arXiv subjects

Alexis Reboul-Salze

Publications and source records attributed to Alexis Reboul-Salze.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A first-principles binary neutron star merger model of GW170817, GRB170817A, and AT2017gfo

The multimessenger observation of the binary neutron star merger event GW170817, associated with its electromagnetic counterparts GRB170817A and AT2017gfo, marked a milestone in astrophysics, yet its unified physical explanation remains elusive. We conduct an end-to-end simulation based on a first-principles general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamics neutrino-radiation transfer merger simulation, followed by nucleosynthesis calculations and photon radiative transfer to generate kilonova light curves. We show that the large-scale dynamo simultaneously produces a relativistic jet with an isotropic-equivalent luminosity of $\sim 10^{51}~{\rm erg~s^{-1}}$ and $\approx 0.08M_\odot$ of neutron-rich ejecta, reproducing the GRB170817A afterglow and the AT2017gfo kilonova light curves. Our results establish a unified first-principles framework for interpreting binary neutron star mergers across gravitational wave, gamma-ray burst, and kilonova observations.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Coexisting Tayler instability-driven dynamos in radiative zones: New dynamo solution and its impacts on stellar physics

Recent asteroseismic observations constitute a great challenge for rotating stellar evolution models, which predict overly fast internal rotation rates when only hydrodynamic processes are included. This suggests the absence of one or several unidentified angular momentum (AM) transport processes in these models. Transport by large-scale and strong magnetic fields in the radiative zone is a promising candidate to explain the observations. While these fields might be characterised by a fossil origin, the Tayler-Spruit dynamo constitutes a primary mechanism to form the necessary magnetic fields. Despite recent numerical studies, this mechanism remains poorly known. Motivated by this scenario, we investigated the Tayler-Spruit dynamo through a new set of 3D numerical simulations. We modelled the radiative zone as a Boussinesq stably stratified fluid whose differential rotation is maintained by a volumetric body force. Here, we report, for the first time, the coexistence of two dynamo solutions, which mainly differ by the magnetic field location (near the equator and the polar axis). While the equatorial dynamo is driven by an instability sharing both characteristics of the magnetorotational and Tayler instabilities, we focus mainly on the newly identified polar dynamo, which is driven by the standard Tayler instability. We show that this dynamo can still operate and transport AM efficiently in a strong stratification regime, with a Brunt-Väisälä frequency that is 130 times larger than the rotation rate. We extracted new scaling laws for the magnetic field, AM transport, and the minimum shear to trigger the dynamo. Finally, we were able to roughly constrain the signature of the generated magnetic fields on asteroseismic modes propagating in main sequence and evolved stars.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

A magnetar formation in binary neutron star merger

We conduct a global general relativistic neutrino-radiation-transfer magnetohydrodynamics simulation of a $1.35$-$1.35M_\odot$ binary neutron star with the unprecedented spatial resolution of $6.25$\,m on the Japanese supercomputer FUGAKU. The total consumed CPU time is $\approx 530$ million core hours. We initialize the binary neutron star's magnetic field to be $3.16\times 10^{12}$~G at maximum, which is compatible with the upper end of the observed binary pulsars. We demonstrate that the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability that emerges when the two neutron stars touch amplifies the magnetic field to an expected electromagnetic saturation energy of $\sim 10^{50}$~erg within $3$~ms after the merger. The spectral analysis indicates that the Kazantsev and Kolmogorov spectra are reproduced in the magnetic and kinetic power spectral densities, respectively. We also find that it induces stellar-scale magnetic field amplification by at least a factor of $316$. We conclude that a magnetar may form at least temporarily following neutron star mergers in a few ms.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Probing millisecond magnetar formation in binary neutron star mergers through X-ray follow-up of gravitational wave alerts

The nature of the remnant of a binary neutron star (BNS) merger is uncertain. Though certainly a black hole (BH) in the cases of the most massive BNSs, X-ray lightcurves from gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows suggest a neutron star (NS) as a viable candidate for both the merger remnant as well as the central engine of these transients. When jointly observed with gravitational waves (GWs), X-ray lightcurves from BNS merger events could provide critical constraints on the remnant's nature. We aim to assess the current and future capabilities to detect a NS remnant through X-ray observations following GW detections. To this end, we simulate GW signals from BNS mergers and the subsequent X-ray emission from newborn millisecond magnetars. The GW detectability is modeled for both current and next-generation interferometers, while the X-ray emission is reproduced using a dedicated numerical code that models magnetar spin-down and ejecta dynamics informed by numerical-relativity simulations. In our simulations, 2% - 16% of BNS mergers form millisecond magnetars. Among these, up to 70% could be detectable, amounting to up to 1 millisecond magnetar detection per year with SVOM/MXT-like instruments during the LIGO Virgo KAGRA LIGO India (LVKI) O5 run, with optimal detectability occurring about 2 hours post-merger. For next-generation GW interferometers, this rate could increase by up to three orders of magnitude, with peak detectability 3 to 4 hours post-merger. We also explore how the magnetar's magnetic field strength and observer viewing angle affect detectability and discuss optimized observational strategies. Although more likely with upcoming GW interferometers, detecting the spin-down emission of a millisecond magnetar may already be within reach, warranting sustained theoretical and observational efforts given the profound implications for mergers, GRBs, and NS physics of a single detection.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Planetary Dynamos in Evolving Cold Gas Giants

Magnetic fields remain one of the least understood aspects of exoplanetary systems. A deeper understanding of planetary dynamos and the evolution of surface magnetic properties throughout a planet's lifetime is a key scientific purpose, with implications for planetary evolution, habitability, and atmospheric dynamics. This study models the evolution of magnetic fields generated by dynamo action in cold giant gaseous planets. We solve the resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations under anelastic approximation with a 3D pseudo-spectral spherical shell MHD code. We employ 1D thermodynamical hydrostatic profiles taken from gas giant evolutionary models as the background states of our MHD models. Numerical integration leads to saturated dynamo solutions. Such calculations are performed with radial profiles corresponding to different planetary ages so that we can interpret them as different snapshots of the magnetoconvection evolution during the long-term planetary evolution. We characterize magnetic fields across different evolutionary stages of a cold gaseous planet in terms of topology and strength. We find the occurrence of a transition from multipolar to dipolar-dominated dynamo regime throughout the life of a Jovian planet. During the planetary evolution and the cooling down phase, we observe a decrease in the average magnetic field strength near the dynamo surface as $\sim t^{-0.2}-t^{-0.3}$, a trend compatible with previously proposed scaling laws. We also find that some dimensionless parameters evolve differently for the multipolar to dipolar branch, possibly reflecting a force balance change. This approach can be extended to study hot gaseous planets, offering a versatile tool for interpreting the magnetic properties of giant planets.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2025

Non-linear saturation of gravito-inertial modes excited by tidal resonances in binary neutron stars

During the last seconds of a binary neutron-star merger, the tidal force can excite stellar oscillation modes to large amplitudes. From the perspective of premerger electromagnetic emissions and next-generation gravitational-wave detectors, gravity ($g-$) modes constitute a propitious class. However, existing estimates for their impact employ linear schemes which may be inaccurate for large amplitudes, as achieved by tidal resonances. With rotation, inertial modes can be excited as well and while their non-linear saturation has been studied, an extension to fully-consistent gravito-inertial modes, especially in the neutron-star context, is an open problem. We study the linear and non-linear saturation of gravito-inertial modes and investigate the astrophysical consequences for binary neutron-star mergers, including the possibility of resonance-induced dynamo activity. A new (non-)linear formulation based on the separation of equilibrium and dynamical tides is developed. Implementing this into the 3D pseudo-spectral code MagIC, a suite of non-linear simulations of tidally-excited flows with an entropy/composition gradient in a stably-stratified Boussinesq spherical-shell are carried out. The new formulation accurately reproduces results of linear calculations for gravito-inertial modes with a free surface for low frequencies. For a constant-density cavity, we show that the axisymmetric differential rotation induced by nonlinear $_2g$ and $_1g$ modes may theoretically be large enough to amplify an ambient magnetic field to $\gtrsim 10^{14}$ G. In addition, rich non-linear dynamics are observed in the form of a parametric instability for the $_1g$ mode. The stars are also spun-up, which extends the resonance window for any given mode.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

MRI-driven $αΩ$ dynamo at high Pm numbers

To power gamma-ray bursts and other high-energy events, large-scale magnetic fields are required to extract rotational energy from compact objects such as black holes and neutron stars. The magnetorotational instability (MRI) is a key mechanism for angular momentum transport and large-scale magnetic field amplification. Recent work has begun to address the regime of high magnetic Prandtl number $\mathrm{Pm}$, the ratio of viscosity to resistivity, in which angular momentum and magnetic energy increase with $\mathrm{Pm}$. This regime reveals unique dynamics of small-scale turbulence in disk mid-planes and buoyancy instabilities in the atmosphere. This study aims to build on these findings, focusing on the MRI-driven $αΩ$ dynamo in stratified simulations to understand magnetic field generation in the high-$\mathrm{Pm}$ regime. We analyze data taken from stratified shearing box simulations both in the regime of magnetic Prandtl number of order unity, and also in the high $\mathrm{Pm}$ regime employing new techniques to compute the dynamo coefficients. We find that the mean-magnetic field evolution can be described by an $αΩ$ dynamo, even in the high-Pm regime. The mean magnetic field as well as the dynamo coefficients increase with Pm. This leads to a shorter dynamo period and a faster growth rate. We also find that the off-diagonal coefficients have an impact on the propagation of the magnetic field in the dynamo region. Overall, the magnetic field amplification found in global simulations should be increased by at least a factor of $\sim 5$, which could lead to more powerful jets and stronger winds from astrophysical disks in the high-Pm regime.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Tayler-Spruit dynamo in binary neutron star merger remnants

In binary neutron star mergers, the remnant can be stabilized by differential rotation before it collapses into a black hole. Therefore, the angular momentum transport mechanisms are crucial for predicting the lifetime of the hypermassive neutron star. One such mechanism is the Tayler-Spruit dynamo, and recent simulations have shown that it could grow in proto-neutron stars formed during supernova explosions. We aim to investigate whether hypermassive neutron stars with high neutrino viscosity could be unstable to the Tayler-Spruit dynamo and study how magnetic fields would evolve in this context. Using a one-zone model based on the result of a 3D GRMHD simulation, we investigate the time evolution of the magnetic fields generated by the Tayler-Spruit dynamo. In addition, we analyze the dynamics of the 3D GRMHD simulation to determine whether the dynamo is present. Our one-zone model predicts that the Tayler-Spruit dynamo can increase the toroidal magnetic field to $ \ge 10^{17}$ G and the dipole field to amplitudes $\ge 10^{16}$ G. The dynamo's growth timescale depends on the initial large-scale magnetic field right after the merger. In the case of a long-lived hypermassive neutron star, an initial magnetic field of $\ge 10^{12}$ G would be enough for the magnetic field to be amplified in a few seconds. However, we show that the resolution of the current GRMHD simulations is insufficient to resolve the Tayler-Spruit dynamo due to high numerical dissipation at small scales. We find that the Tayler-Spruit dynamo could occur in hypermassive neutron stars and shorten their lifetime, which would have consequences on multi-messenger observations.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Tayler-Spruit dynamo in stably stratified rotating fluids: Application to proto-magnetars

The formation of highly magnetized young neutron stars, called magnetars, is still a strongly debated question. A promising scenario invokes the amplification of the magnetic field by the Tayler-Spruit dynamo in a proto-neutron star (PNS) spun up by fallback. Barrère et al. 2023 supports this scenario by demonstrating that this dynamo can generate magnetar-like magnetic fields in stably stratified Boussinesq models of a PNS interior. To further investigate the Tayler-Spruit dynamo, we perform 3D-MHD numerical simulations with the MagIC code varying the ratio between the Brunt-Väisälä frequency and the rotation rate. We first demonstrate that a self-sustained dynamo process can be maintained for a Brunt-Väisälä frequency about 4 times higher than the angular rotation frequency. The generated magnetic fields and angular momentum transport follow the analytical scaling laws of Fuller et al. 2019, which confirms our previous results. We also report for the first time the existence of an intermittent Tayler-Spruit dynamo. For a typical PNS Brunt-Väisälä frequency of $10^{3}\,{\rm s}^{-1}$, the axisymmetric toroidal and dipolar magnetic fields range between $1.2\times 10^{15}-2\times 10^{16}\,{\rm G}$ and $1.4\times 10^{13}-3\times 10^{15}\,{\rm G}$, for rotation periods of $1-10\,{\rm ms}$. Thus, our results provide numerical evidence that our scenario can explain the formation of magnetars. As the Tayler-Spruit dynamo is often invoked for the angular momentum transport in stellar radiative zones, our results are also of particular importance in this field and we provide a calibration of the Fuller et al.'s prescription based on our simulations, with a dimensionless normalisation factor of the order of $10^{-2}$.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Magnetic amplification in premerger neutron stars through resonance-induced magnetorotational instabilities

Tidal resonances in the final seconds of a binary neutron-star inspiral can excite oscillation modes in one or both of the constituents to large amplitudes. Under favorable circumstances, resonant pulsations can overstrain the stellar crust and unleash a torrent of magnetoelastic energy that manifests as a gamma-ray ``precursor flare.'' We show that for realistic, stratified stars rotating with a spin frequency of $\gtrsim30\,$Hz, the fundamental $g$ or its first overtone can also execute a differential rotation in the crust such that a magnetic field of strength $\gtrsim10^{13}\,$G is generated via magnetorotational instabilities. This may help to explain observed precursor rates and their luminosities. Premerger magnetic growth would also provide seed magnetic energy for the postmerger remnant.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

A large-scale magnetic field produced by a solar-like dynamo in binary neutron star mergers

The merger of neutron stars drives a relativistic jet which can be observed as a short gamma-ray burst. A strong large-scale magnetic field is necessary to launch the relativistic jet. However, the magnetohydrodynamical mechanism to build up this magnetic field remains uncertain. Here we show that the $αΩ$ dynamo mechanism driven by the magnetorotational instability builds up the large-scale magnetic field inside the long-lived binary neutron star merger remnant by performing an {\it ab initio} super-high resolution neutrino-radiation magnetohydrodynamics merger simulation in full general relativity. As a result, the magnetic field induces the Poynting-flux dominated relativistic outflow with the luminosity $\sim 10^{51}$\,erg/s and magnetically-driven post-merger mass ejection with the mass $\sim 0.1M_\odot$. Therefore, the magnetar scenario in binary neutron star mergers is possible. These can be the engines of short-hard gamma-ray bursts and very bright kilonovae. Therefore, this scenario is testable in future observation.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Numerical simulations of the Tayler-Spruit dynamo in proto-magnetars

The Tayler-Spruit dynamo is one of the most promising mechanisms proposed to explain angular momentum transport during stellar evolution. Its development in proto-neutron stars spun-up by supernova fallback has also been put forward as a scenario to explain the formation of very magnetized neutron stars called magnetars. Using three-dimensional direct numerical simulations, we model the proto-neutron star interior as a stably stratified spherical Couette flow with the outer sphere that rotates faster than the inner one. We report the existence of two subcritical dynamo branches driven by the Tayler instability. They differ by their equatorial symmetry (dipolar or hemispherical) and the magnetic field scaling, which is in agreement with different theoretical predictions (by Fuller and Spruit, respectively). The magnetic dipole of the dipolar branch is found to reach intensities compatible with observational constraints on magnetars.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

MRI-driven $α-Ω$ dynamos in protoneutron stars

Magnetars are highly magnetized neutron stars that can produce X-ray and soft gamma-ray emissions and that have a dipole of $10^{14}$ G to $10^{15}$ G. A promising mechanism for explaining magnetar formation is magnetic field amplification by the MRI in fast-rotating protoneutron stars (PNS). This scenario is supported by recent global models, which showed that small-scale turbulence can generate a dipole with magnetar-like intensity. However, the impact of buoyancy and density stratification on the efficiency of the MRI in generating a dipole is still unknown. We assess the impact of the density and entropy profiles on the MRI dynamo in a global model of a fast-rotating PNS, which focuses on its outer stratified region that is stable to convection. Using the pseudo-spectral code MagIC, we performed 3D Boussinesq and anelastic MHD simulations in spherical geometry with explicit diffusivities. We performed a parameter study in which we investigate the effect of different approximations and of thermal diffusion. We obtain a self-sustained turbulent MRI-driven dynamo. This confirms most of our previous incompressible results once rescaled for density. The MRI also generates a nondominant equatorial dipole, which represents about 4.3% of the averaged magnetic field strength. Interestingly, in the presence of a density gradient, an axisymmetric magnetic field at large scales oscillates with time, which can be described as a mean-field $αΩ$ dynamo. Buoyancy damps turbulence in the equatorial plane but it has overall a relatively weak influence with a realistic high thermal diffusion. Our results support the ability of the MRI to generate magnetar-like large-scale magnetic fields. They furthermore predict the presence of an $αΩ$ dynamo in the protoneutron star, which could be important to model in-situ magnetic field amplification in core-collapse supernovae. [abridged]

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

MRI-driven dynamo at very high magnetic Prandtl numbers

The dynamo driven by the magnetorotational instability (MRI) is believed to play an important role in the dynamics of accretion discs and may also explain the origin of the extreme magnetic fields present in magnetars. Its saturation level is an important open question known to be particularly sensitive to the diffusive processes through the magnetic Prandtl number Pm (the ratio of viscosity to resistivity). Despite its relevance to proto-neutron stars and neutron star merger remnants, the numerically challenging regime of high Pm is still largely unknown. Using zero-net flux shearing box simulations in the incompressible approximation, we studied MRI-driven dynamos at unprecedentedly high values of Pm reaching 256. The simulations show that the stress and turbulent energies are proportional to Pm up to moderately high values ($\mathrm{Pm} \sim 50$). At higher Pm, they transition to a new regime consistent with a plateau independent of Pm for $\rm Pm \gtrsim 100$. This trend is independent of the Reynolds number, which may suggest an asymptotic regime where the energy injection and dissipation are independent of the diffusive processes. Interestingly, large values of Pm not only lead to intense small-scale magnetic fields but also to a more efficient dynamo at the largest scales of the box.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

A global model of the magnetorotational instability in protoneutron stars

Magnetars are highly magnetized neutron stars whose magnetic dipole ranges from $10^{14}$ to $10^{15}$ G. The MRI is considered to be a promising mechanism to amplify the magnetic field in fast-rotating protoneutron stars and form magnetars. This scenario is supported by many local studies showing that magnetic fields could be amplified by the MRI on small scales. However, the efficiency of the MRI at generating a dipole field is still unknown. To answer this question, we study the MRI dynamo in an idealized global model of a fast rotating protoneutron star with differential rotation. We perform 3D incompressible MHD simulations in spherical geometry with explicit diffusivities where the differential rotation is forced at the outer boundary. We vary the initial magnetic field and investigated different magnetic boundary conditions. These simulations were compared to local shearing box simulations. We obtain a self-sustained turbulent MRI-driven dynamo, whose saturated state is independent of the initial magnetic field. The MRI generates a strong turbulent magnetic field of $B \geq 2\times 10^{15}$ G and a non-dominant magnetic dipole, which represents systematically about $5\%$ of the averaged magnetic field strength. Interestingly, this dipole is tilted towards the equatorial plane. We find that local shearing box models can reproduce fairly well several characteristics of global MRI turbulence such as the kinetic and magnetic spectra. The turbulence is nonetheless more vigorous in the local models than in the global ones. Overall, our results support the ability of the MRI to form magnetar-like large-scale magnetic fields. They furthermore predict the presence of a stronger small-scale magnetic field. The resulting magnetic field could be important to power outstanding stellar explosions, such as superluminous supernovae and GRBs.

astro-ph.HE↗