Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userThe Infrared Properties of Super Star Clusters: Predictions from Three-Dimensional Radiative Transfer Models
126
0
0.0
(
0
)
Authors
David G. Whelan
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
With high-resolution infrared data becoming available that can probe the formation of high-mass stellar clusters for the first time, models that make testable predictions of these objects are necessary. We utilize a three-dimensional radiative transfer code, including a hierarchically clumped medium, to study the earliest stages of super star cluster evolution. We explore a range of parameter space in geometric sequences that mimic the evolution of an embedded super star cluster. The inclusion of a hierarchically clumped medium can make the envelope porous, in accordance with previous models and supporting observational evidence. The infrared luminosity inferred from observations can differ by a factor of two from the true value in the clumpiest envelopes depending on the viewing angle. The infrared spectral energy distribution also varies with viewing angle for clumpy envelopes, creating a range in possible observable infrared colors and magnitudes, silicate feature depths and dust continua. General observable features of cluster evolution differ between envelopes that are relatively opaque or transparent to mid-infrared photons. The [70]-[160] color can be used to determine star formation efficiency; the Spitzer IRAC/MIPS [8.0]-[24] color is able to constrain Rin and Rout values; and the IRAC [3.6]-[5.8] color is sensitive to the fraction of the dust distributed in clumps. Finally, in a comparison of these models to data of ultracompact HII regions, we find good agreement, suggesting that these models are physically relevant, and will provide useful diagnostic ability for datasets of resolved, embedded SSCs with the advent of high-resolution infrared telescopes like JWST.
rate research
Read More
Tori of Active Galactic Nuclei are made up of a mixture of hot and cold gas, as well as dust. In order to protect the dust grains from destruction by the hot gas as well as by the energetic radiation of the accretion disk, the dust is often assumed to be distributed in clouds. In our new 3D model of AGN dust tori, the torus is modelled as a wedge-shaped disk in which dusty clouds are randomly distributed, by taking the dust density distribution of the corresponding continuous model into account. We especially concentrate on the differences between clumpy and continuous models in terms of the temperature distributions, the surface brightness distributions and interferometric visibilities, as well as spectral energy distributions. To this end, we employ radiative transfer calculations with the help of the 3D Monte Carlo code MC3D. In a second step, interferometric visibilities are calculated from the simulated surface brightness distributions, which can be directly compared to observations with the MIDI instrument. The radial temperature distributions of clumpy models possess significantly enhanced scatter compared to the continuous cases. Even at large distances, clouds can be heated directly by the central accretion disk. The existence of the silicate 10 micron-feature in absorption or in emission depends sensitively on the distribution, the size and optical depth of clouds in the innermost part of the torus, due to shadowing effects of clouds there. This explains failure and success of previous modelling efforts of clumpy tori. After adapting the parameters of our clumpy standard model to the circumstances of the Seyfert 2 Circinus galaxy, it can qualitatively explain recent mid-infrared interferometric observations performed with MIDI, as well as high resolution spectral data.
Context. Magnetic fields are important to the dynamics of many astrophysical processes and can typically be studied through polarization observations. Polarimetric interferometry capabilities of modern (sub)millimeter telescope facilities have made it possible to obtain detailed velocity resolved maps of molecular line polarization. To properly analyze these for the information they carry regarding the magnetic field, the development of adaptive three-dimensional polarized line radiative transfer models is necessary. Aims. We aim to develop an easy-to-use program to simulate the polarization maps of molecular and atomic (sub)millimeter lines in magnetized astrophysical regions, such as protostellar disks, circumstellar envelopes, or molecular clouds. Methods. By considering the local anisotropy of the radiation field as the only alignment mechanism, we can model the alignment of molecular or atomic species inside a regular line radiative transfer simulation by only making use of the converged output of this simulation. Calculations of the aligned molecular or atomic states can subsequently be used to ray trace the polarized maps of the three-dimensional simulation. Results. We present a three-dimensional radiative transfer code, POlarized Radiative Transfer Adapted to Lines (PORTAL), that can simulate the emergence of polarization in line emission through a magnetic field of arbitrary morphology. Our model can be used in stand-alone mode, assuming LTE excitation, but it is best used when processing the output of regular three-dimensional (nonpolarized) line radiative transfer modeling codes. We present the spectral polarization map of test cases of a collapsing sphere and protoplanetary disk for multiple three-dimensional magnetic field morphologies.
We present recent results from an adaptive optics imaging survey of 40 Luminous IR Galaxies (LIRGs) searching for obscured core collapse supernovae and studying the galaxies themselves. Here, in particular, we discuss the Super Star Clusters (SSC) populations in the LIRGs. We have constructed the first statistically significant samples of Luminosity Functions (LF) of SSCs in the near-IR, and find evidence that the LF slopes in LIRGs are shallower than in more quiescent spiral galaxies. Distance and blending effects were investigated in detail paving the way for SSC studies further out than done previously. We have also correlated the luminosities of the brightest clusters with the star formation rates (SFR) of the hosts. The relation is similar, though somewhat steeper than that found in the optical and at lower SFR levels, suggesting systematic extinction and/or age effects. We find that the characteristics of the relation suggest an underlying physical driver rather than solely a size-of-sample effect. In particular, a truncated luminosity/mass function would naturally explain the small scatter we find. Finally, we are modelling the ages and masses of our near-IR detected clusters in conjunction with HST optical data and present early results of using SSC properties to trace the histories of the target LIRG systems.
Using the hydrodynamic code ZEUS, we perform 2D simulations to determine the fate of the gas ejected by massive stars within super star clusters. It turns out that the outcome depends mainly on the mass and radius of the cluster. In the case of less massive clusters, a hot high velocity ($sim 1000$ km s$^{-1}$) stationary wind develops and the metals injected by supernovae are dispersed to large distances from the cluster. On the other hand, the density of the thermalized ejecta within massive and compact clusters is sufficiently large as to immediately provoke the onset of thermal instabilities. These deplete, particularly in the central densest regions, the pressure and the pressure gradient required to establish a stationary wind, and instead the thermally unstable parcels of gas are rapidly compressed, by a plethora of re-pressurizing shocks, into compact high density condensations. Most of these are unable to leave the cluster volume and thus accumulate to eventually feed further generations of star formation. The simulations cover an important fraction of the parameter-space, which allows us to estimate the fraction of the reinserted gas which accumulates within the cluster and the fraction that leaves the cluster as a function of the cluster mechanical luminosity, the cluster size and heating efficiency.
We discuss the development of the new radiative transfer code Wind3D. It solves the non-LTE radiative transport problem in moving stellar atmosphere models in three geometric dimensions. The code accepts arbitrary 3D velocity fields in Cartesian geometry without assumptions of axial symmetry. Wind3D is currently implemented as a fully parallelized (exact) accelerated lambda iteration scheme with a two level atom formulation. The numerical transfer scheme is efficient and very accurate to trace small variations of local velocity gradients on line opacity in strongly scattering dominated extended stellar winds. We investigate the detailed formation of P Cygni line profiles observed in ultraviolet spectra of massive stars. We compute the detailed shape of these resonance lines to model local enhancements of line opacity that can for instance be caused by clumping in supersonically expanding winds. Wind3D will be applied to hydrodynamic models to investigate physical properties of discrete absorption line components.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
