Validation of Radiative Transfer Computation with Monte Carlo Method for Ultra-Relativistic Background Flow

TL;DR

This paper presents a validated Monte Carlo radiative transfer code for ultra-relativistic flows in gamma-ray burst models, demonstrating accurate spectrum and angular distribution predictions under various conditions.

Contribution

The authors developed and validated a 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code for ultra-relativistic flows, enabling reliable simulations of GRB emission with detailed shock and flow structure considerations.

Findings

Angular distribution and spectrum are consistent across inertial frames.

Convergence achieved when flow updates resolve photon mean free path into ten steps.

High-energy photon production depends on shock front sharpness and optical depth.

Abstract

We developed a three-dimensional radiative transfer code for an ultra-relativistic background flow-field by using the Monte Carlo (MC) method in the context of gamma-ray burst (GRB) emission. For obtaining reliable simulation results in the coupled computation of MC radiation transport with relativistic hydrodynamics which can reproduce GRB emission, we validated radiative transfer computation in the ultra-relativistic regime and assessed the appropriate simulation conditions. The radiative transfer code was validated through two test calculations: (1) computing in different inertial frames and (2) computing in flow-fields with discontinuous and smeared shock fronts. The simulation results of the angular distribution and spectrum were compared among three different inertial frames and in good agreement with each other. If the time duration for updating the flow-field was sufficiently small to resolve a mean free path of a photon into ten steps, the results were thoroughly converged. The spectrum computed in the flow-field with a discontinuous shock front obeyed a power-law in frequency whose index was positive in the range from 1 to 10 MeV. The number of photons in the high-energy side decreased with the smeared shock front because the photons were less scattered immediately behind the shock wave due to the small electron number density. The large optical depth near the shock front was needed for obtaining high-energy photons through bulk Compton scattering. Even one-dimensional structure of the shock wave could affect the results of radiation transport computation.