arXiv subjects

Matthias Stute

Publications and source records attributed to Matthias Stute.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2018

The bipolar jet of the symbiotic star R Aquarii: A study of its morphology using the high-resolution HST WFC3/UVIS camera

R Aqr is a symbiotic binary system consisting of a Mira variable with a pulsation period of 387 days and a hot companion which is presumably a white dwarf with an accretion disk. This binary system is the source of a prominent bipolar gaseous outflow. We use high spatial resolution and sensitive images from the Hubble Space Telescope to identify and investigate the different structural components that form the complex morphology of the R Aqr jet . Methods. We present new high-resolution HST WFC3/UVIS narrow-band images of the R Aqr jet obtained in 2013/14 in the light of the [OIII] 5007, [OI] 6300, [NII] 6583, and Ha emission lines. These images also allow us to produce detailed maps of the jet flow in several line ratios such as [OIII]/[OI] and [NII]/[OI] which are sensitive to the outflow temperature and its hydrogen ionisation fraction. The new emission maps together with archival HST data are used to derive and analyse the proper motion of prominent emitting features which can be traced over 20 years with the HST observations. The images reveal the fine gas structure of the jet out to distances of a few ten arcseconds from the central region, as well as in the innermost region, within a few arcseconds around the stellar source. They reveal for the first time the straight highly-collimated jet component which can be traced to up to 900 AU in the NE direction. Images in [OIII], [OI], and [NII] clearly show a helical pattern in the jet beams which may derive from the small-scale precession of the jet. The highly-collimated jet is accompanied by a wide opening angle outflow which is filled by low excitation gas. The position angles of the jet structures as well as their opening angles are calculated. Our measurements of the proper motions of some prominent emission knots confirm the scenario of gas acceleration during the propagation of the outflow.

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arXiv2014

3D simulations of disc-winds extending radially self-similar MHD models

Disc-winds originating from the inner parts of accretion discs are considered as the basic component of magnetically collimated outflows. The only available analytical MHD solutions to describe disc-driven jets are those characterized by the symmetry of radial self-similarity. However, radially self-similar MHD jet models, in general, have three geometrical shortcomings, (i) a singularity at the jet axis, (ii) the necessary assumption of axisymmetry, and (iii) the non-existence of an intrinsic radial scale, i.e. the jets formally extend to radial infinity. Hence, numerical simulations are necessary to extend the analytical solutions towards the axis, by solving the full three-dimensional equations of MHD and impose a termination radius at finite radial distance. We focus here on studying the effects of relaxing the (ii) assumption of axisymmetry, i.e. of performing full 3D numerical simulations of a disc-wind crossing all magnetohydrodynamic critical surfaces. We compare the results of these runs with previous axisymmetric 2.5D simulations. The structure of the flow in all simulations shows strong similarities. The 3D runs reach a steady state and stay close to axisymmetry for most of the physical quantities, except for the poloidal magnetic field and the toroidal velocity which slightly deviate from axisymmetry. The latter quantities show signs of instabilities, which, however, are confined to the region inside the fast magnetosonic separatrix surface. The forces present in the flow, both of collimating and accelerating nature, are in good agreement in both the 2.5D and the 3D runs. We conclude that the analytical solution behaves well also after relaxing the basic assumption of axisymmetry.

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arXiv2013

Radiation hydrodynamics integrated in the code PLUTO

The transport of energy through radiation is very important in many astrophysical phenomena. In dynamical problems the time-dependent equations of radiation hydrodynamics have to be solved. We present a newly developed radiation-hydrodynamics module specifically designed for the versatile MHD code PLUTO. The solver is based on the flux-limited diffusion approximation in the two-temperature approach. All equations are solved in the co-moving frame in the frequency independent (grey) approximation. The hydrodynamics is solved by the different Godunov schemes implemented in PLUTO, and for the radiation transport we use a fully implicit scheme. The resulting system of linear equations is solved either using the successive over-relaxation (SOR) method (for testing purposes), or matrix solvers that are available in the PETSc library. We state in detail the methodology and describe several test cases in order to verify the correctness of our implementation. The solver works in standard coordinate systems, such as Cartesian, cylindrical and spherical, and also for non-equidistant grids. We have presented a new radiation-hydrodynamics solver coupled to the MHD-code \PLUTO that is a modern, versatile and efficient new module for treating complex radiation hydrodynamical problems in astrophysics. As test cases, either purely radiative situations, or full radiation-hydrodynamical setups (including radiative shocks and convection in accretion discs) have been studied successfully. The new module scales very well on parallel computers using MPI. For problems in star or planet formation, we have added the possibility of irradiation by a central source.

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arXiv2013

Detection of X-rays from the jet-driving symbiotic star Hen 3-1341

Hen 3-1341 is a symbiotic binary system consisting of a white dwarf and a red giant star that is one of about ten symbiotics that show hints of jets. The bipolar jets have been detected through displaced components of emission lines during its outburst from 1998 to 2004. These components disappeared when Hen 3-1341 reached quiescence. On February 23, 2012, Hen 3-1341 started a new outburst with the emergence of new bipolar jets on March 3, 2012. We observed Hen 3-1341 during quiescence with XMM-Newton in March 2010 with an effective exposure time of 46.8 ks and with Swift on March 8-11, 2012 as ToO observations with an effective exposure time of 10 ks in order to probe the interaction of the jet with the ambient medium and also the accretion onto the white dwarf. We fitted the XMM-Newton X-ray spectra with XSPEC and examined the X-ray and UV light curves. We report the detection of X-ray emission during quiescence from Hen 3-1341 with XMM-Newton. The spectrum can be fitted with an absorbed one-temperature plasma or an absorbed blackbody. We did not detect Hen 3-1341 during our short Swift exposure. Neither periodic or aperiodic X-ray nor UV variability were found. Our XMM-Newton data suggest that interaction of the residual jet with the interstellar medium might survive for a long time after outbursts and might be responsible for the observed X-ray emission during quiescence. Additional data are strongly needed to confirm these suggestions.

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arXiv2011

Comparison of synthetic maps from truncated jet-formation models with YSO jet observations. II. The effect of varying inclinations

Analytical radially self-similar models are the best available solutions describing disk-winds but need several improvements. In a previous article, we introduced models of jets from truncated disks, i.e. evolved in time numerical simulations based on a radially self-similar MHD solution but including the effects of a finite radius of the jet-emitting disk and thus the outflow. In paper I of this series, we compared these models with available observational data varying the jet density and velocity, the mass of the protostar and the radius of the aforementioned truncation. In paper I, we assumed that the jet lies in the plane of the sky. In this paper, we investigate the effect of different inclinations of the jet. In order to compare our models with observed jet widths inferred from recent optical images taken with HST and AO, we create again emission maps in different forbidden lines and from such emission maps, we determine the jet width as the full-width half-maximum of the emission. We can reproduce the jet width of DG Tau and its variations very well and the derived inclination of 40$^\circ$ is in excellent agreement with literature values of 32--52$^\circ$. In CW Tau we overestimate the inclination in our best-fit model. In the other objects, we cannot find appropriate models which reproduce the variations of the observed jet widths, only the average jet width itself is well modeled as in paper I. We conclude that truncation -- i.e. taking into account the finite radius of the jet launching region -- is necessary to reproduce the observed jet widths and our simulations limit the possible range of truncation radii. The effects of inclination are important for modeling the intrinsic variations seen in observed jet widths. Our models can be used to infer independently the inclinations in the observed sample, however, a parameter study with a finer grid of parameters is needed.

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arXiv2011

Implications of the non-detection of X-ray emission from HD 149427

HD 149427 is a very enigmatic object. It has been classified either as a planetary nebula or as a D'-type symbiotic star. Its distance is also highly uncertain. Furthermore, HD 149427 is a potential jet source. We report the non-detection of X-ray emission from HD 149427 and explore the implications to its nature. We observed the object with XMM-Newton with an effective exposure time of 33.5 ks. The upper limit for the flux of the X-ray emission in the soft band (<2 keV) is 10^-15 erg/s/cm^2, while in the hard band (>2 keV) it is about 10^-14 erg/s/cm^2. We discuss the implication of our results in light of the possible natures of HD 149427 -- being a planetary nebula or a symbiotic star, close or very distant. The derived upper limits on the mass accretion rate of the white dwarf are untypical for symbiotic stars and may favor the picture of HD 149427 being a young PN. HD 149427 might be a symbiotic star in hibernation -- if a symbiotic star at all. We estimate the possible mass-loss rate and kinetic luminosity of the jet and find no contradiction with our upper limit of soft X-ray emission. Therefore the jet may be still present but it was too faint to be detected via soft X-ray emission.

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arXiv2011

Detection of X-rays from the symbiotic star V1329 Cyg

We report the detection of X-ray emission from the symbiotic star V1329 Cyg with XMM-Newton. The spectrum from the EPIC pn, MOS1 and MOS2 instruments consists of a two-temperature plasma with k T = 0.11 keV and k T = 0.93 keV. Unlike the vast majority of symbiotic stars detected in X-rays, the soft component of the spectrum seems to be absorbed only by interstellar material. The shock velocities corresponding to the observed temperatures are about 300 km/s and about 900 km/s. We did not find either periodic or aperiodic X-ray variability, with upper limits on the amplitudes of such variations being 46 % and 16 % (rms), respectively. We also did not find any ultraviolet variability with an rms amplitude of more than approximately 1 %. The derived velocities and the unabsorbed nature of the soft component of the X-ray spectrum suggest that some portion of the high energy emission could originate in shocks within a jet and beyond the symbiotic nebula. The lower velocity is consistent with the expansion velocity of the extended structure present in HST observations. The higher velocity could be associated with an internal shock at the base of the jet or with shocks in the accretion region.

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arXiv2010

Comparison of synthetic maps from truncated jet-formation models with YSO jet observations

(abridged) Significant progress has been made in the last years in the understanding of the jet formation mechanism through a combination of numerical simulations and analytical MHD models for outflows characterized by the symmetry of self-similarity. In a previous article we introduced models of truncated jets from disks, i.e. evolved in time numerical simulations based on a radially self-similar MHD solution, but including the effects of a finite radius of the jet-emitting disk and thus the outflow. These models need now to be compared with available observational data. A direct comparison of the results of combined analytical theoretical models and numerical simulations with observations has not been performed as yet. In order to compare our models with observed jet widths inferred from recent optical images taken with HST and AO observations, we use a new set of tools to create emission maps in different forbidden lines, from which we determine the jet width as the FWHM of the emission. It is shown that the untruncated analytical disk outflow solution considered here cannot fit the small jet widths inferred by observations of several jets. Various truncated disk-wind models are examined, whose extracted jet widths range from higher to lower values compared to the observations. Thus we can fit the observed range of jet widths by tuning our models. We conclude that truncation is necessary to reproduce the observed jet widths and our simulations limit the possible range of truncation radii. We infer that the truncation radius, which is the radius on the disk mid-plane where the jet-emitting disk switches to a standard disk, must be between around 0.1 up to about 1 AU in the observed sample for the considered disk-wind solution. One disk-wind simulation with an inner truncation radius at about 0.11 AU also shows potential for reproducing the observations, but a parameter study is needed.

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arXiv2010

Galactic bulge giants: probing stellar and galactic evolution I. Catalogue of Spitzer IRAC and MIPS sources

Aims: We aim at measuring mass-loss rates and the luminosities of a statistically large sample of Galactic bulge stars at several galactocentric radii. The sensitivity of previous infrared surveys of the bulge has been rather limited, thus fundamental questions for late stellar evolution, such as the stage at which substantial mass-loss begins on the red giant branch and its dependence on fundamental stellar properties, remain unanswered. We aim at providing evidence and answers to these questions. Methods: To this end, we observed seven 15 times 15 arcmin^2 fields in the nuclear bulge and its vicinity with unprecedented sensitivity using the IRAC and MIPS imaging instruments on-board the Spitzer Space Telescope. In each of the fields, tens of thousands of point sources were detected. Results: In the first paper based on this data set, we present the observations, data reduction, the final catalogue of sources, and a detailed comparison to previous mid-IR surveys of the Galactic bulge, as well as to theoretical isochrones. We find in general good agreement with other surveys and the isochrones, supporting the high quality of our catalogue.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2009

Detection of X-rays from the jet-driving Symbiotic Star MWC 560

We report the detection of X-ray emission from the jet-driving symbiotic star MWC 560. We observed MWC 560 with XMM-Newton for 36 ks. We fitted the spectra from the EPIC pn, MOS1 and MOS2 instruments with XSPEC and examined the light curves with the package XRONOS. The spectrum can be fitted with a highly absorbed hard X-ray component from an optically-thin hot plasma, a Gaussian emission line with an energy of 6.1 keV and a less absorbed soft thermal component. The best fit is obtained with a model in which the hot component is produced by optically thin thermal emission from an isobaric cooling flow with a maximum temperature of 61 keV, which might be created inside an optically-thin boundary layer on the surface of the accreting with dwarf. The derived parameters of the hard component detected in MWC 560 are in good agreement with similar objects as CH Cyg, SS7317, RT Cru and T CrB, which all form a new sub-class of symbiotic stars emitting hard X-rays. Our previous numerical simulations of the jet in MWC 560 showed that it should produce detectable soft X-ray emission. We infer a temperature of 0.17 keV for the observed soft component, i.e. less than expected from our models. The total soft X-ray flux (i.e. at < 3 keV) is more than a factor 100 less than predicted for the propagating jet soon after its birth (<0.3 yr), but consistent with the value expected due its decrease with age. The ROSAT upper limit is also consistent with such a decrease. We find aperiodic or quasi-periodic variability on timescales of minutes and hours, but no periodic rapid variability. All results are consistent with an accreting white dwarf powering the X-ray emission and the existence of an optically-thin boundary layer around it.

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arXiv2008

Hydrodynamical simulations of the jet in the symbiotic star MWC 560. II. Simulations beyond density balance

(Abridged) In the first paper of this series, we presented hydrodynamical simulations with radiative cooling of jet models with parameters representative of the symbiotic system MWC 560. These were jet simulations of a pulsed, initially underdense jet in a high-density ambient medium. They were stopped when the jet reached a length of 50 AU. There, however, a transition of the initially underdense jet towards an overdense jet should occur, which should result in changed kinematics. Therefore, we describe two hydrodynamical simulations with cooling beyond this density balance, one with the same parameters as model i in Paper I (now called model i'), which was presented there with and without cooling, and the second with higher gas densities in the jet pulses (model iv'). Hydrodynamical simulations, with a further approximated cooling treatment compared to Paper I, were used to be able to enlarge the computational domain. The transition causes changes in the expansion of the cocoon and therefore the morphology of the jet, e.g. a larger radial width of the jet knots. We investigate the radiation properties of the jets, the bremsstrahlung and optical emissivities, integrated emission maps, and synthetic absorption line profiles. The conclusion that the high observed velocities in CH Cygni, R Aquarii, and MWC 560 favor the models with cooling is unchanged by the transition. The observed parallel features in R Aquarii can be produced by the internal knots or by a variable dense radiative shell of shocked ambient medium. The absorption line profiles show that the real parameters in MWC 560 are closer to model iv' than to model i'.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2008

Stability and structure of analytical MHD jet formation models with a finite outer disk radius

(Abridged) Finite radius accretion disks are a strong candidate for launching astrophysical jets from their inner parts and disk-winds are considered as the basic component of such magnetically collimated outflows. The only available analytical MHD solutions for describing disk-driven jets are those characterized by the symmetry of radial self-similarity. Radially self-similar MHD models, in general, have two geometrical shortcomings, a singularity at the jet axis and the non-existence of an intrinsic radial scale, i.e. the jets formally extend to radial infinity. Hence, numerical simulations are necessary to extend the analytical solutions towards the axis and impose a physical boundary at finite radial distance. We focus here on studying the effects of imposing an outer radius of the underlying accreting disk (and thus also of the outflow) on the topology, structure and variability of a radially self-similar analytical MHD solution. The initial condition consists of a hybrid of an unchanged and a scaled-down analytical solution, one for the jet and the other for its environment. In all studied cases, we find at the end steady two-component solutions.

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arXiv2007

Hydrodynamical simulations of the jet in the symbiotic star MWC 560 III. Application to X-ray jets in symbiotic stars

In papers I and II in this series, we presented hydrodynamical simulations of jet models with parameters representative of the symbiotic system MWC 560. These were simulations of a pulsed, initially underdense jet in a high density ambient medium. Since the pulsed emission of the jet creates internal shocks and since the jet velocity is very high, the jet bow shock and the internal shocks are heated to high temperatures and should therefore emit X-ray radiation. In this paper, we investigate in detail the X-ray properties of the jets in our models. We have focused our study on the total X-ray luminosity and its temporal variability, the resulting spectra and the spatial distribution of the emission. Temperature and density maps from our hydrodynamical simulations with radiative cooling presented in the second paper are used together with emissivities calculated with the atomic database ATOMDB. The jets in our models show extended and variable X-ray emission which can be characterized as a sum of hot and warm components with temperatures that are consistent with observations of CH Cyg and R Aqr. The X-ray spectra of our model jets show emission line features which correspond to observed features in the spectra of CH Cyg. The innermost parts of our pulsed jets show iron line emission in the 6.4 - 6.7 keV range which may explain such emission from the central source in R Aqr. We conclude that MWC 560 should be detectable with Chandra or XMM-Newton, and such X-ray observations will provide crucial for understanding jets in symbiotic stars.

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arXiv2006

X-ray emission from Planetary Nebulae. I. Spherically symmetric numerical simulations

(abridged) The interaction of a fast wind with a spherical Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) wind is thought to be the basic mechanism for shaping Pre-Planetary Nebulae (PPN) and later Planetary Nebulae (PN). Due to the large speed of the fast wind, one expects extended X-ray emission from these objects, but X-ray emission has only been detected in a small fraction of PNs and only in one PPN. Using numerical simulations we investigate the constraints that can be set on the physical properties of the fast wind (speed, mass-flux, opening angle) in order to produce the observed X-ray emission properties of PPNs and PNs. We combine numerical hydrodynamical simulations including radiative cooling using the code FLASH with calculations of the X-ray properties of the resulting expanding hot bubble using the atomic database ATOMDB. In this first study, we compute X-ray fluxes and spectra using one-dimensional models. Comparing our results with analytical solutions, we find some agreements and many disagreements. In particular, we test the effect of different time histories of the fast wind on the X-ray emission and find that it is determined by the final stage of the time history during which the fast wind velocity has its largest value. The disagreements which are both qualitative and quantitative in nature argue for the necessity of using numerical simulations for understanding the X-ray properties of PNs.

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arXiv2005

Effects of a solid surface on jet formation around neutron stars

We present two numerical simulations of an accretion flow from a rotating torus onto a compact object with and without a solid surface -- representing a neutron star and a black hole -- and investigate its influence on the process of jet formation. We report the emergence of an additional ejection component, launched by thermal pressure inside a boundary layer (BL) around the neutron star and examine its structure. Finally, we suggest improvements for future models.

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arXiv2005

Are jets in symbiotic stars driven by magnetic fields?

We compare two scenarios to launch jets -- formation by MHD processes or formation by thermal pressure in the boundary layer (BL) -- with respect to their compatibility with observational data of jets in symbiotic stars, especially in the well studied jet source MWC 560. Finally, we discuss points of further research to be done.

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arXiv2004

Hydrodynamical simulations of the jet in the symbiotic star MWC 560 I. Structure, emission and synthetic absorption line profiles

We performed hydrodynamical simulations with and without radiative cooling of jet models with parameters representative for the symbiotic system MWC 560. For symbiotic systems we have to perform jet simulations of a pulsed underdense jet in a high density ambient medium. We present the jet structure resulting from our simulations and calculate emission plots which account for expected radiative processes. In addition, our calculations provide expansion velocities for the jet bow shock, the density and temperature structure in the jet, and the propagation and evolution of the jet pulses. In MWC 560 the jet axis is parallel to the line of sight so that the outflowing jet gas can be seen as blue shifted, variable absorption lines in the continuum of the underlying jet source. Based on our simulations we calculate and discuss synthetic absorption profiles. Based on a detailed comparison between model spectra and observations we discuss our hydrodynamical calculations for a pulsed jet in MWC 560 and suggest improvements for future models.

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arXiv2003

Towards a self-consistent relativistic model of the exterior gravitational field of rapidly rotating neutron stars

We present a self-consistent, relativistic model of rapidly rotating neutron stars describing their exterior gravitational field. This is achieved by matching the new solution of Einstein's field equations found by Manko et al. (2000) and the numerical results for the interior of neutron stars with different equations of state calculated by Cook et al. (1994). This matching process gives constraints for the choice of the five parameters of the vacuum solution. Then we investigate some properties of the gravitational field of rapidly rotating neutron stars with these fixed parameters.

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