arXiv subjects

Giovanni Montani

Publications and source records attributed to Giovanni Montani.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Ring sequence decomposition of an accretion disk: the viscoresistive approach

We analyze a two dimensional viscoresistive magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) model for a thin accretion disk which reconciles the crystalline structure outlined in [Coppi(2005), Coppi and Rousseau(2006)] with real microscopic and macroscopic features of astrophysical accreting systems. In particular, we consider small dissipative effects (viscosity and resistivity, characterized by a magnetic Prandtl number of order unity), poloidal matter fluxes and a toroidal component of the magnetic field. These new ingredients allow us to set up the full equilibrium profile including the azimuthal component of the momentum conservation equation and the electron force balance relation. These two additional equations, which were identically satisfied in the original model, permit us to deal with non-zero radial and vertical matter fluxes, and the solution we construct for the global equilibrium system provides a full description of the radial and vertical dependence within the plasma disk. The main issue of our analysis is outlining a modulation of the matter distribution in the disk which corresponds to the formation of a ring-like sequence, here associated with a corresponding radial oscillation of the matter flux.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2011

Emergence of High Peaks in the Axial Velocity for an Ideal Magnetohydrodynamics Disk Configuration

We study the profile of a thin disk configuration as described by an axisymmetric ideal magnetohydrodynamics steady equilibrium. We consider the disk like a differentially rotating system dominated by the Keplerian term, but allowing for a non-zero radial and vertical matter flux. As a result, the steady state allows for the existence of local peaks for the vertical velocity of the plasma particles, though it prevents the radial matter accretion rate. This ideal magnetohydrodynamics scheme is therefore unable to solve the angular momentum-transport problem, but we suggest that it provides a mechanism for the generation of matter-jet seeds.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2011

On the Viability of a Non-Analytical f(R)-Theory

In this paper, we show how a power-law correction to the Einstein-Hilbert action provides a viable modified theory of gravity, passing the Solar-System tests, when the exponent is between the values 2 and 3. Then, we implement this paradigm on a cosmological setting outlining how the main phases of the Universe thermal history are properly reproduced. As a result, we find two distinct constraints on the characteristic length scale of the model, i.e., a lower bound from the Solar-System test and an upper one by guaranteeing the matter dominated Universe evolution.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Non-analytical power law correction to the Einstein-Hilbert action: gravitational wave propagation

We analyze the features of the Minkowskian limit of a particular non-analytical f(R) model, whose Taylor expansion in the weak field limit does not hold, as far as gravitational waves (GWs) are concerned. We solve the corresponding Einstein equations and we find an explicit expression of the modified GWs as the sum of two terms, i.e. the standard one and a modified part. As a result, GWs in this model are not transverse, and their polarization is different from that of General Relativity. The velocity of the GW modified part depends crucially on the parameters characterizing the model, and it mostly results much smaller than the speed of light. Moreover, this investigation allows one to further test the viability of this particular f(R) gravity theory as far as interferometric observations of GWs are concerned.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

A possible signature of cosmic neutrino decoupling in the nHz region of the spectrum of primordial gravitational waves

In this paper we study the effect of cosmic neutrino decoupling on the spectrum of cosmological gravitational waves (GWs). At temperatures T>>1 MeV, neutrinos constitute a perfect fluid and do not hinder GW propagation, while for T<<1 MeV they free-stream and have an effective viscosity that damps cosmological GWs by a constant amount. In the intermediate regime, corresponding to neutrino decoupling, the damping is frequency-dependent. GWs entering the horizon during neutrino decoupling have a frequency f ~ 1 nHz, corresponding to a frequency region that will be probed by Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs). In particular, we show how neutrino decoupling induces a spectral feature in the spectrum of cosmological GWs just below 1 nHz. We briefly discuss the conditions for a detection of this feature and conclude that it is unlikely to be observed by PTAs.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Semi-Classical Isotropization of the Universe during a de Sitter phase

Semi-classical states for the Wheeler-DeWitt equation of a Bianchi type I model in the presence of a scalar field are analyzed. It is outlined how this scheme can effectively describe more general situations, where the curvature of the Bianchi type IX model and a proper potential term for the scalar field are present. The introduction of a cosmological constant term accounts for the quasi-isotropization mechanism which bridges the proposed framework with a late isotropic phase. This result makes the semi-classical Bianchi I model a plausible scenario for the Universe pre-inflationary phase.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Signatures of the neutrino thermal history in the spectrum of primordial gravitational waves

In this paper we study the effect of the anisotropic stress generated by neutrinos on the propagation of primordial cosmological gravitational waves. The presence of anisotropic stress, like the one generated by free-streaming neutrinos, partially absorbs the gravitational waves (GWs) propagating across the Universe. We find that in the standard case of three neutrino families, 22% of the intensity of the wave is absorbed, in fair agreement with previous studies. We have also calculated the maximum possible amount of damping, corresponding to the case of a flat Universe completely dominated by ultrarelativistic collisionless particles. In this case 43% of the intensity of the wave is absorbed. Finally, we have taken into account the effect of collisions, using a simple form for the collision term parameterized by the mean time between interactions, that allows to go smoothly from the case of a tigthly-coupled fluid to that of a collisionless gas. The dependence of the absorption on the neutrino energy density and on the effectiveness of the interactions opens the interesting possibility of observing spectral features related to particular events in the thermal history of the Universe, like neutrino decoupling and electron-positron annihilation, both occurring at T~1 MeV. GWs entering the horizon at that time will have today a frequency $ν\sim 10^{-9} \Hz$, a region that is going to be probed by Pulsar Timing Arrays.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2010

Viscoresistive MHD Configurations of Plasma in Accretion Disks

We present a discussion of two-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) configurations, concerning the equilibria of accretion disks of a strongly magnetized astrophysical object. We set up a viscoresistive scenario which generalizes previous two-dimensional analyses by reconciling the ideal MHD coupling of the vertical and the radial equilibria within the disk with the standard mechanism of the angular momentum transport, relying on dissipative properties of the plasma configuration. The linear features of the considered model are analytically developed and the non-linear configuration problem is addressed, by fixing the entire disk profile at the same order of approximation. Indeed, the azimuthal and electron force balance equations are no longer automatically satisfied when poloidal currents and matter fluxes are included in the problem. These additional components of the equilibrium configuration induce a different morphology of the magnetic flux surface, with respect to the ideal and simply rotating disk.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2010

Shortcomings of the Big Bounce derivation in Loop Quantum Cosmology

We give a prescription to define in Loop Quantum Gravity the electric field operator related to the scale factor of an homogeneous and isotropic cosmological space-time. This procedure allows to link the fundamental theory with its cosmological implementation. In view of the conjugate relation existing between holonomies and fluxes, the edge length and the area of surfaces in the fiducial metric satisfy a duality condition. As a consequence, the area operator has a discrete spectrum also in Loop Quantum Cosmology. This feature makes the super-Hamiltonian regularization an open issue of the whole formulation.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Effective potential approach to the motion of massive test particles in Kaluza-Klein gravity

Effective potential for a class of static solutions of Kaluza-Klein equations with three-dimensional spherical symmetry is studied. Test particles motion is analyzed. In attempts to read the obtained results with the experimental data, particular attention is devoted to the Schwarzschild's limit of the four dimensional counterpart of these electromagnetic-free solutions. Massive particles stable circular orbits in particular are studied, and a comparison between the well known results if the Schwarzschild's case and those found for the static higher-dimensional case is performed. A modification of the circular stable orbits is investigated in agreement with the experimental constraints.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

Massive test particles motion in Kaluza-Klein gravity

A class of static, vacuum solutions of (free-electromagnetic) Kaluza-Klein equations with three-dimensional spherical symmetry is studied. In order to explore the dynamic in such spacetimes, geodesic equations are obtained and the effective potential for massive test particles is analysed. Particular attention is devoted to the properties of the four dimensional counterpart of these solutions in their Schwarzschild limit. A modification of the circular stable orbits compared with the Schwarzschild case is investigated.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2010

A Separable Solution for the Oscillatory Structure of Plasma in Accretion Disks

We provide a new analysis of the system of partial differential equations describing the radial and vertical equilibria of the plasma in accretion disks. In particular, we show that the partial differential system can be separated once a definite, oscillatory (or hyperbolic) form for the radial dependence of the relevant physical quantities is assumed. The system is thus reduced to an ordinary differential system in the vertical dimensionless coordinate. The resulting equations can be integrated analytically in the limit of small magnetic pressure. We complete our analysis with a direct numerical integration of the more general case. The main result is that a ring-like density profile (i.e., radial oscillations in the mass density) can appear even in the limit of small magnetic pressure.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2009

Gravitational Instability in Presence of Bulk Viscosity: the Jeans Mass and the Quasi-Isotropic Solution

This paper focuses on the analysis of the gravitational instability in presence of bulk viscosity both in Newtonian regime and in the fully-relativistic approach. The standard Jeans Mechanism and the Quasi-Isotropic Solution are treated expressing the bulk-viscosity coefficient $ζ$ as a power-law of the fluid energy density $ρ$, i.e., $ζ=\zoρ^{s}$. In the Newtonian regime, the perturbation evolution is founded to be damped by viscosity and the top-down mechanism of structure fragmentation is suppressed. The value of the Jeans Mass remains unchanged also in presence of viscosity. In the relativistic approach, we get a power-law solution existing only in correspondence to a restricted domain of $\zo$.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

2-D MHD Configurations for Accretion Disks Around Magnetized Stars

We discuss basic features of steady accretion disk morphology around magnetized compact astrophysical objects. A comparison between the standard model of accretion based on visco-resistive MHD and the plasma instabilities, like ballooning modes, triggered by very low value of resistivity, is proposed.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2009

The Immirzi parameter from an external scalar field

We promote the Immirzi parameter to be a minimally coupled scalar field and we analyzed the Hamiltonian constraints in the framework of Loop Quantum Gravity without the time gauge. Proper SU(2) connections can be defined and a term containing derivatives of the field $β$ enters into their definition. Furthermore, boost degrees of freedom are non-dynamical, while the super-momentum constraints coincide with the scalar field case. Hence, the kinematical Hilbert space can be defined as for gravity in presence of a minimally coupled scalar field. Then, we analyzed the dynamical implications of this scenario and we outlined how a the dynamical relaxation to a non-vanishing vacuum expectation value is predicted.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

The Mixmaster Universe in a generalized uncertainty principle framework

The Bianchi IX cosmological model is analyzed in a generalized uncertainty principle framework. The Arnowitt-Deser-Misner reduction of the dynamics is performed and a time-coordinate, namely the volume of the Universe, naturally arises. Such a variable is treated in the ordinary way while the anisotropies (the physical degrees of freedom) are described by a deformed Heisenberg algebra. The analysis of the model (passing through Bianchi I and II) is performed at classical level by studying the modifications induced on the symplectic geometry by the deformed algebra. We show that, the Universe can not isotropize because of the deformed Kasner dynamics, the triangular allowed domain is asymptotically stationary with respect to the particle (Universe) and its bounces against the walls are not interrupted by the deformed effects. Furthermore, no reflection law can be in general obtained since the Bianchi II model is no longer analytically integrable. This way, the deformed Mixmaster Universe can be still considered a chaotic system.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2009

Linear Two-Dimensional MHD of Accretion Disks: Crystalline structure and Nernst coefficient

We analyse the two-dimensional MHD configurations characterising the steady state of the accretion disk on a highly magnetised neutron star. The model we describe has a local character and represents the extension of the crystalline structure outlined in Coppi (2005), dealing with a local model too, when a specific accretion rate is taken into account. We limit our attention to the linearised MHD formulation of the electromagnetic back-reaction characterising the equilibrium, by fixing the structure of the radial, vertical and azimuthal profiles. Since we deal with toroidal currents only, the consistency of the model is ensured by the presence of a small collisional effect, phenomenologically described by a non-zero constant Nernst coefficient (thermal power of the plasma). Such an effect provides a proper balance of the electron force equation via non zero temperature gradients, related directly to the radial and vertical velocity components. We show that the obtained profile has the typical oscillating feature of the crystalline structure, reconciled with the presence of viscosity, associated to the differential rotation of the disk, and with a net accretion rate. In fact, we provide a direct relation between the electromagnetic reaction of the disk and the (no longer zero) increasing of its mass per unit time. The radial accretion component of the velocity results to be few orders of magnitude below the equatorial sound velocity. Its oscillating-like character does not allow a real matter in-fall to the central object (an effect to be searched into non-linear MHD corrections), but it accounts for the out-coming of steady fluxes, favourable to the ring-like morphology of the disk.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2009

The Jeans Instability in Presence of Viscous Effects

An analysis of the gravitational instability in presence of dissipative effects is addressed. In particular, the standard Jeans Mechanism and the generalization in treating the Universe expansion are both analyzed when bulk viscosity affects the first-order Newtonian dynamics. As results, the perturbation evolution is founded to be damped by dissipative processes and the top-down mechanism of structure fragmentation is suppressed. In such a scheme, the value of the Jeans Mass remains unchanged also in presence of viscosity.

gr-qc↗