Theoretical astrophysics and plasma physics at RPC

Abstract:

Galaxy clusters are filled with hot, diffuse X-ray emitting plasma, with a stochastically tangled magnetic field whose energy is close to equipartition with the energy of the turbulent motions \cite{zweibel1997, Vacca}. In the cluster cores, the temperatures remain anomalously high compared to what might be expected considering that the radiative cooling time is short relative to the Hubble time \cite{cowie1977,fabian1994}. While feedback from the central active galactic nuclei (AGN) \cite{fabian2012,birzan2012,churazov2000} is believed to provide most of the heating, there has been a long debate as to whether conduction of heat from the bulk to the core can help the core to reach the observed temperatures \cite{narayan2001,ruszkowski2002,kunz2011}, given the presence of tangled magnetic fields. Interestingly, evidence of very sharp temperature gradients in structures like cold fronts implies a high degree of suppression of thermal conduction \cite{markevitch2007}. To address the problem of thermal conduction in a magnetized and turbulent plasma, we have created a replica of such a system in a laser laboratory experiment. Our data show a reduction of local heat transport by two orders of magnitude or more, leading to strong temperature variations on small spatial scales, as is seen in cluster plasmas \cite{markevitch2003}.

Abstract:

Galaxy clusters are filled with hot, diffuse X-ray emitting plasma, with a stochastically tangled magnetic field whose energy is close to equipartition with the energy of the turbulent motions \cite{zweibel1997, Vacca}. In the cluster cores, the temperatures remain anomalously high compared to what might be expected considering that the radiative cooling time is short relative to the Hubble time \cite{cowie1977,fabian1994}. While feedback from the central active galactic nuclei (AGN) \cite{fabian2012,birzan2012,churazov2000} is believed to provide most of the heating, there has been a long debate as to whether conduction of heat from the bulk to the core can help the core to reach the observed temperatures \cite{narayan2001,ruszkowski2002,kunz2011}, given the presence of tangled magnetic fields. Interestingly, evidence of very sharp temperature gradients in structures like cold fronts implies a high degree of suppression of thermal conduction \cite{markevitch2007}. To address the problem of thermal conduction in a magnetized and turbulent plasma, we have created a replica of such a system in a laser laboratory experiment. Our data show a reduction of local heat transport by two orders of magnitude or more, leading to strong temperature variations on small spatial scales, as is seen in cluster plasmas \cite{markevitch2003}.

Abstract:

We present three-dimensional eccentric disc models of the nucleus of M31, modelling the disc as a linear combination of thick rings of massless stars orbiting in the potential of a central black hole. Our models are non-parametric generalizations of the parametric models of Peiris and Tremaine. The models reproduce well the observed Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 photometry, the detailed line-of-sight velocity distributions from Space Telescope Spectroscopy Imaging Spectrograph observations along P1 and P2, together with the qualitative features of the OASIS kinematic maps. We confirm Peiris and Tremaine's finding that nuclear discs aligned with the larger disc of M31 are strongly ruled out. Our optimal model is inclined at 57° with respect to the line of sight of M31 and has position angle PA = θl + 90° = 55°. It has a central black hole of mass M• ≃ 1.0 × 108 Msun, and, when viewed in three dimensions, shows a clear enhancement in the density of stars around the black hole. The distribution of orbit eccentricities in our models is similar to Peiris and Tremaine's model, but we find significantly different inclination distributions, which might provide valuable clues to the origin of the disc.

Abstract:

We present a study of the low-transport Dimits state (Dimits et al., 2000) and the transition to a high-transport saturated state in plasma turbulence driven by the ion-temperature-gradient instability. This thesis focuses on a fluid model derived in the cold-ion, long-wavelength asymptotic limit of the ion gyrokinetic equation in a magnetic field with constant curvature (a Z-pinch) and in the presence of an equilibrium temperature gradient. Numerical simulations reveal that the Dimits state is dominated by a quasi-static staircase-like structure of the temperature gradient intertwined with zonal flows which have patch-wise constant shear. Such a structure is reminiscent of the so-called "ExB staircase" observed in global gyrokinetic numerical simulations (Dif-Pradalier et al., 2010). It suppresses turbulence in two complementary ways: first, by shearing turbulent eddies in the regions of strong zonal shear, and, secondly, by flattening the background temperature gradient at the turning points of the zonal flow, where the shear vanishes. The turbulent heat flux in the low-collisionality, near-marginal state is dominated by turbulent bursts, triggered by coherent long-lived structures closely resembling those found in gyrokinetic simulations with imposed equilibrium flow shear (van Wyk et al., 2016). The breakup of the low-transport Dimits regime is linked to a competition between the two different sources of poloidal momentum in the system --- the Reynolds stress and the advection of the diamagnetic flow by the ExB flow. The former acts to support the staircase by providing a net negative turbulent viscosity for the zonal flows and is opposed by the latter. The winner of this competition decides the type of saturated state. When the Reynolds stress dominates, the system enters the Dimits regime which is characterised by the aforementioned zonal staircase. Otherwise, if the diamagnetic stress prevails, strong turbulence-suppressing zonal flows cannot be maintained and turbulence reigns supreme. We show that the transition from low to high transport can be understood by analysing the linearly unstable ion-temperature-gradient modes. This is demonstrated by a semi-analytic model for the Dimits threshold in 2D and at large collisionality. In 3D, unless the system is restricted in the magnetic-field direction, a Dimits state arises for all values of the equilibrium parameters. This is explained by the existence of a "parasitic" small-scale slab-ITG instability which is driven by the gradients of large-scale 2D perturbation. The modes of this parasitic instability provide an effective thermal diffusion at large scales and act to move energy from large scales to small viscous scales where dissipation takes place, thus providing a mechanism for saturation. Although such a saturation mechanism was investigated as early as (Cowley et al., 1991), it is not part of the conventional discourse on strong ITG turbulence, which often follows simpler scenarios (e.g., critical balance, see Barnes et al., 2011).