Radiative transfer

About: Radiative transfer is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 43287 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1176539 citations.

A Simple Model of Spectral-Line Profiles from Contracting Clouds

Abstract: A simple analytic model of radiative transfer in two parts of a contracting cloud matches a wide range of line profiles in candidate infall regions and provides a sensitive estimate of Vin, the characteristic inward speed of the gas forming the line. The model assumes two uniform regions of equal temperature and velocity dispersion σ, whose density and velocity are attenuation-weighted means over the front and rear halves of a centrally condensed, contracting cloud. The model predicts two-peak profiles for "slow" infall, Vin σ, and red-shoulder profiles for "fast" infall, Vin ~ σ. A simple formula expresses Vin solely in terms of σ and of observable parameters of a two-peak line. We apply the model to fit profiles of high and low optical depth lines observed in a dense core with no star (L1544, Vin = 0.006 km s-1), with an isolated protostar (L1527, 0.025 km s-1), and with a small group of stars (L1251B, 0.35 km s-1). The mass infall rate obtained from Vin and the map size varies from (2-40) × 10-6 M☉ yr-1 and agrees within a factor ~2 in each core with the independently determined rate ~σ3 G-1 for a gravitationally collapsing isothermal sphere. This agreement suggests that the inward motions derived from the line profiles are gravitational in origin.

Multiple scattering calculations for technology.

Abstract: A many-flux (discrete ordinate) radiative transfer calculation procedure is described with the goal of making the mathematics easy to learn and use. The major approximation is the neglect of polarization. Emission within the scattering medium is not included, and the formulas are restricted to a scattering medium bounded by parallel planes. The boundary conditions allow for a variety of kinds of illumination, and the surface reflection coefficients at the boundaries of the scattering medium are accurately determined. A comparison is made with the two-flux (Kubelka-Munk) and four-flux calculation methods, and this leads to empirical expressions for the scattering and absorption coefficients in these simple theories, which make them give nearly the same results as exact theories. These empirical expressions provide a very simple method for estimating the absolute reflectance and transmittance of turbid media and greatly increase the utility of the two-flux and four-flux calculation methods. The two-flux equations give excellent results provided the absorption is small compared to scattering and the optical thickness is greater than 5. A comparison with experimental data taken with collimated illumination shows that the four-flux equations give good results at any optical thickness even if the absorption is strong.

Extension of the Low Soft-Photon Theorem

Abstract: The Low theorem is applied to the radiative cross section for unpolarized particles. It is shown that the first two terms of an expansion in the photon energy depend on the unpolarized, nonradiative cross section only.

Numerical simulations of super-critical black hole accretion flows in general relativity

Abstract: A new general relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamical code KORAL, is described, which employs the M1 scheme to close the radiation moment equations. The code has been successfully verified against a number of tests. Axisymmetric simulations of super-critical magnetized accretion on a non-rotating black hole (a=0.0) and a spinning black hole (a=0.9) are presented. The accretion rates in the two models are \dot M = 100-200 \dot M_Edd. These first general relativistic simulations of super-critical black hole accretion are potentially relevant to tidal disruption events and hyper-accreting supermassive black holes in the early universe. Both simulated models are optically and geometrically thick, and have funnels through which energy escapes in the form of relativistic gas, Poynting flux and radiative flux. The jet is significantly more powerful in the a=0.9 run. The net energy outflow rate in the two runs correspond to efficiencies of 5% (a=0) and 33% (a=0.9), as measured with respect to the mass accretion rate at the black hole. These efficiencies agree well with those measured in previous simulations of non-radiative geometrically thick disks. Furthermore, in the a=0.9 run, the outflow power appears to originate in the spinning black hole, suggesting that the associated physics is again similar in non-radiative and super-critical accretion flows. While the two simulations are efficient in terms of total energy outflow, both runs are radiatively inefficient. Their luminosities are only \sim 1-10 L_Edd, which corresponds to a radiative efficiency \sim 0.1%. Interestingly, most of the radiative luminosity emerges through the funnels, which subtend a very small solid angle. Therefore, measured in terms of a local radiative flux, the emitted radiation is highly super-Eddington.

Diffusivity of ultrasound in polycrystals

Abstract: T he diffusivity of ultrasound in an untextured aggregate of cubic crystallites is studied theoretically with a view towards nondestructive characterization of microstructures. Multiple scattering formalisms for the mean Green's dyadic and for the covariance of the Green's dyadic (and therefore for the energy density) based upon the method of smoothing are presented. The first-order smoothing approximation used is accurate to leading order in the anisotropy of the constituent crystallites. A further, Born, approximation is invoked which limits the validity of the calculation to frequencies below the geometrical optics regime. Known result for the mean field attenuations are recovered. The covariance is found to obey an equation of radiative transfer for which a diffusion limit is taken. The resulting diffusivity is found to vary inversely with the fourth power of frequency in the Rayleigh, long wavelength, regime and inversely with the logarithm of frequency on the short wavelength, stochastic, asymptote. The results are found to fit the experimental data.