arXiv subjects

Y. Mizuno

Publications and source records attributed to Y. Mizuno.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

High-soft to low-hard state transition in black hole X-ray binaries with GRMHD simulations

To understand the decaying phase of outbursts in the black hole (BH) X-ray binaries (BH-XRBs), we performed very long general relativistic magneto-hydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of a geometrically thin accretion disk around a Kerr BH with slowly rotating matter injected from outside. We thoroughly studied the flow properties, dynamical behavior of the accretion rate, magnetic flux rate, and jet properties during the temporal evolution. Due to the interaction between the thin disk and injected matter, the accretion flow near the BH goes through different phases. The sequence of phases is: soft state $\rightarrow$ soft-intermediate state $\rightarrow$ hard-intermediate state $\rightarrow$ hard state $\rightarrow$ quiescent state. For the accretion rate (and hence the luminosity) to decrease (as observed) in our model, the mass injection should not decay slower than angular momentum injection. We also observed quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in the accretion flow. Throughout the evolution, we observed low-frequency QPOs (~10Hz) and high-frequency QPOs (\sim 200Hz). Our simple unified accretion flow model for state transitions is able to describe outbursts in BH-XRBs.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

3D PIC Simulations for Relativistic Jets with a Toroidal Magnetic Field

We have investigated how kinetic instabilities such as the Weibel instability (WI), the mushroom instability (MI), and the kinetic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (kKHI) are excited in jets without and with a toroidal magnetic field, and how such instabilities contribute to particle acceleration. In this work we use a new jet injection scheme where an electric current is self-consistently generated at the jet orifice by the jet particles which produce the toroidal magnetic field. We perform five different simulations for a sufficiently long time to examine the non-linear effects of the jet evolution. We inject unmagnetized e^{\pm} and e^{-} - p^{+} (m_p/m_e = 1836), as well as magnetized e^{\pm} and e^{-} - i^{+} (m_i/m_e = 4) jets with a top-hat jet density profile into an unmagnetized ambient plasmas of the same species. We show that WI, MI, and kKHI excited at the linear stage, generate a non-oscillatory x-component of the electric field accelerating and decelerating electrons. We find that the two different jet compositions (e^{\pm} and e^{-} - i^{+}) display different instability modes respectively. Moreover, the magnetic field in the non-linear stage generated by different instabilities is dissipated and reorganized into new topologies. A 3D magnetic field topology depiction indicates possible reconnection sites in the non-linear stage where the particles are significantly accelerated by the dissipation of the magnetic field associated to a possible reconnection event.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

Persistent Non-Gaussian Structure in the Image of Sagittarius A* at 86 GHz

Observations of the Galactic Center supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) are affected by interstellar scattering along our line of sight. At long radio observing wavelengths ($\gtrsim1\,$cm), the scattering heavily dominates image morphology. At 3.5 mm (86 GHz), the intrinsic source structure is no longer sub-dominant to scattering, and thus the intrinsic emission from Sgr A* is resolvable with the Global Millimeter VLBI Array (GMVA). Long-baseline detections to the phased Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in 2017 provided new constraints on the intrinsic and scattering properties of Sgr A*, but the stochastic nature of the scattering requires multiple observing epochs to reliably estimate its statistical properties. We present new observations with the GMVA+ALMA, taken in 2018, which confirm non-Gaussian structure in the scattered image seen in 2017. In particular, the ALMA-GBT baseline shows more flux density than expected for an anistropic Gaussian model, providing a tight constraint on the source size and an upper limit on the dissipation scale of interstellar turbulence. We find an intrinsic source extent along the minor axis of $\sim100\,μ$as both via extrapolation of longer wavelength scattering constraints and direct modeling of the 3.5 mm observations. Simultaneously fitting for the scattering parameters, we find an at-most modestly asymmetrical (major-to-minor axis ratio of $1.5\pm 0.2$) intrinsic source morphology for Sgr A*.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

Flares in the Galactic center I: orbiting flux tubes in Magnetically Arrested Black Hole Accretion Disks

Recent observations of SgrA* by the GRAVITY instrument have astrometrically tracked infrared flares (IR) at distances of $\sim 10$ gravitational radii ($r_g$). In this paper, we study a model for the flares based on 3D general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of magnetically arrested accretion disks (MADs) which exhibit violent episodes of flux escape from the black hole magnetosphere. These events are attractive for flare modeling for several reasons: i) the magnetically dominant regions can resist being disrupted via magneto-rotational turbulence and shear, ii) the orientation of the magnetic field is predominantly vertical as suggested by the GRAVITY data, iii) magnetic reconnection associated with the flux eruptions could yield a self-consistent means of particle heating/acceleration during the flare events. In this analysis we track erupted flux bundles and provide distributions of sizes, energies and plasma parameter. In our simulations, the orbits tend to circularize at a range of radii from $\sim 5-40 r_g$. The magnetic energy contained within the flux bundles ranges up to $\sim10^{40}$ erg, enough to power IR and X-ray flares. We find that the motion within the magnetically supported flow is substantially sub-Keplerian, in tension with the inferred period-radius relation of the three GRAVITY flares.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

Using space-VLBI to probe gravity around Sgr A*

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) will soon provide the first high-resolution images of the Galactic Centre supermassive black hole (SMBH) candidate Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), enabling us to probe gravity in the strong-field regime. Besides studying the accretion process in extreme environments, the obtained data and reconstructed images could be used to investigate the underlying spacetime structure. In its current configuration, the EHT is able to distinguish between a rotating Kerr black hole and a horizon-less object like a boson star. Future developments can increase the ability of the EHT to tell different spacetimes apart. We investigate the capability of an advanced EHT concept, including an orbiting space antenna, to image and distinguish different spacetimes around Sgr A*. We use GRMHD simulations of accreting compact objects (Kerr and dilaton black holes, as well as boson stars) and compute their radiative signatures via general relativistic radiative transfer calculations. To facilitate comparison with upcoming and future EHT observations we produce realistic synthetic data including the source variability, diffractive and refractive scattering while incorporating the observing array, including a space antenna. From the generated synthetic observations we dynamically reconstructed black hole shadow images using regularised Maximum Entropy methods. We employ a genetic algorithm to optimise the orbit of the space antenna with respect to improved imaging capabilities and u-v-plane coverage of the combined array (ground array and space antenna and developed a new method to probe the source variability in Fourier space. The inclusion of an orbiting space antenna improves the capability of the EHT to distinguish the spin of Kerr black holes and dilaton black holes based on reconstructed radio images and complex visibilities.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Modeling non-thermal emission from the jet-launching region of M 87 with adaptive mesh refinement

The galaxy M 87 harbors a kiloparsec-scale relativistic jet, whose origin coincides with a supermassive black hole. Observational mm-VLBI campaigns are capable of resolving the jet-launching region at the scale of the event horizon. In order to provide a context for interpreting these observations, realistic general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamical (GRMHD) models of the accretion flow are constructed. The characteristics of the observed spectral-energy distribution (SED) depend on the shape of the electrons' energy-distribution function (eDF). The dependency on the eDF is omitted in the modeling of the first Event Horizon Telescope results. In this work, we aim to model the M 87 SED from radio up to NIR/optical frequencies using a thermal-relativistic Maxwell- Jüttner distribution, as well as a relativistic $κ$-distribution function. The electrons are injected based on sub-grid, particle-in-cell parametrizations for sub-relativistic reconnection. A GRMHD simulation in Cartesian-Kerr-Schild coordinates, using eight levels of adaptive mesh refinement (AMR), forms the basis of our model. To obtain spectra and images, the GRMHD data is post-processed with the ray-tracing code RAPTOR, which is capable of ray tracing through AMR GRMHD simulation data. We obtain radio spectra in both the thermal-jet and $κ$-jet models consistent with radio observations. Additionally, the $κ$-jet models also recover the NIR/optical emission. The models recover the observed source sizes and core shifts and obtain a jet power of $\approx 10^{43}$ ergs/s. In the $κ$-jet models, both the accretion rates and jet powers are approximately two times lower than the thermal-jet model. The frequency cut-off observed at $ν\approx 10^{15}$ Hz is recovered when the accelerator size is $10^6$ - $10^8$ cm, this could potentially point to an upper limit for plasmoid sizes in the jet of M 87.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Using evolutionary algorithms to model relativistic jets: Application to NGC 1052

High-resolution Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry observations of NGC 1052 show a two sided jet with several regions of enhanced emission and a clear emission gap between the two jets.This gap shrinks with increasing frequency and vanishes around $ν\sim43$ GHz. The observed structures are due to both the macroscopic fluid dynamics interacting with the surrounding ambient medium including an obscuring torus and the radiation microphysics. In this paper we investigate the possible physical conditions in relativistic jets of NGC 1052 by directly modelling the observed emission and spectra via state-of-the-art special-relativistic hydrodynamic (SRHD) simulations and radiative transfer calculations. To investigate the physical conditions in the relativistic jet we coupled our radiative transfer code to evolutionary algorithms and performed simultaneous modelling of the observed jet structure and the broadband radio spectrum. During the calculation of the radiation we consider both thermal and non-thermal emission. In order to compare our model to VLBI observations we take into account the sparse sampling of the u-v plane, the array properties and the imaging algorithm. We present for the first time an end-to-end pipeline for fitting numerical simulations to VLBI observations of relativistic jets taking into account the macrophysics including fluid dynamics and ambient medium configurations together with thermal/non-thermal emission and the properties of the observing array. The detailed analysis of our simulations shows that the structure and properties of the observed relativistic jets in NGC 1052 can be reconstructed by a slightly over-pressured jet ($d_k\sim1.5$) embedded in a decreasing pressure ambient medium

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

Time-of-flight elastic and inelastic neutron scattering studies on the localized $4d$ electron layered perovskite La$_5$Mo$_4$O$_{16}$

The magnetic structure and spin-wave excitations in the quasi-square-lattice layered perovskite compound La$_5$Mo$_4$O$_{16}$ were studied by a combination of neutron diffraction and inelastic neutron scattering techniques using polycrystalline sample. Neutron powder diffraction refinement revealed that the magnetic structure is ferrimagnetic in the $ab$ plane with antiferromagnetic stacking along the $c$ axis where the magnetic propagation vector is $\mathbf{k}=\left(0,0,\frac{1}{2}\right)$. The ordered magnetic moments are estimated to be $0.54(2)μ_\text{B}$ for Mo$^{5+}$ ($4d^1$) ions and $1.07(3)μ_\text{B}$ for Mo$^{4+}$ ($4d^2$) ions at 4 K, which are about half of the expected values. The inelastic neutron scattering results display strong easy-axis magnetic anisotropy along the $c$ axis due to the spin-orbit interaction in Mo ions evidenced by the spin gap at the magnetic zone center. The model Hamiltonian consisting of in-plane anisotropic exchange interactions, the interlayer exchange interaction, and easy-axis single-ion anisotropy can explain our inelastic neutron scattering data well. Strong Ising-like anisotropy and weak interlayer coupling compared with the intralayer exchange interaction can explain both the high-temperature magnetoresistance and long-time magnetization decay recently observed in La$_5$Mo$_4$O$_{16}$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Jet-torus connection in radio galaxies: Relativistic hydrodynamics and synthetic emission

High-resolution Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry observations of active galactic nuclei have revealed asymmetric structures in the jets of radio galaxies. These asymmetric structures may be due to internal asymmetries in the jet, could be induced by the different conditions in the surrounding ambient medium including the obscuring torus, or a combination of the two. In this paper we investigate the influence of the ambient medium (including the obscuring torus) on the observed properties of jets from radio galaxies. We performed special-relativistic hydrodynamic (RHD) simulations of over-pressured and pressure-matched jets using the special-relativistic hydrodynamics code \texttt{Ratpenat}, which is based on a second-order accurate finite-volume method and an approximate Riemann solver. Using a newly developed emission code to compute the electromagnetic emission, we have investigated the influence of different ambient medium and torus configurations on the jet structure and subsequently computed the non-thermal emission produced by the jet and the thermal absorption due to the torus. To better compare the emission simulations with observations we produced synthetic radio maps, taking into account the properties of the observatory. The detailed analysis of our simulations shows that the observed asymmetries can be produced by the interaction of the jet with the ambient medium and by the absorption properties of the obscuring torus.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

BlackHoleCam: fundamental physics of the Galactic center

Einstein's General Theory of Relativity (GR) successfully describes gravity. The most fundamental predictions of GR are black holes (BHs), but in spite of many convincing BH candidates in the Universe, there is no conclusive experimental proof of their existence using astronomical observations in the electromagnetic spectrum. Are BHs real astrophysical objects? Does GR hold in its most extreme limit or are alternatives needed? The prime target to address these fundamental questions is in the center of our own Galaxy, which hosts the closest and best-constrained supermassive BH candidate in the Universe, Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Three different types of experiments hold the promise to test GR in a strong-field regime using observations of Sgr A* with new-generation instruments. The first experiment aims to image the relativistic plasma emission which surrounds the event horizon and forms a "shadow" cast against the background, whose predicted size (~50 microarcseconds) can now be resolved by upcoming VLBI experiments at mm-waves such as the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). The second experiment aims to monitor stars orbiting Sgr A* with the upcoming near-infrared interferometer GRAVITY at the Very Large Telescope (VLT). The third experiment aims to time a radio pulsar in tight orbit about Sgr A* using radio telescopes (including the Atacama Large Millimeter Array or ALMA). The BlackHoleCam project exploits the synergy between these three different techniques and aims to measure the main BH parameters with sufficient precision to provide fundamental tests of GR and probe the spacetime around a BH in any metric theory of gravity. Here, we review our current knowledge of the physical properties of Sgr A* as well as the current status of such experimental efforts towards imaging the event horizon, measuring stellar orbits, and timing pulsars around Sgr A*.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

Evolution of Global Relativistic Jets: Collimations and Expansion with kKHI and the Weibel Instability

One of the key open questions in the study of relativistic jets is their interaction with the environment. Here, we study the initial evolution of both electron-proton and electron-positron relativistic jets, focusing on their lateral interaction with the ambient plasma. We trace the generation and evolution of the toroidal magnetic field generated by both kinetic Kelvin-Helmholtz (kKH) and Mushroom instabilities (MI). This magnetic field collimates the jet. We show that in electron-proton jet, electrons are perpendicularly accelerated with jet collimation. The magnetic polarity switches from the clockwise to anti-clockwise in the middle of jet, as the instabilities weaken. For the electron-positron jet, we find strong mixture of electron-positron with the ambient plasma, that results in the creation of a bow shock. Merger of magnetic field current filaments generate density bumps which initiate a forward shock. The strong mixing between jet and ambient particles prevents full development of the jet on the studied scale. Our results therefore provide a direct evidence for both jet collimation and particle acceleration in the created bow shock. Differences in the magnetic field structures generated by electron-proton and electron-positron jets may contribute to observable differences in the polarized properties of emission by electrons.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

Radiation from Particles Accelerated in Relativistic Jet Shocks and Shear-flows

We have investigated particle acceleration and emission from shocks and shear flows associated with an unmagnetized relativistic jet plasma propagating into an unmagnetized ambient plasma. Strong electro-magnetic fields are generated in the jet shock via the filamentation (Weibel) instability. Shock field strength and structure depend on plasma composition (($e^{\pm}$ or $e^-$- $p^+$ plasmas) and Lorentz factor. In the velocity shear between jet and ambient plasmas, strong AC ($e^{\pm}$ plasmas) or DC ($e^-$- $p^+$ plasmas) magnetic fields are generated via the kinetic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (kKHI), and the magnetic field structure also depends on the jet Lorentz factor. We have calculated, self-consistently, the radiation from electrons accelerated in shock generated magnetic fields. The spectra depend on the jet's initial Lorentz factor and temperature via the resulting particle acceleration and magnetic field generation. Our ongoing "Global" jet simulations containing shocks and velocity shears will provide us with the ability to calculate and model the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure observed from gamma-ray bursts, AGN jets, and supernova remnants.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2014

Magnetic Field Generation in Core-Sheath Jets via the Kinetic Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability

We have investigated magnetic field generation in velocity shears via the kinetic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (kKHI) using a relativistic plasma jet core and stationary plasma sheath. Our three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations consider plasma jet cores with Lorentz factors of 1.5, 5, and 15 for both electron-proton and electron-positron plasmas. For electron-proton plasmas we find generation of strong large-scale DC currents and magnetic fields which extend over the entire shear-surface and reach thicknesses of a few tens of electron skin depths. For electron-positron plasmas we find generation of alternating currents and magnetic fields. Jet and sheath plasmas are accelerated across the shear surface in the strong magnetic fields generated by the kKHI. The mixing of jet and sheath plasmas generates transverse structure similar to that produced by the Weibel instability.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

Magnetic field generation in a jet-sheath plasma via the kinetic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability

We have investigated generation of magnetic fields associated with velocity shear between an unmagnetized relativistic jet and an unmagnetized sheath plasma. We have examined the strong magnetic fields generated by kinetic shear (Kelvin-Helmholtz) instabilities. Compared to the previous studies using counter-streaming performed by Alves et al. (2012), the structure of KKHI of our jet-sheath configuration is slightly different even for the global evolution of the strong transverse magnetic field. In our simulations the major components of growing modes are the electric field $E_{\rm z}$ and the magnetic field $B_{\rm y}$. After the $B_{\rm y}$ component is excited, an induced electric field $E_{\rm x}$ becomes significant. However, other field components remain small. We find that the structure and growth rate of KKHI with mass ratios $m_{\rm i}/m_{\rm e} = 1836$ and $m_{\rm i}/m_{\rm e} = 20$ are similar. In our simulations saturation in the nonlinear stage is not as clear as in counter-streaming cases. The growth rate for a mildly-relativistic jet case ($γ_{\rm j} = 1.5$) is larger than for a relativistic jet case ($γ_{\rm j} = 15$).

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2013

Radiation from accelerated particles in relativistic jets with shocks, shear-flow, and reconnection

We have investigated particle acceleration and shock structure associated with an unmagnetized relativistic jet propagating into an unmagnetized plasma. Strong magnetic fields generated in the trailing jet shock lead to transverse deflection and acceleration of the electrons. We have self-consistently calculated the radiation from the electrons accelerated in the turbulent magnetic fields. We find that the synthetic spectra depend on the bulk Lorentz factor of the jet, the jet temperature, and the strength of the magnetic fields generated in the shock. We have also begun study of electron acceleration in the strong magnetic fields generated by kinetic shear (Kelvin-Helmholtz) instabilities. Our calculated spectra should lead to a better understanding of the complex time evolution and/or spectral structure from gamma-ray bursts, relativistic jets, and supernova remnants.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2011

Simulation of Relativistic Jets and Associated Self-consistent Radiation

lasma instabilities excited in collisionless shocks are responsible for particle acceleration. We have investigated the particle acceleration and shock structure associated with an unmagnetized relativistic electron-positron jet propagating into an unmagnetized electron-positron plasma. Cold jet electrons are thermalized and slowed while the ambient electrons are swept up to create a partially developed hydrodynamic-like shock structure. In the leading shock, electron density increases by a factor of about 3.5 in the simulation frame. Strong electromagnetic fields are generated in the trailing shock and provide an emission site. These magnetic fields contribute to the electron's transverse deflection behind the shock. Our initial results of a jet-ambient interaction with anti-parallel magnetic fields show pile-up of magnetic fields at the colliding shock, which may lead to reconnection and associated particle acceleration. We will investigate the radiation in transient stage as a possible generation mechanism of precursors of prompt emission. In our simulations we calculate the radiation from electrons in the shock region. The detailed properties of this radiation are important for understanding the complex time evolution and spectral structure in gamma-ray bursts, relativistic jets, and supernova remnants.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2011

Radiation from relativistic shocks with turbulent magnetic fields

Using our new 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (REMP) code parallelized with MPI, we investigated long-term particle acceleration associated with a relativistic electron-positron jet propagating in an unmagnetized ambient electron-positron plasma. The simulations were performed using a much longer simulation system than our previous simulations in order to investigate the full nonlinear stage of the Weibel instability and its particle acceleration mechanism. Cold jet electrons are thermalized and ambient electrons are accelerated in the resulting shocks. Acceleration of ambient electrons leads to a maximum ambient electron density three times larger than the original value. Behind the bow shock in the jet shock strong electromagnetic fields are generated. These fields may lead to time dependent afterglow emission. We calculated radiation from electrons propagating in a uniform parallel magnetic field to verify the technique. We also used the new technique to calculate emission from electrons based on simulations with a small system. We obtained spectra which are consistent with those generated from electrons propagating in turbulent magnetic fields with red noise. This turbulent magnetic field is similar to the magnetic field generated at an early nonlinear stage of the Weibel instability. A fully developed shock within a larger system generates a jitter/synchrotron spectrum.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2010

Magnetic and Electronic Raman Scattering at the Nodal Spin-Density-Wave Transition in BaFe2As2

Two magnon excitations and the nodal spin density wave (SDW) gap were observed in BaFe2As2 by Raman scattering. Below the SDW transition temperature (TSDW) nodal SDW gap opens together with new excitations in reconstructed electronic states. The two-magnon peak remains above TSDW and moreover the energy increases a little. The change from the long-range ordered state to the short-range correlated state is compared to the cuprate superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗