Generation of magnetic fields by the stationary accretion shock instability

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

57 Scopus citations

Abstract

We begin an exploration of the capacity of the stationary accretion shock instability (SASI) to generate magnetic fields by adding a weak, stationary, and radial (but bipolar) magnetic field, and in some cases rotation, to an initially spherically symmetric fluid configuration that models a stalled shock in the post-bounce supernova environment. In axisymmetric simulations, we find that cycles of latitudinal flows into and radial flows out of the polar regions amplify the field parallel to the symmetry axis, typically increasing the total magnetic energy by about 2 orders of magnitude. Non-axisymmetric calculations result in fundamentally different flows and a larger magnetic energy increase: shearing associated with the SASI spiral mode contributes to a widespread and turbulent field amplification mechanism, boosting the magnetic energy by almost 4 orders of magnitude (a result which remains very sensitive to the spatial resolution of the numerical simulations). While the SASI may contribute to neutron star magnetization, these simulations do not show qualitatively new features in the global evolution of the shock as a result of SASI-induced magnetic field amplification.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1219-1243
Number of pages25
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume713
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010

Keywords

  • Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)
  • Methods: numerical
  • Stars: magnetic field
  • Supernovae: general

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Generation of magnetic fields by the stationary accretion shock instability'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this