arXiv subjects

V. Ferrari

Publications and source records attributed to V. Ferrari.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2008

Quasi-Normal Modes and Gravitational Wave Astronomy

We review the main results obtained in the literature on quasi-normal modes of compact stars and black holes, in the light of recent exciting developments of gravitational wave detectors. Quasi-normal modes are a fundamental feature of the gravitational signal emitted by compact objects in many astrophysical processes; we will show that their eigenfrequencies encode interesting information on the nature and on the inner structure of the emitting source and we will discuss whether we are ready for a gravitational wave asteroseismology.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2007

Relativistic models of magnetars: structure and deformations

We find numerical solutions of the coupled system of Einstein-Maxwell's equations with a linear approach, in which the magnetic field acts as a perturbation of a spherical neutron star. In our study, magnetic fields having both poloidal and toroidal components are considered, and higher order multipoles are also included. We evaluate the deformations induced by different field configurations, paying special attention to those for which the star has a prolate shape. We also explore the dependence of the stellar deformation on the particular choice of the equation of state and on the mass of the star. Our results show that, for neutron stars with mass M = 1.4 Msun and surface magnetic fields of the order of 10^15 G, a quadrupole ellipticity of the order of 10^(-6) - 10^(-5) should be expected. Low mass neutron stars are in principle subject to larger deformations (quadrupole ellipticities up to 10^(-3) in the most extreme case). The effect of quadrupolar magnetic fields is comparable to that of dipolar components. A magnetic field permeating the whole star is normally needed to obtain negative quadrupole ellipticities, while fields confined to the crust typically produce positive quadrupole ellipticities.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

A new approach to the study of quasi-normal modes of rotating stars

We propose a new method to study the quasi-normal modes of rotating relativistic stars. Oscillations are treated as perturbations in the frequency domain of the stationary, axisymmetric background describing a rotating star. The perturbed quantities are expanded in circular harmonics, and the resulting 2D-equations they satisfy are integrated using spectral methods in the (r,theta)-plane. The asymptotic conditions at infinity, needed to find the mode frequencies, are implemented by generalizing the standing wave boundary condition commonly used in the non rotating case. As a test, the method is applied to find the quasi-normal mode frequencies of a slowly rotating star.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2007

Unstable g-modes in Proto-Neutron Stars

In this article we study the possibility that, due to non-linear couplings, unstable g-modes associated to convective motions excite stable oscillating g-modes. This problem is of particular interest, since gravitational waves emitted by a newly born proto-neutron star pulsating in its stable g-modes would be in the bandwidth of VIRGO and LIGO. Our results indicate that nonlinear saturation of unstable modes occurs at relatively low amplitudes, and therefore, even if there exists a coupling between stable and unstable modes, it does not seem to be sufficiently effective to explain, alone, the excitation of the oscillating g-modes found in hydrodynamical simulations.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Ferrodistortive instability at the (001) surface of half-metallic manganites

We present the structure of the fully relaxed (001) surface of the half-metallic manganite La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, calculated using density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Two relevant ferroelastic order parameters are identified and characterized: The tilting of the oxygen octahedra, which is present in the bulk phase, oscillates and decreases towards the surface, and an additional ferrodistortive Mn off-centering, triggered by the surface, decays monotonically into the bulk. The narrow d-like energy band that is characteristic of unrelaxed manganite surfaces is shifted down in energy by these structural distortions, retaining its uppermost layer localization. The magnitude of the zero-temperature magnetization is unchanged from its bulk value, but the effective spin-spin interactions are reduced at the surface.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2007

Relativistic r-modes and shear viscosity

We derive the relativistic equations for stellar perturbations, including in a consistent way shear viscosity in the stress-energy tensor, and we numerically integrate our equations in the case of large viscosity. We consider the slow rotation approximation, and we neglect the coupling between polar and axial perturbations. In our approach, the frequency and damping time of the emitted gravitational radiation are directly obtained. We find that, approaching the inviscid limit from the finite viscosity case, the continuous spectrum is regularized. Constant density stars, polytropic stars, and stars with realistic equations of state are considered. In the case of constant density stars and polytropic stars, our results for the viscous damping times agree, within a factor two, with the usual estimates obtained by using the eigenfunctions of the inviscid limit. For realistic neutron stars, our numerical results give viscous damping times with the same dependence on mass and radius as previously estimated, but systematically larger of about 60%.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2005

Density functionals and half-metalicity in La2/3Sr1/3MnO3

The electronic structure and equilibrium geometry of La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 are studied theoretically by means of density functional calculations. The doping is treated by introducing holes and a compensating jellium background. The results for the local density approximation (LDA) agree with previous LDA calculations, with an equilibrium volume 5.3% too small and with both majority and minority spin states present at the Fermi level for the relaxed system. The generalised gradient approximation (GGA) offers a qualitatively improved description of the system, with a more realistic volume, and a half-metallic behaviour for the relaxed structure, which enables studies needing theoretical relaxation.The ideal MnO2-terminated (001) surface is then described with explicit doping.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2005

Gravitational signals due to tidal interactions between white dwarfs and black holes

In this paper we compute the gravitational signal emitted when a white dwarf moves around a black hole on a closed or open orbit using the affine model approach. We compare the orbital and the tidal contributions to the signal, assuming that the star moves in a safe region where, although very close to the black hole, the strength of the tidal interaction is insufficient to provoque the stellar disruption. We show that for all considered orbits the tidal signal presents sharp peaks corresponding to the excitation of the star non radial oscillation modes, the amplitude of which depends on how deep the star penetrates the black hole tidal radius and on the type of orbit. Further structure is added to the emitted signal by the coupling between the orbital and the tidal motion.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2005

Relativistic r-modes and Shear viscosity: regularizing the continuous spectrum

Within a fully relativistic framework, we derive and solve numerically the perturbation equations of relativistic stars, including the stresses produced by a non-vanishing shear viscosity in the stress-energy tensor. With this approach, the real and imaginary parts of the frequency of the modes are consistently obtained. We find that, approaching the inviscid limit from the finite viscosity case, the continuous spectrum is regularized and we can calculate the quasi-normal modes for stellar models that do not admit solutions at first order in perturbation theory when the coupling between the polar and axial perturbations is neglected. The viscous damping time is found to agree within factor 2 with the usual estimate obtained by using the eigenfunctions of the inviscid limit and some approximation for the energy dissipation integrals. We find that the frequencies and viscous damping times for relativistic $r-$modes lie between the Newtonian and Cowling results. We compare the results obtained with homogeneous, polytropic and realistic equations of state and find that the frequencies depend only on the rotation rate and on the compactness parameter (M/R), being almost independent of the equation of state. Our numerical results for realistic neutron stars give viscous damping times with the same dependence on mass and radius as previously estimated, but systematically larger of about 60%.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Gravitational waves from neutron stars described by modern EOS

The frequencies and damping times of neutron star (and quark star) oscillations have been computed using the most recent equations of state available in the literature. We find that some of the empirical relations that connect the frequencies and damping times of the modes to the mass and radius of the star, and that were previously derived in the literature need to be modified.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2004

Gravitational Waves from Rotating Proto-Neutron Stars

We study the effects of rotation on the quasi normal modes (QNMs) of a newly born proto neutron star (PNS) at different evolutionary stages, until it becomes a cold neutron star (NS). We use the Cowling approximation, neglecting spacetime perturbations, and consider different models of evolving PNS. The frequencies of the modes of a PNS are considerably lower than those of a cold NS, and are further lowered by rotation; consequently, if QNMs were excited in a sufficiently energetic process, they would radiate waves that could be more easily detectable by resonant-mass and interferometric detectors than those emitted by a cold NS. We find that for high rotation rates, some of the g-modes become unstable via the CFS instability; however, this instability is likely to be suppressed by competing mechanisms before emitting a significant amount of gravitational waves.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Gravitational Wave asteroseismology revisited

The frequencies and damping times of the non radial oscillations of neutron stars are computed for a set of recently proposed equations of state (EOS) which describe matter at supranuclear densites. These EOS are obtained within two different approaches, the nonrelativistic nuclear many-body theory and the relativistic mean field theory, that model hadronic interactions in different ways leading to different composition and dynamics. Being the non radial oscillations associated to the emission of gravitational waves, we fit the eigenfrequencies of the fundamental mode and of the first pressure and gravitational-wave mode (polar and axial) with appropriate functions of the mass and radius of the star, comparing the fits, when available, with those obtained by Andersson and Kokkotas in 1998. We show that the identification in the spectrum of a detected gravitational signal of a sharp pulse corresponding to the excitation of the fundamental mode or of the first p-mode, combined with the knowledge of the mass of the star - the only observable on which we may have reliable information - would allow to gain interesting information on the composition of the inner core. We further discuss the detectability of these signals by gravitational detectors.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2003

Oxygen-stripes in La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 from ab initio calculations

We investigate the electronic, magnetic and orbital properties of La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 perovskite by means of an ab initio electronic structure calculation within the Hartree-Fock approximation. Using the experimental crystal structure reported by Radaelli et al. [Phys. Rev B 55, 3015 (1997)], we find a charge-ordering stripe-like ground state. The periodicity of the stripes, and the insulating CE-type magnetic structure are in agreement with neutron x-ray and electron diffraction experiments. However, the detailed structure is more complex than that envisaged by simple models of charge and orbital order on Mn d-levels alone, and is better described as a charge-density wave of oxygen holes, coupled to the Mn spin/orbital order.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2003

Rotational effects on the oscillation frequencies of newly born proto-neutron stars

In this paper we study the effects of rotation on the frequencies of the quasi-normal modes of a proto-neutron star (PNS) born in a gravitational collapse during the first minute of life. Our analysis starts a few tenths of seconds after the PNS formation, when the stellar evolution can be described by a sequence of equilibrium configurations. We use the evolutionary models developed by Pons et al. (1999; 2001) that describe how a non rotating star cools down and contracts while neutrino diffusion and thermalization processes dominate the stellar dynamics. For assigned values of the evolution time, we set the star into slow rotation and integrate the equations of stellar perturbations in the Cowling approximation, both in the time domain and in the frequency domain, to find the quasi-normal mode frequencies. We study the secular instability of the g-modes, that are present in the oscillation spectrum due to the intense entropy and composition gradients that develop in the stellar interior, and we provide an estimate of the growth time of the unstable modes based on a post-Newtonian formula.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Are Post-Newtonian templates faithful and effectual in detecting gravitational signals from neutron star binaries?

We compute the overlap function between Post-Newtonian (PN) templates and gravitational signals emitted by binary systems composed of one neutron star and one point mass, obtained by a perturbative approach. The calculations are performed for different stellar models and for different detectors, to estimate how effectual and faithful the PN templates are, and to establish whether effects related to the internal structure of neutron stars may possibly be extracted by the matched filtering technique.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2002

Non-radial oscillation modes as a probe of density discontinuities in neutron stars

A phase transition occurring in the inner core of a neutron star could be associated to a density discontinuity that would affect the frequency spectrum of the non-radial oscillation modes in two ways. Firstly, it would produce a softening of the equation of state, leading to more compact equilibrium configurations and changing the frequency of the fundamental and pressure modes of the neutron star. Secondly, a new non-zero frequency g-- mode would appear, associated to each discontinuity. These discontinuity g--modes have typical frequencies larger than those of g--modes previously studied in the literature (thermal, core g-- modes, or g--modes due to chemical inhomogeneities in the outer layers), and smaller than that of the fundamental mode; therefore they should be distinguishable from the other modes of non radial oscillation. In this paper we investigate how high density discontinuities change the frequency spectrum of the non-radial oscillations, in the framework of the general relativistic theory of stellar perturbations. Our purpose is to understand whether a gravitational signal, emitted at the frequencies of the quasi normal modes, may give some clear information on the equation of state of the neutron star and, in particular, on the parameters that characterize the density discontinuity. We discuss some astrophysical processes that may be associated to the excitation of these modes, and estimate how much gravitational energy should the modes convey to produce a signal detectable by high frequency gravitational detectors.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2002

Gravitational signals emitted by a point mass orbiting a neutron star: effects of stellar structure

The effects that the structure of a neutron star would have on the gravitational emission of a binary system are studied in a perturbative regime, and in the frequency domain. Assuming that a neutron star is perturbed by a point mass moving on a close, circular orbit, we solve the equations of stellar perturbations in general relativity to evaluate the energy lost by the system in gravitational waves. We compare the energy output obtained for different stellar models with that found by assuming that the perturbed object is a black hole with the same mass, and we discuss the role played by the excitation of the stellar modes. Ouresults indicate that the stellar structure begins to affect the emitted power when the orbital velocity is v >0.2c (about 185 Hz for a binary system composed of two canonical neutron stars). We show that the differences between different stellar models and a black hole are due mainly to the excitation of the quasinormal modes of the star. Finally, we discuss to what extent and up to which distance the perturbative approach can be used to describe the interaction of a star and a pointlike massive body.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2001

Gravitational signals emitted by a point mass orbiting a neutron star: a perturbative approach

We compute the energy spectra of the gravitational signals emitted when a pointlike mass moves on a closed orbit around a non rotating neutron star, inducing a perturbation of its gravitational field and its internal structure. The Einstein equations and the hydrodynamical equations are perturbed and numerically integrated in the frequency domain. The results are compared with the energy spectra computed by the quadrupole formalism which assumes that both masses are pointlike, and accounts only for the radiation emitted because the orbital motion produces a time dependent quadrupole moment. The results of our perturbative approach show that, in general, the quadrupole formalism overestimates the amount of emitted radiation, especially when the two masses are close. However, if the pointlike mass is allowed to move on an orbit so tight that the keplerian orbital frequency resonates with the frequency of the fundamental quasi-normal mode of the star (2w_K=w_f), this mode can be excited and the emitted radiation can be considerably larger than that computed by the quadrupole approach.

gr-qc↗