Towards a self-consistent model of the convective core boundary in upper main sequence stars. Part I: 2.5D and 3D simulations

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Autori principali: Andrassy, R., Leidi, G., Higl, J., Edelmann, P. V. F., Schneider, F. R. N., Roepke, F. K.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2023
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author Andrassy, R.
Leidi, G.
Higl, J.
Edelmann, P. V. F.
Schneider, F. R. N.
Roepke, F. K.
author_facet Andrassy, R.
Leidi, G.
Higl, J.
Edelmann, P. V. F.
Schneider, F. R. N.
Roepke, F. K.
contents There is strong observational evidence that the convective cores of intermediate-mass and massive main sequence stars are substantially larger than those predicted by standard stellar-evolution models. However, it is unclear what physical processes cause this phenomenon or how to predict the extent and stratification of stellar convective boundary layers. Convective penetration is a thermal-timescale process that is likely to be particularly relevant during the slow evolution on the main sequence. We use our low-Mach-number Seven-League Hydro code to study this process in 2.5D and 3D geometries. Starting with a chemically homogeneous model of a $15\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ zero-age main sequence star, we construct a series of simulations with the luminosity increased and opacity decreased by the same factor, ranging from $10^3$ to $10^6$. After reaching thermal equilibrium, all of our models show a clear penetration layer; its thickness becomes statistically constant in time and it is shown to converge upon grid refinement. The penetration layer becomes nearly adiabatic with a steep transition to a radiative stratification in simulations at the lower end of our luminosity range. This structure corresponds to the adiabatic `step overshoot' model often employed in stellar-evolution calculations. The simulations with the highest and lowest luminosity differ by less than a factor of two in the penetration distance. The high computational cost of 3D simulations makes our current 3D data set rather sparse. Depending on how we extrapolate the 3D data to the actual luminosity of the initial stellar model, we obtain penetration distances ranging from $0.09$ to $0.44$ pressure scale heights, which is broadly compatible with observations.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2307_04068
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Towards a self-consistent model of the convective core boundary in upper main sequence stars. Part I: 2.5D and 3D simulations
Andrassy, R.
Leidi, G.
Higl, J.
Edelmann, P. V. F.
Schneider, F. R. N.
Roepke, F. K.
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Fluid Dynamics
There is strong observational evidence that the convective cores of intermediate-mass and massive main sequence stars are substantially larger than those predicted by standard stellar-evolution models. However, it is unclear what physical processes cause this phenomenon or how to predict the extent and stratification of stellar convective boundary layers. Convective penetration is a thermal-timescale process that is likely to be particularly relevant during the slow evolution on the main sequence. We use our low-Mach-number Seven-League Hydro code to study this process in 2.5D and 3D geometries. Starting with a chemically homogeneous model of a $15\,\mathrm{M}_\odot$ zero-age main sequence star, we construct a series of simulations with the luminosity increased and opacity decreased by the same factor, ranging from $10^3$ to $10^6$. After reaching thermal equilibrium, all of our models show a clear penetration layer; its thickness becomes statistically constant in time and it is shown to converge upon grid refinement. The penetration layer becomes nearly adiabatic with a steep transition to a radiative stratification in simulations at the lower end of our luminosity range. This structure corresponds to the adiabatic `step overshoot' model often employed in stellar-evolution calculations. The simulations with the highest and lowest luminosity differ by less than a factor of two in the penetration distance. The high computational cost of 3D simulations makes our current 3D data set rather sparse. Depending on how we extrapolate the 3D data to the actual luminosity of the initial stellar model, we obtain penetration distances ranging from $0.09$ to $0.44$ pressure scale heights, which is broadly compatible with observations.
title Towards a self-consistent model of the convective core boundary in upper main sequence stars. Part I: 2.5D and 3D simulations
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Fluid Dynamics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.04068