Makemake + Sedna: A Continuum Radiation Transport and Photoionization Framework for Astrophysical Newtonian Fluid Dynamics

TL;DR

This paper introduces an advanced computational framework combining continuum radiation transport and photoionization modules, integrated into the PLUTO code, to improve astrophysical fluid dynamics simulations involving complex thermodynamic processes.

Contribution

It presents a major update to the MAKEMAKE radiation module and a new SEDNA photoionization module, enabling comprehensive radiation-ionization hydrodynamics simulations in multiple coordinate systems.

Findings

Supports static 1D, 2D, 3D grids in various coordinate systems.

Employs ray-tracing and flux-limited diffusion for radiation components.

Accounts for time-dependent radiation evolution from recombination processes.

Abstract

Astrophysical fluid flow studies often encompass a wide range of physical processes to account for the complexity of the system under consideration. In addition to gravity, a proper treatment of thermodynamic processes via continuum radiation transport and/or photoionization is becoming the state of the art. We present a major update of our continuum radiation transport module, MAKEMAKE, and a newly developed module for photoionization, SEDNA, coupled to the magnetohydrodynamics code PLUTO. These extensions are currently not publicly available; access can be granted on a case-by-case basis. We explain the theoretical background of the equations solved, elaborate on the numerical layout, and present a comprehensive test suite for radiation-ionization hydrodynamics. The grid-based radiation and ionization modules support static one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional grids in Cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates. Each module splits the radiation field into two components, one originating directly from a point source - solved using a ray-tracing scheme - and a diffuse component - solved with a three-dimensional flux-limited diffusion (FLD) solver. The FLD solver for the continuum radiation transport makes use of either the equilibrium one-temperature approach or the linearization two-temperature approach. The FLD solver for the photoionization module enables accounting for the temporal evolution of the radiation field from direct recombination of free electrons into hydrogen's ground state as an alternative to the on-the-spot approximation. A brief overview of completed and ongoing scientific studies is given to explicitly illustrate the multipurpose nature of the numerical framework presented.