Probing Relativistic Outflows: The Case of PSR J07370 A & B and the Structure of Relativistic Shocks

AST-0507813 Arons这项研究解决了关于宇宙中非热能起源的基本问题。 旋转动力中子星是周围最迷人和最奇怪的紧凑物体之一，涉及旋转的中子星，其表面磁场比地球强一万亿倍。 在标准模型中，磁场的旋转会产生巨大的电压，导致相对论加速的粒子束从恒星表面被提取出来，并沿着极磁场流动，发射出伽马射线，这些射线转化为电子和正电子。 最近发现的双脉冲星双星系统提供了一个机会来探测这种相对论性外流前所未有地接近源，使用日食和发射形成的冲击加热等离子体时，从快速脉冲星的相对论性风碰撞慢脉冲星的磁层。 同样的物理原理也适用于射电星系喷流末端的可见热点，以及伽马射线爆发源中的冲击波和余辉。 该项目将使用三维相对论磁流体动力学模拟的流动，三维粒子在细胞模拟的相对论冲击，和分析建模，以了解和推断的模拟结果研究这一物理。结果将适用于天体物理学的其他领域，并将开辟新的方向等离子体物理学，以及在学生和初级研究人员的继续培训中将研究和教育结合起来。 以前的小组成员已经进入了学术和永久研究职位，先进的加速器研究，生物信息学的职业生涯，以及金融行业。

AST-0507813AronsThis research addresses fundamental questions about the origin of non-thermal energy in the Universe. Rotation powered pulsars are among the most fascinating and bizarre compact objects around, involving rotating neutron stars with surface magnetic fields a trillion times stronger than that of the Earth. In the standard model, the rotation of the magnetic field generates huge voltages that cause a relativistically accelerated particle beam to be extracted from the stellar surface and flow along the polar magnetic field, emitting gamma rays that convert to electrons and positrons. The recently discovered double pulsar binary system offers the opportunity to probe this relativistic outflow unprecedentedly close to the source, using the eclipses and emission formed by the shock-heated plasma created when the relativistic wind from the fast pulsar collides with the magnetosphere of the slow pulsar. This same physics applies to the visible hot spots at the end of the jets from radio galaxies, and to the shock waves and afterglows in gamma ray burst sources. This project will study this physics using 3D relativistic magneto-hydrodynamic simulations of the flows, 3D particle-in-cell simulations of the relativistic shocks, and analytical modeling to understand and extrapolate the results of the simulations.The results will apply to other areas of astrophysics and will open new directions in plasma physics, as well as integrating research and education in the continuing training of students and junior researchers. Previous group members have gone on to academic and permanent research positions, to advanced accelerator research, to careers in bioinformatics, and to the financial industry.