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We investigate the influence of background shear flow on linear resistive tearing instabilities with Joule heating for two compressible plasma slab configurations: a Harris current sheet and a force-free, shearing magnetic field that varies its direction periodically throughout the slab, possibly resulting in multiple magnetic nullplanes. To do so, we exploit the latest version of the open-source, magnetohydrodynamic spectroscopy tool Legolas. Shear flow is shown to dramatically alter tearing behavior in the presence of multiple magnetic nullplanes, where the modes become propagating due to the flow. Finally, the tearing growth rate is studied as a function of resistivity, showing where it deviates from analytic scaling laws, as well as the Alfvén speed, the plasma-β, and the velocity parameters, revealing surprising nuance in whether the velocity acts stabilizing or destabilizing. We show how both slab setups can produce growth rate regimes, which deviate from analytic scaling laws, such that systematic numerical spectroscopic studies are truly necessary, for a complete understanding of linear tearing behavior in flowing plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Solar prominences are large-scale condensations suspended against gravity within the solar atmosphere. The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability is proposed to be one of the fundamental processes that lead to the generation of dynamics at many spatial and temporal scales within these long-lived, cool, and dense structures, which are located in the solar corona. We aim to study such turbulent processes using high-resolution, direct numerical simulations of solar prominences. Methods. We ran 2.5D ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations with the open-source MPI-AMRVAC code far into the nonlinear evolution of an RT instability perturbed at the prominence-corona interface. Our simulation achieves a resolution down to 23 km on a 2D (x; y) domain of size 30 Mm 30 Mm. We followed the instability transitioning from a multimode linear perturbation to its nonlinear, fully turbulent state. Over the succeeding 25 min period, we performed a statistical analysis of the prominence at a cadence of 0:858 s. Results. We find that the dominant guiding component, Bz, induces coherent structure formation predominantly in the vertical velocity component, Vy, consistent with observations, indicating an anisotropic turbulence state within our prominence. We find power-law scalings in the inertial range for the velocity, magnetic, and temperature fields. The presence of intermittency is evident from the probability density functions of the field fluctuations, which depart from Gaussianity as we consider smaller and smaller scales. In exact agreement, the higher-order structure functions quantify the multi-fractality, as do different scale characteristics and the behavior between the longitudinal and transverse directions. Thus, the statistics remain consistent with conclusions from previous observational studies, enabling us to directly relate the RT instability to the turbulent characteristics found within quiescent prominences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because they lose tremendous amounts of mass, cool evolved stars are major sources of dust and molecules for the interstellar medium. Spectro-imaging of the dust-driven winds around these stars has enabled us to identify recurring nonspherical patterns (e.g. spirals, arcs, compressed wind). We use radiative-hydrodynamic simulations of dust-driven winds to study the imprints left in the wind by an orbiting stellar or sub-stellar companion. We designed 3D numerical setup to solve the wind dynamics beyond the dust condensation radius and follow the flow up to several hundreds of stellar radii. Non-uniform grids enable us to capture small scale features such as shocks or disks forming around the orbiting object. Depending on its mass and orbital parameters, we reproduced typical non-spherical features such as arcs, spirals, petals and orbital density enhancements, and identified patterns associated to eccentric orbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many linear stability aspects in plasmas are heavily influenced by non-ideal effects beyond the basic ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) description. Here, the extension of the modern open-source MHD spectroscopy code Legolas with viscosity and the Hall current is highlighted and benchmarked on a stringent set of historic and recent findings. The viscosity extension is demonstrated in a cylindrical set-up featuring Taylor–Couette flow and in a viscoresistive plasma slab with a tearing mode. For the Hall extension, we show how the full eigenmode spectrum relates to the analytic dispersion relation in an infinite homogeneous medium. We quantify the Hall term influence on the resistive tearing mode in a Harris current sheet, including the effect of compressibility, which is absent in earlier studies. Furthermore, we illustrate how Legolas mimics the incompressible limit easily to compare with literature results. Going beyond published findings, we emphasise the importance of computing the full eigenmode spectrum, and how elements of the spectrum are modified by compressibility. These extensions allow for future stability studies with Legolas that are relevant to ongoing dynamo experiments, protoplanetary disks or magnetic reconnection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an application of the completely general, ideal two‐fluid analysis of waves in a warm ion‐electron plasma, where six unique wave pair labels (S, A, F, M, O, and X) were identified, we here connect to the vast body of literature on whistler waves. We show that all six mode pairs can demonstrate whistling behavior, when we allow for whistling of both descending and ascending frequency types, and when we study the more general case of oblique propagation to the background magnetic field. We show how the general theory recovers all known approximate group speed expressions for both classical whistlers and ion cyclotron whistlers, which we here extend to include ion contributions and deviations from parallel propagation. At oblique angles and at perpendicular propagation, whistlers are investigated using exact numerical evaluations of the two‐fluid dispersion relation and their group speeds under Earth's magnetosphere conditions. This approach allows for a complete overview of all whistling behavior and we quantify the typical frequency ranges where they must be observable. We use the generality of the theory to show that pair plasmas in pulsar magnetospheres also feature whistling behavior, although not of the classical type at parallel propagation. Whistling of the high‐frequency modes is discussed as well, and we give the extension of the Appleton‐Hartree relation for cold plasmas, to include the effect of a nonzero thermal electron velocity. We use it to quantify the Faraday rotation effect at all angles, and compare its predictions between the cold and warm Appleton‐Hartree equation. Key Points: Group speeds can be computed numerically, highlighting whistling behaviorWhistler group speed approximations are extended to nonparallel propagation with respect to the background magnetic fieldThe widely used Appleton‐Hartree equation is extended to include a nonzero thermal electron velocity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following recent work, we discuss waves in a warm ideal two-fluid plasma consisting of electrons and ions starting from a completely general, ideal two-fluid dispersion relation. The plasma is characterized by five variables: the electron and ion magnetizations, the squared electron and ion sound speeds, and a parameter describing the angle between the propagation vector and the magnetic field. The dispersion relation describes six pairs of waves which we label S, A, F, M, O, and X. Varying the angle, it is argued that parallel and perpendicular propagation (with respect to the magnetic field) exhibit unique behavior. This behavior is characterized by the crossing of wave modes which is prohibited at oblique angles. We identify up to six different parameter regimes where a varying number of exact mode crossings in the special parallel or perpendicular orientations can occur. We point out how any ion–electron plasma has a critical magnetization (or electron cyclotron frequency) at which the cutoff ordering changes, leading to different crossing behaviors. These are relevant for exotic plasma conditions found in pulsar and magnetar environments. Our discussion is fully consistent with ideal relativistic MHD and contains light waves. Additionally, by exploiting the general nature of the dispersion relation, phase and group speed diagrams can be computed at arbitrary wavelengths for any parameter regime. Finally, we recover earlier approximate dispersion relations that focus on low-frequency limits and make direct correspondences with some selected kinetic theory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a 3D magnetohydrodynamic numerical experiment of an eruptive magnetic flux rope (MFR) and the various types of disturbances it creates, and employ forward modelling of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observables to directly compare numerical results and observations. In the beginning, the MFR erupts and a fast shock appears as an expanding 3D dome. Under the MFR, a current sheet grows, in which magnetic field lines reconnect to form closed field lines, which become the outermost part of an expanding coronal mass ejection (CME) bubble. In our synthetic SDO /AIA images, we can observe the bright fast shock dome and the hot MFR in the early stages. Between the MFR and the fast shock, a dimming region appears. Later, the MFR expands so its brightness decays and it becomes difficult to identify the boundary of the CME bubble and distinguish it from the bright MFR in synthetic images. Our synthetic images for EUV disturbances observed at the limb support the bimodality interpretation for coronal disturbances. However, images for disturbances propagating on-disc do not support this interpretation because the morphology of the bright MFR does not lead to circular features in the EUV disturbances. At the flanks of the CME bubble, slow shocks, velocity vortices and shock echoes can also be recognized in the velocity distribution. The slow shocks at the flanks of the bubble are associated with a 3D velocity separatrix. These features are found in our high-resolution simulation, but may be hard to observe as shown in the synthetic images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability is a known mechanism for penetration of solar wind matter into the magnetosphere. Using three‐dimensional, resistive magnetohydrodynamic simulations, the double midlatitude reconnection (DMLR) process was shown to efficiently exchange solar wind matter into the magnetosphere, through mixing and reconnection. Here we compute test particle orbits through DMLR configurations. In the instantaneous electromagnetic fields, charged particle trajectories are integrated using the guiding center approximation. The mechanisms involved in the electron particle orbits and their kinetic energy evolutions are studied in detail, to identify specific signatures of the DMLR through particle characteristics. The charged particle orbits are influenced mainly by magnetic curvature drifts. We identify complex, temporarily trapped trajectories where the combined electric field and (reconnected) magnetic field variations realize local cavities where particles gain energy before escaping. By comparing the orbits in strongly deformed fields due to the Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability development, with the textbook mirror‐drift orbits resulting from our initial configuration, we identify effects due to current sheets formed in the DMLR process. We do this in various representative stages during the DMLR development. Key Points: We study charged particle orbits at rolled‐up flanks of the magnetopauseKelvin‐Helmholtz induced plasma variations cause intricate trapping sites [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply the general relativistic resistive magnetohydrodynamics code bhac to perform a 2D study of the formation and evolution of a reconnection layer in between two merging magnetic flux tubes in Minkowski space–time. Small-scale effects in the regime of low resistivity most relevant for dilute astrophysical plasmas are resolved with very high accuracy due to the extreme resolutions obtained with adaptive mesh refinement. Numerical convergence in the highly non-linear plasmoid-dominated regime is confirmed for a sweep of resolutions. We employ both uniform resistivity and non-uniform resistivity based on the local, instantaneous current density. For uniform resistivity we find Sweet–Parker reconnection, from η = 10−2 down to η = 10−4, for a reference case of magnetization σ = 3.33 and plasma-β = 0.1. For uniform resistivity η = 5 × 10−5 the tearing mode is recovered, resulting in the formation of secondary plasmoids. The plasmoid instability enhances the reconnection rate to |$v$| rec ∼ 0.03 c compared to |$v$| rec ∼ 0.01 c for η = 10−4. For non-uniform resistivity with a base level η0 = 10−4 and an enhanced current-dependent resistivity in the current sheet, we find an increased reconnection rate of |$v$| rec ∼ 0.1 c. The influence of the magnetization σ and the plasma-β is analysed for cases with uniform resistivity η = 5 × 10−5 and η = 10−4 in a range 0.5 ≤ σ ≤ 10 and 0.01 ≤ β ≤ 1 in regimes that are applicable for black hole accretion discs and jets. The plasmoid instability is triggered for Lundquist numbers larger than a critical value of S c ≈ 8000. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Thermal instabilities give rise to condensations in the solar corona, and are the most probable scenario for coronal rain and prominence formation. We revisit the original theoretical treatment done by Field (1965, ApJ, 142, 531) in a homogeneous plasma with heat-loss effects and combine this with state-of-the-art numerical simulations to verify growth-rate predictions and address the long-term non-linear regime. We especially investigate interaction between multiple magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave modes and how they in turn trigger thermal mode development. Aims. We assess how well the numerical MHD simulations retrieve the analytically predicted growth rates. We complete the original theory with quantifications of the eigenfunctions, calculated to consistently excite each wave mode. Thermal growth rates are fitted also in the non-linear regime of multiple wave–wave interaction setups, at the onset of thermal instability formation. Methods. We performed 2D numerical MHD simulations, including an additional (radiative) heat-loss term and a constant heating term to the energy equation. We mainly focus on the thermal (i.e. entropy) and slow MHD wave modes and use the wave amplitude as a function of time to make a comparison to predicted growth rates. Results. It is shown that the numerical MHD simulations retrieve analytically predicted growth rates for all modes, of thermal and slow or fast MHD type. In typical coronal conditions, the latter are damped due to radiative losses, but their interaction can cause slowly changing equilibrium conditions which ultimately trigger thermal mode development. Even in these non-linear wave-wave interaction setups, the growth rate of the thermal instability agrees with the exponential profile predicted by linear theory. The non-linear evolutions show systematic field-guided motions of condensations with fairly complex morphologies, resulting from thermal modes excited through damped slow MHD waves. These results are of direct interest to the study of solar coronal rain and prominence fine structure. Our wave–wave interaction setups are relevant for coronal loop sections which are known to host slow wave modes, and hence provide a new route to explain the sudden onset of coronal condensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supergiant X-ray binaries (SgXB) host a compact object, often a neutron star (NS), orbiting an evolved O/B star. Mass transfer proceeds through the intense line-driven wind of the stellar donor, a fraction of which is captured by the gravitational field of the NS. The subsequent accretion process on to the NS is responsible for the abundant X-ray emission from SgXB. They also display peak-to-peak variability of the X-ray flux by a factor of a few 10-100, along with changes in the hardness ratios possibly due to varying absorption along the line of sight. We use recent radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of inhomogeneities (a.k.a. clumps) in the non-stationary wind of massive hot stars to evaluate their impact on the time-variable accretion process. For this, we run 3D hydrodynamic simulations of the wind in the vicinity of the accretor to investigate the formation of the bow shock and follow the inhomogeneous flow over several spatial orders of magnitude, down to the NS magnetosphere. In particular, we show that the impact of the wind clumps on the time variability of the intrinsic mass accretion rate is severely tempered by the crossing of the shock, compared to the purely ballistic Bondi- Hoyle-Lyttleton estimation.We also account for the variable absorption due to clumps passing by the line of sight and estimate the final effective variability of the column density and mass accretion rate for different orbital separations. Finally, we compare our results to the most recent analysis of the X-ray flux and the hardness ratio in Vela X-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supergiant X-ray binaries (SgXB) host a compact object, often a neutron star (NS), orbiting an evolved O/B star. Mass transfer proceeds through the intense line-driven wind of the stellar donor, a fraction of which is captured by the gravitational field of the NS. The subsequent accretion process on to the NS is responsible for the abundant X-ray emission from SgXB. They also display peak-to-peak variability of the X-ray flux by a factor of a few 10-100, along with changes in the hardness ratios possibly due to varying absorption along the line of sight. We use recent radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of inhomogeneities (a.k.a. clumps) in the non-stationary wind of massive hot stars to evaluate their impact on the time-variable accretion process. For this, we run 3D hydrodynamic simulations of the wind in the vicinity of the accretor to investigate the formation of the bow shock and follow the inhomogeneous flow over several spatial orders of magnitude, down to the NS magnetosphere. In particular, we show that the impact of the wind clumps on the time variability of the intrinsic mass accretion rate is severely tempered by the crossing of the shock, compared to the purely ballistic Bondi- Hoyle-Lyttleton estimation.We also account for the variable absorption due to clumps passing by the line of sight and estimate the final effective variability of the column density and mass accretion rate for different orbital separations. Finally, we compare our results to the most recent analysis of the X-ray flux and the hardness ratio in Vela X-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Twisted magnetic flux ropes (MFRs) in the solar atmosphere have been researched extensively because of their close connection to many solar eruptive phenomena, such as flares, filaments, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). In this work, we performed a set of 3D isothermal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) numerical simulations, which use analytical twisted MFR models and study dynamical processes parametrically inside and around current-carrying twisted loops. We aim to generalize earlier findings by applying finite plasma β conditions. Methods. Inside the MFR, approximate internal equilibrium is obtained by pressure from gas and toroidal magnetic fields to maintain balance with the poloidal magnetic field. We selected parameter values to isolate best either internal or external kink instability before studying complex evolutions with mixed characteristics. We studied kink instabilities and magnetic reconnection in MFRs with low and high twists. Results. The curvature of MFRs is responsible for a tire tube force due to its internal plasma pressure, which tends to expand the MFR. The curvature effect of toroidal field inside the MFR leads to a downward movement toward the photosphere. We obtain an approximate internal equilibrium using the opposing characteristics of these two forces. A typical external kink instability totally dominates the evolution of MFR with infinite twist turns. Because of line-tied conditions and the curvature, the central MFR region loses its external equilibrium and erupts outward. We emphasize the possible role of two different kink instabilities during the MFR evolution: internal and external kink. The external kink is due to the violation of the Kruskal-Shafranov condition, while the internal kink requires a safety factor q = 1 surface inside the MFR. We show that in mixed scenarios, where both instabilities compete, complex evolutions occur owing to reconnections around and within the MFR. The S-shaped structures in current distributions appear naturally without invoking flux emergence. Magnetic reconfigurations common to eruptive MFRs and flare loop systems are found in our simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse particle acceleration in explosive reconnection events in magnetically dominated proton–electron plasmas. Reconnection is driven by large-scale magnetic stresses in interacting current-carrying flux tubes. Our model relies on development of current-driven instabilities on macroscopic scales. These tilt–kink instabilities develop in an initially force-free equilibrium of repelling current channels. Using magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) methods we study a 3D model of repelling and interacting flux tubes in which we simultaneously evolve test particles, guided by electromagnetic fields obtained from MHD. We identify two stages of particle acceleration; initially particles accelerate in the current channels, after which the flux ropes start tilting and kinking and particles accelerate due to reconnection processes in the plasma. The explosive stage of reconnection produces non-thermal energy distributions with slopes that depend on plasma resistivity and the initial particle velocity. We also discuss the influence of the length of the flux ropes on particle acceleration and energy distributions. This study extends previous 2.5D results to 3D setups, providing all ingredients needed to model realistic scenarios like solar flares, black hole flares and particle acceleration in pulsar wind nebulae: formation of strong resistive electric fields, explosive reconnection and non-thermal particle distributions. By assuming initial energy equipartition between electrons and protons, applying low resistivity in accordance with solar corona conditions and limiting the flux rope length to a fraction of a solar radius, we obtain realistic energy distributions for solar flares with non-thermal power-law tails and maximum electron energies up to 11 MeV and maximum proton energies up to 1 GeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic reconnection and non-thermal particle distributions associated with current-driven instabilities are investigated by means of resistive magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations combined with relativistic test particle methods. We propose a system with two parallel, repelling current channels in an initially force-free equilibrium, as a simplified representation of flux ropes in a stellar magnetosphere. The current channels undergo a rotation and separation on Alfvénic time-scales, forming secondary islands and (up to tearing unstable) current sheets in which non-thermal energy distributions are expected to develop. Using the recently developed particle module of our open-source grid-adaptive MPI-AMRVAC software, we simulate MHD evolution combined with test particle treatments in MHD snapshots. We explore under which plasma-β conditions the fastest reconnection occurs in 2.5D scenarios, and in these settings, test particles are evolved. We quantify energy distributions, acceleration mechanisms, relativistic corrections to the particle equations of motion and effects of resistivity in magnetically dominated proton-electron plasmas. Due to large resistive electric fields and indefinite acceleration of particles in the infinitely long current channels, hard energy spectra are found in 2.5D configurations. Solutions to these numerical artefacts are proposed for both 2.5D setups and future 3D work. We discuss the MHD of an additional kink instability in 3D setups and the expected effects on energy distributions. The obtained results hold as a proof-of-principle for test particle approaches in MHD simulations, relevant to explore less idealized scenarios like solar flares and more exotic astrophysical phenomena, like black hole flares, magnetar magnetospheres and pulsar wind nebulae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process feeding the development of a large boundary layer at the interface between the solar wind and the magnetosphere during northward interplanetary magnetic field is still not fully understood, though the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) being the major actor is in good agreement with the observations so far. In this article, we study the different configurations than can occur in the KHI scenario in a three-dimensional Hall-MHD setting, where the double mid-latitude reconnection (DMLR) process exposed by Faganello et al. [Europhys. Lett. 100, 69001 (2012)] is triggered by the equatorial roll-ups. Their previous work is extended here with, in particular, a larger simulation box and the addition of a density contrast. The influence of various parameters on the growth rate of the KHI and thus the efficiency of the DMLR is assessed. In the scope of assessing the effect of the Hall term on the physical processes, the simulations are also performed in the MHD frame. These different configurations may have discernible signatures that can be identified by spacecraft diagnostics; therefore the data that would be recorded by spacecrafts during such an event are simulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate how nightside cooling and surface friction affect surface temperatures and large-scale circulation for tidally locked Earth-like planets. For each scenario, we vary the orbital period between Prot = 1 and 100 d and capture changes in climate states. We find drastic changes in climate states for different surface friction scenarios. For very efficient surface friction (ts,fric = 0.1 d), the simulations for short rotation periods (Prot ≤ 10 d) show predominantly standing extratropical Rossby waves. These waves lead to climate states with two high-latitude westerly jets and unperturbed meridional direct circulation. In most other scenarios, simulations with short rotation periods exhibit instead dominance by standing tropical Rossby waves. Such climate states have a single equatorial westerly jet, which disrupts direct circulation. Experiments with weak surface friction (ts,fric = 10-100 d) show decoupling between surface temperatures and circulation, which leads to strong cooling of the nightside. The experiment with ts,fric = 100 d assumes climate states with easterly flow (retrograde rotation) for medium and slow planetary rotations Prot = 12-100 d. We show that an increase of nightside cooling efficiency by one order of magnitude compared to the nominal model leads to a cooling of the nightside surface temperatures by 80-100 K. The dayside surface temperatures only drop by 25 K at the same time. The increase in thermal forcing suppresses the formation of extratropical Rossby waves on small planets (RP = 1REarth) in the short rotation period regime (Prot ≤ 10 d). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate 3D atmosphere dynamics for tidally locked terrestrial planets with an Earthlike atmosphere and irradiation for different rotation periods (Prot = 1-100 d) and planet sizes (RP = 1-2REarth) with unprecedented fine detail. We could precisely identify three climate state transition regions that are associated with phase transitions in standing tropical and extratropical Rossby waves. We confirm that the climate on fast-rotating planets may assume multiple states (Prot ≤ 12 d for RP = 2REarth). Our study is, however, the first to identify the type of planetary wave associated with different climate states: the first state is dominated by standing tropical Rossby waves with fast equatorial superrotation. The second state is dominated by standing extratropical Rossby waves with high-latitude westerly jets with slower wind speeds. For very fast rotations (Prot ≤5 d for RP =2REarth), we find another climate state transition, where the standing tropical and extratropical Rossby wave can both fit on the planet. Thus, a third state with a mixture of the two planetary waves becomes possible that exhibits three jets. Different climate states may be observable, because the upper atmosphere's hotspot is eastward shifted with respect to the substellar point in the first state, westward shifted in the second state and the third state shows a longitudinal 'smearing' of the spot across the substellar point. We show, furthermore, that the largest fast-rotating planet in our study exhibits atmosphere features known from hot Jupiters like fast equatorial superrotation and a temperature chevron in the upper atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. In light of the recent detection of direct evidence for the formation of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in the Orion nebula, we expand upon previous modelling efforts by numerically simulating the shear-flow driven gas and dust dynamics in locations where the HII region and the molecular cloud interact. We aim to directly confront the simulation results with the infrared observations. Methods. To numerically model the onset and full nonlinear development of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability we take the setup proposed to interpret the observations, and adjust it to a full 3D hydrodynamical simulation that includes the dynamics of gas as well as dust. A dust grain distribution with sizes between 5-250 nm is used, exploiting the gas+dust module of the MPI-AMRVAC code, in which the dust species are represented by several pressureless dust fluids. The evolution of the model is followed well into the nonlinear phase. The output of these simulations is then used as input for the SKIRT dust radiative transfer code to obtain infrared images at several stages of the evolution, which can be compared to the observations. Results. We confirm that a 3D Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is able to develop in the proposed setup, and that the formation of the instability is not inhibited by the addition of dust. Kelvin-Helmholtz billows form at the end of the linear phase, and synthetic observations of the billows show striking similarities to the infrared observations. It is pointed out that the high density dust regions preferentially collect on the flanks of the billows. To get agreement with the observed Kelvin-Helmholtz ripples, the assumed geometry between the background radiation, the billows and the observer is seen to be of critical importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiative equilibrium temperatures are calculated for the troposphere of a tidally locked Super-Earth based on a simple greenhouse model, using Solar system data as a guideline. These temperatures provide in combination with a Newtonian relaxation scheme thermal forcing for a 3D atmosphere model using the dynamical core of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology global circulation model. Our model is of the same conceptional simplicity than the model of Held & Suarez and is thus computationally fast. Furthermore, because of the coherent, general derivation of radiative equilibrium temperatures, our model is easily adaptable for different planets and atmospheric scenarios. As a case study relevant for Super-Earths, we investigate a Gl581g-like planet with Earth-like atmosphere and irradiation and present results for two representative rotation periods of Prot = 10 d and Prot = 36.5 d. Our results provide proof of concept and highlight interesting dynamical features for the rotating regime 3 < Prot < 100 d, which was shown by Edson et al. to be an intermediate regime between equatorial superrotation and divergence. We confirm that the Prot = 10 d case is more dominated by equatorial superrotation dynamics than the Prot = 36.5 d case, which shows diminishing influence of standing Rossby–Kelvin waves and increasing influence of divergence at the top of the atmosphere. We argue that this dynamical regime change relates to the increase in Rossby deformation radius, in agreement with previous studies. However, we also pay attention to other features that are not or only in partial agreement with other studies, like, e.g. the number of circulation cells and their strength, the role and extent of thermal inversion layers, and the details of heat transport. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context. Dust is present in a large variety of astrophysical fluids, ranging from tori around supermassive black holes to molecular clouds, protoplanetary discs, and cometary outflows. In many such fluids, shearing flows are present, which can lead to the formation of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities (KHI) and may change the properties and structures of the fluid through processes such as mixing and clumping of dust. Aims. We study the effects of dust on the KHI by performing numerical hydrodynamical dust+gas simulations. We investigate how the presence of dust changes the growth rates of the KHI in 2D and 3D and how the KHI redistributes and clumps dust. We investigate if similarities can be found between the structures in 3D KHI and those seen in observations of molecular clouds. Methods. We perform numerical multifluid hydrodynamical simulations in addition to the gas a number of dust fluids. Each dust fluid represents a portion of the particle size-distribution. We study how dust-to-gas mass density ratios between 0.01 and 1 alter the growth rate in the linear phase of the KHI. We do this for a wide range of perturbation wavelengths, and compare these values to the analytical gas-only growth rates. As the formation of high-density dust structures is of interest in many astrophysical environments, we scale our simulations with physical quantities that are similar to values in molecular clouds. Results. Large differences in dynamics are seen for different grain sizes. We demonstrate that high dust-to-gas ratios significantly reduce the growth rate of the KHI, especially for short wavelengths. We compare the dynamics in 2D and 3D simulations, where the latter demonstrates additional full 3D instabilities during the non-linear phase, leading to increased dust densities. We compare the structures formed by the KHI in 3D simulations with those in molecular clouds and see how the column density distribution of the simulation shares similarities with log-normal distributions with power-law tails sometimes seen in observations of molecular clouds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relativistic hydro and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) provide a continuum fluid description for plasma dynamics characterized by shock-dominated flows approaching the speed of light. Significant progress in its numerical modelling emerged in the last two decades; we highlight selected examples of modern grid-adaptive, massively parallel simulations realized by our open-source software MPI-AMRVAC (Keppens et al 2012 J. Comput. Phys.231 718). Hydrodynamical models quantify how energy transfer from active galactic nuclei (AGN) jets to their surrounding interstellar/intergalactic medium (ISM/IGM) gets mediated through shocks and various fluid instability mechanisms (Monceau-Baroux et al 2012 Astron. Astrophys.545 A62). With jet parameters representative for Fanaroff–Riley type-II jets with finite opening angles, we can quantify the ISM volumes affected by jet injection and distinguish the roles of mixing versus shock-heating in cocoon regions. This provides insight in energy feedback by AGN jets, usually incorporated parametrically in cosmological evolution scenarios. We discuss recent axisymmetric studies up to full 3D simulations for precessing relativistic jets, where synthetic radio maps can confront observations. While relativistic hydrodynamic models allow one to better constrain dynamical parameters like the Lorentz factor and density contrast between jets and their surroundings, the role of magnetic fields in AGN jet dynamics and propagation characteristics needs full relativistic MHD treatments. Then, we can demonstrate the collimating properties of an overal helical magnetic field backbone and study differences between poloidal versus toroidal field dominated scenarios (Keppens et al 2008 Astron. Astrophys.486 663). Full 3D simulations allow one to consider the fate of non-axisymmetric perturbations on relativistic jet propagation from rotating magnetospheres (Porth 2013 Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.429 2482). Self-stabilization mechanisms related to the detailed magnetic pitch variations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we address the long-term evolution of an idealised double current system entering reconnection regimes where chaotic behavior plays a prominent role. Our aim is to quantify the energetics in high magnetic Reynolds number evolutions, enriched by secondary tearing events, multiple magnetic island coalescence, and compressive versus resistive heating scenarios. Our study will pay particular attention to the required numerical resolutions achievable by modern (grid-adaptive) computations, and comment on the challenge associated with resolving chaotic island formation and interaction. We will use shock-capturing, conservative, grid-adaptive simulations for investigating trends dominated by both physical (resistivity) and numerical (resolution) parameters, and confront them with (visco-)resistive magnetohydrodynamic simulations performed with very different, but equally widely used discretization schemes. This will allow us to comment on the obtained evolutions in a manner irrespective of the adopted discretization strategy. Our findings demonstrate that all schemes used (finite volume based shock-capturing, high order finite differences, and particle in cell-like methods) qualitatively agree on the various evolutionary stages, and that resistivity values of order 0.001 already can lead to chaotic island appearance. However, none of the methods exploited demonstrates convergence in the strong sense in these chaotic regimes. At the same time, nonperturbed tests for showing convergence over long time scales in ideal to resistive regimes are provided as well, where all methods are shown to agree. Both the advantages and disadvantages of specific discretizations as applied to this challenging problem are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Massive stars shape their surrounding medium through the force of their stellar winds, which collide with the circumstellar medium. Because the characteristics of these stellar winds vary over the course of the evolution of the star, the circumstellar matter becomes a reflection of the stellar evolution and can be used to determine the characteristics of the progenitor star. In particular, whenever a fast wind phase follows a slow wind phase, the fast wind sweeps up its predecessor in a shell, which is observed as a circumstellar nebula. Aims. We make 2D and 3D numerical simulations of fast stellar winds sweeping up their slow predecessors to investigate whether numerical models of these shells have to be 3D, or whether 2D models are sufficient to reproduce the shells correctly. Methods. We use the MPI-AMRVAC code, using hydrodynamics with optically thin radiative losses included, to make numerical models of circumstellar shells around massive stars in 2D and 3D and compare the results. We focus on those situations where a fast Wolf-Rayet star wind sweeps up the slower wind emitted by its predecessor, being either a red supergiant or a luminous blue variable. Results. As the fast Wolf-Rayet wind expands, it creates a dense shell of swept up material that expands outward, driven by the high pressure of the shocked Wolf-Rayet wind. These shells are subject to a fair variety of hydrodynamic-radiative instabilities. If the Wolf-Rayet wind is expanding into the wind of a luminous blue variable phase, the instabilities will tend to form a fairly small-scale, regular filamentary lattice with thin filaments connecting knotty features. If the Wolf-Rayet wind is sweeping up a red supergiant wind, the instabilities will form larger interconnected structures with less regularity. The numerical resolution must be high enough to resolve the compressed, swept-up shell and the evolving instabilities, which otherwise may not even form. Conclusions. Our results show that 3D models, when translated to observed morphologies, give realistic results that can be compared directly to observations. The 3D structure of the nebula will help to distinguish different progenitor scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. In the context of planet formation, anticyclonic vortices have recently received much attention for the role they can play in planetesimal formation. Radial migration of intermediate-size solids towards the central star may prevent them from growing to larger solid grains. On the other hand, vortices can trap the dust and accelerate this growth, counteracting fast radial transport. Several effects have been shown to affect this scenario, such as vortex migration or decay. Aims. We aim to study the formation of vortices by the Rossby wave instability and their long-term evolution in a full three- dimensional (3D) protoplanetary disc. Methods. We seed a robust numerical scheme combined with adaptive mesh refinement in cylindrical coordinates, which allowed us to affordably compute long-term 3D evolutions. We considered a full disc radially and vertically stratified, in which vortices can be formed by the Rossby wave instability. Results. We show that the 3D Rossby vortices grow and survive over hundreds of years without migration. The localised overdensity that initiated the instability and vortex formation survives the growth of the Rossby wave instability for very long times. When the vortices are no longer sustained by the Rossby wave instability, their shape changes towards more elliptical vortices. This allows them to survive shear-driven destruction, but they may be prone to elliptical instability and slow decay. Conclusions. When the conditions for growing Rossby-wave-related instabilities are maintained in the disc, large-scale vortices can survive over very long timescales and may be able to concentrate solids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Filament longitudinal oscillations have been observed in Ha observations of the solar disk. Aims. We intend to find an example of the longitudinal oscillations of a prominence, where the magnetic dip can be seen directly, and examine the restoring force of this type of oscillations. Methods. We carry out a multiwavelength data analysis of the active region prominence oscillations above the western limb on 2007 February 8. In addition, we perform a one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation of the longitudinal oscillations. Results. Our analysis of high-resolution observations performed by Hinode/SOT indicate that the prominence, seen as a concave-inward shape in lower-resolution extreme ultraviolet (EUV) images, consists of many concave-outward threads, which is indicative of magnetic dips. After being injected into the dip region, a bulk of prominence material started to oscillate for more than 3.5 h, with the period of 52 min. The oscillation decayed with time, on the decay timescale 133 min. Our hydrodynamic simulation can reproduce the oscillation period, but the damping timescale in the simulation is 1.5 times as long as the observations. Conclusions. The results clearly show the prominence longitudinal oscillations around the dip of the prominence and our study suggests that the restoring force of the longitudinal oscillations might be the gravity. Radiation and heat conduction are insufficient to explain the decay of the oscillations. Other mechanisms, such as wave leakage and mass accretion, have to be considered. The possible relation between the longitudinal oscillations and the later eruption of a prominence thread, as well as a coronal mass ejection (CME), is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BSTRACT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate under which parameter regimes the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Rankine–Hugoniot conditions, which describe discontinuous solutions to the MHD equations, allow for slow, intermediate and fast shocks. We derive limiting values for the upstream and downstream shock parameters for which shocks of a given shock-type can occur. We revisit this classical topic in nonlinear MHD dynamics, augmenting the recent time reversal duality finding by in the usual shock frame parametrization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The conventional derivation of the gamma-ray burst afterglow jet break time uses only the blast wave fluid Lorentz factor and therefore leads to an achromatic break. We show that in general gamma-ray burst afterglow jet breaks are chromatic across the self-absorption break. Depending on circumstances, the radio jet break may be postponed significantly. Using high-accuracy adaptive mesh fluid simulations in one dimension, coupled to a detailed synchrotron radiation code, we demonstrate that this is true even for the standard fireball model and hard-edged jets. We confirm these effects with a simulation in two dimensions. The frequency dependence of the jet break is a result of the angle dependence of the emission, the changing optical depth in the self-absorbed regime and the shape of the synchrotron spectrum in general. In the optically thin case the conventional analysis systematically overestimates the jet break time, leading to inferred opening angles that are underestimated by a factor of ∼1.3 and explosion energies that are underestimated by a factor of ∼1.7, for explosions in a homogeneous environment. The methods presented in this paper can be applied to adaptive mesh simulations of arbitrary relativistic fluid flows. All analysis presented here makes the usual assumption of an on-axis observer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We simulate time-dependent particle acceleration in the blast wave of a young supernova remnant (SNR), using a Monte Carlo approach for the diffusion and acceleration of the particles, coupled to a magnetohydrodynamics code. We calculate the distribution function of the cosmic rays concurrently with the hydrodynamic evolution of the SNR, and compare the results with those obtained using simple steady-state models. The surrounding medium into which the SNR evolves turns out to be of great influence on the maximum energy to which particles are accelerated. In particular, a shock going through a density profile causes acceleration to typically much higher energies than a shock going through a medium with a homogeneous density profile. We find systematic differences between steady-state analytical models and our time-dependent calculation in terms of spectral slope, maximum energy and the shape of the cut-off of the particle spectrum at the highest energies. We also find that, provided that the magnetic field at the reverse shock is sufficiently strong to confine particles, cosmic rays can be easily re-accelerated at the reverse shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study of the intermediate regime between ultrarelativistic and non-relativistic flow for gamma-ray burst afterglows. The hydrodynamics of spherically symmetric blast waves is numerically calculated using theamrvac adaptive mesh refinement code. Spectra and light curves are calculated using a separate radiation code that, for the first time, links a parametrization of the microphysics of shock acceleration, synchrotron self-absorption and electron cooling to a high-performance hydrodynamic simulation. For the dynamics, we find that the transition to the non-relativistic regime generally occurs later than expected, the Sedov–Taylor solution overpredicts the late-time blast wave radius and the analytical formula for the blast wave velocity from Huang, Dai & Lu overpredicts the late-time velocity by a factor of 4/3. Also, we find that the lab frame density directly behind the shock front divided by the fluid Lorentz factor squared remains very close to four times the unshocked density, while the effective adiabatic index of the shock changes from relativistic to non-relativistic. For the radiation, we find that the flux may differ up to an order of magnitude depending on the equation of state that is used for the fluid and that the counterjet leads to a clear rebrightening at late times for hard-edged jets. Simulating GRB 030329 using predictions for its physical parameters from the literature leads to spectra and light curves that may differ significantly from the actual data, emphasizing the need for very accurate modelling. Predicted light curves at low radio frequencies for a hard-edged jet model of GRB 030329 with opening angle 22° show typically two distinct peaks, due to the combined effect of jet break, non-relativistic break and counterjet. Spatially resolved afterglow images show a ring-like structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the classical problem of planar shock refraction at an oblique density discontinuity, separating two gases at rest. When the shock impinges on the density discontinuity, it refracts, and in the hydrodynamical case three signals arise. Regular refraction means that these signals meet at a single point, called the triple point. After reflection from the top wall, the contact discontinuity becomes unstable due to local Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, causing the contact surface to roll up and develop the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI). We present an exact Riemann-solver-based solution strategy to describe the initial self-similar refraction phase, by which we can quantify the vorticity deposited on the contact interface. We investigate the effect of a perpendicular magnetic field and quantify how its addition increases the deposition of vorticity on the contact interface slightly under constant Atwood number. We predict wave-pattern transitions, in agreement with experiments, von Neumann shock refraction theory and numerical simulations performed with the grid-adaptive code AMRVAC. These simulations also describe the later phase of the RMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]