arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Chunhua Zhu.
Highly precise pulsar timing is very important for understanding the nature of a neutron star, and it can even be used to detect gravitational waves. Unfortunately, the accuracy of the pulsar timing is seriously affected by the spin-down irregularities of pulsars.
Highly precise pulsar timing is very important for understanding the nature of neutron stars and the implied physics, even being used to detect directly gravitational waves. Unfortunately, the accuracy of the pulsar timing is seriously affected by the spin-down irregularities, such as spin fluctuations with a manifestation of low frequency structures (the so-called red noise processes), and various activities of magnetospheres. Except from the random timing noise, significant periodic or quasi-periodic components could also be found in some timing residuals of pulsars, indicating the presence of unmodelled deterministic effects. The physical origins of these effects still remain unexplained. In this paper, we suggest a new mechanism involving the de Haas-van Alphen magnetic oscillation, which could trigger the observed low frequency structures. We find that the proposed magnetic oscillation period is about 1-$10^{2}$ yr, which is about $10^{-4}$ times as long as the classical characteristic time scale of interior magnetic field evolution for a normal neutron star. Due to the magnetic oscillation, we estimate both the braking index range between $10^{-5}$ and $10^{5}$ and the residuals range between 4 to 906 ms for some specific samples of quasi-periodic pulsars. Those are consistent with the pulsar timing observations. Nonlinear phenomena of de Haas-van Alphen effect and the Condon domain structure are considered. Avalanche-like magnetized process of domain wall motion (rapidly magnetic energy release) could associated with some special emitting manifestations of neuron star radiation.
By a method of population synthesis we construct a model of dark matter (DM) accretion onto binary black holes (BHs), and investigate the merger rate of the binary BHs. We find that the merger rate can weakly increase (less than 10\%). However, the DM accretion can efficiently enhance the masses of binary BHs. In our model, the result for $Z = 0.01$ without the DM accretion can not explain the GW170104, GW170814, and GW150914, while with the DM accretion, it can cover all observations well. For the higher metallicity ($Z = 0.02$), our model can not explain the mergers of high-mass binary BHs like GW170104, GW170814, and GW150914. We estimate that the merger rate of binary BHs lies between $\rm55Gpc^{-3}yr^{-1}$ to $\rm197Gpc^{-3}yr^{-1}$.
Using the stellar evolution code---Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA), we investigate the evolution of massive stars with different rotational velocities and metallicities towards Wolf-Rayet stars. In our simulations, the initial rotating velocities are taken as 0, 250, 500 and 650 km s$^{-1}$, and the metallicities equal to 0.02, 0.014, 0.008, 0.006, 0.004 and 0.002. We show our rapid rotation models in the HR diagram compared with the observations. We find that the rotational mixing is less efficient at high metallicity, and these stars become Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars when the helium in their center is ignited. However, rapid rotating massive stars at low metallicity can easily evolve into WR stars due to the rotation resulted in chemically homogeneous evolution. This can explain the origin of single WR stars in galaxy at low metallicity. In our models, the observed SMC WR stars are consistent with the single-star evolution models. However at higher metallicities our single-star evolution models can only explain the luminous, hydrogen-rich WN stars and O stars (which are classified as WR stars previously).
Using the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics code, we investigate the influences of irradiation on ultra-compact X-ray binary (UCXB) evolution. Although the persistent UCXBs have short orbital periods which result in high irradiation flux, the irradiation hardly affects the evolution of persistent sources because the WDs in these binaries have large masses which lead to very low irradiation depth. The irradiation has a significant effect on the transient sources during outburst phase. At the beginning of the outburst, high X-ray luminosity produces high radiation flux, which results in the significant expansion of WD. Then, the irradiation triggers high mass-transfer rates, which can last several days for the transient sources with WDs whose masses are larger than $\sim0.015 M_\odot$ or several hundred years for these sources with WDs whose masses are less than $\sim0.012 M_\odot$. The observed three persistent UCXBs, XTE J0929-314, 4U 1916-05 and SWIFT J1756.9-2508, may belong to the latter.
We investigate the effects of the core-collapse supernova ejecta on a rapidly rotating and massive companion star. We show that the stripped mass raises by twice when compare with a massive but non-rotating companion star. In close binaries with orbital periods of about 1 day, the stripped masses reach up to $\sim 1 M_\odot$. By simulating the evolutions of the rotational velocities of the massive companion stars based on different stripped masses, we find that the rotational velocity decreases greatly for stripped mass that is higher than about $1 M_\odot$. Of all the known high mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs), Cygnus X-3 and 1WGA J0648.024418 have the shortest orbital periods of 0.2 and 1.55 days, respectively. The optical counterpart of the former is a Wolf-Rayet star, whereas it is a hot subdwarf for the latter. Applying our model to the two HMXBs, we suggest that the hydrogen-rich envelopes of their optical counterparts may have been stripped by CCSN ejecta.
Neutron stars are ideal astrophysical laboratories for testing theories of the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) effect and diamagnetic phase transition which is associated with magnetic domain formation. The "magnetic interaction" between delocalized magnetic moments of electrons (the Shoenberg effect), can result in an effect of the diamagnetic phase transition into domains of alternating magnetization (Condon's domains). Associated with the domain formation are prominent magnetic field oscillation and anisotropic magnetic stress which may be large enough to fracture the crust of magnetar with a super-strong field. Even if the fracture is impossible as in "low-field" magnetar, the depinning phase transition of domain wall motion driven by low field rate (mainly due to the Hall effect) in the randomly perturbed crust can result in a catastrophically variation of magnetic field. This intermittent motion, similar to the avalanche process, makes the Hall effect be dissipative. These qualitative consequences about magnetized electron gas are consistent with observations of magnetar emission, and especially the threshold critical dynamics of driven domain wall can partially overcome the difficulties of "low-field" magnetar bursts and the heating mechanism of transient, or "outbursting" magnetar.
According to the nova model from \citet{Yaron2005} and \citet{Jose1998} and using Monte Carlo simulation method, we investigate the contribution of chemical abundances in nova ejecta to the interstellar medium (ISM) of the Galaxy. We find that the ejected mass by classical novae (CNe) is about $2.7\times10^{-3}$ $ \rm M_\odot\ {\rm yr^{-1}}$. In the nova ejecta, the isotopic ratios of C, N and O, that is, $^{13}$C/$^{12}$C, $^{15}$N/$^{14}$N and $^{17}$O/$^{16}$O, are higher about one order of magnitude than those in red giants. We estimate that about 10$\%$, 5$\%$ and 20$\%$ of $^{13}$C, $^{15}$N and $^{17}$O in the ISM of the Galaxy come from nova ejecta, respectively. However, the chemical abundances of C, N and O calculated by our model can not cover all of observational values. This means that there is still a long way to go for understanding novae.
As the evolutionary link between the radio millisecond pulsars (MSPs) and the low mass X-ray binaries or intermediate mass X-ray binaries, the millisecond X-ray pulsars (MSXPs) are important objects in testing theories of pulsar formation and evolution. In general, neutron stars in MSXPs can form via core collapse supernova (CC channel) of massive stars or accretion induced collapse (AIC channel) of an accreting ONeMg WD whose mass reaches the Chandrasekhar limit. Here, in addition to CC and AIC channels we also consider another channel, i.e., evolution induced collapse (EIC channel) of a helium star with mass between $1.4$ and $2.5 M_{\odot}$. Using a population synthesis code, we have studied MSXPs arising from three different evolutionary channels. We find that the Galactic birthrates of transient MSXPs and persistent MSXPs are about 0.7---$1.4\times 10^{-4}$ yr$^{-1}$. Our population synthesis calculations have shown that about 50\%---90\% of the MSXPs have undergone CC channel, about 10\%---40\% of them have undergone EIC channel, and the MSXPs via AIC channel are the least.
In this paper, four sets of evolutionary models are computed with different values of the mixing length parameter $α_{\rm p}$ and the overshooting parameter $δ_{\rm ov}$. The properties of the convective cores and the convective envelopes are studied in the massive stars. We get three conclusions: First, the larger $α_{\rm p}$ leads to enhancing the convective mixing, removing the chemical gradient, and increasing the convective heat transfer efficiency. Second, core potential $ϕ_{\rm c} = M_{\rm c} / R_{\rm c}$ describes sufficiently the evolution of a star, whether it is a red or blue supergiant at central helium ignition. Third, the discontinuity of hydrogen profile above the hydrogen burning shell seriously affect the occurrence of blue loops in the Hertzsprung--Russell diagram.
The origin of dust in a galaxy is poorly understood. Recently, the surveys of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) provide astrophysical laboratories for the dust studies. By a method of population synthesis, we investigate the contributions of dust produced by asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, common envelope (CE) ejecta and type II supernovae (SNe II) to the total dust budget in the LMC. Based on our models, the dust production rates (DPRs) of AGB stars in the LMC are between about $2.5\times10^{-5}$ and $4.0\times10^{-6}M_\odot{\rm yr^{-1}}$. The uncertainty mainly results from different models for the dust yields of AGB stars. The DPRs of CE ejecta are about $6.3\times10^{-6}$(The initial binary fraction is 50\%). These results are within the large scatter of several observational estimates. AGB stars mainly produce carbon grains, which is consistent with the observations. Most of dust grains manufactured by CE ejecta are silicate and iron grains. The contributions of SNe II are very uncertain. Compared with SNe II without reverse shock, the DPRs of AGB stars and CE ejecta are negligible. However, if only 2 \% of dust grains produced by SNe II can survive after reverse shock, the contributions of SNe II are very small. The total dust masses produced by AGB stars in the LMC are between $2.8\times10^4$ and $3.2\times10^5M_\odot$, and those produced by CE ejecta are about $6.3\times10^4$. They are much lower than the values estimated by observations. Therefore, there should be other dust sources in the LMC.
The origin of dust grains in the interstellar medium is still open problem. \cite{Nicholls2013} found the presence of a significant amount of dust around V1309 Sco which maybe originate from the merger of a contact binary. We investigate the origin of dust around V1309 Sco, and suggest that these dust grains are efficiently produced in the binary-merger ejecta. By means of \emph{AGBDUST} code, we estimate that $\sim 5.2\times10^{-4} M_\odot$ of dust grains are produced, and their radii are $\sim 10^{-5}$ cm. These dust grains mainly are composed of silicate and iron grains. Because the mass of the binary-merger ejecta is very small, the contribution of dust produced by binary-merger ejecta to the overall dust production in the interstellar medium is negligible. However, it is the most important that the discovery of a significant amount of dust around V1309 Sco offers a direct support for the idea---common-envelope ejecta provides an ideal environment for dust formation and growth. Therefore, we confirm that common-envelope ejecta can be important source of cosmic dust.
The electron gas inside a neutron star is highly degenerate and relativistic. Due to the electron-electron magnetic interaction, the differential susceptibility can equal or exceed 1, which causes the magnetic system of the neutron star to become metastable or unstable. The Fermi liquid of nucleons under the crust can be in a metastable state, while the crust is unstable to the formation of layers of alternating magnetization. The change of the magnetic stress acting on adjacent domains can result in a series of shifts or fractures in the crust. The releasing of magnetic free energy and elastic energy in the crust can cause the bursts observed in magnetars. Simultaneously, a series of shifts or fractures in the deep crust which is closed to the Fermi liquid of nucleons can trigger the phase transition of the Fermi liquid of nucleons from a metastable state to a stable state. The released magnetic free energy in the Fermi liquid of nucleons corresponds to the giant flares observed in some magnetars.
The material that is ejected in a common-envelope (CE) phase in a close binary system provides an ideal environment for dust formation. By constructing a simple toy model to describe the evolution of the density and the temperature of CE ejecta and using the \emph{AGBDUST} code to model dust formation, we show that dust can form efficiently in this environment. The actual dust masses produced in the CE ejecta depend strongly on their temperature and density evolution. We estimate the total dust masses produced by CE evolution by means of a population synthesis code and show that, compared to dust production in AGB stars, the dust produced in CE ejecta may be quite significant and could even dominate under certain circumstances.
Properties of X-ray luminosities in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) mainly depend on donors. We have carried out a detailed study of donors in persistent neutron-star LMXBs (PLMXBs) by means of a population synthesis code. PLMXBs with different donors have different formation channels. Our numerical simulations show that more than 90% of PLMXBs have main sequence (MS) donors, and PLMXBs with red giant (RG) donors via stellar wind (Wind) are negligible. In our model, most of neutron stars (NSs) in PLMXBs with hydrogen-rich donors form via core-collapse supernovae, while more than 90% of NSs in PLMXBs with naked helium star (He) donors or white dwarf (WD) donors form via an evolution-induced collapse via helium star ($1.4 \leq M_{\rm He}/M_\odot \leq 2.5$) or an accretion-induced collapses for an accreting ONeMg WD.
Strange quark stars (SSs) may originate from accreting neutron stars (NSs) in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). Assuming that conversion of NS matter to SSs occurs when the core density of accreting NS reaches to the density of quark deconfinement, $\sim 5 ρ_0$, where $ρ_0\sim 2.7\times 10^{14}$g cm$^{-3}$ is nuclear saturation density, we investigate LMXBs with SSs (qLMXBs). In our simulations, about 1\permil --- 10% of LMXBs can produce SSs, which greatly depends on the masses of nascent NSs and the fraction of transferred matter accreted by the NSs. If the conversion does not affect binaries systems, LMXBs evolve into qLMXBs. We find that some observational properties (spin periods, X-ray luminosities and orbital periods) of qLMXBs are similar with those of LMXBs, and it is difficult to differ them. If the conversion disturbs the binaries systems, LMXBs can produce isolated SSs. These isolated SSs could be submillisecond pulsars, and their birthrate in the Galaxy is $\sim$5--70 per Myr.
Using a simple accelerating model and an assumption that $γ$-rays originate from $p-p$ collisions for a $π^0$ model, we investigate $γ$-ray sources like V407 Cygni in symbiotic stars. The upper limit of their occurrence rate in the Galaxy is between 0.5 and 5 yr$^{-1}$, indicating that they may be an important source of the high-energy $γ$-rays. The maximum energies of the accelerated protons mainly distribute around $10^{11}$ eV, and barely reach $10^{15}$ eV. The novae occurring in D-type SSs with ONe WDs and long orbital periods are good candidates for $γ$-ray sources. Due to a short orbital period which results in a short acceleration duration, the nova occurring in symbiotic star RS Oph can not produce the $γ$-ray emission like that in V407 Cygni.
Assuming that soft X-ray sources in symbiotic stars result from strong thermonuclear runaways, and supersoft X-ray sources from weak thermonuclear runaways or steady hydrogen burning symbiotic stars, we investigate the Galactic soft and supersoft X-ray sources in symbiotic stars by means of population synthesis. The Galactic occurrence rates of soft X-ray sources and supersoft X-ray sources are from $\sim$ 2 to 20 $\rm yr^{-1}$, and $\sim$ 2 to 17 $\rm yr^{-1}$, respectively. The numbers of X-ray sources in symbiotic stars range from 2390 to 6120. We simulate the distribution of X-ray sources over orbital periods, masses and mass-accretion rates of white dwarfs. The agreement with observations is reasonable.