Astrophysical flows have an enormous dynamic range of relevant length scales. The physics occurring on the smallest scales often influences the physics of the largest scales, and vice versa. I present a detailed study of the multiscale and multidimensional behavior of three high-energy astrophysical flows: jet-driven supernovae, massive black hole accretion, and current-driven instabilities in gamma-ray burst external shocks. Both theory and observations of core-collapse supernovae indicate these events are not spherically-symmetric; however, the observations are often modeled assuming a spherically-symmetric explosion. I present an in-depth exploration of the effects of aspherical explosions on the observational characteristics of supernovae. This is accomplished in large part by high-resolution, multidimensional numerical simulations of jet-driven supernovae. The existence of supermassive black holes in the centers of most large galaxies is a well-established fact in observational astronomy. How such black holes came to be so massive, however, is not well established. In this work, I discuss the implications of radiative feedback and multidimensional behavior on black hole accretion. I show that the accretion rate is drastically reduced relative to the Eddington rate, making it unlikely that stellar mass black holes could grow to supermassive black holes in less than a Hubble time. Finally, I discuss a mechanism by which magnetic field strength could be enhanced behind a gamma-ray burst external shock. This mechanism relies on a current-driven instability that would cause reorganization of the pre-shock plasma into clumps. Once shocked, these clumps generate vorticity in the post-shock plasma and ultimately enhance the magnetic energy via a relativistic dynamo process. / text

published_or_final_version / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

No description available.

This thesis discusses the results from the first multi-source and multi-streamer three-dimensional multichannel seismic experiment conducted over a mid-ocean ridge environment. Prestack time migration was applied to the dataset resulting in the most detailed reflection images of a spreading center and its flanks to date. The key products from this work are maps of crustal velocities, crustal thickness, and Moho transition zone (MTZ) reflection character for a section of the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise (EPR) from 9°37.5’N to 9°57’N, excluding the area from 9°40’N to 9°42’N where no data were collected. Moho reflections were imaged within ~92% of the study area. The derived average crustal thickness and average crustal velocity for the investigated ~880 km2 area are 5920±320 m and 6320±290 m/s, respectively. The average crustal thickness varies little from Pacific to Cocos plate suggesting mostly uniform crustal production in the last ~180 Ka. Detailed analysis of the crustal thickness and MTZ reflection character shows that the third-order segmentation is governed by melt extraction processes within the uppermost mantle while the fourth-order ridge segmentation arises from mid- to upper-crustal processes. This analysis also suggests that both the mechanism of lower-crustal accretion and the volume of melt delivered to the crust vary along the investigated section of the EPR. More efficient mantle melt extraction is inferred at latitudes from 9°42’N to 9°51.5’N, with greater proportion of the lower crust accreted from the AML than for the rest of the study area. Larger volume of melt is delivered to the crust from 9°37.5’N to 9°40’N than to the investigated crust further north. At some locations, the Moho reflections are for the first time unambiguously imaged below the AML away from any ridge discontinuity suggesting that the Moho is formed at zero age at least at some sections of the spreading centers. The first study of the melt content of mid-crustal off-axis magma lenses (OAML), done using amplitude variation with offset technique calibrated for a magmatic plumbing system, shows that these magma bodies contain 0 to 20% melt. This suggests that OAMLs likely contribute little to the overall crustal formation.

In the widely accepted core accretion model of planet formation, small rocky and/or icy bodies (planetesimals) accrete to form protoplanetary cores. Gas giant planets are believed to have solid cores that must reach a critical mass, ∼10 Earth masses (ME), after which there is rapid inflow of gas from the gas disk. In order to accrete the gas giants’ massive atmospheres, this step must occur within the gas disk’s lifetime (1 − 10 million years). Numerical simulations of solid body accretion in the outer Solar System are performed using two integrators. The goal of these simulations is to investigate the effects of important dynamical processes instead of specifically recreating the formation of the Solar System’s giant planets. The first integrator uses the Symplectic Massive Body Algorithm (SyMBA) with a modification to allow for planetesimal fragmentation. Due to computational constraints, this code has some physical limitations, specifically that the planetesimals themselves cannot grow, so protoplanets must be seeded in the simulations. The second integrator, the Lagrangian Integrator for Planetary Accretion and Dynamics (LIPAD), is more computationally expensive. However, its treatment of planetesimals allows for growth of potential giant planetary cores from a disk consisting only of planetesimals. Thus, this thesis’ preliminary simulations use the first integrator to explore a wider range of parameters while the main simulations use LIPAD to further investigate some specific processes. These simulations are the first use of LIPAD to study giant planet formation and they identify a few important dynamical processes affecting core formation. Without any fragmentation, cores tend to grow to ∼2ME. When planetesimal fragmentation is included, the resulting fragments are easier to accrete and larger cores are formed (∼4ME). But, in half of the runs, the fragments force the entire system to migrate towards the Sun. In other half, outward migration via scattering off a large number of planetesimal helps the protoplanets grow and survive. However, in a preliminary set of simulations including protoplanetary fragmentation, very few collisions are found to result in accretion so it is difficult for any cores to form. / Thesis (Master, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2012-08-20 14:48:39.443

No description available.

Understanding Earth’s accretion and primary differentiation is a long-standing goal of geology. The segregation of FeNi metal from molten silicate to form Earth’s core is expected to deplete and fractionate the highly siderophile elements (HSEs). Estimates of the primitive upper mantle (PUM) composition however, reveal only modest HSE depletions and chondritic element ratios. Past experiments to determine if the mantle composition is set by high-temperature metal-silicate equilibrium have involved measuring the solubility of HSEs in silicate melt at conditions more reducing than the iron-wustite (IW) buffer. Accurate determination of solubilities at such conditions has been hindered by the formation of dispersed metal inclusions; this work describes methods to circumvent the problem. Results of three separate studies are presented which document the solubility of Re, Pt and Au in molten silicate which is demonstrably nugget-free. Data obtained from experiments done at 0.1 MPa–2 GPa, 1573–2573 K and ~ IW -1.5 to +3 reveal: 1) Re, Pt and Au solubility increases with increasing temperature, 2) Re solubility increases with increasing oxygen fugacity (fO2), consistent with dissolution as oxide species, 3) Below ~ IW +3, Pt and Au solubility increases with decreasing fO2, consistent with dissolution as neutral or silicide species, and 4) that Au is amongst the most soluble HSE in molten silicate, with values increasing with temperature, but insensitive to changes in P, fO2 and melt composition, making it well suited as a geothermometer for core formation. Partition coefficients calculated from these and previous solubility measurements indicate that metal-silicate equilibrium is unable to reproduce the Re/Os and Pt/Os ratios required by PUM Os isotope systematics if simultaneously accounting for the observed absolute element abundances. Instead, results support late accretion of material following core formation, elevating element abundances and endowing chondritic inter-element ratios. Experimental results are incorporated into a terrestrial accretion model, which differs from the standard approach by explicitly accounting for the distribution of oxygen. Model results show siderophile element abundances in PUM are best reproduced if the mantle undergoes oxidation during accretion and metal-silicate equilibrium occurs near the peridotite solidus.

Understanding Earth’s accretion and primary differentiation is a long-standing goal of geology. The segregation of FeNi metal from molten silicate to form Earth’s core is expected to deplete and fractionate the highly siderophile elements (HSEs). Estimates of the primitive upper mantle (PUM) composition however, reveal only modest HSE depletions and chondritic element ratios. Past experiments to determine if the mantle composition is set by high-temperature metal-silicate equilibrium have involved measuring the solubility of HSEs in silicate melt at conditions more reducing than the iron-wustite (IW) buffer. Accurate determination of solubilities at such conditions has been hindered by the formation of dispersed metal inclusions; this work describes methods to circumvent the problem. Results of three separate studies are presented which document the solubility of Re, Pt and Au in molten silicate which is demonstrably nugget-free. Data obtained from experiments done at 0.1 MPa–2 GPa, 1573–2573 K and ~ IW -1.5 to +3 reveal: 1) Re, Pt and Au solubility increases with increasing temperature, 2) Re solubility increases with increasing oxygen fugacity (fO2), consistent with dissolution as oxide species, 3) Below ~ IW +3, Pt and Au solubility increases with decreasing fO2, consistent with dissolution as neutral or silicide species, and 4) that Au is amongst the most soluble HSE in molten silicate, with values increasing with temperature, but insensitive to changes in P, fO2 and melt composition, making it well suited as a geothermometer for core formation. Partition coefficients calculated from these and previous solubility measurements indicate that metal-silicate equilibrium is unable to reproduce the Re/Os and Pt/Os ratios required by PUM Os isotope systematics if simultaneously accounting for the observed absolute element abundances. Instead, results support late accretion of material following core formation, elevating element abundances and endowing chondritic inter-element ratios. Experimental results are incorporated into a terrestrial accretion model, which differs from the standard approach by explicitly accounting for the distribution of oxygen. Model results show siderophile element abundances in PUM are best reproduced if the mantle undergoes oxidation during accretion and metal-silicate equilibrium occurs near the peridotite solidus.

This thesis aims to discuss the archaeological concerns about how surveys can provide data tht is meaningful to construct spatial patterning and its intricacies for inferences through altering processes diversified as cultural and natural processes. Along with that there is also a second concern dealing with the application of these theoretical issues to practical basis. It consists both methodological limits and also limits governed by the legislation of the particular area according to the aim of the study. A particular space, semi-arid climate is selected for comparing the amount of attrition and accretion caused by natural factors, to be able to apply the studies to Anatolian geography. However applications from around the world are frequently discussed here, these are mainly the case studies bringing methodological scheme for the appropriate data collection.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of St Andrews, May 2007.