arXiv subjects

R. Haas

Publications and source records attributed to R. Haas.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

A monitoring campaign (2013-2020) of ESA's Mars Express to study interplanetary plasma scintillation

The radio signal transmitted by the Mars Express (MEX) spacecraft was observed regularly between the years 2013-2020 at X-band (8.42 GHz) using the European Very Long Baseline Interferometry (EVN) network and University of Tasmania's telescopes. We present a method to describe the solar wind parameters by quantifying the effects of plasma on our radio signal. In doing so, we identify all the uncompensated effects on the radio signal and see which coronal processes drive them. From a technical standpoint, quantifying the effect of the plasma on the radio signal helps phase referencing for precision spacecraft tracking. The phase fluctuation of the signal was determined for Mars' orbit for solar elongation angles from 0 - 180 deg. The calculated phase residuals allow determination of the phase power spectrum. The total electron content (TEC) of the solar plasma along the line of sight is calculated by removing effects from mechanical and ionospheric noises. The spectral index was determined as $-2.43 \pm 0.11$ which is in agreement with Kolomogorov's turbulence. The theoretical models are consistent with observations at lower solar elongations however at higher solar elongation ($>$160 deg) we see the observed values to be higher. This can be caused when the uplink and downlink signals are positively correlated as a result of passing through identical plasma sheets.

physics.space-ph↗

arXiv2022

Broad band flux-density monitoring of radio sources with the Onsala twin telescopes

Context and aims: The Onsala twin telescopes (OTT) are two 13 m telescopes located at the Onsala Space Observatory in Sweden. With dual linear polarized broad-band (3-14 GHz) receivers, they are part of the next generation Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) Global Observing System (VGOS) for geodesy and astrometry. In addition to purely geodetic data products, VGOS will regularly produce full-polarisation images of hundreds of radio sources. These rich monitoring data will be valuable for both astronomy and geodesy. In this pilot study we aim to monitor 10 bright radio sources to search for flares or similar activity, and to verify the instrument calibration on long (months) and short (hours) time scales. Method: We observed and analysed 91 short (<30 min) sessions spanning 7 months. We monitored seven potentially variable radio sources (0059+581, 0552+398, 1144+402, 1156+295, 1617+229, 3C418, OJ287) and three reference calibrators (3C147, 3C286, 3C295). We used the Common Astronomy Software Applications (CASA) package to fringe-fit, bandpass-correct and scale the data to obtain flux densities in the four standard VGOS bands: 3.0-3.5 GHz (band 1), 5.2-5.7 GHz (band 2), 6.3-6.8 GHz (band 3), and 10.2-10.7 GHz (band 4). Results: We obtain simultaneous multi-frequency light curves for ten radio sources. A bright multi-frequency flare is observed in the radio source 0059+581. OJ287 and 1156+295 show significant long-term variability. Conclusions: After correcting for instrumental biases, we determine the empirical flux density uncertainty as $\sim$5%. Future refined analysis methods will allow regular monitoring of more and fainter sources.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

The NANOGrav 11-year Data Set: Pulsar-timing Constraints On The Stochastic Gravitational-wave Background

We search for an isotropic stochastic gravitational-wave background (GWB) in the newly released $11$-year dataset from the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav). While we find no significant evidence for a GWB, we place constraints on a GWB from a population of supermassive black-hole binaries, cosmic strings, and a primordial GWB. For the first time, we find that the GWB upper limits and detection statistics are sensitive to the Solar System ephemeris (SSE) model used, and that SSE errors can mimic a GWB signal. We developed an approach that bridges systematic SSE differences, producing the first PTA constraints that are robust against SSE uncertainties. We thus place a $95\%$ upper limit on the GW strain amplitude of $A_\mathrm{GWB}<1.45\times 10^{-15}$ at a frequency of $f=1$ yr$^{-1}$ for a fiducial $f^{-2/3}$ power-law spectrum, and with inter-pulsar correlations modeled. This is a factor of $\sim 2$ improvement over the NANOGrav $9$-year limit, calculated using the same procedure. Previous PTA upper limits on the GWB will need revision in light of SSE systematic uncertainties. We use our constraints to characterize the combined influence on the GWB of the stellar mass-density in galactic cores, the eccentricity of SMBH binaries, and SMBH--galactic-bulge scaling relationships. We constrain cosmic-string tension using recent simulations, yielding an SSE-marginalized $95\%$ upper limit on the cosmic string tension of $G\mu < 5.3\times 10^{-11}$---a factor of $\sim 2$ better than the published NANOGrav $9$-year constraints. Our SSE-marginalized $95\%$ upper limit on the energy density of a primordial GWB (for a radiation-dominated post-inflation Universe) is $\Omega_\mathrm{GWB}(f)h^2<3.4\times10^{-10}$.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

The Progenitor Dependence of Three-Dimensional Core-Collapse Supernovae

We present a first study of the progenitor star dependence of the three-dimensional (3D) neutrino mechanism of core-collapse supernovae. We employ full 3D general-relativistic multi-group neutrino radiation-hydrodynamics and simulate the post-bounce evolutions of progenitors with zero-age main sequence masses of $12$, $15$, $20$, $27$, and $40\,M_\odot$. All progenitors, with the exception of the $12\,M_\odot$ star, experience shock runaway by the end of their simulations. In most cases, a strongly asymmetric explosion will result. We find three qualitatively distinct evolutions that suggest a complex dependence of explosion dynamics on progenitor density structure, neutrino heating, and 3D flow. (1) Progenitors with massive cores, shallow density profiles, and high post-core-bounce accretion rates experience very strong neutrino heating and neutrino-driven turbulent convection, leading to early shock runaway. Accretion continues at a high rate, likely leading to black hole formation. (2) Intermediate progenitors experience neutrino-driven, turbulence-aided explosions triggered by the arrival of density discontinuities at the shock. These occur typically at the silicon/silicon-oxygen shell boundary. (3) Progenitors with small cores and density profiles without strong discontinuities experience shock recession and develop the 3D standing-accretion shock instability (SASI). Shock runaway ensues late, once declining accretion rate, SASI, and neutrino-driven convection create favorable conditions. These differences in explosion times and dynamics result in a non-monotonic relationship between progenitor and compact remnant mass.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

Probing the gravitational redshift with an Earth-orbiting satellite

We present an approach to testing the gravitational redshift effect using the RadioAstron satellite. The experiment is based on a modification of the Gravity Probe A scheme of nonrelativistic Doppler compensation and benefits from the highly eccentric orbit and ultra-stable atomic hydrogen maser frequency standard of the RadioAstron satellite. Using the presented techniques we expect to reach an accuracy of the gravitational redshift test of order $10^{-5}$, a magnitude better than that of Gravity Probe A. Data processing is ongoing, our preliminary results agree with the validity of the Einstein Equivalence Principle.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Gravitational Waves from Binary Black Hole Mergers Inside of Stars

We present results from a controlled numerical experiment investigating the effect of stellar density gas on the coalescence of binary black holes (BBHs) and the resulting gravitational waves (GWs). This investigation is motivated by the proposed stellar core fragmentation scenario for BBH formation and the associated possibility of an electromagnetic counterpart to a BBH GW event. We employ full numerical relativity coupled with general-relativistic hydrodynamics and set up a $30 + 30 M_\odot$ BBH (motivated by GW150914) inside gas with realistic stellar densities. Our results show that at densities $\rho \gtrsim 10^6 - 10^7 \, \mathrm{g \, cm}^{-3}$ dynamical friction between the BHs and gas changes the coalescence dynamics and the GW signal in an unmistakable way. We show that for GW150914, LIGO observations conclusively rule out BBH coalescence inside stellar gas of $\rho \gtrsim 10^7 \, \mathrm{g\,cm}^{-3}$. Typical densities in the collapsing cores of massive stars are in excess of this density. This excludes the fragmentation scenario for the formation of GW150914.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

RadioAstron gravitational redshift experiment: status update

A test of a cornerstone of general relativity, the gravitational redshift effect, is currently being conducted with the RadioAstron spacecraft, which is on a highly eccentric orbit around Earth. Using ground radio telescopes to record the spacecraft signal, synchronized to its ultra-stable on-board H-maser, we can probe the varying flow of time on board with unprecedented accuracy. The observations performed so far, currently being analyzed, have already allowed us to measure the effect with a relative accuracy of $4\times10^{-4}$. We expect to reach $2.5\times10^{-5}$ with additional observations in 2016, an improvement of almost a magnitude over the 40-year old result of the GP-A mission.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2015

First 230 GHz VLBI Fringes on 3C 279 using the APEX Telescope

We report about a 230 GHz very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) fringe finder observation of blazar 3C 279 with the APEX telescope in Chile, the phased submillimeter array (SMA), and the SMT of the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). We installed VLBI equipment and measured the APEX station position to 1 cm accuracy (1 sigma). We then observed 3C 279 on 2012 May 7 in a 5 hour 230 GHz VLBI track with baseline lengths of 2800 M$λ$ to 7200 M$λ$ and a finest fringe spacing of 28.6 micro-arcseconds. Fringes were detected on all baselines with SNRs of 12 to 55 in 420 s. The correlated flux density on the longest baseline was ~0.3 Jy/beam, out of a total flux density of 19.8 Jy. Visibility data suggest an emission region <38 uas in size, and at least two components, possibly polarized. We find a lower limit of the brightness temperature of the inner jet region of about 10^10 K. Lastly, we find an upper limit of 20% on the linear polarization fraction at a fringe spacing of ~38 uas. With APEX the angular resolution of 230 GHz VLBI improves to 28.6 uas. This allows one to resolve the last-photon ring around the Galactic Center black hole event horizon, expected to be 40 uas in diameter, and probe radio jet launching at unprecedented resolution, down to a few gravitational radii in galaxies like M 87. To probe the structure in the inner parsecs of 3C 279 in detail, follow-up observations with APEX and five other mm-VLBI stations have been conducted (March 2013) and are being analyzed.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2015

Neutrino-driven Turbulent Convection and Standing Accretion Shock Instability in Three-Dimensional Core-Collapse Supernovae

We conduct a series of numerical experiments into the nature of three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamics in the postbounce stalled-shock phase of core-collapse supernovae using 3D general-relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of a $27$-$M_\odot$ progenitor star with a neutrino leakage/heating scheme. We vary the strength of neutrino heating and find three cases of 3D dynamics: (1) neutrino-driven convection, (2) initially neutrino-driven convection and subsequent development of the standing accretion shock instability (SASI), (3) SASI dominated evolution. This confirms previous 3D results of Hanke et al. 2013, ApJ 770, 66 and Couch & Connor 2014, ApJ 785, 123. We carry out simulations with resolutions differing by up to a factor of $\sim$4 and demonstrate that low resolution is artificially favorable for explosion in the 3D convection-dominated case, since it decreases the efficiency of energy transport to small scales. Low resolution results in higher radial convective fluxes of energy and enthalpy, more fully buoyant mass, and stronger neutrino heating. In the SASI-dominated case, lower resolution damps SASI oscillations. In the convection-dominated case, a quasi-stationary angular kinetic energy spectrum $E(\ell)$ develops in the heating layer. Like other 3D studies, we find $E(\ell) \propto \ell^{-1}$ in the "inertial range," while theory and local simulations argue for $E(\ell) \propto \ell^{-5/3}$. We argue that current 3D simulations do not resolve the inertial range of turbulence and are affected by numerical viscosity up to the energy containing scale, creating a "bottleneck" that prevents an efficient turbulent cascade.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

Observations and analysis of phase scintillation of spacecraft signal on the interplanetary plasma

Aims. The phase scintillation of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Venus Express (VEX) spacecraft telemetry signal was observed at X-band (λ= 3.6 cm) with a number of radio telescopes of the European VLBI Network (EVN) in the period 2009-2013. Methods. We found a phase fluctuation spectrum along the Venus orbit with a nearly constant spectral index of -2.42 +/-0.25 over the full range of solar elongation angles from 0° to 45°, which is consistent with Kolmogorov turbulence. Radio astronomical observations of spacecraft signals within the solar system give a unique opportunity to study the temporal behaviour of the signal's phase fluctuations caused by its propagation through the interplanetary plasma and the Earth's ionosphere. This gives complementary data to the classical interplanetary scintillation (IPS) study based on observations of the flux variability of distant natural radio sources. Results. We present here our technique and the results on IPS. We compare these with the total electron content (TEC) for the line of sight through the solar wind. Finally, we evaluate the applicability of the presented technique to phase-referencing Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and Doppler observations of currently operational and prospective space missions.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2014

Magnetorotational Core-Collapse Supernovae in Three Dimensions

We present results of new three-dimensional (3D) general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of rapidly rotating strongly magnetized core collapse. These simulations are the first of their kind and include a microphysical finite-temperature equation of state and a leakage scheme that captures the overall energetics and lepton number exchange due to postbounce neutrino emission. Our results show that the 3D dynamics of magnetorotational core-collapse supernovae are fundamentally different from what was anticipated on the basis of previous simulations in axisymmetry (2D). A strong bipolar jet that develops in a simulation constrained to 2D is crippled by a spiral instability and fizzles in full 3D. While multiple (magneto-)hydrodynamic instabilities may be present, our analysis suggests that the jet is disrupted by an m=1 kink instability of the ultra-strong toroidal field near the rotation axis. Instead of an axially symmetric jet, a completely new, previously unreported flow structure develops. Highly magnetized spiral plasma funnels expelled from the core push out the shock in polar regions, creating wide secularly expanding lobes. We observe no runaway explosion by the end of the full 3D simulation at 185 ms after bounce. At this time, the lobes have reached maximum radii of 900 km.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

Formation and Coalescence of Cosmological Supermassive Black Hole Binaries in Supermassive Star Collapse

We study the collapse of rapidly rotating supermassive stars that may have formed in the early Universe. By self-consistently simulating the dynamics from the onset of collapse using three-dimensional general-relativistic hydrodynamics with fully dynamical spacetime evolution, we show that seed perturbations in the progenitor can lead to the formation of a system of two high-spin supermassive black holes, which inspiral and merge under the emission of powerful gravitational radiation that could be observed at redshifts z>10 with the DECIGO or Big Bang Observer gravitational-wave observatories, assuming supermassive stars in the mass range 10^4-10^6 Msol. The remnant is rapidly spinning with dimensionless spin a^*=0.9. The surrounding accretion disk contains ~10% of the initial mass.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

General-Relativistic Simulations of Three-Dimensional Core-Collapse Supernovae

We study the three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamics of the post-core-bounce phase of the collapse of a 27-solar-mass star and pay special attention to the development of the standing accretion shock instability (SASI) and neutrino-driven convection. To this end, we perform 3D general-relativistic simulations with a 3-species neutrino leakage scheme. The leakage scheme captures the essential aspects of neutrino cooling, heating, and lepton number exchange as predicted by radiation-hydrodynamics simulations. The 27-solar-mass progenitor was studied in 2D by B. Mueller et al. (ApJ 761:72, 2012), who observed strong growth of the SASI while neutrino-driven convection was suppressed. In our 3D simulations, neutrino-driven convection grows from numerical perturbations imposed by our Cartesian grid. It becomes the dominant instability and leads to large-scale non-oscillatory deformations of the shock front. These will result in strongly aspherical explosions without the need for large-scale SASI shock oscillations. Low-l-mode SASI oscillations are present in our models, but saturate at small amplitudes that decrease with increasing neutrino heating and vigor of convection. Our results, in agreement with simpler 3D Newtonian simulations, suggest that once neutrino-driven convection is started, it is likely to become the dominant instability in 3D. Whether it is the primary instability after bounce will ultimately depend on the physical seed perturbations present in the cores of massive stars. The gravitational wave signal, which we extract and analyze for the first time from 3D general-relativistic models, will serve as an observational probe of the postbounce dynamics and, in combination with neutrinos, may allow us to determine the primary hydrodynamic instability.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

Correlated Gravitational Wave and Neutrino Signals from General-Relativistic Rapidly Rotating Iron Core Collapse

We present results from a new set of 3D general-relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of rotating iron core collapse. We assume octant symmetry and focus on axisymmetric collapse, bounce, the early postbounce evolution, and the associated gravitational wave (GW) and neutrino signals. We employ a finite-temperature nuclear equation of state, parameterized electron capture in the collapse phase, and a multi-species neutrino leakage scheme after bounce. The latter captures the important effects of deleptonization, neutrino cooling and heating and enables approximate predictions for the neutrino luminosities in the early evolution after core bounce. We consider 12-solar-mass and 40-solar-mass presupernova models and systematically study the effects of (i) rotation, (ii) progenitor structure, and (iii) postbounce neutrino leakage on dynamics, GW, and, neutrino signals. We demonstrate, that the GW signal of rapidly rotating core collapse is practically independent of progenitor mass and precollapse structure. Moreover, we show that the effects of neutrino leakage on the GW signal are strong only in nonrotating or slowly rotating models in which GW emission is not dominated by inner core dynamics. In rapidly rotating cores, core bounce of the centrifugally-deformed inner core excites the fundamental quadrupole pulsation mode of the nascent protoneutron star. The ensuing global oscillations (f~700-800 Hz) lead to pronounced oscillations in the GW signal and correlated strong variations in the rising luminosities of antineutrino and heavy-lepton neutrinos. We find these features in cores that collapse to protoneutron stars with spin periods <~ 2.5 ms and rotational energies sufficient to drive hyper-energetic core-collapse supernova explosions. Hence, joint GW + neutrino observations of a core collapse event could deliver strong evidence for or against rapid core rotation. [abridged]

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2012

Three-Dimensional General-Relativistic Hydrodynamic Simulations of Binary Neutron Star Coalescence and Stellar Collapse with Multipatch Grids

We present a new three-dimensional general-relativistic hydrodynamic evolution scheme coupled to dynamical spacetime evolutions which is capable of efficiently simulating stellar collapse, isolated neutron stars, black hole formation, and binary neutron star coalescence. We make use of a set of adapted curvi-linear grids (multipatches) coupled with flux-conservative cell-centered adaptive mesh refinement. This allows us to significantly enlarge our computational domains while still maintaining high resolution in the gravitational-wave extraction zone, the exterior layers of a star, or the region of mass ejection in merging neutron stars. The fluid is evolved with a high-resolution shock capturing finite volume scheme, while the spacetime geometry is evolved using fourth-order finite differences. We employ a multi-rate Runge-Kutta time integration scheme for efficiency, evolving the fluid with second-order and the spacetime geometry with fourth-order integration, respectively. We validate our code by a number of benchmark problems: a rotating stellar collapse model, an excited neutron star, neutron star collapse to a black hole, and binary neutron star coalescence. The test problems, especially the latter, greatly benefit from higher resolution in the gravitational-wave extraction zone, causally disconnected outer boundaries, and application of Cauchy-characteristic gravitational-wave extraction. We show that we are able to extract convergent gravitational-wave modes up to (l,m)=(6,6). This study paves the way for more realistic and detailed studies of compact objects and stellar collapse in full three dimensions and in large computational domains. The multipatch infrastructure and the improvements to mesh refinement and hydrodynamics codes discussed in this paper will be made available as part of the open-source Einstein Toolkit.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2004

Analysis strategies and software for geodetic VLBI

This article describes currently used analysis strategy and data analysis software for geodetic VLBI.Today's geodetic observing strategies are shortly presented, and the geodetic VLBI observables and data modeling are briefly discussed. A short overview is given on existing geodetic VLBI software packages and the statistical approaches that are applied. Necessary improvements of today's analysis software are described. Some of the future expectations and goals of geodetic VLBI are presented and the corresponding consequences for the VLBI technique are explained. This includes consequences in terms of technical development and corresponding improvements in data modeling and analysis software.

astro-ph↗