A Particle Module for the PLUTO code: II - Hybrid Framework for Modeling Non-thermal emission from Relativistic Magnetized flows

TL;DR

This paper introduces a hybrid Lagrangian-Eulerian framework within the PLUTO code to model non-thermal emissions from relativistic magnetized flows, incorporating particle acceleration, transport, and emission processes for astrophysical applications.

Contribution

It presents a novel hybrid method combining Lagrangian particles with Eulerian MHD simulations, including a new shock acceleration model and a semi-analytical scheme for spectral evolution.

Findings

Validated with numerical benchmarks.

Able to produce emission maps and polarization signals.

Applicable to high-energy astrophysical jets.

Abstract

We describe a new hybrid framework to model non-thermal spectral signatures from highly energetic particles embedded in a large-scale classical or relativistic MHD flow. Our method makes use of \textit{Lagrangian} particles moving through an Eulerian grid where the (relativistic) MHD equations are solved concurrently. Lagrangian particles follow fluid streamlines and represent ensembles of (real) relativistic particles with a finite energy distribution. The spectral distribution of each particle is updated in time by solving the relativistic cosmic ray transport equation based on local fluid conditions. This enables us to account for a number of physical processes, such as adiabatic expansion, synchrotron and inverse Compton emission. An accurate semi-analytically numerical scheme that combines the method of characteristics with a Lagrangian discretization in the energy coordinate is described. In presence of (relativistic) magnetized shocks, a novel approach to consistently model particle energization due to diffusive shock acceleration has been presented. Our approach relies on a refined shock-detection algorithm and updates the particle energy distribution based on the shock compression ratio, magnetic field orientation and amount of (parameterized) turbulence. The evolved distribution from each \textit{Lagrangian} particle is further used to produce observational signatures like emission maps and polarization signals accounting for proper relativistic corrections. We further demonstrate the validity of this hybrid framework using standard numerical benchmarks and evaluate the applicability of such a tool to study high energy emission from extra-galactic jets.