[mesa-users] White dwarf crystallization

[Reggie Caginalp]

Dear MESA-users,

I am studying white dwarf cooling using MESA-r7184, MESASDK version 4.10.0
20140710 on OS 10.9.4 Mavericks.

Using the wd_cool_0.6M test suite case, with the default model, gives
oscillations in the value of the Coulomb parameter Gamma at the center as
in gamma_def.pdf.  Furthermore, the gravitational energy oscillates rapidly
around the onset of crystallization, as in def_Lgrav.pdf (the y-axis is
Lgrav/Lsun). Attached are profiles of eps_grav (epsgrav_prof_spike.pdf) and
gamma (Gamma_prof_at_spike.pdf) from one of the spikes. The part of the
star that is just beginning to crystallize experiences a huge spike in
gravitational energy from resettling, as compared with an eps_grav profile
from well before the onset of crystallization (epsgrav_prof_flat.pdf).
(These last three figures are from running the test suite case with a
different model, but using the default model gives similar results.)

Is this normal behavior? If anyone knows a better implementation of
crystallization, I would appreciate it greatly!

Thanks for your time!

Sincerely,
Reggie Caginalp
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