arXiv subjects

Carlos Palenzuela

Publications and source records attributed to Carlos Palenzuela.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

A Simflowny-based finite-difference code for high-performance computing in Relativity

The tremendous challenge of comparing our theoretical models with the gravitational-wave observations in the new era of multimessenger astronomy requires accurate and fast numerical simulations of complicated physical systems described by the Einstein and the matter equations. These requirements can only be satisfied if the simulations can be parallelized efficiently on a large number of processors and advanced computational strategies are adopted. To achieve this goal we have developed Simflowny, an open platform for scientific dynamical models which automatically generates parallel code for different simulation frameworks, allowing the use of HPC infrastructures to non-specialist scientists. One of these frameworks is SAMRAI, a mature patch-based structured adaptive mesh refinement infrastructure, capable of reaching exascale in some specific problems. Here we present the numerical techniques that we have implemented on this framework by using Simflowny in order to perform fast, efficient, accurate and highly-scalable simulations. These techniques involve high-order schemes for smooth and non-smooth solutions, Adaptive Mesh Refinement with arbitrary resolution ratios and an optimal strategy for the sub-cycling in time. We validate the automatically generated codes for the SAMRAI infrastructure with some simple test examples (i.e., wave equation and Newtonian MHD) and finally with the Einstein equations.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2018

Neutron star mergers as a probe of modifications of general relativity with finite-range scalar forces

Observations of gravitational radiation from compact binary systems provide an unprecedented opportunity to test General Relativity in the strong field dynamical regime. In this paper, we investigate how future observations of gravitational radiation from binary neutron star mergers might provide constraints on finite-range forces from a universally coupled massive scalar field. Such scalar degrees of freedom are a characteristic feature of many extensions of General Relativity. For concreteness, we work in the context of metric $f(R)$ gravity, which is equivalent to General Relativity and a universally coupled scalar field with a non-linear potential whose form is fixed by the choice of $f(R)$. In theories where neutron stars (or other compact objects) obtain a significant scalar charge, the resulting attractive finite-range scalar force has implications for both the inspiral and merger phases of binary systems. We first present an analysis of the inspiral dynamics in Newtonian limit, and forecast the constraints on the mass of the scalar and charge of the compact objects for the Advanced LIGO gravitational wave observatory. We then perform a comparative study of binary neutron star mergers in General Relativity with those of a one-parameter model of $f(R)$ gravity using fully relativistic hydrodynamical simulations. These simulations elucidate the effects of the scalar on the merger and post-merger dynamics. We comment on the utility of the full waveform (inspiral, merger, post-merger) to probe different regions of parameter space for both the particular model of $f(R)$ gravity studied here and for finite-range scalar forces more generally.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Gravitational Wave Signatures of Highly Compact Boson Star Binaries

Solitonic boson stars are stable objects made of a complex scalar field with a compactness that can reach values comparable to that of neutron stars. A recent study of the collision of identical boson stars produced only non-rotating boson stars or black holes, suggesting that rotating boson stars may not form from binary mergers. Here we extend this study to include an analysis of the gravitational waves radiated during the coalescence of such a binary, which is crucial to distinguish these events from other binaries with LIGO and Virgo observations. Our studies reveal that the remnant's gravitational wave signature is mainly governed by its fundamental frequency as it settles down to a non-rotating boson star, emitting significant gravitational radiation during this post-merger state. We calculate how the waveforms and their post-merger frequencies depend on the compactness of the initial boson stars and estimate analytically the amount of energy radiated after the merger.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Black Hole Dynamics in Einstein-Maxwell-Dilaton Theory

We consider the properties and dynamics of black holes within a family of alternative theories of gravity, namely Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton (EMD) theory. We analyze the dynamical evolution of individual black holes as well as the merger of binary black hole systems. We do this for a wide range of parameter values for the family of EMD theories, investigating, in the process, the stability of these black holes. We examine radiative degrees of freedom, explore the impact of the scalar field on the dynamics of merger and compare with other scalar-tensor theories. We argue that the dilaton can largely be discounted in understanding merging binary systems and that the endstates essentially interpolate between charged and uncharged, rotating black holes. For the relatively small charge values considered here, we conclude that these black hole systems will be difficult to distinguish from their analogs within general relativity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

On the final fate of compact boson star mergers

Boson stars, self-gravitating objects made of a complex scalar field, have been proposed as simple models for very different scenarios, ranging from galaxy dark matter to black hole mimickers. Here we focus on a very compact type of boson stars to study binary mergers by varying different parameters, namely the phase shift, the direction of rotation and the angular momentum. Our aim is to investigate the properties of the object resulting from the merger in these different scenarios by means of numerical evolutions. These simulations, performed by using a modification of the covariant conformal Z4 (CCZ4) formalism of the Einstein Equations that does not require the algebraic enforcing of any constraint, indicate that the final state after a head-on collision of low mass boson stars is another boson star. However, almost complete annihilation of the stars occurs during the merger of a boson-antiboson pair. The merger of orbiting boson stars form a rotating bar that quickly relaxes to a non-rotating boson star.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Echoes of ECOs: gravitational-wave signatures of exotic compact objects and of quantum corrections at the horizon scale

Gravitational waves from binary coalescences provide one of the cleanest signatures of the nature of compact objects. It has been recently argued that the post-merger ringdown waveform of exotic ultracompact objects is initially identical to that of a black-hole, and that putative corrections at the horizon scale will appear as secondary pulses after the main burst of radiation. Here we extend this analysis in three important directions: (i) we show that this result applies to a large class of exotic compact objects with a photon sphere for generic orbits in the test-particle limit; (ii) we investigate the late-time ringdown in more detail, showing that it is universally characterized by a modulated and distorted train of "echoes" of the modes of vibration associated with the photon sphere; (iii) we study for the first time equal-mass, head-on collisions of two ultracompact boson stars and compare their gravitational-wave signal to that produced by a pair of black-holes. If the initial objects are compact enough as to mimic a binary black-hole collision up to the merger, the final object exceeds the maximum mass for boson stars and collapses to a black-hole. This suggests that - in some configurations - the coalescence of compact boson stars might be almost indistinguishable from that of black-holes. On the other hand, generic configurations display peculiar signatures that can be searched for in gravitational-wave data as smoking guns of exotic compact objects.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Electromagnetic Luminosity of the Coalescence of Charged Black Hole Binaries

The observation of a possible electromagnetic counterpart by the Fermi GBM group to the aLIGO detection of the merger of a black hole binary has spawned a number of ideas about its source. Furthermore, observations of fast radio bursts (FRBs) have similarly resulted in a range of new models that might endow black hole binaries with electromagnetic signatures. In this context, even the unlikely idea that astrophysical black holes may have significant charge is worth exploring, and here we present results from the simulation of weakly charged black holes as they orbit and merge. Our simulations suggest that a black hole binary with mass comparable to that observed in GW150914 could produce the level of electromagnetic luminosity observed by Fermi GBM ($10^{49}$ ergs/s) with a non-dimensional charge of $q \equiv Q/M = 10^{-4}$ assuming good radiative efficiency. However even a charge such as this is difficult to imagine avoiding neutralization long enough for the binary to produce its electromagnetic counterpart, and so this value would likely serve simply as an upper bound. On the other hand, one can equivalently consider the black holes as having acquired a magnetic monopole charge that would be easy to maintain and would generate an identical electromagnetic signature as the electric charges. The observation of such a binary would have significant cosmological implications, not the least of which would be an explanation for the quantization of charge itself. We also study such a magnetically charged binary in the force-free regime and find it much more radiative, reducing even further the requirements to produce the counterpart.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

The $m=1$ instability \& gravitational wave signal in binary neutron star mergers

We examine the development and detectability of the $m=1$ instability in the remnant of binary neutron star mergers. The detection of the gravitational mode associated with the $m=1$ degree of freedom could potentially reveal details of the equation of state. We analyze the post-merger epoch of simulations of both equal and non-equal mass neutron star mergers using three realistic, microphysical equations of state and neutrino cooling. Our studies show such an instability develops generically and within a short dynamical time to strengths that are comparable or stronger than the $m=2$ mode which is the strongest during the early post-merger stage. We estimate the signal to noise ratio that might be obtained for the $m=1$ mode and discuss the prospects for observing this signal with available Earth-based detectors. Because the $m=1$ occurs at roughly half the frequency of the more powerful $m=2$ signal and because it can potentially be long-lived, targeted searches could be devised to observe it. We estimate that with constant amplitude direct detection of the mode could occur up to a distance of roughly $14\,\mathrm{Mpc}$ whereas a search triggered by the inspiral signal could extend this distance to roughly $100\,\mathrm{Mpc}$.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Unequal mass binary neutron star mergers and multimessenger signals

We study the merger of binary neutron stars with different mass ratios adopting three different realistic, microphysical nuclear equations of state, as well as incorporating neutrino cooling effects. In particular, we concentrate on the influence of the equation of state on the gravitational wave signature and also on its role, in combination with neutrino cooling, in determining the properties of the resulting hypermassive neutron star, of the neutrinos produced, and of the ejected material. The ejecta we find are consistent with other recent studies that find that small mass ratios produce more ejecta than equal mass cases (up to some limit) and this ejecta is more neutron rich. This trend indicates the importance with future kilonovae observations of measuring the individual masses of an associated binary neutron star system, presumably from concurrent gravitational wave observations, in order to be able to extract information about the nuclear equation of state

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Interaction between bosonic dark matter and stars

We provide a detailed analysis of how bosonic dark matter "condensates" interact with compact stars, extending significantly the results of a recent Letter. We focus on bosonic fields with mass $m_B$, such as axions, axion-like candidates and hidden photons. Self-gravitating bosonic fields generically form "breathing" configurations, where both the spacetime geometry and the field oscillate, and can interact and cluster at the center of stars. We construct stellar configurations formed by a perfect fluid and a bosonic condensate, and which may describe the late stages of dark-matter accretion onto stars, in dark matter-rich environments. These composite stars oscillate at a frequency which is a multiple of $f=2.5\times 10^{14}\,\left(m_{B}c^2/eV\right)\,{\rm Hz}$. Using perturbative analysis and Numerical Relativity techniques, we show that these stars are generically stable, and we provide criteria for instability. Our results also indicate that the growth of the dark matter core is halted close to the Chandrasekhar limit. We thus dispel a myth concerning dark matter accretion by stars: dark mater accretion does not necessarily lead to the destruction of the star, nor to collapse to a black hole. Finally, we argue that stars with long-lived bosonic cores may also develop in other theories with effective mass couplings, such as (massless) scalar-tensor theories.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2015

Dynamical evolution of fermion-boson stars

Compact objects, like neutron stars and white dwarfs, may accrete dark matter, and then be sensitive probes of its presence. These compact stars with a dark matter component can be modeled by a perfect fluid minimally coupled to a complex scalar field (representing a bosonic dark matter component), resulting in objects known as fermion-boson stars. We have performed the dynamical evolution of these stars in order to analyze their stability, and to study their spectrum of normal modes, which may reveal the amount of dark matter in the system. Their stability analysis shows a structure similar to that of an isolated (fermion or boson) star, with equilibrium configurations either laying on the stable or on the unstable branch. The analysis of the spectrum of normal modes indicates the presence of new oscillation modes in the fermionic part of the star, which result from the coupling to the bosonic component through the gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Constraining scalar-tensor theories of gravity from the most massive neutron stars

Scalar-tensor~(ST) theories of gravity are natural phenomenological extensions to general relativity. Although these theories are severely constrained both by solar system experiments and by binary pulsar observations, a large set of ST families remain consistent with these observations. Recent work has suggested probing the unconstrained region of the parameter space of ST theories based on the stability properties of highly compact neutron stars. Here, the dynamical evolution of very compact stars in a fully nonlinear code demonstrates that the stars do become unstable and that the instability, in some cases, drives the stars to collapse. We discuss the implications of these results in light of recent observations of the most massive neutron star yet observed. In particular, such observations suggest that such a star would be subject to the instability for a certain regime; its existence therefore supports a bound on the ST parameter space.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Electromagnetic outflows in a class of scalar-tensor theories: binary neutron star coalescence

As we showed in previous work, the dynamics and gravitational emission of binary neutron star systems in certain scalar-tensor theories can differ significantly from that expected from General Relativity in the coalescing stage. In this work we examine whether the characteristics of the electromagnetic counterparts to these binaries -- driven by magnetosphere interactions prior to the merger event -- can provide an independent way to test gravity in the most strongly dynamical stages of binary mergers. We find that the electromagnetic flux emitted by binaries in these scalar-tensor theories can show deviations from the GR prediction in particular cases. These differences are quite subtle, thus requiring delicate measurements to differentiate between GR and the type of scalar-tensor theories considered in this work using electromagnetic observations alone. However, if coupled with a gravitational-wave detection, electromagnetic measurements might provide a way to increase the confidence with which GR will be confirmed (or ruled out) by gravitational observations.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

Projected Constraints on Scalarization with Gravitational Waves from Neutron Star Binaries

Certain scalar-tensor theories have the property of endowing stars with scalar hair, sourced either by the star's own compactness (spontaneous scalarization) or, for binary systems, by the companion's scalar hair (induced scalarization) or by the orbital binding energy (dynamical scalarization). Scalarized stars in binaries present different conservative dynamics than in General Relativity, and can also excite a scalar mode in the metric perturbation that carries away dipolar radiation. As a result, the binary orbit shrinks faster than predicted in General Relativity, modifying the rate of decay of the orbital period. In spite of this, scalar-tensor theories can pass existing binary pulsar tests, because observed pulsars may not be compact enough or sufficiently orbitally bound to activate scalarization. Gravitational waves emitted during the last stages of compact binary inspirals are thus ideal probes of scalarization effects. For the standard projected sensitivity of advanced LIGO, we here show that, if neutron stars are sufficiently compact to enter the detector's sensitivity band already scalarized, then gravitational waves could place constraints at least comparable to binary pulsars. If the stars dynamically scalarize while inspiraling in band, then constraints are still possible provided the scalarization occurs sufficiently early in the inspiral, roughly below an orbital frequency of 50Hz. In performing these studies, we derive an easy-to-calculate data analysis measure, an integrated phase difference between a General Relativistic and a modified signal, that maps directly to the Bayes factor so as to determine whether a modified gravity effect is detectable. Finally, we find that custom-made templates are equally effective as model-independent, parameterized post-Einsteinian waveforms at detecting such modified gravity effects at realistic signal-to-noise ratios.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

Interaction of misaligned magnetospheres in the coalescence of binary neutron stars

We study the dependence of the electromagnetic luminosity --produced by interactions of force-free magnetospheres-- on dipole inclinations in binary neutron star systems. We show that this interaction extracts kinetic energy from the system and powers a Poynting flux with a strong dependence on the dipole orientations. This dependence can be linked to the reconnection and redistribution of magnetic field as the stars interact. Although the details of the Poynting luminosity are very much dependent on the orientation, all the cases considered here nevertheless radiate a large Poynting flux. This robust emission suggests that the pre-merger stage of binary neutron star systems can yield interesting electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave events.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

Magnetized Neutron Stars With Realistic Equations of State and Neutrino Cooling

We incorporate realistic, tabulated equations of state into fully relativistic simulations of magnetized neutron stars along with a neutrino leakage scheme which accounts for cooling via neutrino emission. Both these improvements utilize open-source code (GR1D) and tables from http://stellarcollapse.org. Our implementation makes use of a novel method for the calculation of the optical depth which simplifies its use with distributed adaptive mesh refinement. We present various tests with and without magnetization and preliminary results both from single stars and from the merger of a binary system.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

Dynamical scalarization of neutron stars in scalar-tensor gravity theories

We present a framework to study generic neutron-star binaries in scalar-tensor theories of gravity. Our formalism achieves this goal by suitably interfacing a post-Newtonian orbital evolution (described by a set of ordinary differential equations) with a set of non-linear algebraic equations, which provide a description of the scalar charge of each binary's component along the evolution in terms of isolated-star data. We validate this semi-analytical procedure by comparing its results to those of fully general-relativistic simulations, and use it to investigate the behavior of binary systems in large portions of the parameter space of scalar-tensor theories. This allows us to shed further light on the phenomenon of "dynamical scalarization", which we uncovered in [Barausse, Palenzuela, Ponce and Lehner, Phys. Rev. D 87, 081506(R) (2013)] and which takes place in tight binaries, even for stars that have exactly zero scalar charge in isolation. We also employ our formalism to study representative binary systems, obtain their gravitational-wave signals and discuss the extent to which deviations from General Relativity can be detected. The insights gained by this framework allow us to additionally show that eccentric binaries can undergo scalarization/de-scalarization phenomena.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2013

Almost-Killing conserved currents: a general mass function

A new class of conserved currents, describing non-gravitational energy-momentum density, is presented. The proposed currents do not require the existence of a (timelike) Killing vector, and are not restricted to spherically symmetric spacetimes (or similar ones, in which the Kodama vector can be defined). They are based instead on almost-Killing vectors, which could in principle be defined on generic spacetimes. We provide local arguments, based on energy density profiles in highly simplified (stationary, rigidly-rotating) star models, which confirm the physical interest of these 'almost-Killing currents'. A mass function is defined in this way for the spherical case, qualitatively different from the Hernández-Misner mass function. An elliptic equation determining the new mass function is derived for the Tolman-Bondi spherically symmetric dust metrics, including a simple solution for the Oppenheimer-Schneider collapse. The equations for the non-symmetric case are shown to be of a mixed elliptic-hyperbolic nature.

gr-qc↗