Refining a relativistic, hydrodynamic solver: admitting ultra-relativistic flows

DOI10.1016/J.JCP.2009.05.012zbMATH Open1261.85001arXivastro-ph/0606012OpenAlexW2152045344MaRDI QIDQ843479FDOQ843479

Authors: J. P. Bernstein, P. A. Hughes 

Publication date: 12 October 2009

Published in: Journal of Computational Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: We have undertaken the simulation of hydrodynamic flows with bulk Lorentz factors in the range 10^2--10^6. We discuss the application of an existing relativistic, hydrodynamic primitive-variable recovery algorithm to a study of pulsar winds, and, in particular, the refinement made to admit such ultra-relativistic flows. We show that an iterative quartic root finder breaks down for Lorentz factors above 10^2 and employ an analytic root finder as a solution. We find that the former, which is known to be robust for Lorentz factors up to at least 50, offers a 24% speed advantage. We demonstrate the existence of a simple diagnostic allowing for a hybrid primitives recovery algorithm that includes an automatic, real-time toggle between the iterative and analytical methods. We further determine the accuracy of the iterative and hybrid algorithms for a comprehensive selection of input parameters and demonstrate the latter's capability to elucidate the internal structure of ultra-relativistic plasmas. In particular, we discuss simulations showing that the interaction of a light, ultra-relativistic pulsar wind with a slow, dense ambient medium can give rise to asymmetry reminiscent of the Guitar nebula leading to the formation of a relativistic backflow harboring a series of internal shockwaves. The shockwaves provide thermalized energy that is available for the continued inflation of the PWN bubble. In turn, the bubble enhances the asymmetry, thereby providing positive feedback to the backflow.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0606012

Recommendations

• Primitive variable recovering in special relativistic hydrodynamics allowing ultra-relativistic flows
• New algorithms for ultra-relativistic numerical hydrodynamics
• Extension of the piecewise parabolic method to one-dimensional relativistic hydrodynamics
• Riemann solver for relativistic hydrodynamics
• Numerical hydrodynamics in special relativity

zbMATH Keywords

numerical methodshydrodynamicspulsarsrelativity: special

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Galactic and stellar structure (85A15) Foundations, constitutive equations, rheology, hydrodynamical models of non-fluid phenomena (76A99)

Cites Work

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• An efficient shock-capturing central-type scheme for multidimensional relativistic flows
• An efficient shock-capturing central-type scheme for multidimensional relativistic flows
• Numerical hydrodynamics in special relativity
• New algorithms for ultra-relativistic numerical hydrodynamics
• The special relativistic shock tube
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Cited In (8)

• Extension of the piecewise parabolic method to one-dimensional relativistic hydrodynamics
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• High-order fully general-relativistic hydrodynamics: new approaches and tests
• An improved exact Riemann solver for multi-dimensional relativistic flows
• Special-relativistic Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics: a benchmark suite
• Assessment of a high-resolution central scheme for the solution of the relativistic hydrodynamics equations
• Primitive variable recovering in special relativistic hydrodynamics allowing ultra-relativistic flows
• Riemann solver for relativistic hydrodynamics

Uses Software

• HARM
• FLASH

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