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Masaaki Takahashi

Publications and source records attributed to Masaaki Takahashi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Short timescale variation in the submillimeter flux of Sagittarius A*

We study short-timescale 340 GHz flux-density variability of Sgr A* using ALMA Cycle 3 observations. Careful self-calibration enabled 10 s snapshot imaging with very high effective image-domain SNR, allowing high-cadence monitoring of Galactic Center sources. To reduce atmospheric and instrumental effects, we measured Sgr A* relative to multiple non-variable sources in the same field and corrected apparent variability caused by time-dependent u-v coverage and PSF changes using simulations with a static input model. We then searched for characteristic timescales over 20 s < tau < Tobs/3 using structure functions, the Lomb--Scargle method, and state-space-model autoregressive spectral analysis. No dominant narrow periodicity is found. Instead, the data show a short-timescale flat, white-noise-like regime at tau below about 2.3--6.3 min, followed by red-noise-like behavior at longer timescales. This flat regime appears in both active and quiescent phases, suggesting statistically independent fluctuations on these timescales. We interpret its upper boundary as an empirical transition timescale between decorrelated short-timescale fluctuations and longer-timescale correlated variability. The physical origin of this flat component remains uncertain, since previous theoretical and numerical studies more commonly report red-noise-like or broken-power-law variability.

astro-ph.GA↗

Unified understanding of Alfvénic superradiance and the Blandford-Znajek process in a force-free black hole magnetosphere

We investigate the extraction of energy from a Kerr black hole via Alfvén waves (i.e., Alfvénic superradiance) in a force-free magnetosphere, in which the plasma inertia effects are ignored. We analyze the Poynting flux generated by Alfvén waves that propagate toward the event horizon across the inner light surface, the causal boundary for the waves. We find the relationship between the energy flux associated with Alfvén waves and that of the Blandford-Znajek (BZ) process. That is, both mechanisms can be described within a unified formulation of the Poynting flux, where the BZ process can be regarded as the long wavelength limit of the Alfvénic superradiance, and depending on the wave's frequency, Alfvén waves enhance or suppress the Poynting flux in the BZ process. This unified framework for the BZ process and the Alfvénic superradiance would offer a valuable perspective for understanding the energy sources of high-energy astrophysical phenomena, such as relativistic jets.

astro-ph.HE↗

Vacuum Magnetospheres around Kerr Black Holes with a Thin Disk

We construct a model for stationary and axisymmetric black hole magnetospheres by solving the vacuum Maxwell equations in Kerr backgrounds. The poloidal magnetic field is generated by a toroidal electric current in a thin disk on the equatorial plane with an inner edge, and the poloidal electric field is induced due to the black hole spin. We assume a current distribution whose direction reverses at a radius on the disk. The magnetospheric structure is divided into the inner region and the outer one due to the current reversal. In the inner region, some magnetic field lines connect the black hole and the disk, and others surround the inner edge of the disk. In the outer region, the field lines connect the disk and infinity. We investigate the black hole spin dependence of the magnetospheric structure. In the magnetosphere around the Kerr black hole, the electric fields are generated by the black hole spin. In our model, the charge distribution is induced on the disk and the event horizon. Except near the black hole, the electric field strength is proportional to the black hole spin, while the direction of the electric field remains almost the same regardless of the spin. On the other hand, the electromagnetic field near the event horizon strongly depends on the spin. In the maximally rotating case, the magnetic field lines are expelled from the event horizon and the electric equipotential surface coincides with the horizon.

gr-qc↗

One-dimensional linear analysis and numerical simulations of Alfven waves in a force-free magnetosphere around a Kerr black hole

We perform one-dimensional linear analysis and numerical simulations of the propagation of Alfven waves in a force-free magnetosphere along magnetic field lines around a spinning black hole. We use the results to investigate the dynamic process of wave propagation and energy transport for Alfven waves. As in a previous study using the Banados--Teitelboim--Zanelli spacetime (Koide et al. 2022), the Alfven wave induces a fast magnetosonic wave in the case of a spinning black hole. Energy conservation is confirmed when this additional induced magnetosonic wave is considered. We also observe the reflection of the inwardly propagating Alfven wave around the static limit, which is prohibited in theory when using the eikonal approximation.

astro-ph.HE↗

Parametrized-Post-Newtonian Test of Black Hole Spacetime for Galactic Center Massive Black Hole Sgr A*: Formulation and $χ^2$ Fitting

We have performed a parametrized post-Newtonian (PPN) test of a black hole spacetime using observational data of the star S0-2/S2 orbiting the massive black hole at our galactic center Sgr A*. After introducing our PPN model of black hole spacetime, we report the result of $χ^2$ fitting of the PPN model with the observational data. A new finding through our PPN model is a detectability of the gravitational lens effect on the null geodesics connecting S0-2 and observer under the present observational uncertainties, if a PPN parameter is about one order larger than the value for general relativity case. On the other hand, the effect of black hole spin on the S0-2's motion is not detectable. Thus our present PPN test is performed with spherically symmetric vacuum black hole spacetime. The resultant value of the PPN parameter, which corresponds to the minimum $χ^2$, implies that the gravitational field of Sgr A* is not of Schwarzschild metric or that there exists a sufficient amount of dark matters around Sgr A* to be detected by present telescopes. However, the difference between the minimum $χ^2$ and the $χ^2$ of Schwarzschild case is not large enough to ensure a statistical significance of non-Schwarzschild result. A more precise statistical analysis than $χ^2$ statistics is necessary to extract a statistically significant information of the gravitational field of Sgr A* from present observational data. We will report a result by a Bayesian analysis in next paper.

gr-qc↗

Mapping the distribution of the magnetic field strength along the NGC 315 jet

We study magnetic field strengths along the jet in NGC~315. First, we estimated the angular velocity of rotation in the jet magnetosphere by comparing the measured velocity profile of NGC~315 with the magneto-hydrodynamic jet model of proposed by Tomimatsu and Takahashi. Similar to the case of M87, we find that the model can reproduce the logarithmic feature of the velocity profile and suggest a slowly rotating black hole magnetosphere for NGC~315. By substituting the estimated $Ω_{F}$ into the jet power predicted by the Blandford-Znajek mechanism, we estimate the magnetic field strength near the event horizon of the central black hole as $5\times 10^{3}~{\rm G}\lesssim B_{H}\lesssim 2\times 10^{4}~{\rm G}$. We then estimate magnetic-field strengths along the jet by comparing the spectral index distribution obtained from VLBI observations with a synchrotron-emitting jet model. Then we constrain the magnetic field strength at a de-projected distance $z$ from the black hole to be in the range $0.06~{\rm G}\lesssim B(z)\lesssim 0.9~{\rm G}$ for $5.2 \times 10^{3}~r_{g}\lesssim z \lesssim 4.9 \times 10^{4}~r_{g}$, where $r_{g}$ represents the gravitational radius. By combining the obtained field strengths at the event horizon and the downstream section of the jet, we find that the accretion flow at the jet base is consistent with a magnetically arrested disk (MAD). We discuss a comparison of the jet power and the magnetic flux anchored to the event horizon in NGC~315 and M87.

astro-ph.HE↗

Origin of an Orbiting Star Around the Galactic Supermassive Black Hole

The tremendous tidal force that is linked to the supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of our galaxy is expected to strongly subdue star formation in its vicinity. Stars within 1" from the SMBH thus likely formed further from the SMBH and migrated to their current positions. In this study, spectroscopic observations of the star S0-6/S10, one of the closest (projected distance from the SMBH of about 0.3") late-type stars were conducted. Using metal absorption lines in the spectra of S0-6, the radial velocity of S0-6 from 2014 to 2021 was measured, and a marginal acceleration was detected, which indicated that S0-6 is close to the SMBH. The S0-6 spectra were employed to determine its stellar parameters including temperature, chemical abundances ([M/H], [Fe/H], [alpha/Fe], [Ca/Fe], [Mg/Fe], [Ti/Fe]), and age. As suggested by the results of this study, S0-6 is very old (> ~10 Gyr) and has an origin different from that of stars born in the central pc region.

astro-ph.GA↗

A relativistic two-stream instability in an extremely low-density plasma

A linear analysis based on two-fluid equations in the approximation of a cold plasma, wherein the plasma temperature is assumed to be zero, demonstrates that a two-stream instability occurs in all cases. However, if this were true, the drift motion of electrons in an electric current over a wire would become unstable, inducing an oscillation in an electric circuit with ions bounded around specific positions. To avoid this peculiar outcome, we must assume a warm plasma with a finite temperature when discussing the criterion of instability. The two-stream instability in warm plasmas has typically been analyzed using kinetic theory to provide a general formula for the instability criterion from the distribution function of the plasma. However, the criteria based on kinetic theory do not have an easily applicable form. Here, we provide an easily applicable criterion for the instability based on the two-fluid model at finite temperatures, extensionally in the framework of special relativity. This criterion is relevant for analyzing two-stream instabilities in low-density plasmas in the universe and in Earth-based experimental devices.

physics.plasm-ph↗

Implications from the velocity profile of the M87 jet: a possibility of a slowly rotating black hole magnetosphere

Motivated by the measured velocity profile of the M87 jet using the KVN and VERA Array (KaVA) by Park et al. indicating that the starting position of the jet acceleration is farther from the central engine of the jet than predicted in general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations, we explore how to mitigate the apparent discrepancy between the simulations and the KaVA observation. We use a semi-analytic jet model proposed by Tomimatsu and Takahashi. consistently solving the trans-magnetic field structure but neglecting any dissipation effects. By comparing the jet model with the observed M87 jet velocity profile, we find that the model can reproduce the logarithmic feature of the velocity profile, and can fit the observed data when choosing $c/(100r_{g}) \lesssim Ω_{F} \lesssim c/(70r_{g})$ where $r_{g}$ is the gravitational radius. While a total specific energy (${\cal E}$) of the jet changes the terminal bulk Lorentz factor of the jet, a slower angular velocity of the black hole magnetosphere (funnel region) ($Ω_{F}$) makes a light-cylinder radius ($r_{\rm lc}$) larger and it consequently pushes out a location of a starting point of the jet acceleration. Using the estimated $Ω_{F}$ we further estimate the magnetic field strength on the event horizon scale in M87 by assuming Blandford-Znajek (BZ) process is in action. The corresponding magnetic flux threading the event horizon of M87 is in good agreement with a magnetically arrested disc (MAD) regime.

astro-ph.HE↗

Alfvénic superradiance for a monopole magnetosphere around a Kerr black hole

We explore superradiance for Alfvén waves (Alfvénic superradiance) in an axisymmetric rotating magnetosphere of a Kerr black hole within the force-free approximation. On the equatorial plane of the Kerr spacetime, the Alfvén wave equation is reduced to a one-dimensional Schrödinger-type equation by separating variables of the wave function and introducing a tortoise coordinate mapping the inner and outer light surfaces to $-\infty$ and $+\infty$, respectively, and we investigate a wave scattering problem for Alfvén waves. An analysis of the asymptotic solutions of the wave equation and the conservation of the Wronskian give the superradiant condition for Alfvén waves, and it will be shown that the condition coincides with that for the Blandford-Znajek process. This means that when Alfvénic superradiance occurs, the Blandford-Znajek process also occurs in the force-free magnetosphere. Then, we evaluate the reflection rate of Alfvén waves numerically and confirm that Alfvénic superradiance is indeed possible in the Kerr spacetime. Moreover, we will discuss a resonant scattering of Alfvén waves, which is related to a "quasinormal mode" of the magnetosphere.

gr-qc↗

Relativistic jet acceleration region in a black hole magnetosphere

We discuss stationary and axisymmetric trans-magnetosonic outflows in the magnetosphere of a rotating black hole (BH). Ejected plasma from the plasma source located near the BH is accelerated far away to form a relativistic jet. In this study, the plasma acceleration efficiency and conversion of fluid energy from electromagnetic energy are considered by employing the trans-fast magnetosonic flow solution derived by Takahashi & Tomimatsu (2008). Considering the parameter dependence of magnetohydrodynamical flows, we search for the parameters of the trans-magnetosonic outflow solution to the recent M87 jet observations and obtain the angular velocity values of the magnetic field line and angular momentum of the outflow in the magnetized jet flow. Therefore, we estimate the locations of the outer light surface, Alfvén surface, and separation surface of the flow. We also discuss the electromagnetic energy flux from the rotating BH (i.e., the Blandford-Znajek process), which suggests that the energy extraction mechanism is effective for the M87 relativistic jet.

astro-ph.HE↗

One-dimensional force-free numerical simulations of Alfven waves around a spinning black string

We performed one-dimensional force-free magnetodynamic numerical simulations of the propagation of Alfven waves along magnetic field lines around a spinning black-hole-like object, the Banados--Teitelboim--Zanelli black string, to investigate the dynamic process of wave propagation and energy transport with Alfven waves. We considered axisymmetric and stationary magnetosphere and perturbed the background magnetosphere to obtain the linear wave equation for the Alfven wave mode. The numerical results show that the energy of Alfven waves monotonically increases as the waves propagate outwardly along the rotating curved magnetic field line around the ergosphere, where energy seems not to be conserved, in the case of energy extraction from the black string by the Blandford--Znajek mechanism. The apparent breakdown of energy conservation suggests the existence of an additional wave induced by the Alfven wave. Considering the additional fast magnetosonic wave induced by the Alfven wave, the energy conservation is recovered. Similar relativistic phenomena, such as the amplification of Alfven waves and induction of fast magnetosonic waves, are expected around a spinning black hole.

astro-ph.HE↗

Constraints on the dark mass distribution surrounding Sgr A*: simple $χ^2$ analysis for the redshift of photons from orbiting stars

Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) is the central supermassive black hole with the mass $\sim 4\times 10^6 M_{\odot}$ in the Milky Way and stars are orbiting around it. In May 2018, one of the nearest stars to Sgr A* named S0-2/S2 experienced the pericenter passage. The redshift of photons from S0-2 had varied from $4000\>{\rm km\>s^{-1}}$ to $-2000\>{\rm km\>s^{-1}}$ during the pericenter passage, which is within $0.5\>{\rm yr}$. In this paper, we show that this steep variation of the redshift gives a strong constraint on a dark mass distribution inside the orbit of S0-2. By applying a simple $χ^2$ analysis to the observed redshift, we can easily distinguish between the two models, the point mass model and the point mass plus an extended mass model without the best-fitting parameter search. Our redshift data during the pericenter passage in 2018 with Subaru/IRCS bound the amount of the extended mass inside the orbit of S0-2 less than $0.5\,\%$ ($\sim 2 \times 10^4 M_\odot$) of the mass of Sgr A*. This constraint obtained by our simple analysis is comparable to previous works with the best-fitting parameter search to the motion of S0-2 including the effect of the extended mass. We consider both the power-law and the Plummer models for the dark mass distribution model, but the significant difference between these results is not found.

astro-ph.GA↗

Properties of Trans-fast Magnetosonic Jets in Black Hole Magnetospheres

Traveling across several order of magnitude in distance, relativistic jets from strong gravity region to asymptotic flat spacetime region are believed to consist of several general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) processes. We present a semi-analytical approach for modeling the global structures of a trans-fast magnetosonic relativistic jet, which should be ejected from a plasma source nearby a black hole in a funnel region enclosed by dense accreting flow and also disk corona around the black hole. Our model consistently includes the inflow and outflow part of the GRMHD solution along the magnetic field lines penetrating the black hole horizon. After the rotational energy of the black hole is extracted electromagnetically by the negative energy GRMHD inflow, the huge electromagnetic energy flux then propagates from the inflow to the outflow region across the plasma source, and in the outflow region the electromagnetic energy converts to the fluid kinetic energy. Eventually, the accelerated outflow must exceed the fast-magnetosonic wave speed. We apply the semi-analytical trans-fast magnetosonic flow model to the black hole magnetosphere for both parabolic and split-monopole magnetic field configurations, and discuss the general flow properties; that is, jet acceleration, jet magnetization, and the locations of some characteristic surfaces of the black hole magnetosphere. We have confirmed that, at large distance, the GRMHD jet solutions are in good agreement with the previously known trans-fast special relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (SRMHD) jet properties, as expected. The flexibility of the model provides a prompt and heuristic way to approximate the global GRMHD trans-fast magnetosonic jet properties.

astro-ph.IM↗

Blandford-Znajek process as Alfvénic superradiance

The superradiant scattering of Alfvén waves (Alfvénic superradiance) in a forcefree magnetosphere is discussed to reveal the relationship between the Blandford-Znajek (BZ) process and superradiance. For simplicity, we consider a four-dimensional rotating black string spacetime of which each $z=\text{const}$ slice is a Bañados-Teitelboim-Zanelli solution as an analogy of the equatorial plane of the Kerr spacetime. Then, it is confirmed that the condition for Alfvénic superradiance coincides with that for the BZ process, and the wave amplification can be very large due to a resonant scattering for some parameter sets of the wave frequency and the angular velocity of the magnetic field line. Moreover, by analysis of the Poynting flux, we first show that the BZ process can be interpreted as the long wavelength limit of Alfvénic superradiance.

gr-qc↗

A Significant Feature in the General Relativistic Time Evolution of the Redshift of Photons Coming from a Star Orbiting Sgr A*

The star S0-2, orbiting the Galactic central massive black hole candidate Sgr A*, passed its pericenter in May 2018. This event is the first chance to detect the general relativistic (GR) effect of a massive black hole, free from non-gravitational physics. The observable GR evidence in the event is the difference between the GR redshift and the Newtonian redshift of photons coming from S0-2. Within the present observational precision, the 1st post-Newtonian (1PN) GR evidence is detectable. In this paper, we give a theoretical analysis of the time evolution of the 1PN GR evidence, under a presupposition that is different from used in previous papers. Our presupposition is that the GR/Newtonian redshift is always calculated with the parameter values (the mass of Sgr A*, the initial conditions of S0-2, and so on) determined by fitting the GR/Newtonian motion of S0-2 with the observational data. It is then revealed that the difference of the GR redshift and the Newtonian one shows two peaks before and after the pericenter passage. This double-peak-appearance is due to our presupposition, and reduces to a single peak if the same parameter values are used in both GR and Newtonian redshifts as considered in previous papers. In addition to this theoretical discussion, we report our observational data obtained with the Subaru telescope by 2018. The quality and the number of Subaru data in 2018 are not sufficient to confirm the detection of the double-peak-appearance.

gr-qc↗

The Structure of Magnetically Dominated Energy Extracting Black Hole Magnetospheres: Dependencies on Field Line Angular Velocity

If a magnetically dominated magnetosphere is to extract a black hole's rotational energy and transmit it to distant regions, then the inner light surface of that magnetosphere must lie within the ergoregion. That inner light surface condition limits the angular velocity of magnetic field lines. We take the distribution of magnetic field line angular velocity on the horizon to be a useful proxy for inner light surface location and study how different distributions affect the structure of energy-extracting magnetospheres. Within magnetospheres that exhibit differential field line bending towards both the azimuthal axis and the equatorial plane, we find that the total Poynting flux energy directed outward along the azimuthal axis can vary by over a factor of 100 for a single value of black hole spin.

astro-ph.HE↗

Relativistic redshift of the star S0-2 orbiting the Galactic center supermassive black hole

General Relativity predicts that a star passing close to a supermassive black hole should exhibit a relativistic redshift. We test this using observations of the Galactic center star S0-2. We combine existing spectroscopic and astrometric measurements from 1995-2017, which cover S0-2's 16-year orbit, with measurements in 2018 March to September which cover three events during its closest approach to the black hole. We detect the combination of special relativistic- and gravitational-redshift, quantified using a redshift parameter, $Υ$. Our result, $Υ=0.88 \pm 0.17$, is consistent with General Relativity ($Υ=1$) and excludes a Newtonian model ($Υ=0$ ) with a statistical significance of 5 $σ$.

astro-ph.GA↗