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Smidt, Joseph

Publications and source records attributed to Smidt, Joseph.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Radiation Hydrodynamical Simulations of the First Quasars

Supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are the central engines of luminous quasars and are found in most massive galaxies today. But the recent discoveries of ULAS J1120+0641, a 2 × 10 9 ${M}_{\odot }$ black hole (BH) at z = 7.1, and ULAS J1342+0928, a 8.0 × 10 8 ${M}_{\odot }$ BH at z = 7.5, now push the era of quasar formation up to just 690 Myr after the Big Bang. Here we report new cosmological simulations of SMBHs with X-rays fully coupled to primordial chemistry and hydrodynamics which show that J1120 and J1342 can form from direct collapse black holes if their growth is fed by cold, dense accretion streams, like those thought to fuel rapid star formation in some galaxies at later epochs. Our models reproduce all of the observed properties of J1120: its mass, luminosity, and H ii region as well as star formation rates and metallicities in its host galaxy. They also reproduce the dynamical mass of the innermost 1.5 kpc of its emission region recently measured by ALMA and J-band magnitudes that are in good agreement with those found by the VISTA Hemisphere Survey.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Breaking the Supermassive Black Hole Speed Limit

A new computer simulation helps explain the existence of puzzling supermassive black holes observed in the early universe. The simulation is based on a computer code used to understand the coupling of radiation and certain materials. “Supermassive black holes have a speed limit that governs how fast and how large they can grow,” said Joseph Smidt of the Theoretical Design Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory. “The relatively recent discovery of supermassive black holes in the early development of the universe raised a fundamental question, how did they get so big so fast?” Using computer codes developed at Los Alamos for modeling the interaction of matter and radiation related to the Lab’s stockpile stewardship mission, Smidt and colleagues created a simulation of collapsing stars that resulted in supermassive black holes forming in less time than expected, cosmologically speaking, in the first billion years of the universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

LOW-RESOLUTION NEAR-INFRARED STELLAR SPECTRA OBSERVED BY THE COSMIC INFRARED BACKGROUND EXPERIMENT (CIBER)

We present near-infrared (0.8–1.8 μm) spectra of 105 bright (m{sub J} < 10) stars observed with the low-resolution spectrometer on the rocket-borne Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment. As our observations are performed above the Earth's atmosphere, our spectra are free from telluric contamination, which makes them a unique resource for near-infrared spectral calibration. Two-Micron All-Sky Survey photometry information is used to identify cross-matched stars after reduction and extraction of the spectra. We identify the spectral types of the observed stars by comparing them with spectral templates from the Infrared Telescope Facility library. All the observed spectra are consistent with late F to M stellar spectral types, and we identify various infrared absorption lines.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

AXION DECAY AND ANISOTROPY OF NEAR-IR EXTRAGALACTIC BACKGROUND LIGHT

The extragalactic background light (EBL) is composed of the cumulative radiation from all galaxies and active galactic nuclei over cosmic history. In addition to point sources, the EBL also contains information from diffuse sources of radiation. The angular power spectra of the near-infrared intensities could contain additional signals, and a complete understanding of the nature of the infrared (IR) background is still lacking in the literature. Here we explore the constraints that can be placed on particle decays, especially candidate dark matter (DM) models involving axions that trace DM halos of galaxies. Axions with a mass around a few electronvolts will decay via two photons with wavelengths in the near-IR band and will leave a signature in the IR background intensity power spectrum. Using recent power spectra measurements from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment, we find that the 0.6–1.6 μ m power spectra can be explained by axions with masses around 4 eV. The total axion abundance Ω{sub a} ≃ 0.05, and it is comparable to the baryon density of the universe. The suggested mean axion mass and abundance are not ruled out by existing cosmological observations. Interestingly, the axion model with a mass distribution is preferred by the data, which cannot be explained by the standard quantum chromodynamics theory and needs further discussion.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

CROSS-CORRELATION OF NEAR- AND FAR-INFRARED BACKGROUND ANISOTROPIES AS TRACED BY SPITZER AND HERSCHEL

We present the cross-correlation between the far-infrared (far-IR) background fluctuations as measured with the Herschel Space Observatory at 250, 350, and 500 μm and the near-infrared (near-IR) background fluctuations with the Spitzer Space Telescope at 3.6 and 4.5 μm. The cross-correlation between the FIR and NIR background anisotropies is detected such that the correlation coefficient at a few to 10 arcminute angular scale decreases from 0.3 to 0.1 when the FIR wavelength increases from 250 to 500 μm. We model the cross-correlation using a halo model with three components: (a) FIR bright or dusty star-forming galaxies below the masking depth in Herschel maps, (b) NIR faint galaxies below the masking depth, and (c) intra-halo light (IHL), or diffuse stars in dark matter halos, that is likely dominating the large-scale NIR fluctuations. The model is able to reasonably reproduce the auto-correlations at each of the FIR wavelengths and at 3.6 μm and their corresponding cross-correlations. While the FIR and NIR auto-correlations are dominated by faint, dusty, star-forming galaxies and IHL, respectively, we find that roughly half of the cross-correlation between the NIR and FIR backgrounds is due to the same dusty galaxies that remain unmasked at 3.6 μm. The remaining signal in the cross-correlation is due to IHL present in the same dark matter halos as those hosting the same faint and unmasked galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Finding the first cosmic explosions. IV. 90–140 M{sub ⊙} pair-instability supernovae

Population III stars that die as pair-instability supernovae are usually thought to fall in the mass range of 140–260 M{sub ⊙}. But several lines of work have now shown that rotation can build up the He cores needed to encounter the pair instability at stellar masses as low as 90 M{sub ⊙}. Depending on the slope of the initial mass function of Population III stars, there could be 4–5 times as many stars from 90–140 M{sub ⊙} in the primordial universe as in the usually accepted range. We present numerical simulations of the pair-instability explosions of such stars performed with the MESA, FLASH, and RAGE codes. We find that they will be visible to supernova factories such as Pan-STARRS and LSST in the optical out to z ∼ 1–2 and to James Webb Space Telescope and the 30 m class telescopes in the near-infrared (NIR) out to z ∼ 7–10. Such explosions will thus probe the stellar populations of the first galaxies and cosmic star formation rates in the era of cosmological reionization. These supernovae are also easily distinguished from more massive pair-instability explosions, underscoring the fact that there is far greater variety to the light curves of these events than previously understood.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

EMISSION FROM PAIR-INSTABILITY SUPERNOVAE WITH ROTATION

Pair-instability supernovae (PISNe) have been suggested as candidates for some superluminous supernovae, such as SN 2007bi, and as one of the dominant types of explosion occurring in the early universe from massive, zero-metallicity Population III stars. The progenitors of such events can be rapidly rotating, therefore exhibiting different evolutionary properties due to the effects of rotationally induced mixing and mass-loss. Proper identification of such events requires rigorous radiation hydrodynamics and radiative transfer calculations that capture not only the behavior of the light curve but also the spectral evolution of these events. We present radiation hydrodynamics and radiation transport calculations for 90-300 M {sub ☉} rotating PISNe covering both the shock breakout and late light curve phases. We also investigate cases of different initial metallicity and rotation rate to determine the impact of these parameters on the detailed spectral characteristics of these events. In agreement with recent results on non-rotating PISNe, we find that for a range of progenitor masses and rotation rates these events have intrinsically red colors in contradiction with observations of superluminous supernovae. The spectroscopic properties of rotating PISNe are similar to those of non-rotating events with stripped hydrogen and helium envelopes. We find that the progenitor metallicity and rotation rate properties are erased after the explosion and cannot be identified in the resulting model spectra. It is the combined effects of pre-supernova mass-loss and the basic properties of the supernova ejecta such as mass, temperature, and velocity that have the most direct impact in the model spectra of PISNe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

CONSTRAINTS ON SPATIAL VARIATIONS IN THE FINE-STRUCTURE CONSTANT FROM PLANCK

We use the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy data from Planck to constrain the spatial fluctuations of the fine-structure constant α at a redshift of 1100. We use a quadratic estimator to measure the four-point correlation function of the CMB temperature anisotropies and extract the angular power spectrum fine-structure constant spatial variations projected along the line of sight at the last scattering surface. At tens of degree angular scales and above, we constrain the fractional rms fluctuations of the fine-structure constant to be (δα/α){sub rms} < 3.4 × 10{sup –3} at the 68% confidence level. We find no evidence for a spatially varying α at a redshift of 10{sup 3}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

POPULATION III HYPERNOVAE

Population III supernovae have been of growing interest of late for their potential to directly probe the properties of the first stars, particularly the most energetic events that are visible near the edge of the observable universe. Until now, hypernovae, the unusually energetic Type Ib/c supernovae that are sometimes associated with gamma-ray bursts, have been overlooked as cosmic beacons at the highest redshifts. In this, the latest of a series of studies on Population III supernovae, we present numerical simulations of 25-50 M {sub ☉} hypernovae and their light curves done with the Los Alamos RAGE and SPECTRUM codes. We find that they will be visible at z = 10-15 to the James Webb Space Telescope and z = 4-5 to the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope, tracing star formation rates in the first galaxies and at the end of cosmological reionization. If, however, the hypernova crashes into a dense shell ejected by its progenitor, it is expected that a superluminous event will occur that may be seen at z ∼ 20 in the first generation of stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Pair-instability supernovae in the local universe

The discovery of 150-300 M {sub ☉} stars in the Local Group and pair-instability supernova candidates at low redshifts has excited interest in this exotic explosion mechanism. Realistic light curves for pair-instability supernovae at near-solar metallicities are key to identifying and properly interpreting these events as more are found. We have modeled pair-instability supernovae of 150-500 M {sub ☉} Z ∼ 0.1-0.4 Z {sub ☉} stars. These stars lose up to 80% of their mass to strong line-driven winds and explode as bare He cores. We find that their light curves and spectra are quite different from those of Population III pair-instability explosions, which therefore cannot be used as templates for low-redshift events. Although non-zero metallicity pair-instability supernovae are generally dimmer than their Population III counterparts, in some cases they will be bright enough to be detected at the earliest epochs at which they can occur, the formation of the first galaxies at z ∼ 10-15. Others can masquerade as dim, short duration supernovae that are only visible in the local universe and that under the right conditions could be hidden in a wide variety of supernova classes. We also report for the first time that some pair-instability explosions can create black holes with masses of ∼100 M {sub ☉}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Unusual Light in Dark Space Revealed by Los Alamos, NASA

By looking at the dark spaces between visible galaxies and stars the NASA/JPL CIBER sounding rocket experiment has produced data that could redefine what constitutes a galaxy. CIBER, the Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment, is designed to understand the physics going on between visible stars and galaxies. The relatively small, sub-orbital rocket unloads a camera that snaps pictures of the night sky in near-infrared wavelengths, between 1.2 and 1.6 millionth of a meter. Scientists take the data and remove all the known visible stars and galaxies and quantify what is left.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

The first gamma-ray bursts in the universe

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the ultimate cosmic lighthouses, capable of illuminating the universe at its earliest epochs. Could such events probe the properties of the first stars at z ∼ 20, the end of the cosmic Dark Ages? Previous studies of Population III (Pop III) GRBs only considered explosions in the diffuse relic H II regions of their progenitors or bursts that are far more energetic than those observed to date. However, the processes that produce GRBs at the highest redshifts likely reset their local environments, creating much more complicated structures than those in which relativistic jets have been modeled so far. These structures can greatly affect the luminosity of the afterglow and hence the redshift at which it can be detected. We have now simulated Pop III GRB afterglows in H II regions, winds, and dense shells ejected by the star during the processes that produce the burst. We find that GRBs with E {sub iso,γ} = 10{sup 51}-10{sup 53} erg will be visible at z ≳ 20 to the next generation of near infrared and radio observatories. In many cases, the environment of the burst, and hence progenitor type, can be inferred from the afterglow light curve. Although some Pop III GRBs are visible to Swift and the Very Large Array now, the optimal strategy for their detection will be future missions like the proposed EXIST and JANUS missions with large survey areas and onboard X-ray and infrared telescopes that can track their near-infrared flux from the moment of the burst, thereby identifying their redshifts.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Finding the first cosmic explosions. III. Pulsational pair-instability supernovae

Population III supernovae have been the focus of growing attention because of their potential to directly probe the properties of the first stars, particularly the most energetic events that can be seen at the edge of the observable universe. But until now pulsational pair-instability supernovae, in which explosive thermonuclear burning in massive stars fails to unbind them but can eject their outer layers into space, have been overlooked as cosmic beacons at the earliest redshifts. These shells can later collide and, like Type IIn supernovae, produce superluminous events in the UV at high redshifts that could be detected in the near infrared today. We present numerical simulations of a 110 M {sub ☉} pulsational pair-instability explosion done with the Los Alamos radiation hydrodynamics code Radiation Adaptive Grid Eulerian. We find that collisions between consecutive pulsations are visible in the near infrared out to z ∼ 15-20 and can probe the earliest stellar populations at cosmic dawn.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Supermassive population III supernovae and the birth of the first quasars

The existence of supermassive black holes as early as z ∼ 7 is one of the great, unsolved problems in cosmological structure formation. One leading theory argues that they are born during catastrophic baryon collapse in z ∼ 15 protogalaxies that form in strong Lyman-Werner UV backgrounds. Atomic line cooling in such galaxies fragments baryons into massive clumps that are thought to directly collapse to 10{sup 4}-10{sup 5} M {sub ☉} black holes. We have now discovered that some of these fragments can instead become supermassive stars that eventually explode as thermonuclear supernovae (SNe) with energies of ∼10{sup 55} erg, the most energetic explosions in the universe. We have calculated light curves and spectra for supermassive Pop III SNe with the Los Alamos RAGE and SPECTRUM codes. We find that they will be visible in near-infrared all-sky surveys by Euclid out to z ∼ 10-15 and by WFIRST and WISH out to z ∼ 15-20, perhaps revealing the birthplaces of the first quasars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

FINDING THE FIRST COSMIC EXPLOSIONS. I. PAIR-INSTABILITY SUPERNOVAE

The first stars are the key to the formation of primitive galaxies, early cosmological reionization and chemical enrichment, and the origin of supermassive black holes. Unfortunately, in spite of their extreme luminosities, individual Population III (Pop III) stars will likely remain beyond the reach of direct observation for decades to come. However, their properties could be revealed by their supernova explosions, which may soon be detected by a new generation of near-IR (NIR) observatories such as JWST and WFIRST. We present light curves and spectra for Pop III pair-instability supernovae calculated with the Los Alamos radiation hydrodynamics code RAGE. Our numerical simulations account for the interaction of the blast with realistic circumstellar envelopes, the opacity of the envelope, and Lyman absorption by the neutral intergalactic medium at high redshift, all of which are crucial to computing the NIR signatures of the first cosmic explosions. We find that JWST will detect pair-instability supernovae out to z ∼> 30, WFIRST will detect them in all-sky surveys out to z ∼ 15-20, and LSST and Pan-STARRS will find them at z ∼< 7-8. The discovery of these ancient explosions will probe the first stellar populations and reveal the existence of primitive galaxies that might not otherwise have been detected.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE BIGGEST EXPLOSIONS IN THE UNIVERSE. II

One of the leading contenders for the origin of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) at z ∼> 7 is catastrophic baryon collapse in atomically cooled halos at z ∼ 15. In this scenario, a few protogalaxies form in the presence of strong Lyman-Werner UV backgrounds that quench H{sub 2} formation in their constituent halos, preventing them from forming stars or blowing heavy elements into the intergalactic medium prior to formation. At masses of 10{sup 8} M{sub ☉} and virial temperatures of 10{sup 4} K, gas in these halos rapidly cools by H lines, in some cases forming 10{sup 4}-10{sup 6} M{sub ☉} Population III stars and, a short time later, the seeds of SMBHs. Instead of collapsing directly to black holes (BHs), some of these stars died in the most energetic thermonuclear explosions in the universe. We have modeled the explosions of such stars in the dense cores of line-cooled protogalaxies in the presence of cosmological flows. In stark contrast to the explosions in diffuse regions in previous simulations, these supernovae briefly engulf the protogalaxy, but then collapse back into its dark matter potential. Fallback drives turbulence that efficiently distributes metals throughout the interior of the halo and fuels the rapid growth of nascent BHs at its center. The accompanying starburst and X-ray emission from these line-cooled galaxies easily distinguish them from more slowly evolving neighbors and might reveal the birthplaces of SMBHs on the sky.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE BIGGEST EXPLOSIONS IN THE UNIVERSE

Supermassive primordial stars are expected to form in a small fraction of massive protogalaxies in the early universe, and are generally conceived of as the progenitors of the seeds of supermassive black holes (BHs). Supermassive stars with masses of ∼55, 000 M{sub ☉}, however, have been found to explode and completely disrupt in a supernova (SN) with an energy of up to ∼10{sup 55} erg instead of collapsing to a BH. Such events, ∼10, 000 times more energetic than typical SNe today, would be among the biggest explosions in the history of the universe. Here we present a simulation of such a SN in two stages. Using the RAGE radiation hydrodynamics code, we first evolve the explosion from an early stage through the breakout of the shock from the surface of the star until the blast wave has propagated out to several parsecs from the explosion site, which lies deep within an atomic cooling dark matter (DM) halo at z ≅ 15. Then, using the GADGET cosmological hydrodynamics code, we evolve the explosion out to several kiloparsecs from the explosion site, far into the low-density intergalactic medium. The host DM halo, with a total mass of 4 × 10{sup 7} M{sub ☉}, much more massive than typical primordial star-forming halos, is completely evacuated of high-density gas after ∼< 10 Myr, although dense metal-enriched gas recollapses into the halo, where it will likely form second-generation stars with metallicities of ≅ 0.05 Z{sub ☉} after ∼> 70 Myr. The chemical signature of supermassive star explosions may be found in such long-lived second-generation stars today.

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