arXiv subjects

Sergei Nayakshin

Publications and source records attributed to Sergei Nayakshin.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

A simple way to improve AGN feedback prescription in SPH simulations

AGN feedback is an important ingredient in galaxy evolution, however its treatment in numerical simulations is necessarily approximate, requiring subgrid prescriptions due to the dynamical range involved in the calculations. We present a suite of SPH simulations designed to showcase the importance of the choice of a particular subgrid prescription for AGN feedback. We concentrate on two approaches to treating wide-angle AGN outflows: thermal feedback, where thermal and kinetic energy is injected into the gas surrounding the SMBH particle, and virtual particle feedback, where energy is carried by tracer particles radially away from the AGN. We show that the latter model produces a far more complex structure around the SMBH, which we argue is a more physically correct outcome. We suggest a simple improvement to the thermal feedback model - injecting the energy into a cone, rather than spherically symmetrically - and show that this markedly improves the agreement between the two prescriptions, without requiring any noticeable increase in the computational cost of the simulation.

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arXiv2015

Tidal Downsizing Model. IV. Destructive feedback in planets

I argue that feedback is as important to formation of planets as it is to formation of stars and galaxies. Energy released by massive solid cores puffs up pre-collapse gas giant planets, making them vulnerable to tidal disruptions by their host stars. I find that feedback is the ultimate reason for some of the most robust properties of the observed exoplanet populations: the rarity of gas giants at all separations from $\sim 0.1$ to $\sim 100$~AU, the abundance of $\sim 10 M_\oplus$ cores but dearth of planets more massive than $\sim 20 M_\oplus$. Feedback effects can also explain (i) rapid assembly of massive cores at large separations as needed for Uranus, Neptune and the suspected HL Tau planets; (ii) the small core in Jupiter yet large cores in Uranus and Neptune; (iii) the existence of rare "metal monster" planets such as CoRoT-20b, a gas giant made of heavy elements by up to $\sim 50$\%.

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arXiv2015

The resolution bias: low resolution feedback simulations are better at destroying galaxies

Feedback from super-massive black holes (SMBHs) is thought to play a key role in regulating the growth of host galaxies. Cosmological and galaxy formation simulations using smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), which usually use a fixed mass for SPH particles, often employ the same sub-grid Active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback prescription across a range of resolutions. It is thus important to ask how the impact of the simulated AGN feedback on a galaxy changes when only the numerical resolution (the SPH particle mass) changes. We present a suite of simulations modelling the interaction of an AGN outflow with the ambient turbulent and clumpy interstellar medium (ISM) in the inner part of the host galaxy at a range of mass resolutions. We find that, with other things being equal, degrading the resolution leads to feedback becoming more efficient at clearing out all gas in its path. For the simulations presented here, the difference in the mass of the gas ejected by AGN feedback varies by more than a factor of ten between our highest and lowest resolution simulations. This happens because feedback-resistant high density clumps are washed out at low effective resolutions. We also find that changes in numerical resolution lead to undesirable artifacts in how the AGN feedback affects the AGN immediate environment.

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arXiv2015

Tidal Downsizing Model. III. Planets from sub-Earths to Brown Dwarfs: structure and metallicity preferences

We present population synthesis calculations of the Tidal Downsizing (TD) hypothesis for planet formation. Our models address the following observations: (i) most abundant planets being Super Earths; (ii) cores more massive than $\sim 5-15 M_\oplus$ are enveloped by massive atmospheres; (iii) the frequency of occurrence of close-in gas giant planets correlates strongly with metallicity of the host star; (iv) no such correlation is found for sub-Neptune planets; (v) presence of massive cores in giant planets; (vi) gas giant planets are over-abundant in metals compared to their host stars; (vii) this over-abundance decreases with planet's mass; (viii) a deep valley in the planet mass function between masses of $\sim 10-20 M_\oplus$ and $\sim 100 M_\oplus$. A number of observational predictions distinguish the model from Core Accretion: (a) composition of the massive cores is always dominated by rocks not ices; (b) the core mass function is smooth with no minimum at $\sim 3 M_\oplus$ and has no ice-dominated cores; (c) gas giants beyond 10 AU are insensitive to the host star metallicity; (d) objects more massive than $\sim 10 M_{\rm Jup}$ do not correlate or even anti-correlate with metallicity. The latter prediction is consistent with observations of low mass stellar companions. TD can also explain formation of planets in close binary systems. TD model is a viable alternative to the Core Accretion scenario in explaining many features of the observed population of exoplanets.

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arXiv2015

The role of feedback in accretion on Low Luminosity AGN: Sgr A* case study

We present numerical models of the gas dynamics in the inner parsec of the Galactic centre. We follow the gas from its origin as stellar winds of several observed young massive stars, until it is either captured by the central black hole, or leaves the system. Unlike our previous models, we include an outflow from the inner accretion flow. Two different kinds of outflows are modelled: (i) an instantaneous-response feedback mode, in which the outflow rate is directly proportional to the current black hole gas capture rate; and (ii) an outburst mode, which is stronger but lasts for a limited time. The latter situation may be particularly relevant to Sgr A*, since there is evidence that Sgr A* was much brighter in the recent past. We find that both types of outflow perturb the gas dynamics near the Bondi radius and the black hole capture rate significantly. The effects persist longer than the outflow itself. We also compare the effects of spherically symmetric and collimated outflows, and find that the latter are far less efficient in transferring its energy to the surrounding gas near the capture radius. Our results imply that accretion feedback is important for non-radiative accretion flows not only within but also outside the capture radius. Steady-state Bondi accretion rate estimates that do not account for feedback outflows over-predict not only the accretion rate onto the black hole but also the capture rate at the Bondi radius itself. Finally, the steady-state assumption under which non-radiative flows have been routinely studied in the literature may have to be abandoned if accretion feedback is bursty in nature.

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arXiv2015

Tidal Downsizing model. II. Planet-metallicity correlations

Core Accretion (CA), the de-facto accepted theory of planet formation, requires formation of massive solid cores as a prerequisite for assembly of gas giant planets. The observed metallicity correlations of exoplanets are puzzling in the context of CA. While gas giant planets are found preferentially around metal-rich host stars, planets smaller than Neptune orbit hosts with a wide range of metallicities. We propose an alternative interpretation of these observations in the framework of a recently developed planet formation hypothesis called Tidal Downsizing (TD). We perform population synthesis calculations based on TD, and find that the connection between the populations of the gas giant and the smaller solid-core dominated planets is non linear and not even monotonic. While gas giant planets formed in the simulations in the inner few AU region follow a strong positive correlation with the host star metallicity, the smaller planets do not. The simulated population of these smaller planets shows a shallow peak in their formation efficiency at around the Solar metallicity. This result is driven by the fact that at low metallicities the solid core's growth is damped by the scarcity of metals, whereas at high metallicities the fragments within which the cores grow contract too quickly, cutting the core's growth time window short. Finally, simulated giant gas planets do not show a strong host star metallicity preference at large separations, which may explain why one of the best known directly imaged gas giant planet systems, HR 8799, is metal poor.

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arXiv2014

Metal loading of giant gas planets

One of many challenges in forming giant gas planets via Gravitational disc Instability model (GI) is an inefficient radiative cooling of the pre-collapse fragments. Since fragment contraction times are as long at $10^5 -10^7$ years, the fragments may be tidally destroyed sooner than they contract into gas giant planets. Here we explore the role of "pebble accretion" onto the pre-collapse giant planets and find an unexpected result. Despite larger dust opacity at higher metallicities, addition of metals actually accelerates -- rather than slows down -- collapse of high opacity, relatively low mass giant gas planets ($M_p$ below a few Jupiter masses). A simple analytical theory that explains this result exactly in idealised simplified cases is presented. The theory shows that planets with the central temperature in the range between $\sim$ 1000 to 2000K are especially sensitive to pebble accretion: addition of just $\sim 5$ to 10 % of metals by weight is sufficient to cause their collapse. These results show that dust grain physics and dynamics is essential for an accurate modelling of self-gravitating disc fragments and their near environments in the outer massive and cold protoplanetary discs.

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arXiv2014

Tidal Downsizing model. I. Numerical methods: saving giant planets from tidal disruptions

Tidal Downsizing (TD) is a recently developed planet formation theory that supplements the classical Gravitational disc Instability (GI) model with planet migration inward and tidal disruptions of GI fragments in the inner regions of the disc. Numerical methods for a detailed population synthesis of TD planets are presented here. As an example application, the conditions under which GI fragments collapse faster than they migrate into the inner $a\sim$ few AU disc are considered. It is found that most gas fragments are tidally or thermally disrupted unless (a) their opacity is $\sim 3$ orders of magnitude less than the interstellar dust opacity at metallicities typical of the observed giant planets, or (b) the opacity is high but the fragments accrete large dust grains (pebbles) from the disc. Case (a) models produce very low mass solid cores ($M_{\rm core} < 0.1$ Earth masses) and follow a negative correlation of giant planet frequency with host star metallicity. In contrast, case (b) models produce massive solid cores, correlate positively with host metallicity and explain naturally while giant gas planets are over-abundant in metals.

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arXiv2014

Positive metallicity correlation for coreless giant planets

Frequency of detected giant planets is observed to increase rapidly with metallicity of the host star. This is usually interpreted as evidence in support of the Core Accretion (CA) theory, which assembles giant planets as a result of formation of a massive solid core. A strong positive planet-metallicity correlation for giant planets formed in the framework of Gravitational disc Instability (GI) model is found here. The key novelty of this work is "pebble accretion" onto GI fragments which has been recently demonstrated to accelerate contraction of GI fragments. Driven closer to the star by the inward migration, only the fragments that accrete metals rapidly enough collapse and survive the otherwise imminent tidal disruption. The survival fraction of simulated planets correlates strongly with the metallicity of the host star, as observed.

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arXiv2014

Black hole feedback in a multiphase interstellar medium

Ultrafast outflows (UFOs) from supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are thought to regulate the growth of SMBHs and host galaxies, resulting in a number of observational correlations. We present high-resolution numerical simulations of the impact of a thermalized UFO on the ambient gas in the inner part of the host galaxy. Our results depend strongly on whether the gas is homogeneous or clumpy. In the former case all of the ambient gas is driven outward rapidly as expected based on commonly used energy budget arguments, while in the latter the flows of mass and energy decouple. Carrying most of the energy, the shocked UFO escapes from the bulge via paths of least resistance, taking with it only the low-density phase of the host. Most of the mass is however in the high-density phase, and is affected by the UFO much less strongly, and may even continue to flow inwards. We suggest that the UFO energy leakage through the pores in the multiphase interstellar medium (ISM) may explain why observed SMBHs are so massive despite their overwhelmingly large energy production rates. The multiphase ISM effects reported here are probably under-resolved in cosmological simulations but may be included in prescriptions for active galactic nuclei feedback in future simulations and in semi-analytical models.

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arXiv2014

Energy- and momentum-conserving AGN feedback outflows

It is usually assumed that outflows from luminous AGN are either in the energy-conserving (non-radiative) or in the momentum-conserving (radiative) regime. We show that in a non-spherical geometry the effects of both regimes may manifest at the same time, and that it is the momentum of the outflow that sets the $M_{\rm BH}-σ$ relation. Considering an initially elliptical distribution of gas in the host galaxy, we show that a non-radiative outflow opens up a wide ``escape route'' over the paths of least resistance. Most of the outflow energy escapes in that direction. At the same time, in the directions of higher resistance, the ambient gas is affected mainly by the incident momentum from the outflow. Quenching SMBH growth requires quenching gas delivery along the paths of highest resistance, and therefore, it is the momentum of the outflow that limits the black hole growth. We present an analytical argument showing that such energy-conserving feedback bubbles driving leaky ambient shells will terminate SMBH growth once its mass reaches roughly the $M_σ$ mass derived earlier by King (2003) for momentum-conserving AGN outflows. Our simulations also have potentially important implications for observations of AGN jet feedback and starburst galaxy feedback. The collimation of the wide angle AGN outflow away from the symmetry plane, as found in our simulations, indicates that credit for work done by such outflows may sometimes be mistakenly given to AGN jets or star formation feedback since wide angle $v \sim 0.1 c$ outflows are harder to observe and the phase when they are present may be short.

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arXiv2014

Core-assisted gas capture instability: a new mode of giant planet formation by gravitationally unstable discs

Giant planet formation in the core accretion (CA) paradigm is predicated by the formation of a core, assembled by the coagulation of grains and later by planetesimals within a protoplanetary disc. In contrast, in the disc instability paradigm, giant planet formation is believed to be independent of core formation: massive self-gravitating gas fragments cool radiatively and collapse as a whole. We show that giant planet formation in the disc instability model may be also enhanced by core formation for reasons physically very similar to the CA paradigm. In the model explored here, efficient grain sedimentation within an initial fragment (rather than the disc) leads to the formation of a core composed of heavy elements. We find that massive atmospheres form around cores and undergo collapse as a critical core mass is exceeded, analogous to CA theory. The critical mass of the core to initiate such a collapse depends on the fragment mass and metallicity, as well as core luminosity, but ranges from less than 1 to as much as $\sim80$ Earth masses. We therefore suggest that there are two channels for the collapse of a gaseous fragment to planetary scales within the disc instability model: (i) H$_2$ dissociative collapse of the entire gaseous clump, and (ii) core-assisted gas capture, as presented here. We suggest that the first of these two is favoured in metal-poor environments and for fragments more massive than $\sim 5-10$ Jupiter masses, whereas the second is favored in metal-rich environments and fragments of lower mass. [Abridged]

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arXiv2013

Two-phase model for Black Hole feeding and feedback

We study effects of AGN feedback outflows on multi-phase inter stellar medium (ISM) of the host galaxy. We argue that SMBH growth is dominated by accretion of dense cold clumps and filaments. AGN feedback outflows overtake the cold medium, compress it, and trigger a powerful starburst -- a positive AGN feedback. This predicts a statistical correlation between AGN luminosity and star formation rate at high luminosities. Most of the outflow's kinetic energy escapes from the bulge via low density voids. The cold phase is pushed outward only by the ram pressure (momentum) of the outflow. The combination of the negative and positive forms of AGN feedback leads to an $M-σ$ relation similar to the result of King (2003). Due to porosity of cold ISM in the bulge, SMBH influence on the low density medium of the host galaxy is significant even for SMBH well below the $M-σ$ mass. The role of SMBH feedback in our model evolves in space and time with the ISM structure. In the early gas rich phase, SMBH accelerates star formation in the bulge. During later gas poor (red-and-dead) phases, SMBH feedback is mostly negative everywhere due to scarcity of the cold ISM.

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arXiv2013

Giant Planet Formation, Evolution, and Internal Structure

The large number of detected giant exoplanets offers the opportunity to improve our understanding of the formation mechanism, evolution, and interior structure of gas giant planets. The two main models for giant planet formation are core accretion and disk instability. There are substantial differences between these formation models, including formation timescale, favorable formation location, ideal disk properties for planetary formation, early evolution, planetary composition, etc. First, we summarize the two models including their substantial differences, advantages, and disadvantages, and suggest how theoretical models should be connected to available (and future) data. We next summarize current knowledge of the internal structures of solar- and extrasolar- giant planets. Finally, we suggest the next steps to be taken in giant planet exploration.

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arXiv2013

Inverse Compton X-ray signature of AGN feedback

Bright AGN frequently show ultra-fast outflows (UFOs) with outflow velocities vout ~0.1c. These outflows may be the source of AGN feedback on their host galaxies sought by galaxy formation modellers. The exact effect of the outflows on the ambient galaxy gas strongly depends on whether the shocked UFOs cool rapidly or not. This in turn depends on whether the shocked electrons share the same temperature as ions (one temperature regime; 1T) or decouple (2T), as has been recently suggested. Here we calculate the Inverse Compton spectrum emitted by such shocks, finding a broad feature potentially detectable either in mid-to-high energy X-rays (1T case) or only in the soft X-rays (2T). We argue that current observations of AGN do not seem to show evidence for the 1T component. The limits on the 2T emission are far weaker, and in fact it is possible that the observed soft X-ray excess of AGN is partially or fully due to the 2T shock emission. This suggests that UFOs are in the energy-driven regime outside the central few pc, and must pump considerable amounts of not only momentum but also energy into the ambient gas. We encourage X-ray observers to look for the Inverse Compton components calculated here in order to constrain AGN feedback models further.

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arXiv2013

Radiative feedback from protoplanets in self-gravitating protoplanetary discs

It is well known that massive protoplanetary disc are gravitationally unstable beyond tens of AU from their parent star. The eventual fate of the self-gravitating gas clumps born in the disc is currently not understood, although the range of uncertainty is well known. If clumps migrate inward rapidly, they are tidally disrupted, which may leave behind giant or terrestrial like planets. On the other hand, if clumps migrate less rapidly, they tend to accrete gas, becoming proto brown dwarfs or low mass companions to the parent star. Here we argue that radiative feedback of contracting clumps (protoplanets) on their discs is an important effect that has been overlooked in previous calculations. We show analytically that temperature in clump's vicinity may be high enough to support a quasi-static atmosphere if the clump mass is below a critical value, $M_{\rm cr} \sim 6$ Jupiter masses ($M_J$). This may arrest further gas accretion onto the clump and thus promote formation of planets rather than low mass companions. We use numerical simulations to evaluate these analytical conclusions by studying migration and accretion of gas clumps as a function of their initial mass, $M_i$. Simulations neglecting the radiative preheating effect show that gas clumps with mass less than $\sim 2 M_J$ migrate inward rapidly; more massive clumps result in low mass companions. In contrast, simulations that include radiative preheating from the clump show that clumps as massive as $8 M_J$ migrate inward rapidly and end up tidally disrupted in the inner disc. We conclude that, with other parameters being equal, previous simulations neglecting radiative feedback from self-gravitating clumps over-estimated the population of brown dwarfs and low mass stellar companions and under-estimated the population of planets.

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arXiv2013

A link between feedback outflows and satellite galaxy suppression

We suggest a direct link between the two "missing" baryon problems of contemporary galaxy formation theory: (1) that large galaxies are known to contain too little gas and stars and (2) that too few dwarf satellite galaxies are observed around large galaxies compared with cosmological simulations. The former can be explained by invoking some energetic process -- most likely AGN or star formation feedback -- which expels to infinity a significant fraction of the gas initially present in the proto-galaxy, while the latter problem is usually explained by star formation feedback inside the dwarf or tidal and ram pressure stripping of the gas from the satellite galaxy by its parent. Here we point out that the host galaxy "missing" baryons, if indeed ejected at velocities of hundreds to a thousand km s$^{-1}$, must also affect smaller satellite galaxies by stripping or shocking the gas there. We estimate the fraction of gas removed from the satellites as a function of the satellite galaxy's properties. Applying these results to a Milky Way like dark matter halo, we find that this singular shock ram pressure stripping event may be quite efficient in removing the gas from the satellites provided that they are close enough. We also use the orbital and mass modelling data for eight Galactic dwarf spheroidal (dSph) satellites, and find that it is likely that many of them have been affected by the Galactic outflow. We point out that galactic outflows of the host may also trigger a starburst in the satellite galaxies by over-pressuring their gas discs. This process may be responsible for the formation of the globular clusters observed in some of the Milky Way's dSphs (e.g. the Fornax and Sagittarius dSphs).

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arXiv2013

AGN outflows trigger starbursts in gas-rich galaxies

Recent well resolved numerical simulations of AGN feedback have shown that its effects on the host galaxy may be not only negative but also positive. In the late gas poor phase, AGN feedback blows the gas away and terminates star formation. However, in the gas-rich phase(s), AGN outflows trigger star formation by over-compressing cold dense gas and thus provide positive feedback on their hosts. In this paper we study this AGN-triggered starburst effect. We show that star formation rate in the burst increases until the star formation feedback counteracts locally the AGN outflow compression. Globally, this predicts a strong nearly linear statistical correlation between the AGN and starburst bolometric luminosities in disc galaxies, L_* \propto L_{AGN}^{5/6}. The correlation is statistical only because AGN activity may fluctuate on short time scales (as short as tens of years), and because AGN may turn off but its effects on the host may continue to last until the AGN-driven outflow leaves the host, which may be up to 10 times longer than the duration of the AGN activity. The coefficient in front of this relation depends on the clumpiness and morphology of the cold gas in the galaxy. A "maximum starburst" takes place in am azimuthally uniform gas disc, for which we derive an upper limit of L_* \sim 50 times larger than L_{AGN} for typical quasars. For more clumpy and/or compact cold gas distributions, the starburst luminosity decreases. We also suggest that similar AGN-triggerred starbursts are possible in hosts of all geometries, including during galaxy mergers, provided the AGN is activated. Finally, we note that due to the short duration of the AGN activity phase the accelerating influence of AGN on starbursts may be much more common than observations of simultaneous AGN and starbursts would suggest.

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