structure. Folder Figure5 contains .npy files used to produce Figure 5. *.vtu files can be opened using open source data visualisation software ParaView https://www.paraview.org/ |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This is a new dataset |
| URL | https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.14335240 |
| Title | VizieR Online Data Catalog: Wide astrometric companions with Gaia DR2 (Igoshev+, 2020) |
| Description | We use the catalogue of Main sequence - white dwarf (MSWD) binaries compiled by Rebassa-Mansergas et al. (2007MNRAS.382.1377R, Cat. J/MNRAS/382/1377) (https://www.sdss-wdms.org). This catalogue includes 3287 MSWD binaries identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (York et al. 2000AJ....120.1579Y). Only ~25 per cent of MSWD binaries are classified as post-CE systems. In order to get the parallaxes and proper motions for these stars we match these data with the second Gaia data release (Gaia Collaboration 2018A&A...616A...1G, Cat. I/345). For the subdwarf systems we used the catalogue of sdBs by Geier et al. (2019A&A...621A..38G, Cat. J/A+A/621/A38). This catalogue contains 39800 candidates selected in Gaia DR2 and includes some possible contamination at the level of 10 per cent. As a source for positions of cataclysmic variables we used the catalogue of Ritter & Kolb (2003A&A...404..301R, Cat. B/cb) which contains 1429 objects. Because CVs are very variable in the optical band, we used only the coordinate information in our identification and did not perform magnitude or colour analysis. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This has been used in subsequent papers by the authors and other researchers. |
| URL | https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023yCat..74941448I/abstract |
| Description | Otley Science Café |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Public talk at Otley Science Café on "Tidal forces on alien worlds". Approx 50 attendees from general public with many questions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://otleysciencefestival.co.uk/science-cafes/ |