Stellarator Coil Design and Plasma Sensitivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Long-Poe Ku and Allen H. Boozer

2010-11-03

The rich information contained in the plasma response to external magnetic perturbations can be used to help design stellarator coils more effectively. We demonstrate the feasibility by first devel- oping a simple, direct method to study perturbations in stellarators that do not break stellarator symmetry and periodicity. The method applies a small perturbation to the plasma boundary and evaluates the resulting perturbed free-boundary equilibrium to build up a sensitivity matrix for the important physics attributes of the underlying configuration. Using this sensitivity information, design methods for better stellarator coils are then developed. The procedure and a proof-of-principle application are givenmore » that (1) determine the spatial distributions of external normal magnetic field at the location of the unperturbed plasma boundary to which the plasma properties are most sen- sitive, (2) determine the distributions of external normal magnetic field that can be produced most efficiently by distant coils, (3) choose the ratios of the magnitudes of the the efficiently produced magnetic distributions so the sensitive plasma properties can be controlled. Using these methods, sets of modular coils are found for the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) that are either smoother or can be located much farther from the plasma boundary than those of the present design.« less

The collapse of a molecular cloud core to stellar densities using radiation non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wurster, James; Bate, Matthew R.; Price, Daniel J.

2018-04-01

We present results from radiation non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) calculations that follow the collapse of rotating, magnetized, molecular cloud cores to stellar densities. These are the first such calculations to include all three non-ideal effects: ambipolar diffusion, Ohmic resistivity, and the Hall effect. We employ an ionization model in which cosmic ray ionization dominates at low temperatures and thermal ionization takes over at high temperatures. We explore the effects of varying the cosmic ray ionization rate from ζcr = 10-10 to 10-16 s-1. Models with ionization rates ≳10-12 s-1 produce results that are indistinguishable from ideal MHD. Decreasing the cosmic ray ionization rate extends the lifetime of the first hydrostatic core up to a factor of 2, but the lifetimes are still substantially shorter than those obtained without magnetic fields. Outflows from the first hydrostatic core phase are launched in all models, but the outflows become broader and slower as the ionization rate is reduced. The outflow morphology following stellar core formation is complex and strongly dependent on the cosmic ray ionization rate. Calculations with high ionization rates quickly produce a fast (≈14 km s-1) bipolar outflow that is distinct from the first core outflow, but with the lowest ionization rate, a slower (≈3-4 km s-1) conical outflow develops gradually and seamlessly merges into the first core outflow.

Simulation of confined magnetohydrodynamic flows with Dirichlet boundary conditions using a pseudo-spectral method with volume penalization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morales, Jorge A.; Leroy, Matthieu; Bos, Wouter J.T.

A volume penalization approach to simulate magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows in confined domains is presented. Here the incompressible visco-resistive MHD equations are solved using parallel pseudo-spectral solvers in Cartesian geometries. The volume penalization technique is an immersed boundary method which is characterized by a high flexibility for the geometry of the considered flow. In the present case, it allows to use other than periodic boundary conditions in a Fourier pseudo-spectral approach. The numerical method is validated and its convergence is assessed for two- and three-dimensional hydrodynamic (HD) and MHD flows, by comparing the numerical results with results from literature and analyticalmore » solutions. The test cases considered are two-dimensional Taylor–Couette flow, the z-pinch configuration, three dimensional Orszag–Tang flow, Ohmic-decay in a periodic cylinder, three-dimensional Taylor–Couette flow with and without axial magnetic field and three-dimensional Hartmann-instabilities in a cylinder with an imposed helical magnetic field. Finally, we present a magnetohydrodynamic flow simulation in toroidal geometry with non-symmetric cross section and imposing a helical magnetic field to illustrate the potential of the method.« less

Extension of the SIESTA MHD equilibrium code to free-plasma-boundary problems

DOE PAGES

Peraza-Rodriguez, Hugo; Reynolds-Barredo, J. M.; Sanchez, Raul; ...

2017-08-28

Here, SIESTA is a recently developed MHD equilibrium code designed to perform fast and accurate calculations of ideal MHD equilibria for three-dimensional magnetic configurations. Since SIESTA does not assume closed magnetic surfaces, the solution can exhibit magnetic islands and stochastic regions. In its original implementation SIESTA addressed only fixed-boundary problems. That is, the shape of the plasma edge, assumed to be a magnetic surface, was kept fixed as the solution iteratively converges to equilibrium. This condition somewhat restricts the possible applications of SIESTA. In this paper we discuss an extension that will enable SIESTA to address free-plasma-boundary problems, opening upmore » the possibility of investigating problems in which the plasma boundary is perturbed either externally or internally. As an illustration, SIESTA is applied to a configuration of the W7-X stellarator.« less

Extension of the SIESTA MHD equilibrium code to free-plasma-boundary problems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peraza-Rodriguez, Hugo; Reynolds-Barredo, J. M.; Sanchez, Raul

Here, SIESTA is a recently developed MHD equilibrium code designed to perform fast and accurate calculations of ideal MHD equilibria for three-dimensional magnetic configurations. Since SIESTA does not assume closed magnetic surfaces, the solution can exhibit magnetic islands and stochastic regions. In its original implementation SIESTA addressed only fixed-boundary problems. That is, the shape of the plasma edge, assumed to be a magnetic surface, was kept fixed as the solution iteratively converges to equilibrium. This condition somewhat restricts the possible applications of SIESTA. In this paper we discuss an extension that will enable SIESTA to address free-plasma-boundary problems, opening upmore » the possibility of investigating problems in which the plasma boundary is perturbed either externally or internally. As an illustration, SIESTA is applied to a configuration of the W7-X stellarator.« less

Magnetohydrodynamics of unsteady viscous fluid on boundary layer past a sliced sphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nursalim, Rahmat; Widodo, Basuki; Imron, Chairul

2017-10-01

Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) is important study in engineering and industrial fields. By study on MHD, we can reach the fluid flow characteristics that can be used to minimize its negative effect to an object. In decades, MHD has been widely studied in various geometry forms and fluid types. The sliced sphere is a geometry form that has not been investigated. In this paper we study magnetohydrodynamics of unsteady viscous fluid on boundary layer past a sliced sphere. Assumed that the fluid is incompressible, there is no magnetic field, there is no electrical voltage, the sliced sphere is fix and there is no barrier around the object. In this paper we focus on velocity profile at stagnation point (x = 0°). Mathematical model is governed by continuity and momentum equation. It is converted to non-dimensional, stream function, and similarity equation. Solution of the mathematical model is obtained by using Keller-Box numerical method. By giving various of slicing angle and various of magnetic parameter we get the simulation results. The simulation results show that increasing the slicing angle causes the velocity profile be steeper. Also, increasing the value of magnetic parameter causes the velocity profile be steeper. On the large slicing angle there is no significant effect of magnetic parameter to velocity profile, and on the high the value of magnetic parameter there is no significant effect of slicing angle to velocity profile.

Dirichlet boundary conditions for arbitrary-shaped boundaries in stellarator-like magnetic fields for the Flux-Coordinate Independent method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Peter; Shanahan, Brendan; Dudson, Ben

2017-04-01

We present a technique for handling Dirichlet boundary conditions with the Flux Coordinate Independent (FCI) parallel derivative operator with arbitrary-shaped material geometry in general 3D magnetic fields. The FCI method constructs a finite difference scheme for ∇∥ by following field lines between poloidal planes and interpolating within planes. Doing so removes the need for field-aligned coordinate systems that suffer from singularities in the metric tensor at null points in the magnetic field (or equivalently, when q → ∞). One cost of this method is that as the field lines are not on the mesh, they may leave the domain at any point between neighbouring planes, complicating the application of boundary conditions. The Leg Value Fill (LVF) boundary condition scheme presented here involves an extrapolation/interpolation of the boundary value onto the field line end point. The usual finite difference scheme can then be used unmodified. We implement the LVF scheme in BOUT++ and use the Method of Manufactured Solutions to verify the implementation in a rectangular domain, and show that it does not modify the error scaling of the finite difference scheme. The use of LVF for arbitrary wall geometry is outlined. We also demonstrate the feasibility of using the FCI approach in no n-axisymmetric configurations for a simple diffusion model in a "straight stellarator" magnetic field. A Gaussian blob diffuses along the field lines, tracing out flux surfaces. Dirichlet boundary conditions impose a last closed flux surface (LCFS) that confines the density. Including a poloidal limiter moves the LCFS to a smaller radius. The expected scaling of the numerical perpendicular diffusion, which is a consequence of the FCI method, in stellarator-like geometry is recovered. A novel technique for increasing the parallel resolution during post-processing, in order to reduce artefacts in visualisations, is described.

Anisotropic diffusion in mesh-free numerical magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopkins, Philip F.

2017-04-01

We extend recently developed mesh-free Lagrangian methods for numerical magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) to arbitrary anisotropic diffusion equations, including: passive scalar diffusion, Spitzer-Braginskii conduction and viscosity, cosmic ray diffusion/streaming, anisotropic radiation transport, non-ideal MHD (Ohmic resistivity, ambipolar diffusion, the Hall effect) and turbulent 'eddy diffusion'. We study these as implemented in the code GIZMO for both new meshless finite-volume Godunov schemes (MFM/MFV). We show that the MFM/MFV methods are accurate and stable even with noisy fields and irregular particle arrangements, and recover the correct behaviour even in arbitrarily anisotropic cases. They are competitive with state-of-the-art AMR/moving-mesh methods, and can correctly treat anisotropic diffusion-driven instabilities (e.g. the MTI and HBI, Hall MRI). We also develop a new scheme for stabilizing anisotropic tensor-valued fluxes with high-order gradient estimators and non-linear flux limiters, which is trivially generalized to AMR/moving-mesh codes. We also present applications of some of these improvements for SPH, in the form of a new integral-Godunov SPH formulation that adopts a moving-least squares gradient estimator and introduces a flux-limited Riemann problem between particles.

Multi-region relaxed magnetohydrodynamics in plasmas with slowly changing boundaries -- Resonant response of a plasma slab

DOE PAGES

Dewar, R. L.; Hudson, S. R.; Bhattacharjee, A.; ...

2017-04-03

The adiabatic limit of a recently proposed dynamical extension of Taylor relaxation, multi-region relaxed magnetohydrodynamics (MRxMHD), is summarized, with special attention to the appropriate definition of a relative magnetic helicity. The formalism is illustrated using a simple two-region, sheared-magnetic-field model similar to the Hahm-Kulsrud-Taylor (HKT) rippled-boundary slab model. In MRxMHD, a linear Grad-Shafranov equation applies, even at finite ripple amplitude. The adiabatic switching on of boundary ripple excites a shielding current sheet opposing reconnection at a resonant surface. The perturbed magnetic field as a function of ripple amplitude is calculated by invoking the conservation of magnetic helicity in the twomore » regions separated by the current sheet. Here, at low ripple amplitude, "half islands" appear on each side of the current sheet, locking the rotational transform at the resonant value. Beyond a critical amplitude, these islands disappear and the rotational transform develops a discontinuity across the current sheet. Published by AIP Publishing.« less

Multi-region relaxed magnetohydrodynamics in plasmas with slowly changing boundaries -- Resonant response of a plasma slab

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dewar, R. L.; Hudson, S. R.; Bhattacharjee, A.

The adiabatic limit of a recently proposed dynamical extension of Taylor relaxation, multi-region relaxed magnetohydrodynamics (MRxMHD), is summarized, with special attention to the appropriate definition of a relative magnetic helicity. The formalism is illustrated using a simple two-region, sheared-magnetic-field model similar to the Hahm-Kulsrud-Taylor (HKT) rippled-boundary slab model. In MRxMHD, a linear Grad-Shafranov equation applies, even at finite ripple amplitude. The adiabatic switching on of boundary ripple excites a shielding current sheet opposing reconnection at a resonant surface. The perturbed magnetic field as a function of ripple amplitude is calculated by invoking the conservation of magnetic helicity in the twomore » regions separated by the current sheet. Here, at low ripple amplitude, "half islands" appear on each side of the current sheet, locking the rotational transform at the resonant value. Beyond a critical amplitude, these islands disappear and the rotational transform develops a discontinuity across the current sheet. Published by AIP Publishing.« less

The Stellar Imager (SI) Project: Resolving Stellar Surfaces, Interiors, and Magnetic Activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Kenneth G.; Schrijver, K.; Karovska, M.

2007-01-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is a UV/Optical. Space-Based Interferometer designed to enable 0.1 milli-arcsec (mas) spectral imaging of stellar surfaces and, via asteroseismology, stellar interiors and of the Universe in general. The ultra-sharp images of SI will revolutionize our view of many dynamic astrophysical processes by transforming point sources into extended sources, and snapshots into evolving views. The science of SI focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe, particularly on magnetic activity on the surfaces of stars like the Sun. Its prime goal is to enable long-term forecasting of solar activity and the space weather that it drives. SI will also revolutionize our understanding of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magneto-hydrodynamically controlled processes in the Universe. In this paper we discuss the science goals, technology needs, and baseline design of the SI mission.

STELLAR DYNAMOS AND CYCLES FROM NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF CONVECTION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dubé, Caroline; Charbonneau, Paul, E-mail: dube@astro.umontreal.ca, E-mail: paulchar@astro.umontreal.ca

We present a series of kinematic axisymmetric mean-field αΩ dynamo models applicable to solar-type stars, for 20 distinct combinations of rotation rates and luminosities. The internal differential rotation and kinetic helicity profiles required to calculate source terms in these dynamo models are extracted from a corresponding series of global three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of solar/stellar convection, so that the resulting dynamo models end up involving only one free parameter, namely, the turbulent magnetic diffusivity in the convecting layers. Even though the αΩ dynamo solutions exhibit a broad range of morphologies, and sometimes even double cycles, these models manage to reproduce relativelymore » well the observationally inferred relationship between cycle period and rotation rate. On the other hand, they fail in capturing the observed increase of magnetic activity levels with rotation rate. This failure is due to our use of a simple algebraic α-quenching formula as the sole amplitude-limiting nonlinearity. This suggests that α-quenching is not the primary mechanism setting the amplitude of stellar magnetic cycles, with magnetic reaction on large-scale flows emerging as the more likely candidate. This inference is coherent with analyses of various recent global magnetohydrodynamical simulations of solar/stellar convection.« less

Double slip effects of Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) boundary layer flow over an exponentially stretching sheet with radiation, heat source and chemical reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaharuz Zaman, Azmanira; Aziz, Ahmad Sukri Abd; Ali, Zaileha Md

2017-09-01

The double slips effect on the magnetohydrodynamic boundary layer flow over an exponentially stretching sheet with suction/blowing, radiation, chemical reaction and heat source is presented in this analysis. By using the similarity transformation, the governing partial differential equations of momentum, energy and concentration are transformed into the non-linear ordinary equations. These equations are solved using Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method with shooting technique in MAPLE software environment. The effects of the various parameter on the velocity, temperature and concentration profiles are graphically presented and discussed.

Coupling the Gaussian Free Fields with Free and with Zero Boundary Conditions via Common Level Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Wei; Werner, Wendelin

2018-06-01

We point out a new simple way to couple the Gaussian Free Field (GFF) with free boundary conditions in a two-dimensional domain with the GFF with zero boundary conditions in the same domain: Starting from the latter, one just has to sample at random all the signs of the height gaps on its boundary-touching zero-level lines (these signs are alternating for the zero-boundary GFF) in order to obtain a free boundary GFF. Constructions and couplings of the free boundary GFF and its level lines via soups of reflected Brownian loops and their clusters are also discussed. Such considerations show for instance that in a domain with an axis of symmetry, if one looks at the overlay of a single usual Conformal Loop Ensemble CLE3 with its own symmetric image, one obtains the CLE4-type collection of level lines of a GFF with mixed zero/free boundary conditions in the half-domain.

Stellar Ablation of Planetary Atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Thomas E.; Horwitz, J. L.

2007-01-01

We review observations and theories of the solar ablation of planetary atmospheres, focusing on the terrestrial case where a large magnetosphere holds off the solar wind, so that there is little direct atmospheric impact, but also couples the solar wind electromagnetically to the auroral zones. We consider the photothermal escape flows known as the polar wind or refilling flows, the enhanced mass flux escape flows that result from localized solar wind energy dissipation in the auroral zones, and the resultant enhanced neutral atom escape flows. We term these latter two escape flows the "auroral wind." We review observations and theories of the heating and acceleration of auroral winds, including energy inputs from precipitating particles, electromagnetic energy flux at magnetohydrodynamic and plasma wave frequencies, and acceleration by parallel electric fields and by convection pickup processes also known as "centrifugal acceleration." We consider also the global circulation of ionospheric plasmas within the magnetosphere, their participation in magnetospheric disturbances as absorbers of momentum and energy, and their ultimate loss from the magnetosphere into the downstream solar wind, loading reconnection processes that occur at high altitudes near the magnetospheric boundaries. We consider the role of planetary magnetization and the accumulating evidence of stellar ablation of extrasolar planetary atmospheres. Finally, we suggest and discuss future needs for both the theory and observation of the planetary ionospheres and their role in solar wind interactions, to achieve the generality required for a predictive science of the coupling of stellar and planetary atmospheres over the full range of possible conditions.

Grain-boundary free energy in an assembly of elastic disks.

PubMed

Lusk, Mark T; Beale, Paul D

2004-02-01

Grain-boundary free energy is estimated as a function of misoriention for symmetric tilt boundaries in an assembly of nearly hard disks. Fluctuating cell theory is used to accomplish this since the most common techniques for calculating interfacial free energy cannot be applied to such assemblies. The results are analogous to those obtained using a Leonard-Jones potential, but in this case the interfacial energy is dominated by an entropic contribution. Disk assemblies colorized with free and specific volume elucidate differences between these two characteristics of boundary structure. Profiles are also provided of the Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies as a function of distance from the grain boundaries. Low angle grain boundaries are shown to follow the classical relationship between dislocation orientation/spacing and misorientation angle.

Structure, Dynamics, and Deuterium Fractionation of Massive Pre-stellar Cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodson, Matthew D.; Kong, Shuo; Tan, Jonathan C.; Heitsch, Fabian; Caselli, Paola

2016-12-01

High levels of deuterium fraction in N2H+ are observed in some pre-stellar cores. Single-zone chemical models find that the timescale required to reach observed values ({D}{frac}{{{N}}2{{{H}}}+}\\equiv {{{N}}}2{{{D}}}+/{{{N}}}2{{{H}}}+≳ 0.1) is longer than the free-fall time, possibly 10 times longer. Here, we explore the deuteration of turbulent, magnetized cores with 3D magnetohydrodynamics simulations. We use an approximate chemical model to follow the growth in abundances of N2H+ and N2D+. We then examine the dynamics of the core using each tracer for comparison to observations. We find that the velocity dispersion of the core as traced by N2D+ appears slightly sub-virial compared to predictions of the Turbulent Core Model of McKee & Tan, except at late times just before the onset of protostar formation. By varying the initial mass surface density, the magnetic energy, the chemical age, and the ortho-to-para ratio of H2, we also determine the physical and temporal properties required for high deuteration. We find that low initial ortho-to-para ratios (≲ 0.01) and/or multiple free-fall times (≳ 3) of prior chemical evolution are necessary to reach the observed values of deuterium fraction in pre-stellar cores.

Well-posedness of the free boundary problem in compressible elastodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trakhinin, Yuri

2018-02-01

We study the free boundary problem for the flow of a compressible isentropic inviscid elastic fluid. At the free boundary moving with the velocity of the fluid particles the columns of the deformation gradient are tangent to the boundary and the pressure vanishes outside the flow domain. We prove the local-in-time existence of a unique smooth solution of the free boundary problem provided that among three columns of the deformation gradient there are two which are non-collinear vectors at each point of the initial free boundary. If this non-collinearity condition fails, the local-in-time existence is proved under the classical Rayleigh-Taylor sign condition satisfied at the first moment. By constructing an Hadamard-type ill-posedness example for the frozen coefficients linearized problem we show that the simultaneous failure of the non-collinearity condition and the Rayleigh-Taylor sign condition leads to Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

The Stellar Imager (SI) - A Mission to Resolve Stellar Surfaces, Interiors, and Magnetic Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jørgen; Carpenter, Kenneth G.; Schrijver, Carolus J.; Karovska, Margarita; Si Team

2011-01-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is a space-based, UV/Optical Interferometer (UVOI) designed to enable 0.1 milli-arcsecond (mas) spectral imaging of stellar surfaces and of the Universe in general. It will also probe via asteroseismology flows and structures in stellar interiors. SI will enable the development and testing of a predictive dynamo model for the Sun, by observing patterns of surface activity and imaging of the structure and differential rotation of stellar interiors in a population study of Sun-like stars to determine the dependence of dynamo action on mass, internal structure and flows, and time. SI's science focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe and will revolutionize our understanding of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magneto-hydrodynamically controlled processes in the Universe. SI is a "Landmark/Discovery Mission" in the 2005 Heliophysics Roadmap, an implementation of the UVOI in the 2006 Astrophysics Strategic Plan, and a NASA Vision Mission ("NASA Space Science Vision Missions" (2008), ed. M. Allen). We present here the science goals of the SI Mission, a mission architecture that could meet those goals, and the technology development needed to enable this mission. Additional information on SI can be found at: http://hires.gsfc.nasa.gov/si/.

The Stellar Imager (SI) - A Mission to Resolve Stellar Surfaces, Interiors, and Magnetic Activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jorgen; Carpenter, Kenneth G.; Schrijver, Carolus J.; Karovska, Margarita

2012-01-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is a space-based, UV/Optical Interferometer (UVOI) designed to enable 0.1 milli-arcsecond (mas) spectral imaging of stellar surfaces and of the Universe in general. It will also probe via asteroseismology flows and structures in stellar interiors. SI will enable the development and testing of a predictive dynamo model for the Sun, by observing patterns of surface activity and imaging of the structure and differential rotation of stellar interiors in a population study of Sun-like stars to determine the dependence of dynamo action on mass, internal structure and flows, and time. SI's science focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe and will revolutionize our understanding of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magnetohydrodynamically controlled processes in the Universe. SI is a "LandmarklDiscovery Mission" in the 2005 Heliophysics Roadmap, an implementation of the UVOI in the 2006 Astrophysics Strategic Plan, and a NASA Vision Mission ("NASA Space Science Vision Missions" (2008), ed. M. Allen). We present here the science goals of the SI Mission, a mission architecture that could meet those goals, and the technology development needed to enable this mission

The Stellar Imager (SI) - A Mission to Resolve Stellar Surfaces, Interiors, and Magnetic Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carpenter, K. G.; Schrijver, C. J.; Karovska, M.; Si Vision Mission Team

2009-09-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is a UV/Optical, Space-Based Interferometer designed to enable 0.1 milli-arcsecond (mas) spectral imaging of stellar surfaces and, via asteroseismology, stellar interiors and of the Universe in general. The ultra-sharp images of the Stellar Imager will revolutionize our view of many dynamic astrophysical processes by transforming point sources into extended sources, and snapshots into evolving views. SI's science focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe, particularly on magnetic activity on the surfaces of stars like the Sun. SI's prime goal is to enable long-term forecasting of solar activity and the space weather that it drives. SI will also revolutionize our understanding of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magneto-hydrodynamically controlled processes in the Universe. SI is included as a ``Flagship and Landmark Discovery Mission'' in the 2005 NASA Sun Solar System Connection (SSSC) Roadmap and as a candidate for a ``Pathways to Life Observatory'' in the NASA Exploration of the Universe Division (EUD) Roadmap (May, 2005). In this paper we discuss the science goals and technology needs of, and the baseline design for, the SI Mission (http://hires.gsfc.nasa.gov/si/) and its ability to image the Biggest, Baddest, Coolest Stars.

The Stellar Imager (SI) - A Mission to Resolve Stellar Surfaces, Interiors, and Magnetic Activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Kenneth; Schrijver, Carolus J.; Karovska, Margarita

2007-01-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is a UV/Optical, Space-Based Interferometer designed to enable 0.1 milli-arcsecond (mas) spectral imaging of stellar surfaces and, via asteroseismology, stellar interiors and of the Universe in general. The ultra-sharp images of the Stellar Imager will revolutionize our view of many dynamic astrophysical processes by transforming point sources into extended sources, and snapshots into evolving views. SI's science focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe, particularly on magnetic activity on the surfaces of stars like the Sun. SI's prime goal is to enable long-term forecasting of solar activity and the space weather that it drives. SI will also revolutionize our understanding of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magneto-hydrodynamically controlled processes in the Universe. SI is included as a 'Flagship and Landmark Discovery Mission' in the 2005 NASA Sun Solar System Connection (SSSC) Roadmap and as a candidate for a 'Pathways to Life Observatory' in the NASA Exploration of the Universe Division (EUD) Roadmap (May, 2005). In this paper we discuss the science goals and technology needs of, and the baseline design for, the SI Mission (http://hires.gsfc.nasa.gov/si/) its ability to image the 'Biggest, Baddest, Coolest Stars'.

Stellar magnetic cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baliunas, S. L.

2004-05-01

Is hope for understanding the solar magnetic cycle to be found in stars? Observations of stars with significant sub-surface convective zones -- masses smaller than about 1.5 solar masses on the lower main sequence and many types of cool, post-main-sequence stars -- indicate the presence of surface and atmospheric inhomogeneities analogous to solar magnetic features, making stellar magnetic activity a cosmically widespread phenomenon. Observations have been made primarily in visible wavelengths, and important information has also been derived from the ultraviolet and x-ray spectrum regions. Interannual to interdecadal variability of spectrum indicators of stellar magnetic features is common, and in some cases similar in appearance to the 11-year sunspot cycle. Successful models of the physical processes responsible for stellar magnetic cycles, typically cast as a magnetohydrodynamic dynamo, require advances in understanding not only convection but also the magnetic field's interaction with it. The observed facts that underpin the hope for models will be summarized. Properties of stellar magnetic cycles will be compared and contrasted with those of the sun, including inferences from paleo-environmental reservoirs that contain information on solar century- to millennial-scale magnetic variability. Partial support of this research came from NASA NAG5-7635, NRC COBASE, CRDF 322, MIT-MSG 5710001241, JPL 1236821, AF 49620-02-1-0194, Richard Lounsberry Foundation, Langley-Abbot, Rollins, Scholarly Studies and James Arthur Funds (Smithsonian Institution) and several generous individuals.

Stellar Imager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Kenneth

2007-01-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is one of NASA's "Vision Missions" - concepts for future, space-based, strategic missions that could enormously increase our capabilities for observing the Cosmos. SI is designed as a UV/Optical Interferometer which will enable 0.1 milli-arcsecond (mas) spectral imaging of stellar surfaces and, via asteroseismology, stellar interiors and of the Universe in general. The ultra-sharp images of the Stellar Imager will revolutionize our view of many dynamic astrophysical processes by transforming point sources into extended sources, and snapshots into evolving views. SI, with a characteristic angular resolution of 0.1 milli-arcseconds at 2000 Angstroms, represents an advance in image detail of several hundred times over that provided by the Hubble Space Telescope. The Stellar Imager will zoom in on what today-with few exceptions - we only know as point sources, revealing processes never before seen, thus providing a tool as fundamental to astrophysics as the microscope is to the study of life on Earth. SI's science focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe, particularly on magnetic activity on the surfaces of stars like the Sun. It's prime goal is to enable long-term forecasting of solar activity and the space weather that it drives, in support of the Living With a Star program in the Exploration Era. SI will also revolutionize our understanding of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magneto-hydrodynamically controlled processes in the Universe. Stellar Imager is included as a "Flagship and Landmark Discovery Mission" in the 2005 Sun Solar System Connection (SSSC) Roadmap and as a candidate for a "Pathways to Life Observatory" in the Exploration of the Universe Division (EUD) Roadmap (May, 2005) and as such is a candidate mission for the 2025-2030 timeframe. An artist's drawing of the current "baseline" concept for SI is presented.

Direct UV/Optical Imaging of Stellar Surfaces: The Stellar Imager (SI) Vision Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Kenneth G.; Lyon, Richard G.; Schrijver, Carolus; Karovska, Margarita; Mozurkewich, David

2007-01-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is a UV/optical, space-based interferometer designed to enable 0.1 milli-arcsecond (mas) spectral imaging of stellar surfaces and, via asteroseismology, stellar interiors and of the Universe in general. SI's science focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe, particularly on magnetic activity on the surfaces of stars like the Sun. SI's prime goal is to enable long-term forecasting of solar activity and the space weather that it drives, in support of the Living with a Star program in the Exploration Era. SI will also revolutionize our understanding of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magneto-hydrodynamically controlled processes in thc Universe. SI is a "Flagship and Landmark Discovery Mission" in the 2005 Sun Solar System Connection (SSSC) Roadmap and a candidate for a "Pathways to Life Observatory" in the Exploration of the Universe Division (EUD) Roadmap. We discuss herein the science goals of the SI Mission, a mission architecture that could meet those goals, and the technologies needed to enable this mission. Additional information on SI can be found at: http://hires.gsfc.nasa.gov/si/.

Equilibrium 𝛽-limits in classical stellarators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loizu, J.; Hudson, S. R.; Nührenberg, C.; Geiger, J.; Helander, P.

2017-12-01

A numerical investigation is carried out to understand the equilibrium -limit in a classical stellarator. The stepped-pressure equilibrium code (Hudson et al., Phys. Plasmas, vol. 19 (11), 2012) is used in order to assess whether or not magnetic islands and stochastic field-lines can emerge at high . Two modes of operation are considered: a zero-net-current stellarator and a fixed-iota stellarator. Despite the fact that relaxation is allowed (Taylor, Rev. Mod. Phys., vol. 58 (3), 1986, pp. 741-763), the former is shown to maintain good flux surfaces up to the equilibrium -limit predicted by ideal-magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), above which a separatrix forms. The latter, which has no ideal equilibrium -limit, is shown to develop regions of magnetic islands and chaos at sufficiently high , thereby providing a `non-ideal -limit'. Perhaps surprisingly, however, the value of at which the Shafranov shift of the axis reaches a fraction of the minor radius follows in all cases the scaling laws predicted by ideal-MHD. We compare our results to the High-Beta-Stellarator theory of Freidberg (Ideal MHD, 2014, Cambridge University Press) and derive a new prediction for the non-ideal equilibrium -limit above which chaos emerges.

Equilibrium β-limits in classical stellarators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loizu, Joaquim; Hudson, S. R.; Nuhrenberg, C.

Here, a numerical investigation is carried out to understand the equilibrium β-limit in a classical stellarator. The stepped-pressure equilibrium code is used in order to assess whether or not magnetic islands and stochastic field-lines can emerge at high β. Two modes of operation are considered: a zero-net-current stellarator and a fixed-iota stellarator. Despite the fact that relaxation is allowed, the former is shown to maintain good flux surfaces up to the equilibrium β-limit predicted by ideal-magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), above which a separatrix forms. The latter, which has no ideal equilibrium β-limit, is shown to develop regions of magnetic islands and chaosmore » at sufficiently high β, thereby providing a ‘non-ideal β-limit’. Perhaps surprisingly, however, the value of β at which the Shafranov shift of the axis reaches a fraction of the minor radius follows in all cases the scaling laws predicted by ideal-MHD. We compare our results to the High-Beta-Stellarator theory of Freidberg and derive a new prediction for the non-ideal equilibrium β-limit above which chaos emerges.« less

Equilibrium β-limits in classical stellarators

DOE PAGES

Loizu, Joaquim; Hudson, S. R.; Nuhrenberg, C.; ...

2017-11-17

Here, a numerical investigation is carried out to understand the equilibrium β-limit in a classical stellarator. The stepped-pressure equilibrium code is used in order to assess whether or not magnetic islands and stochastic field-lines can emerge at high β. Two modes of operation are considered: a zero-net-current stellarator and a fixed-iota stellarator. Despite the fact that relaxation is allowed, the former is shown to maintain good flux surfaces up to the equilibrium β-limit predicted by ideal-magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), above which a separatrix forms. The latter, which has no ideal equilibrium β-limit, is shown to develop regions of magnetic islands and chaosmore » at sufficiently high β, thereby providing a ‘non-ideal β-limit’. Perhaps surprisingly, however, the value of β at which the Shafranov shift of the axis reaches a fraction of the minor radius follows in all cases the scaling laws predicted by ideal-MHD. We compare our results to the High-Beta-Stellarator theory of Freidberg and derive a new prediction for the non-ideal equilibrium β-limit above which chaos emerges.« less

Jacobian-free approximate solvers for hyperbolic systems: Application to relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castro, Manuel J.; Gallardo, José M.; Marquina, Antonio

2017-10-01

We present recent advances in PVM (Polynomial Viscosity Matrix) methods based on internal approximations to the absolute value function, and compare them with Chebyshev-based PVM solvers. These solvers only require a bound on the maximum wave speed, so no spectral decomposition is needed. Another important feature of the proposed methods is that they are suitable to be written in Jacobian-free form, in which only evaluations of the physical flux are used. This is particularly interesting when considering systems for which the Jacobians involve complex expressions, e.g., the relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (RMHD) equations. On the other hand, the proposed Jacobian-free solvers have also been extended to the case of approximate DOT (Dumbser-Osher-Toro) methods, which can be regarded as simple and efficient approximations to the classical Osher-Solomon method, sharing most of it interesting features and being applicable to general hyperbolic systems. To test the properties of our schemes a number of numerical experiments involving the RMHD equations are presented, both in one and two dimensions. The obtained results are in good agreement with those found in the literature and show that our schemes are robust and accurate, running stable under a satisfactory time step restriction. It is worth emphasizing that, although this work focuses on RMHD, the proposed schemes are suitable to be applied to general hyperbolic systems.

Improved Design of Stellarator Coils for Current Carrying Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drevlak, M.; Strumberger, E.; Hirshman, S.; Boozer, A.; Brooks, A.; Valanju, P.

1998-11-01

The method of automatic optimization (P. Merkel, Nucl. Fus. 27), (1987) 867; P. Merkel, M. Drevlak, Proc 25th EPS Conf. on Cont. Fus. and Plas. Phys., Prague, in print. for the design of stellarator coils consists essentially of determining filaments such that the average relative field error int dS [ (B_coil + B_j) \\cdot n]^2/B^2_coil is minimized on the prescribed plasma boundary. Bj is the magnetic field produced by the plasma currents of the given finite β fixed boundary equilibrium. For equilibria of the W7-X type, Bj can be neglected, because of the reduced parallel plasma currents. This is not true for quasi-axisymmetric stellarator (QAS) configurations (A. Reiman, et al., to be published.) with large equilibrium and net plasma (bootstrap) currents. Although the coils for QAS exhibit low values of the field error, free boundary calculations indicate that the shape of the plasma is usually not accurately reproduced , particularly when saddle coils are used. We investigate if the surface reconstruction can be improved by introducing a modified measure of the field error based on a measure of the resonant components of the normal field.

Free-Stream Boundaries of Turbulent Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corrsin, Stanley; Kistler, Alan L

1955-01-01

Report presents the results of an experimental and theoretical study made of the instantaneously sharp and irregular front which is always found to separate turbulent fluid from contiguous "nonturbulent" fluid at a free-stream boundary. This distinct demarcation is known to give an intermittent character to hot-wire signals in the boundary zone. The overall behavior of the front is described statistically in terms of its wrinkle-amplitude growth and its lateral propagation relative to the fluid as functions of downstream coordinate.

Direct Imaging of Stellar Surfaces: Results from the Stellar Imager (SI) Vision Mission Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Kenneth; Schrijver, Carolus; Karovska, Margarita

2006-01-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is a UV-Optical, Space-Based Interferometer designed to enable 0.1 milli-arcsecond (mas) spectral imaging of stellar surfaces and stellar interiors (via asteroseismology) and of the Universe in general. SI is identified as a "Flagship and Landmark Discovery Mission'' in the 2005 Sun Solar System Connection (SSSC) Roadmap and as a candidate for a "Pathways to Life Observatory'' in the Exploration of the Universe Division (EUD) Roadmap (May, 2005). The ultra-sharp images of the Stellar Imager will revolutionize our view of many dynamic astrophysical processes: The 0.1 mas resolution of this deep-space telescope will transform point sources into extended sources, and snapshots into evolving views. SI's science focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe, particularly on magnetic activity on the surfaces of stars like the Sun. SI's prime goal is to enable long-term forecasting of solar activity and the space weather that it drives in support of the Living With a Star program in the Exploration Era. SI will also revolutionize our understanding of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magneto-hydrodynamically controlled processes in the Universe. In this paper we will discuss the results of the SI Vision Mission Study, elaborating on the science goals of the SI Mission and a mission architecture that could meet those goals.

Teaching an Old Dog an Old Trick: FREE-FIX and Free-Boundary Axisymmetric MHD Equilibrium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guazzotto, Luca

2015-11-01

A common task in plasma physics research is the calculation of an axisymmetric equilibrium for tokamak modeling. The main unknown of the problem is the magnetic poloidal flux ψ. The easiest approach is to assign the shape of the plasma and only solve the equilibrium problem in the plasma / closed-field-lines region (the ``fixed-boundary approach''). Often, one may also need the vacuum fields, i.e. the equilibrium in the open-field-lines region, requiring either coil currents or ψ on some closed curve outside the plasma to be assigned (the ``free-boundary approach''). Going from one approach to the other is a textbook problem, involving the calculation of Green's functions and surface integrals in the plasma. However, no tools are readily available to perform this task. Here we present a code (FREE-FIX) to compute a boundary condition for a free-boundary equilibrium given only the corresponding fixed-boundary equilibrium. An improvement to the standard solution method, allowing for much faster calculations, is presented. Applications are discussed. PPPL fund 245139 and DOE grant G00009102.

Analysis of turbulent free-convection boundary layer on flat plate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckert, E R G; Jackson, Thomas W

1950-01-01

A calculation was made for the flow and heat transfer in the turbulent free-convection boundary layer on a vertical flat plate. Formulas for the heat-transfer coefficient, boundary layer thickness, and the maximum velocity in the boundary layer were obtained.

A non-local free boundary problem arising in a theory of financial bubbles

PubMed Central

Berestycki, Henri; Monneau, Regis; Scheinkman, José A.

2014-01-01

We consider an evolution non-local free boundary problem that arises in the modelling of speculative bubbles. The solution of the model is the speculative component in the price of an asset. In the framework of viscosity solutions, we show the existence and uniqueness of the solution. We also show that the solution is convex in space, and establish several monotonicity properties of the solution and of the free boundary with respect to parameters of the problem. To study the free boundary, we use, in particular, the fact that the odd part of the solution solves a more standard obstacle problem. We show that the free boundary is and describe the asymptotics of the free boundary as c, the cost of transacting the asset, goes to zero. PMID:25288815

The diagnosed mobile limiters of the TJ-II stellarator for plasma boundary studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de la Cal, E.; Tabarés, F. L.; Tafalla, D.; Cortés, I. García.; Hidalgo, C.; López-Fraguas, A.

TJ-II is a medium size (major radius R=1.5 m, average plasma radius a <0.25 m, on axis magnetic field B=1 T) helical axis stellarator. The main characteristic is its magnetic configuration flexibility, due to the separate control of the different magnetic field coils. The two diagnosed mobile limiters are installed to reduce thermal loads on the thin protection plates of the contacting plasma-chamber regions and to study the plasma edge. First diagnostics are a set of thermocouples, Langmuir probes, H α-detectors and a CCD video camera with different filters (atomic lines of HeI, H α and near IR) looking at the limiter. A method of passive spectroscopy is proposed to map the electron temperature and density over the whole limiter surface by analysing the emission of helium recycling neutrals. It is expected from previous results of other stellarators, that the boundary magnetic topology will have a strong influence on the plasma-wall interaction. The mobile limiters can control the last closed magnetic surface and diagnose the plasma boundary. A qualitative different plasma edge scenario is foreseen between the limiter and the natural island divertor configuration (rational rotational transform inside the limiter radius). Plasma-wall interaction in TJ-II shows very specific features and the optimisation of the plasma edge topology can influence strongly the core plasma parameters. In particular, impurity screening will be a challenge due to the large power density which will be available in future (up to 2 MW NBI for 0.5 s). A safe operation for future high β-plasmas is also required and the mobile limiters should help to remove a fraction of the conductive/convective power.

Robust boundary treatment for open-channel flows in divergence-free incompressible SPH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pahar, Gourabananda; Dhar, Anirban

2017-03-01

A robust Incompressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (ISPH) framework is developed to simulate specified inflow and outflow boundary conditions for open-channel flow. Being purely divergence-free, the framework offers smoothed and structured pressure distribution. An implicit treatment of Pressure Poison Equation and Dirichlet boundary condition is applied on free-surface to minimize error in velocity-divergence. Beyond inflow and outflow threshold, multiple layers of dummy particles are created according to specified boundary condition. Inflow boundary acts as a soluble wave-maker. Fluid particles beyond outflow threshold are removed and replaced with dummy particles with specified boundary velocity. The framework is validated against different cases of open channel flow with different boundary conditions. The model can efficiently capture flow evolution and vortex generation for random geometry and variable boundary conditions.

NIMROD: A computational laboratory for studying nonlinear fusion magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sovinec, C. R.; Gianakon, T. A.; Held, E. D.; Kruger, S. E.; Schnack, D. D.

2003-05-01

Nonlinear numerical studies of macroscopic modes in a variety of magnetic fusion experiments are made possible by the flexible high-order accurate spatial representation and semi-implicit time advance in the NIMROD simulation code [A. H. Glasser et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 41, A747 (1999)]. Simulation of a resistive magnetohydrodynamics mode in a shaped toroidal tokamak equilibrium demonstrates computation with disparate time scales, simulations of discharge 87009 in the DIII-D tokamak [J. L. Luxon et al., Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research 1986 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1987), Vol. I, p. 159] confirm an analytic scaling for the temporal evolution of an ideal mode subject to plasma-β increasing beyond marginality, and a spherical torus simulation demonstrates nonlinear free-boundary capabilities. A comparison of numerical results on magnetic relaxation finds the n=1 mode and flux amplification in spheromaks to be very closely related to the m=1 dynamo modes and magnetic reversal in reversed-field pinch configurations. Advances in local and nonlocal closure relations developed for modeling kinetic effects in fluid simulation are also described.

On axisymmetric resistive magnetohydrodynamic equilibria with flow free of Pfirsch-Schlüter diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Throumoulopoulos, G. N.; Tasso, H.

2003-06-01

The equilibrium of an axisymmetric magnetically confined plasma with anisotropic resistivity and incompressible flows parallel to the magnetic field is investigated within the framework of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory by keeping the convective flow term in the momentum equation. It turns out that the stationary states are determined by a second-order elliptic partial differential equation for the poloidal magnetic flux function ψ along with a decoupled Bernoulli equation for the pressure identical in form with the respective ideal MHD equations; equilibrium consistent expressions for the resistivities η∥ and η⊥ parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field are also derived from Ohm's and Faraday's laws. Unlike in the case of stationary states with isotropic resistivity and parallel flows [G. N. Throumoulopoulos and H. Tasso, J. Plasma Phys. 64, 601 (2000)] the equilibrium is compatible with nonvanishing poloidal current densities. Also, although exactly Spitzer resistivities either η∥(ψ) or η⊥(ψ) are not allowed, exact solutions with vanishing poloidal electric fields can be constructed with η∥ and η⊥ profiles compatible with roughly collisional resistivity profiles, i.e., profiles having a minimum close to the magnetic axis, taking very large values on the boundary and such that η⊥>η∥. For equilibria with vanishing flows satisfying the relation (dP/dψ)(dI2/dψ)>0, where P and I are the pressure and the poloidal current functions, the difference η⊥-η∥ for the reversed-field pinch scaling, Bp≈Bt, is nearly two times larger than that for the tokamak scaling, Bp≈0.1Bt (Bp and Bt are the poloidal and toroidal magnetic-field components). The particular resistive equilibrium solutions obtained in the present work, inherently free of—but not inconsistent with—Pfirsch-Schlüter diffusion, indicate that parallel flows might result in a reduction of the diffusion observed in magnetically confined plasmas.

The influence of free-stream turbulence on turbulent boundary layers with mild adverse pressure gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffmann, J. A.; Kassir, S. M.; Larwood, S. M.

1989-01-01

The influence of near isotropic free-stream turbulence on the shape factors and skin friction coefficients of turbulent boundary layers is presented for the cases of zero and mild adverse pressure gradients. With free-stream turbulence, improved fluid mixing occurs in boundary layers with adverse pressure gradients relative to the zero pressure gradient condition, with the same free-stream turbulence intensity and length scale. Stronger boundary layers with lower shape factors occur as a result of a lower ratio of the integral scale of turbulence to the boundary layer thickness, and to vortex stretching of the turbulent eddies in the free-stream, both of which act to improve the transmission of momentum from the free-stream to the boundary layers.

Global strong solutions to radial symmetric compressible Navier-Stokes equations with free boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hai-liang; Zhang, Xingwei

2016-12-01

In this paper, we consider the two-dimensional barotropic compressible Navier-Stokes equations with stress free boundary condition imposed on the free surface. As the viscosity coefficients satisfies μ (ρ) = 2 μ, λ (ρ) =ρβ, β > 1, we establish the existence of global strong solution for arbitrarily large spherical symmetric initial data even if the density vanishes across the free boundary. In particular, we show that the density is strictly positive and bounded from the above and below in any finite time if the initial density is strictly positive, and the free boundary propagates along the particle path and expand outwards at an algebraic rate.

AN EXPLORATION OF THE STATISTICAL SIGNATURES OF STELLAR FEEDBACK

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boyden, Ryan D.; Offner, Stella S. R.; Koch, Eric W.

2016-12-20

All molecular clouds are observed to be turbulent, but the origin, means of sustenance, and evolution of the turbulence remain debated. One possibility is that stellar feedback injects enough energy into the cloud to drive observed motions on parsec scales. Recent numerical studies of molecular clouds have found that feedback from stars, such as protostellar outflows and winds, injects energy and impacts turbulence. We expand upon these studies by analyzing magnetohydrodynamic simulations of molecular clouds, including stellar winds, with a range of stellar mass-loss rates and magnetic field strengths. We generate synthetic {sup 12}CO(1–0) maps assuming that the simulations aremore » at the distance of the nearby Perseus molecular cloud. By comparing the outputs from different initial conditions and evolutionary times, we identify differences in the synthetic observations and characterize these using common astrostatistics. We quantify the different statistical responses using a variety of metrics proposed in the literature. We find that multiple astrostatistics, including the principal component analysis, the spectral correlation function, and the velocity coordinate spectrum (VCS), are sensitive to changes in stellar mass-loss rates and/or time evolution. A few statistics, including the Cramer statistic and VCS, are sensitive to the magnetic field strength. These findings demonstrate that stellar feedback influences molecular cloud turbulence and can be identified and quantified observationally using such statistics.« less

High- β equilibrium and ballooning stability of the low aspect ratio CNT stellarator

DOE PAGES

Hammond, K. C.; Lazerson, S. A.; Volpe, F. A.

2017-04-07

In the paper, the existence and ballooning-stability of low aspect ratio stellarator equilibria is predicted for the Columbia Neutral Torus (CNT) with the aid of 3D numerical tools. In addition to having a low aspect ratio, CNT is characterized by a low magnetic field and small plasma volume. Also, highly overdense plasmas were recently heated in CNT by means of microwaves. These characteristics suggest that CNT might attain relatively high values of plasma beta and thus be of use in the experimental study of stellarator stability to high-beta instabilities such as ballooning modes. As a first step in that direction,more » here the ballooning stability limit is found numerically. Depending on the particular magnetic configuration we expect volume-averaged β limits in the range 0.9%–3.0%, and possibly higher, and observe indications of a second region of ballooning stability. As the aspect ratio is reduced, stability is found to increase in some configurations and decrease in others. Energy-balance estimates using stellarator scaling laws indicate that the lower β limit may be attainable with overdense heating at powers of 40 to 100 kW. The present study serves the additional purpose of testing VMEC and other stellarator codes at high values of β and at low aspect ratios. For this reason, the study was carried out both for free boundary, for maximum fidelity to experiment, as well as with a fixed boundary, as a numerical test.« less

Experimental verification of free-space singular boundary conditions in an invisibility cloak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qiannan; Gao, Fei; Song, Zhengyong; Lin, Xiao; Zhang, Youming; Chen, Huanyang; Zhang, Baile

2016-04-01

A major issue in invisibility cloaking, which caused intense mathematical discussions in the past few years but still remains physically elusive, is the plausible singular boundary conditions associated with the singular metamaterials at the inner boundary of an invisibility cloak. The perfect cloaking phenomenon, as originally proposed by Pendry et al for electromagnetic waves, cannot be treated as physical before a realistic inner boundary of a cloak is demonstrated. Although a recent demonstration has been done in a waveguide environment, the exotic singular boundary conditions should apply to a general environment as in free space. Here we fabricate a metamaterial surface that exhibits the singular boundary conditions and demonstrate its performance in free space. Particularly, the phase information of waves reflected from this metamaterial surface is explicitly measured, confirming the singular responses of boundary conditions for an invisibility cloak.

Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA): Convective Boundaries, Element Diffusion, and Massive Star Explosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paxton, Bill; Schwab, Josiah; Bauer, Evan B.; Bildsten, Lars; Blinnikov, Sergei; Duffell, Paul; Farmer, R.; Goldberg, Jared A.; Marchant, Pablo; Sorokina, Elena; Thoul, Anne; Townsend, Richard H. D.; Timmes, F. X.

2018-02-01

We update the capabilities of the software instrument Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) and enhance its ease of use and availability. Our new approach to locating convective boundaries is consistent with the physics of convection, and yields reliable values of the convective-core mass during both hydrogen- and helium-burning phases. Stars with M< 8 M⊙ become white dwarfs and cool to the point where the electrons are degenerate and the ions are strongly coupled, a realm now available to study with MESA due to improved treatments of element diffusion, latent heat release, and blending of equations of state. Studies of the final fates of massive stars are extended in MESA by our addition of an approximate Riemann solver that captures shocks and conserves energy to high accuracy during dynamic epochs. We also introduce a 1D capability for modeling the effects of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities that, in combination with the coupling to a public version of the STELLA radiation transfer instrument, creates new avenues for exploring Type II supernova properties. These capabilities are exhibited with exploratory models of pair-instability supernovae, pulsational pair-instability supernovae, and the formation of stellar-mass black holes. The applicability of MESA is now widened by the capability to import multidimensional hydrodynamic models into MESA. We close by introducing software modules for handling floating point exceptions and stellar model optimization, as well as four new software tools - MESA-Web, MESA-Docker, pyMESA, and mesastar.org - to enhance MESA's education and research impact.

Fully three-dimensional ideal magnetohydrodynamic stability analysis of low- n modes and Mercier modes in stellarators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fu, G.Y.; Cooper, W.A.; Gruber, R.

1992-06-01

The TERPSICHORE three-dimensional linear ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability code ({ital Theory} {ital of} {ital Fusion} {ital Plasmas}, Proceedings of the Joint Varenna--Lausanne International Workshop, Chexbres, Switzerland, 1988 (Editrice Compositori, Bologna, Italy, 1989), p. 93; {ital Controlled} {ital Fusion} {ital and} {ital Plasma} {ital Heating}, Proceedings of the 17th European Conference, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (European Physical Society, Petit-Lancy, Switzerland, 1990), Vol. 14B, Part II, p. 931; {ital Theory} {ital of} {ital Fusion} {ital Plasmas}, Proceedings of the Joint Varenna--Lausanne International Workshop, Valla Monastero, Varenna, Italy, 1990 (Editrice Compositori, Bologna, Italy, 1990), p. 655) has been extended to the full MHD equations.more » The new code is used to calculate the physical growth rates of nonlocal low-{ital n} modes for {ital l}=2 torsatron configurations. A comprehensive investigation of the relation between the Mercier modes and the low-{ital n} modes has been performed. The unstable localized low-{ital n} modes are found to be correlated with the Mercier criterion. Finite growth rates of the low-{ital n} modes correspond to finite values of the Mercier criterion parameter. Near the Mercier marginal stability boundary, the low-{ital n} modes tend to be weakly unstable with very small growth rates. However, the stability of global-type low-{ital n} modes is found to be decorrelated from that of Mercier modes. The low-{ital n} modes with global radial structures can be more stable or more unstable than Mercier modes.« less

The influence of free-stream turbulence on turbulent boundary layers with mild adverse pressure gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffmann, Jon A.

1988-01-01

The influence of near isotropic free-stream turbulence on the shape factors and skin friction coefficients of turbulent bounday layers is presented for the cases of zero and mild adverse pressure gradients. With free-stream turbulence, improved fluid mixing occurs in boundary layers with adverse pressure gradients relative to the zero pressure gradient condition, with the same free-stream turbulence intensity and length scale. Stronger boundary layers with lower shape factors occur as a result of a lower ratio of the integral scale of turbulence to the boundary layer thickness, and to vortex stretching of the turbulent eddies in the free stream, both of which act to improve the transmission of momentum from the free stream to the boundary layers.

On the Measure and the Structure of the Free Boundary of the Lower Dimensional Obstacle Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Focardi, Matteo; Spadaro, Emanuele

2018-04-01

We provide a thorough description of the free boundary for the lower dimensional obstacle problem in R^{n+1} up to sets of null H^{n-1} measure. In particular, we prove (i) local finiteness of the (n-1)-dimensional Hausdorff measure of the free boundary, (ii) H^{n-1}-rectifiability of the free boundary, (iii) classification of the frequencies up to a set of Hausdorff dimension at most (n-2) and classification of the blow-ups at H^{n-1} almost every free boundary point.

Magnetohydrodynamic Modeling of the Jovian Magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Raymond

2005-01-01

Under this grant we have undertaken a series of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation and data analysis studies to help better understand the configuration and dynamics of Jupiter's magnetosphere. We approached our studies of Jupiter's magnetosphere in two ways. First we carried out a number of studies using our existing MHD code. We carried out simulation studies of Jupiter s magnetospheric boundaries and their dependence on solar wind parameters, we studied the current systems which give the Jovian magnetosphere its unique configuration and we modeled the dynamics of Jupiter s magnetosphere following a northward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Second we worked to develop a new simulation code for studies of outer planet magnetospheres.

HARM: A Numerical Scheme for General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gammie, Charles, F.; McKinney, Jonathan C.; Tóth, Gábor

2012-09-01

HARM uses a conservative, shock-capturing scheme for evolving the equations of general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics. The fluxes are calculated using the Harten, Lax, & van Leer scheme. A variant of constrained transport, proposed earlier by Tóth, is used to maintain a divergence-free magnetic field. Only the covariant form of the metric in a coordinate basis is required to specify the geometry. On smooth flows HARM converges at second order.

Magnetohydrodynamic Modeling of Solar Coronal Dynamics with an Initial Non-force-free Magnetic Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, A.; Bhattacharyya, R.; Kumar, Sanjay

2017-05-01

The magnetic fields in the solar corona are generally neither force-free nor axisymmetric and have complex dynamics that are difficult to characterize. Here we simulate the topological evolution of solar coronal magnetic field lines (MFLs) using a magnetohydrodynamic model. The simulation is initialized with a non-axisymmetric non-force-free magnetic field that best correlates with the observed vector magnetograms of solar active regions (ARs). To focus on these ideas, simulations are performed for the flaring AR 11283 noted for its complexity and well-documented dynamics. The simulated dynamics develops as the initial Lorentz force pushes the plasma and facilitates successive magnetic reconnections at the two X-type null lines present in the initial field. Importantly, the simulation allows for the spontaneous development of mass flow, unique among contemporary works, that preferentially reconnects field lines at one of the X-type null lines. Consequently, a flux rope consisting of low-lying twisted MFLs, which approximately traces the major polarity inversion line, undergoes an asymmetric monotonic rise. The rise is attributed to a reduction in the magnetic tension force at the region overlying the rope, resulting from the reconnection. A monotonic rise of the rope is in conformity with the standard scenario of flares. Importantly, the simulated dynamics leads to bifurcations of the flux rope, which, being akin to the observed filament bifurcation in AR 11283, establishes the appropriateness of the initial field in describing ARs.

Magnetohydrodynamic Modeling of Solar Coronal Dynamics with an Initial Non-force-free Magnetic Field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prasad, A.; Bhattacharyya, R.; Kumar, Sanjay

The magnetic fields in the solar corona are generally neither force-free nor axisymmetric and have complex dynamics that are difficult to characterize. Here we simulate the topological evolution of solar coronal magnetic field lines (MFLs) using a magnetohydrodynamic model. The simulation is initialized with a non-axisymmetric non-force-free magnetic field that best correlates with the observed vector magnetograms of solar active regions (ARs). To focus on these ideas, simulations are performed for the flaring AR 11283 noted for its complexity and well-documented dynamics. The simulated dynamics develops as the initial Lorentz force pushes the plasma and facilitates successive magnetic reconnections atmore » the two X-type null lines present in the initial field. Importantly, the simulation allows for the spontaneous development of mass flow, unique among contemporary works, that preferentially reconnects field lines at one of the X-type null lines. Consequently, a flux rope consisting of low-lying twisted MFLs, which approximately traces the major polarity inversion line, undergoes an asymmetric monotonic rise. The rise is attributed to a reduction in the magnetic tension force at the region overlying the rope, resulting from the reconnection. A monotonic rise of the rope is in conformity with the standard scenario of flares. Importantly, the simulated dynamics leads to bifurcations of the flux rope, which, being akin to the observed filament bifurcation in AR 11283, establishes the appropriateness of the initial field in describing ARs.« less

Structure of the Milky Way stellar halo out to its outer boundary with blue horizontal-branch stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukushima, Tetsuya; Chiba, Masashi; Homma, Daisuke; Okamoto, Sakurako; Komiyama, Yutaka; Tanaka, Masayuki; Tanaka, Mikito; Arimoto, Nobuo; Matsuno, Tadafumi

2018-06-01

We present the structure of the Milky Way stellar halo beyond Galactocentric distances of r = 50 kpc traced by blue horizontal-branch (BHB) stars, which are extracted from the survey data in the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP). We select BHB candidates based on (g, r, i, z) photometry, where the z-band is on the Paschen series and the colors that involve the z-band are sensitive to surface gravity. About 450 BHB candidates are identified between r = 50 kpc and 300 kpc, most of which are beyond the reach of previous large surveys, including the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We find that the global structure of the stellar halo in this range has substructures, which are especially remarkable in the GAMA15H and XMM-LSS fields in the HSC-SSP. We find that the stellar halo can be fitted to a single power-law density profile with an index of α ≃ 3.3 (3.5) with (without) these fields and its global axial ratio is q ≃ 2.2 (1.3). Thus, the stellar halo may be significantly disturbed and be made in a prolate form by halo substructures, perhaps associated with the Sagittarius stream in its extension beyond r ˜ 100 kpc. For a broken power-law model allowing different power-law indices inside/outside a break radius, we obtain a steep power-law slope of α ≃ 5 outside a break radius of ˜100 kpc (200 kpc) for the case with (without) GAMA15H and XMM-LSS. This radius of 200 kpc might be as close as a halo boundary if there is any, although a larger BHB sample is required from further HSC-SSP surveys to increase its statistical significance.

Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations for Studying Solar Flare Trigger Mechanism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muhamad, J.; Kusano, K.; Inoue, S.

In order to understand the flare trigger mechanism, we conduct three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations using a coronal magnetic field model derived from data observed by the Hinode satellite. Several types of magnetic bipoles are imposed into the photospheric boundary of the Nonlinear Force-free Field model of Active Region (AR) NOAA 10930 on 2006 December 13, to investigate what kind of magnetic disturbance may trigger the flare. As a result, we confirm that certain small bipole fields, which emerge into the highly sheared global magnetic field of an AR, can effectively trigger a flare. These bipole fields can be classified into twomore » groups based on their orientation relative to the polarity inversion line: the so-called opposite polarity, and reversed shear structures, as suggested by Kusano et al. We also investigate the structure of the footpoints of reconnected field lines. By comparing the distribution of reconstructed field lines and observed flare ribbons, the trigger structure of the flare can be inferred. Our simulation suggests that the data-constrained simulation, taking into account both the large-scale magnetic structure and small-scale magnetic disturbance (such as emerging fluxes), is a good way to discover a flare-producing AR, which can be applied to space weather prediction.« less

Toroidal Alfvén eigenmode triggered by trapped anisotropic energetic particles in a toroidal resistive plasma with free boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, S. X.; Hao, G. Z.; Liu, Y. Q.; Wang, Z. X.; Hu, Y. J.; Zhu, J. X.; He, H. D.; Wang, A. K.

2018-04-01

The toroidal Alfvén eigenmode (TAE), excited by trapped energetic particles (EPs), is numerically investigated in a tokamak plasma, using the non-perturbative magnetohydrodynamic-kinetic hybrid formulation based MARS-K code (Liu et al 2008 Phys. Plasmas 15 112503). Compared with the fixed boundary condition at the plasma edge, a free boundary enhances the critical value of the EPs kinetic contribution for driving the TAE. Free boundary also induces finite perturbations at the plasma edge as expected. An anisotropic distribution of EPs, in the particle pitch angle space, strongly enhances the instability and results in a more global mode structure, compared with the isotropic case. The plasma resistivity is also found to play a role in the EPs-destabilized TAE. In particular, the mode stability domain is mapped out, in the 2D parameter space of the plasma resistivity and a quantity defining the width of the particle distribution in pitch angle (for anisotropic distribution). A resonance layer in the poloidal mode structure, with the layer width increasing with the plasma resistivity, appears at the large width of the particle distribution in pitch angle space. A mode conversion, from the modified ideal kink by the EPs kinetic effect to the TAE, is also observed while increasing the birth energy of EPs. Computational results suggest that the TAE mode structure can be modified by certain key plasma parameters, such as the EPs kinetic contribution, the equilibrium pressure, the plasma resistivity, the distribution of EPs, as well as the birth energy of EPs. Such modification of the eigenmode structure can only be obtained following the non-perturbative hybrid approach (Wang et al 2013 Phys. Rev. Lett. 111 145003, Wang et al 2015 Phys. Plasmas 22 022509), as adopted in this study. More importantly, numerical results show that near the marginal stability point, the dominant poloidal harmonics of the TAE overlap with each other, and are localized at the tip positions of

A Kernel-free Boundary Integral Method for Elliptic Boundary Value Problems ⋆

PubMed Central

Ying, Wenjun; Henriquez, Craig S.

2013-01-01

This paper presents a class of kernel-free boundary integral (KFBI) methods for general elliptic boundary value problems (BVPs). The boundary integral equations reformulated from the BVPs are solved iteratively with the GMRES method. During the iteration, the boundary and volume integrals involving Green's functions are approximated by structured grid-based numerical solutions, which avoids the need to know the analytical expressions of Green's functions. The KFBI method assumes that the larger regular domain, which embeds the original complex domain, can be easily partitioned into a hierarchy of structured grids so that fast elliptic solvers such as the fast Fourier transform (FFT) based Poisson/Helmholtz solvers or those based on geometric multigrid iterations are applicable. The structured grid-based solutions are obtained with standard finite difference method (FDM) or finite element method (FEM), where the right hand side of the resulting linear system is appropriately modified at irregular grid nodes to recover the formal accuracy of the underlying numerical scheme. Numerical results demonstrating the efficiency and accuracy of the KFBI methods are presented. It is observed that the number of GM-RES iterations used by the method for solving isotropic and moderately anisotropic BVPs is independent of the sizes of the grids that are employed to approximate the boundary and volume integrals. With the standard second-order FEMs and FDMs, the KFBI method shows a second-order convergence rate in accuracy for all of the tested Dirichlet/Neumann BVPs when the anisotropy of the diffusion tensor is not too strong. PMID:23519600

Existence and Stability of Compressible Current-Vortex Sheets in Three-Dimensional Magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Gui-Qiang; Wang, Ya-Guang

2008-03-01

Compressible vortex sheets are fundamental waves, along with shocks and rarefaction waves, in entropy solutions to multidimensional hyperbolic systems of conservation laws. Understanding the behavior of compressible vortex sheets is an important step towards our full understanding of fluid motions and the behavior of entropy solutions. For the Euler equations in two-dimensional gas dynamics, the classical linearized stability analysis on compressible vortex sheets predicts stability when the Mach number M > sqrt{2} and instability when M < sqrt{2} ; and Artola and Majda’s analysis reveals that the nonlinear instability may occur if planar vortex sheets are perturbed by highly oscillatory waves even when M > sqrt{2} . For the Euler equations in three dimensions, every compressible vortex sheet is violently unstable and this instability is the analogue of the Kelvin Helmholtz instability for incompressible fluids. The purpose of this paper is to understand whether compressible vortex sheets in three dimensions, which are unstable in the regime of pure gas dynamics, become stable under the magnetic effect in three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). One of the main features is that the stability problem is equivalent to a free-boundary problem whose free boundary is a characteristic surface, which is more delicate than noncharacteristic free-boundary problems. Another feature is that the linearized problem for current-vortex sheets in MHD does not meet the uniform Kreiss Lopatinskii condition. These features cause additional analytical difficulties and especially prevent a direct use of the standard Picard iteration to the nonlinear problem. In this paper, we develop a nonlinear approach to deal with these difficulties in three-dimensional MHD. We first carefully formulate the linearized problem for the current-vortex sheets to show rigorously that the magnetic effect makes the problem weakly stable and establish energy estimates, especially high-order energy

An overview of unconstrained free boundary problems

PubMed Central

Figalli, Alessio; Shahgholian, Henrik

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present a survey concerning unconstrained free boundary problems of type where B1 is the unit ball, Ω is an unknown open set, F1 and F2 are elliptic operators (admitting regular solutions), and is a functions space to be specified in each case. Our main objective is to discuss a unifying approach to the optimal regularity of solutions to the above matching problems, and list several open problems in this direction. PMID:26261367

Analytic Approximations to the Free Boundary and Multi-dimensional Problems in Financial Derivatives Pricing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, Chun Sing

This thesis studies two types of problems in financial derivatives pricing. The first type is the free boundary problem, which can be formulated as a partial differential equation (PDE) subject to a set of free boundary condition. Although the functional form of the free boundary condition is given explicitly, the location of the free boundary is unknown and can only be determined implicitly by imposing continuity conditions on the solution. Two specific problems are studied in details, namely the valuation of fixed-rate mortgages and CEV American options. The second type is the multi-dimensional problem, which involves multiple correlated stochastic variables and their governing PDE. One typical problem we focus on is the valuation of basket-spread options, whose underlying asset prices are driven by correlated geometric Brownian motions (GBMs). Analytic approximate solutions are derived for each of these three problems. For each of the two free boundary problems, we propose a parametric moving boundary to approximate the unknown free boundary, so that the original problem transforms into a moving boundary problem which can be solved analytically. The governing parameter of the moving boundary is determined by imposing the first derivative continuity condition on the solution. The analytic form of the solution allows the price and the hedging parameters to be computed very efficiently. When compared against the benchmark finite-difference method, the computational time is significantly reduced without compromising the accuracy. The multi-stage scheme further allows the approximate results to systematically converge to the benchmark results as one recasts the moving boundary into a piecewise smooth continuous function. For the multi-dimensional problem, we generalize the Kirk (1995) approximate two-asset spread option formula to the case of multi-asset basket-spread option. Since the final formula is in closed form, all the hedging parameters can also be derived in

Measurements in Transitional Boundary Layers Under High Free-Stream Turbulence and Strong Acceleration Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volino, Ralph J.; Simon, Terrence W.

1995-01-01

Measurements from transitional, heated boundary layers along a concave-curved test wall are presented and discussed. A boundary layer subject to low free-stream turbulence intensity (FSTI), which contains stationary streamwise (Gortler) vortices, is documented. The low FSTI measurements are followed by measurements in boundary layers subject to high (initially 8%) free-stream turbulence intensity and moderate to strong streamwise acceleration. Conditions were chosen to simulate those present on the downstream half of the pressure side of a gas turbine airfoil. Mean flow characteristics as well as turbulence statistics, including the turbulent shear stress, turbulent heat flux, and turbulent Prandtl number, are documented. A technique called "octant analysis" is introduced and applied to several cases from the literature as well as to data from the present study. Spectral analysis was applied to describe the effects of turbulence scales of different sizes during transition. To the authors'knowledge, this is the first detailed documentation of boundary layer transition under such high free-stream turbulence conditions.

Stellar feedback strongly alters the amplification and morphology of galactic magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Kung-Yi; Hayward, Christopher C.; Hopkins, Philip F.; Quataert, Eliot; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André; Kereš, Dušan

2018-01-01

Using high-resolution magnetohydrodynamic simulations of idealized, non-cosmological galaxies, we investigate how cooling, star formation and stellar feedback affect galactic magnetic fields. We find that the amplification histories, saturation values and morphologies of the magnetic fields vary considerably depending on the baryonic physics employed, primarily because of differences in the gas density distribution. In particular, adiabatic runs and runs with a subgrid (effective equation of state) stellar feedback model yield lower saturation values and morphologies that exhibit greater large-scale order compared with runs that adopt explicit stellar feedback and runs with cooling and star formation but no feedback. The discrepancies mostly lie in gas denser than the galactic average, which requires cooling and explicit fragmentation to capture. Independent of the baryonic physics included, the magnetic field strength scales with gas density as B ∝ n2/3, suggesting isotropic flux freezing or equipartition between the magnetic and gravitational energies during the field amplification. We conclude that accurate treatments of cooling, star formation and stellar feedback are crucial for obtaining the correct magnetic field strength and morphology in dense gas, which, in turn, is essential for properly modelling other physical processes that depend on the magnetic field, such as cosmic ray feedback.

Dynamics for a diffusive prey-predator model with different free boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Mingxin; Zhang, Yang

2018-03-01

To understand the spreading and interaction of prey and predator, in this paper we study the dynamics of the diffusive Lotka-Volterra type prey-predator model with different free boundaries. These two free boundaries, which may intersect each other as time evolves, are used to describe the spreading of prey and predator. We investigate the existence and uniqueness, regularity and uniform estimates, and long time behaviors of global solution. Some sufficient conditions for spreading and vanishing are established. When spreading occurs, we provide the more accurate limits of (u , v) as t → ∞, and give some estimates of asymptotic spreading speeds of u , v and asymptotic speeds of g , h. Some realistic and significant spreading phenomena are found.

SI: The Stellar Imager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Kenneth G.; Schrijver, Carolus J.; Karovska, Margarita

2006-01-01

The ultra-sharp images of the Stellar Imager (SI) will revolutionize our view of many dynamic astrophysical processes: The 0.1 milliarcsec resolution of this deep-space telescope will transform point sources into extended sources, and simple snapshots into spellbinding evolving views. SI s science focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe, particularly on magnetic activity on the surfaces of stars like the Sun. SI s prime goal is to enable long-term forecasting of solar activity and the space weather that it drives in support of the Living With a Star program in the Exploration Era by imaging a sample of magnetically active stars with enough resolution to map their evolving dynamo patterns and their internal flows. By exploring the Universe at ultra-high resolution, SI will also revolutionize our understanding of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magnetohydrodynamically controlled structures and processes in the Universe.

Double-duct liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic engine

DOEpatents

Haaland, Carsten M.

1995-01-01

An internal combustion, liquid metal (LM) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) engine and an alternating current (AC) magnetohydrodynamic generator, are used in combination to provide useful AC electric energy output. The engine design has-four pistons and a double duct configuration, with each duct containing sodium potassium liquid metal confined between free pistons located at either end of the duct. The liquid metal is forced to flow back and forth in the duct by the movement of the pistons, which are alternatively driven by an internal combustion process. In the MHD generator, the two LM-MHD ducts pass in close proximity through a Hartmann duct with output transformer. AC power is produced by operating the engine with the liquid metal in the two generator ducts always flowing in counter directions. The amount of liquid metal maintained in the ducts may be varied. This provides a variable stroke length for the pistons. The engine/generator provides variable AC power at variable frequencies that correspond to the power demands of the vehicular propulsion. Also the engine should maintain nearly constant efficiency throughout the range of power usage. Automobiles and trucks could be powered by the invention, with no transmission or power converter devices being required.

Double-duct liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic engine

DOEpatents

Haaland, Carsten M.

1997-01-01

An internal combustion, liquid metal (LM) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) engine and an alternating current (AC) magnetohydrodynamic generator, are used in combination to provide useful AC electric energy output. The engine design has four pistons and a double duct configuration, with each duct containing sodium potassium liquid metal confined between free pistons located at either end of the duct. The liquid metal is forced to flow back and forth in the duct by the movement of the pistons, which are alternatively driven by an internal combustion process. In the MHD generator, the two LM-MHD ducts pass in close proximity through a Hartmann duct with output transformer. AC power is produced by operating the engine with the liquid metal in the two generator ducts always flowing in counter directions. The amount of liquid metal maintained in the ducts may be varied. This provides a variable stroke length for the pistons. The engine/generator provides variable AC power at variable frequencies that correspond to the power demands of the vehicular propulsion. Also the engine should maintain nearly constant efficiency throughout the range of power usage. Automobiles and trucks could be powered by the invention, with no transmission or power converter devices being required.

Dielectric Boundary Force in Molecular Solvation with the Poisson–Boltzmann Free Energy: A Shape Derivative Approach

PubMed Central

Li, Bo; Cheng, Xiaoliang; Zhang, Zhengfang

2013-01-01

In an implicit-solvent description of molecular solvation, the electrostatic free energy is given through the electrostatic potential. This potential solves a boundary-value problem of the Poisson–Boltzmann equation in which the dielectric coefficient changes across the solute-solvent interface—the dielectric boundary. The dielectric boundary force acting on such a boundary is the negative first variation of the electrostatic free energy with respect to the location change of the boundary. In this work, the concept of shape derivative is used to define such variations and formulas of the dielectric boundary force are derived. It is shown that such a force is always in the direction toward the charged solute molecules. PMID:24058212

Spreading-vanishing dichotomy in a diffusive logistic model with a free boundary, II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Yihong; Guo, Zongming

We study the diffusive logistic equation with a free boundary in higher space dimensions and heterogeneous environment. Such a model may be used to describe the spreading of a new or invasive species, with the free boundary representing the expanding front. For simplicity, we assume that the environment and the solution are radially symmetric. In the special case of one space dimension and homogeneous environment, this free boundary problem was investigated in Du and Lin (2010) [10]. We prove that the spreading-vanishing dichotomy established in Du and Lin (2010) [10] still holds in the more general and ecologically realistic setting considered here. Moreover, when spreading occurs, we obtain best possible upper and lower bounds for the spreading speed of the expanding front. When the environment is asymptotically homogeneous at infinity, these two bounds coincide. Our results indicate that the asymptotic spreading speed determined by this model does not depend on the spatial dimension.

The free versus fixed geodetic boundary value problem for different combinations of geodetic observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grafarend, E. W.; Heck, B.; Knickmeyer, E. H.

1985-03-01

Various formulations of the geodetic fixed and free boundary value problem are presented, depending upon the type of boundary data. For the free problem, boundary data of type astronomical latitude, astronomical longitude and a pair of the triplet potential, zero and first-order vertical gradient of gravity are presupposed. For the fixed problem, either the potential or gravity or the vertical gradient of gravity is assumed to be given on the boundary. The potential and its derivatives on the boundary surface are linearized with respect to a reference potential and a reference surface by Taylor expansion. The Eulerian and Lagrangean concepts of a perturbation theory of the nonlinear geodetic boundary value problem are reviewed. Finally the boundary value problems are solved by Hilbert space techniques leading to new generalized Stokes and Hotine functions. Reduced Stokes and Hotine functions are recommended for numerical reasons. For the case of a boundary surface representing the topography a base representation of the solution is achieved by solving an infinite dimensional system of equations. This system of equations is obtained by means of the product-sum-formula for scalar surface spherical harmonics with Wigner 3j-coefficients.

Communication: modeling charge-sign asymmetric solvation free energies with nonlinear boundary conditions.

PubMed

Bardhan, Jaydeep P; Knepley, Matthew G

2014-10-07

We show that charge-sign-dependent asymmetric hydration can be modeled accurately using linear Poisson theory after replacing the standard electric-displacement boundary condition with a simple nonlinear boundary condition. Using a single multiplicative scaling factor to determine atomic radii from molecular dynamics Lennard-Jones parameters, the new model accurately reproduces MD free-energy calculations of hydration asymmetries for: (i) monatomic ions, (ii) titratable amino acids in both their protonated and unprotonated states, and (iii) the Mobley "bracelet" and "rod" test problems [D. L. Mobley, A. E. Barber II, C. J. Fennell, and K. A. Dill, "Charge asymmetries in hydration of polar solutes," J. Phys. Chem. B 112, 2405-2414 (2008)]. Remarkably, the model also justifies the use of linear response expressions for charging free energies. Our boundary-element method implementation demonstrates the ease with which other continuum-electrostatic solvers can be extended to include asymmetry.

Free-boundary toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Eugene Y.; Berk, H. L.; Breizman, B.; Zheng, L. J.

2011-05-01

A numerical study is presented for the n = 1 free-boundary toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes (TAE) in tokamaks, which shows that there is considerable sensitivity of n = 1 modes to the position of the conducting wall. An additional branch of the TAE is shown to emerge from the upper continuum as the ratio of conducting wall radius to plasma radius increases. Such phenomena arise in plasma equilibria with both circular and shaped cross sections, where the shaped profile studied here is similar to that found in Alcator C-Mod.

Communication: Modeling charge-sign asymmetric solvation free energies with nonlinear boundary conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bardhan, Jaydeep P.; Knepley, Matthew G.

2014-10-07

We show that charge-sign-dependent asymmetric hydration can be modeled accurately using linear Poisson theory after replacing the standard electric-displacement boundary condition with a simple nonlinear boundary condition. Using a single multiplicative scaling factor to determine atomic radii from molecular dynamics Lennard-Jones parameters, the new model accurately reproduces MD free-energy calculations of hydration asymmetries for: (i) monatomic ions, (ii) titratable amino acids in both their protonated and unprotonated states, and (iii) the Mobley “bracelet” and “rod” test problems [D. L. Mobley, A. E. Barber II, C. J. Fennell, and K. A. Dill, “Charge asymmetries in hydration of polar solutes,” J. Phys.more » Chem. B 112, 2405–2414 (2008)]. Remarkably, the model also justifies the use of linear response expressions for charging free energies. Our boundary-element method implementation demonstrates the ease with which other continuum-electrostatic solvers can be extended to include asymmetry.« less

Communication: Modeling charge-sign asymmetric solvation free energies with nonlinear boundary conditions

PubMed Central

Bardhan, Jaydeep P.; Knepley, Matthew G.

2014-01-01

We show that charge-sign-dependent asymmetric hydration can be modeled accurately using linear Poisson theory after replacing the standard electric-displacement boundary condition with a simple nonlinear boundary condition. Using a single multiplicative scaling factor to determine atomic radii from molecular dynamics Lennard-Jones parameters, the new model accurately reproduces MD free-energy calculations of hydration asymmetries for: (i) monatomic ions, (ii) titratable amino acids in both their protonated and unprotonated states, and (iii) the Mobley “bracelet” and “rod” test problems [D. L. Mobley, A. E. Barber II, C. J. Fennell, and K. A. Dill, “Charge asymmetries in hydration of polar solutes,” J. Phys. Chem. B 112, 2405–2414 (2008)]. Remarkably, the model also justifies the use of linear response expressions for charging free energies. Our boundary-element method implementation demonstrates the ease with which other continuum-electrostatic solvers can be extended to include asymmetry. PMID:25296776

Assessing the Habitability of TRAPPIST-1e: MHD Simulations of Atmospheric Loss Due to CMEs and Stellar Wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harbach, Laura Marshall; Drake, Jeremy J.; Garraffo, Cecilia; Alvarado-Gomez, Julian D.; Moschou, Sofia P.; Cohen, Ofer

2018-01-01

Recently, three rocky planets were discovered in the habitable zone of the nearby planetary system TRAPPIST-1. The increasing number of exoplanet detections has led to further research into the planetary requirements for sustaining life. Habitable zone occupants have, in principle, the capacity to retain liquid water, whereas actual habitability might depend on atmospheric retention. However, stellar winds and photon radiation interactions with the planet can lead to severe atmospheric depletion and have a catastrophic impact on a planet’s habitability. While the implications of photoevaporation on atmospheric erosion have been researched to some degree, the influence of stellar winds and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) has yet to be analyzed in detail. Here, we model the effect of the stellar wind and CMEs on the atmospheric envelope of a planet situated in the orbit of TRAPPIST-1e using 3D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. In particular, we discuss the atmospheric loss due to the effect of a CME, and the relevance of the stellar and planetary magnetic fields on the sustainability of M-dwarf exoplanetary atmospheres.

Measurements of the free stream fluctuations above a turbulent boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, David H.; Westphal, Russell V.

1987-01-01

This paper investigates the velocity fluctuations in the free stream above an incompressible turbulent boundary layer developing at constant pressure. It is assumed that the fluctuations receive contributions from three statistically independent sources: (1) one-dimensional unsteadiness, (2) free stream turbulence, and (3) the potential motion induced by the turbulent boundary layer. Measurements were made in a wind tunnel with a root-mean-square level of the axial velocity fluctuations of about 0.2 percent. All three velocity components were measured using an X-wire probe. The unsteadiness was determined from the spanwise covariance of the axial velocity, measured using two single wire probes. The results show that it is possible to separate the contributions to the r.m.s. level of the velocity fluctuations, without resorting to the dubious technique of high-pass filtering. The separation could be extended to the spectral densities of the contributions, if measurements of sufficient accuracy were available. The Appendix provides a general guide for the measurement of small free stream fluctuation levels.

Predictive capabilities of series solutions for laminar free convection boundary layer heat transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, F. N.; Chao, B. T.

1978-01-01

Various types of series solutions for predicting laminar, free-convection boundary-layer heat transfer over both isothermal and nonisothermal boundaries are reviewed. The methods include finite difference, Merk series, Blasius series, and Goertler series. Comparative results are presented for heat transfer over an isothermal, horizontal, elliptical cylinder in both slender and blunt configurations.

Simulating Convection in Stellar Envelopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanner, Joel

2014-01-01

sensitive to changes in opacity which are in response to adjustments to the metallicity and helium abundance. We find that increasing the metallicity forces the location of the transition region to lower densities and pressures, and results in larger mean and turbulent velocities throughout the superadiabatic region. We also quantify the degree of convective overshoot in the atmosphere, and show that it increases with metallicity as well. The signature of helium differs from that of metallicity in the manner in which the photospheric velocity distribution is affected. We also find that helium abundance and surface gravity behave largely in similar ways, but differ in the way they affect the mean molecular weight. A simple model for spectral line formation suggests that the bisectors and absolute Doppler shifts of spectral lines depend on the helium abundance. We look at the effect of alpha-element enhancement and find that it has a considerably smaller effect on the convective dynamics in the superadiabatic layer compared to that of helium abundance. Improving the treatment of convection in stellar models remains one of the primary applications of RHD simulations. A simple and direct way to introduce the effect of 3D convection into 1D stellar models is through the surface boundary condition. Usually the atmospheric structure of a stellar model is defined beforehand in the form of a T-tau relation, and is kept fixed at chemical compositions and stages of evolution. Extracting mean atmospheric stratifications from simulations provides a means of introducing surface boundary conditions to stellar models that self-consistently include the effects of realistic convection and overshoot. We apply data from simulations to stellar models in this manner to measure how realistic atmospheric stratifications relate to the value of the mixing length parameter in calibrated stellar models. Moving beyond improving the surface boundary condition, we also explore a method for calibrating

Chevron Defect at the Intersection of Grain Boundaries with Free Surfaces in Au

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radetic, T.; Lançon, F.; Dahmen, U.

2002-08-01

We have identified a new defect at the intersection between grain boundaries and surfaces in Au using atomic resolution transmission electron microscopy. At the junction line of 90° <110> tilt grain boundaries of (110)-(001) orientation with the free surface, a small segment of the grain boundary, about 1nm in length, dissociates into a triangular region with a chevronlike stacking disorder and a distorted hcp structure. The structure and stability of these defects are confirmed by atomistic simulations, and we point out the relationship with the one-dimensional incommensurate structure of the grain boundary.

Free-free absorption coefficients and Gaunt factors for dense hydrogen-like stellar plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srećković, V. A.; Sakan, N.; Šulić, D.; Jevremović, D.; Ignjatović, Lj M.; Dimitrijević, M. S.

2018-03-01

In this work, we present a study dedicated to determination of the inverse bremsstrahlung absorption coefficients and the corresponding Gaunt factor of dense hydrogen-like stellar-atmosphere plasmas where electron density and temperature change in a wide range. A method suitable for this wide range is suggested and applied to the inner layers of the solar atmosphere, as well as the plasmas of partially ionized layers of some other stellar atmospheres (for example, some DA and DB white dwarfs) where the electron densities vary from 1014 cm-3 to 1020 cm-3 and temperatures from 6000 K to 300 000 K in the wavelength region of 10 nm ≤ λ ≤ 3000 nm. The results of the calculations are illustrated by the corresponding figures and tables.

Boundary-layer effects in composite laminates: Free-edge stress singularities, part 6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wanag, S. S.; Choi, I.

1981-01-01

A rigorous mathematical model was obtained for the boundary-layer free-edge stress singularity in angleplied and crossplied fiber composite laminates. The solution was obtained using a method consisting of complex-variable stress function potentials and eigenfunction expansions. The required order of the boundary-layer stress singularity is determined by solving the transcendental characteristic equation obtained from the homogeneous solution of the partial differential equations. Numerical results obtained show that the boundary-layer stress singularity depends only upon material elastic constants and fiber orientation of the adjacent plies. For angleplied and crossplied laminates the order of the singularity is weak in general.

The influence of free-stream turbulence on separation of turbulent boundary layers in incompressible, two-dimensional flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, J. Leith; Barnett, R. Joel; Fisher, Carl E.; Koukousakis, Costas E.

1986-01-01

Experiments were conducted to determine if free-stream turbulence scale affects separation of turbulent boundary layers. In consideration of possible interrelation between scale and intensity of turbulence, the latter characteristic also was varied and its role was evaluated. Flow over a 2-dimensional airfoil in a subsonic wind tunnel was studied with the aid of hot-wire anemometry, liquid-film flow visualization, a Preston tube, and static pressure measurements. Profiles of velocity, relative turbulence intensity, and integral scale in the boundary layer were measured. Detachment boundary was determined for various angles of attack and free-stream turbulence. The free-stream turbulence intensity and scale were found to spread into the entire turbulent boundary layer, but the effect decreased as the airfoil surface was approached. When the changes in stream turbulence were such that the boundary layer velocity profiles were unchanged, detachment location was not significantly affected by the variations of intensity and scale. Pressure distribution remained the key factor in determining detachment location.

Coil Design for Low Aspect Ratio Stellarators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miner, W. H., Jr.; Valanju, P. M.; Wiley, J. C.; Hirshman, S. P.; Whitson, J. C.

1998-11-01

Two compact stellarator designs have recently been under investigation because of their potential as a reactor featuring steady-state, disruption-free operation, low recirculating power and good confinement and beta. Both quasi-axisymmetric (QA) equilibria and quasi-omnigenous (QO) equilibria have been obtained by using the 3-D MHD equilibrium code VMEC. In order to build an experiment, coil sets must be obtained that are compatable with these equilibria. We have been using both the NESCOIL(Merkel, P., Nucl. Fus. 27, 5 (1987) 867.) code and the COILOPT code to find coilsets for both of these types of equilibria. We are considering three types of coil configurations. The first is a combination of modular coils and vertical field coils. The second configuration is a combination of toroidal field coils, vertical field coils and saddle coils. A third configuration is a combination of modular coils and a single helical winding. The quality of each coil set will be evaluated by computing its magnetic field and using that as input to VMEC in free boundary mode to see how accurately the original equilibrium can be reconstructed.

The Taurus Boundary of Stellar/Substellar (TBOSS) Survey. II. Disk Masses from ALMA Continuum Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward-Duong, K.; Patience, J.; Bulger, J.; van der Plas, G.; Ménard, F.; Pinte, C.; Jackson, A. P.; Bryden, G.; Turner, N. J.; Harvey, P.; Hales, A.; De Rosa, R. J.

2018-02-01

We report 885 μm ALMA continuum flux densities for 24 Taurus members spanning the stellar/substellar boundary with spectral types from M4 to M7.75. Of the 24 systems, 22 are detected at levels ranging from 1.0 to 55.7 mJy. The two nondetections are transition disks, though other transition disks in the sample are detected. Converting ALMA continuum measurements to masses using standard scaling laws and radiative transfer modeling yields dust mass estimates ranging from ∼0.3 to 20 M ⊕. The dust mass shows a declining trend with central object mass when combined with results from submillimeter surveys of more massive Taurus members. The substellar disks appear as part of a continuous sequence and not a distinct population. Compared to older Upper Sco members with similar masses across the substellar limit, the Taurus disks are brighter and more massive. Both Taurus and Upper Sco populations are consistent with an approximately linear relationship in M dust to M star, although derived power-law slopes depend strongly upon choices of stellar evolutionary model and dust temperature relation. The median disk around early-M stars in Taurus contains a comparable amount of mass in small solids as the average amount of heavy elements in Kepler planetary systems on short-period orbits around M-dwarf stars, with an order of magnitude spread in disk dust mass about the median value. Assuming a gas-to-dust ratio of 100:1, only a small number of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs have a total disk mass amenable to giant planet formation, consistent with the low frequency of giant planets orbiting M dwarfs.

Magnetohydrodynamic cellular automata

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, David; Doolen, Gary D.

1987-01-01

A generalization of the hexagonal lattice gas model of Frisch, Hasslacher and Pomeau is shown to lead to two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics. The method relies on the ideal point-wise conservation law for vector potential.

Chemical element transport in stellar evolution models

PubMed Central

Cassisi, Santi

2017-01-01

Stellar evolution computations provide the foundation of several methods applied to study the evolutionary properties of stars and stellar populations, both Galactic and extragalactic. The accuracy of the results obtained with these techniques is linked to the accuracy of the stellar models, and in this context the correct treatment of the transport of chemical elements is crucial. Unfortunately, in many respects calculations of the evolution of the chemical abundance profiles in stars are still affected by sometimes sizable uncertainties. Here, we review the various mechanisms of element transport included in the current generation of stellar evolution calculations, how they are implemented, the free parameters and uncertainties involved, the impact on the models and the observational constraints. PMID:28878972

Chemical element transport in stellar evolution models.

PubMed

Salaris, Maurizio; Cassisi, Santi

2017-08-01

Stellar evolution computations provide the foundation of several methods applied to study the evolutionary properties of stars and stellar populations, both Galactic and extragalactic. The accuracy of the results obtained with these techniques is linked to the accuracy of the stellar models, and in this context the correct treatment of the transport of chemical elements is crucial. Unfortunately, in many respects calculations of the evolution of the chemical abundance profiles in stars are still affected by sometimes sizable uncertainties. Here, we review the various mechanisms of element transport included in the current generation of stellar evolution calculations, how they are implemented, the free parameters and uncertainties involved, the impact on the models and the observational constraints.

Evolution of magnetic field and atmospheric response. I - Three-dimensional formulation by the method of projected characteristics. II - Formulation of proper boundary equations. [stellar magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakagawa, Y.

1981-01-01

The method described as the method of nearcharacteristics by Nakagawa (1980) is renamed the method of projected characteristics. Making full use of properties of the projected characteristics, a new and simpler formulation is developed. As a result, the formulation for the examination of the general three-dimensional problems is presented. It is noted that since in practice numerical solutions must be obtained, the final formulation is given in the form of difference equations. The possibility of including effects of viscous and ohmic dissipations in the formulation is considered, and the physical interpretation is discussed. A systematic manner is then presented for deriving physically self-consistent, time-dependent boundary equations for MHD initial boundary problems. It is demonstrated that the full use of the compatibility equations (differential equations relating variations at two spatial locations and times) is required in determining the time-dependent boundary conditions. In order to provide a clear physical picture as an example, the evolution of axisymmetric global magnetic field by photospheric differential rotation is considered.

Jeffrey fluid effect on free convective over a vertically inclined plate with magnetic field: A numerical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, J. Anand; Raju, R. Srinivasa; Bucchaiah, C. D.

2018-05-01

In this work, the effect of magnetohydrodynamic natural or free convective of an incompressible, viscous and electrically conducting non-newtonian Jeffrey fluid over a semi-infinite vertically inclined permeable moving plate embedded in a porous medium in the presence of heat absorption, heat and mass transfer. By using non-dimensional quantities, the fundamental governing non-linear partial differential equations are transformed into linear partial differential equations and these equations together with associated boundary conditions are solved numerically by using versatile, extensively validated, variational finite element method. The sway of important key parameters on hydrodynamic, thermal and concentration boundary layers are examined in detail and the results are shown graphically. Finally the results are compared with the works published previously and found to be excellent agreement.

Experiments in Magnetohydrodynamics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rayner, J. P.

1970-01-01

Describes three student experiments in magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). In these experiments, it was found that the electrical conductivity of the local water supply was sufficient to demonstrate effectively some of the features of MHD flowmeters, generators, and pumps. (LC)

Measurements of the Free-Stream Fluctuations above a Turbulent Boundary Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, D. H.; Westphal, R. V.

1988-01-01

In this paper an investigation of the velocity fluctuations in the free stream above an incompressible turbulent boundary layer developing at constant pressure is described. It is assumed that the fluctuations receive contributions from three statistically independent sources: (1) one-dimensional unsteadiness, (2) free-stream turbulence, and (3) the irrotational motion induced by the turbulent boundary layer. Measurements were made in a wind tunnel with a root-mean-square level of the axial velocity fluctuations of about 0.2%. All three velocity components were measured using an X-wire probe. The unsteadiness was determined from the spanwise covariance of the axial velocity fluctuations, measured using two single-wire probes. The results show that it is possible to separate the contributions to the rms level of the velocity fluctuations without resorting to the dubious technique of high-pass filtering. This separation could be extended to the spectral densities of the contributions if measurements of sufficient accuracy were available.

Magnetohydrodynamic power generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, J. L.

1984-01-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Power Generation is a concise summary of MHD theory, history, and future trends. Results of the major international MHD research projects are discussed. Data from MHD research is included. Economics of initial and operating costs are considered.

An improved current potential method for fast computation of stellarator coil shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landreman, Matt

2017-04-01

Several fast methods for computing stellarator coil shapes are compared, including the classical NESCOIL procedure (Merkel 1987 Nucl. Fusion 27 867), its generalization using truncated singular value decomposition, and a Tikhonov regularization approach we call REGCOIL in which the squared current density is included in the objective function. Considering W7-X and NCSX geometries, and for any desired level of regularization, we find the REGCOIL approach simultaneously achieves lower surface-averaged and maximum values of both current density (on the coil winding surface) and normal magnetic field (on the desired plasma surface). This approach therefore can simultaneously improve the free-boundary reconstruction of the target plasma shape while substantially increasing the minimum distances between coils, preventing collisions between coils while improving access for ports and maintenance. The REGCOIL method also allows finer control over the level of regularization, it preserves convexity to ensure the local optimum found is the global optimum, and it eliminates two pathologies of NESCOIL: the resulting coil shapes become independent of the arbitrary choice of angles used to parameterize the coil surface, and the resulting coil shapes converge rather than diverge as Fourier resolution is increased. We therefore contend that REGCOIL should be used instead of NESCOIL for applications in which a fast and robust method for coil calculation is needed, such as when targeting coil complexity in fixed-boundary plasma optimization, or for scoping new stellarator geometries.

Warps and waves in the stellar discs of the Auriga cosmological simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez, Facundo A.; White, Simon D. M.; Grand, Robert J. J.; Marinacci, Federico; Springel, Volker; Pakmor, Rüdiger

2017-03-01

Recent studies have revealed an oscillating asymmetry in the vertical structure of the Milky Way's disc. Here, we analyse 16 high-resolution, fully cosmological simulations of the evolution of individual Milky Way-sized galaxies, carried out with the magnetohydrodynamic code AREPO. At redshift zero, about 70 per cent of our galactic discs show strong vertical patterns, with amplitudes that can exceed 2 kpc. Half of these are typical 'integral sign' warps. The rest are oscillations similar to those observed in the Milky Way. Such structures are thus expected to be common. The associated mean vertical motions can be as large as 30 km s-1. Cold disc gas typically follows the vertical patterns seen in the stars. These perturbations have a variety of causes: close encounters with satellites, distant fly-bys of massive objects, accretion of misaligned cold gas from halo infall or from mergers. Tidally induced vertical patterns can be identified in both young and old stellar populations, whereas those originating from cold gas accretion are seen mainly in the younger populations. Galaxies with regular or at most weakly perturbed discs are usually, but not always, free from recent interactions with massive companions, although we have one case where an equilibrium compact disc reforms after a merger.

A note on a boundary sine-Gordon model at the free-Fermion point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murgan, Rajan

2018-02-01

We investigate the free-Fermion point of a boundary sine-Gordon model with nondiagonal boundary interactions for the ground state using auxiliary functions obtained from T  -  Q equations of a corresponding inhomogeneous open spin-\\frac{1}{2} XXZ chain with nondiagonal boundary terms. In particular, we obtain the Casimir energy. Our result for the Casimir energy is shown to agree with the result from the TBA approach. The analytical result for the effective central charge in the ultraviolet (UV) limit is also verified from the plots of effective central charge for intermediate values of volume.

HARM: A Numerical Scheme for General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gammie, Charles F.; McKinney, Jonathan C.; Tóth, Gábor

2003-05-01

We describe a conservative, shock-capturing scheme for evolving the equations of general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics. The fluxes are calculated using the Harten, Lax, & van Leer scheme. A variant of constrained transport, proposed earlier by Tóth, is used to maintain a divergence-free magnetic field. Only the covariant form of the metric in a coordinate basis is required to specify the geometry. We describe code performance on a full suite of test problems in both special and general relativity. On smooth flows we show that it converges at second order. We conclude by showing some results from the evolution of a magnetized torus near a rotating black hole.

Extending SIESTA capabilities: removing field-periodic and stellarator symmetric limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, C. R.; Hirshman, S. P.; Sanchez, R.; Anderson, D. T.

2011-10-01

SIESTA is a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics equilibrium code capable of resolving magnetic islands in toroidal plasma confinement devices. Currently SIESTA assumes that plasma perturbations, and thus also magnetic islands, are field-periodic. This limitation is being removed from the code by allowing the displacement toroidal mode number to not be restricted to multiples of the number of field periods. Extending SIESTA in this manner will allow larger, lower-order resonant islands to form in devices such as CTH. An example of a non-field-periodic perturbation in CTH will be demonstrated. Currently the code also operates in a stellarator-symmetric fashion in which an ``up-down'' symmetry is present at some toroidal angle. Nearly all of the current tokamaks (and ITER in the future) operate with a divertor and as such do not possess stellarator symmetry. Removal of this symmetry restriction requires including both sine and cosine terms in the Fourier expansion for the geometry of the device and the fields contained within. The current status of this extension of the code will be discussed, along with the method of implementation. U.S. DOE Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC.

A numerical algorithm for MHD of free surface flows at low magnetic Reynolds numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samulyak, Roman; Du, Jian; Glimm, James; Xu, Zhiliang

2007-10-01

We have developed a numerical algorithm and computational software for the study of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) of free surface flows at low magnetic Reynolds numbers. The governing system of equations is a coupled hyperbolic-elliptic system in moving and geometrically complex domains. The numerical algorithm employs the method of front tracking and the Riemann problem for material interfaces, second order Godunov-type hyperbolic solvers, and the embedded boundary method for the elliptic problem in complex domains. The numerical algorithm has been implemented as an MHD extension of FronTier, a hydrodynamic code with free interface support. The code is applicable for numerical simulations of free surface flows of conductive liquids or weakly ionized plasmas. The code has been validated through the comparison of numerical simulations of a liquid metal jet in a non-uniform magnetic field with experiments and theory. Simulations of the Muon Collider/Neutrino Factory target have also been discussed.

Forced underwater laminar flows with active magnetohydrodynamic metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Culver, Dean; Urzhumov, Yaroslav

2017-12-01

Theory and practical implementations for wake-free propulsion systems are proposed and proven with computational fluid dynamic modeling. Introduced earlier, the concept of active hydrodynamic metamaterials is advanced by introducing magnetohydrodynamic metamaterials, structures with custom-designed volumetric distribution of Lorentz forces acting on a conducting fluid. Distributions of volume forces leading to wake-free, laminar flows are designed using multivariate optimization. Theoretical indications are presented that such flows can be sustained at arbitrarily high Reynolds numbers. Moreover, it is shown that in the limit Re ≫102 , a fixed volume force distribution may lead to a forced laminar flow across a wide range of Re numbers, without the need to reconfigure the force-generating metamaterial. Power requirements for such a device are studied as a function of the fluid conductivity. Implications to the design of distributed propulsion systems underwater and in space are discussed.

ROSSBY WAVE INSTABILITY AT DEAD ZONE BOUNDARIES IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL RESISTIVE MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICAL GLOBAL MODELS OF PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lyra, Wladimir; Mac Low, Mordecai-Mark, E-mail: wlyra@jpl.nasa.gov, E-mail: mordecai@amnh.org

It has been suggested that the transition between magnetorotationally active and dead zones in protoplanetary disks should be prone to the excitation of vortices via Rossby wave instability (RWI). However, the only numerical evidence for this has come from alpha disk models, where the magnetic field evolution is not followed, and the effect of turbulence is parameterized by Laplacian viscosity. We aim to establish the phenomenology of the flow in the transition in three-dimensional resistive-magnetohydrodynamical models. We model the transition by a sharp jump in resistivity, as expected in the inner dead zone boundary, using the PENCIL CODE to simulatemore » the flow. We find that vortices are readily excited in the dead side of the transition. We measure the mass accretion rate finding similar levels of Reynolds stress at the dead and active zones, at the {alpha} Almost-Equal-To 10{sup -2} level. The vortex sits in a pressure maximum and does not migrate, surviving until the end of the simulation. A pressure maximum in the active zone also triggers the RWI. The magnetized vortex that results should be disrupted by parasitical magneto-elliptic instabilities, yet it subsists in high resolution. This suggests that either the parasitic modes are still numerically damped or that the RWI supplies vorticity faster than they can destroy it. We conclude that the resistive transition between the active and dead zones in the inner regions of protoplanetary disks, if sharp enough, can indeed excite vortices via RWI. Our results lend credence to previous works that relied on the alpha-disk approximation, and caution against the use of overly reduced azimuthal coverage on modeling this transition.« less

Magnetohydrodynamic three-dimensional flow of viscoelastic nanofluid in the presence of nonlinear thermal radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayat, T.; Muhammad, Taseer; Alsaedi, A.; Alhuthali, M. S.

2015-07-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) three-dimensional flow of couple stress nanofluid in the presence of thermophoresis and Brownian motion effects is analyzed. Energy equation subject to nonlinear thermal radiation is taken into account. The flow is generated by a bidirectional stretching surface. Fluid is electrically conducting in the presence of a constant applied magnetic field. The induced magnetic field is neglected for a small magnetic Reynolds number. Mathematical formulation is performed using boundary layer analysis. Newly proposed boundary condition requiring zero nanoparticle mass flux is employed. The governing nonlinear mathematical problems are first converted into dimensionless expressions and then solved for the series solutions of velocities, temperature and nanoparticles concentration. Convergence of the constructed solutions is verified. Effects of emerging parameters on the temperature and nanoparticles concentration are plotted and discussed. Skin friction coefficients and Nusselt number are also computed and analyzed. It is found that the thermal boundary layer thickness is an increasing function of radiative effect.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon formation in carbon-rich stellar envelopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cherchneff, Isabelle; Barker, John R.; Tielens, Alexander G. G. M.

1992-01-01

A detailed chemical kinetic scheme is applied to stellar envelope profiles of gas density and temperature profiles in order to study the formation of PAH molecules in carbon-rich stellar outflows. Chemical concentration profiles are calculated for several envelope models by integrating the coupled continuity equations that include spherically expanding flows from an inner boundary at the shock formation radius. The influence of the 'inverse greenhouse' effect experienced by small PAHs is investigated and shown to increase the PAH yield by many orders of magnitude. It is shown that the route through propargyl radicals could be an important channel to produce benzene. PAH formation yields are found to be extremely sensitive to gas density and temperature and are much smaller than values inferred from the observed dust content of late-type carbon-rich stellar envelopes. It is therefore unlikely that aromatic molecules are generated in the stellar outflow itself.

Double-diffusive boundary layers along vertical free surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Napolitano, L. G.; Viviani, A.; Savino, R.

1992-05-01

This paper deals with double-diffusive (or thermosolutal) combined free convection, i.e., free convection due to buoyant forces (natural convection) and surface tension gradients (Marangoni convection), which are generated by volume differences and surface gradients of temperature and solute concentration. Attention is focused on boundary layers that form along a vertical liquid-gas interface, when the appropriately defined nondimensional characteristic transport numbers are large enough, in problems of thermosolutal natural and Marangoni convection, such as buoyancy and surface tension driven flows in differentially heated open cavities and liquid bridges. Classes of similar solutions are derived for each class of convection on the basis of a rigorous order of magnitude analysis. Velocity, temperature and concentration profiles are reported in the similarity plane; flow and transport properties at the liquid-gas interface (interfacial velocity, heat and mass transfer bulk coefficients) are obtained for a wide range of Prandtl and Schmidt numbers and different values of the similarity parameter.

Nanoflare Heating of Solar and Stellar Coronae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klimchuk, James A.

2010-01-01

A combination of observational and theoretical evidence suggests that much, and perhaps most, of the Sun's corona is heated by small unresolved bursts of energy called nanoflares. It seems likely that stellar coronae are heated in a similar fashion. Kanoflares are here taken to mean any impulsive heating that occurs within a magnetic flux strand. Many mechanisms have this property, including waves, but we prefer Parker's picture of tangled magnetic fields. The tangling is caused by turbulent convection at the stellar surface, and magnetic energy is released when the stresses reach a critical level. We suggest that the mechanism of energy release is the "secondary instability" of electric current sheets that are present at the boundaries between misaligned strands. I will discuss the collective evidence for solar and stellar nanoflares and hopefully present new results from the Solar Dynamics Observatory that was just launched.

Bubble contraction in free-boundary Hele-Shaw flow with surface tension and kinetic undercooling regularisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dallaston, Michael; McCue, Scott

2012-11-01

When an inviscid bubble expands into a viscous fluid in a Hele-Shaw cell, the bubble boundary is unstable, in general forming long fingers (the Saffman-Taylor instability). In order to make the problem well-posed, a regularising boundary effect must be included. The most widely studied of these are surface tension, which penalises high curvatures, and kinetic undercooling, which penalises high velocities. Both these effects act as a stabilising influence on the free boundary. Less attention has been paid to the case of contracting bubbles, which shrink to a single point (or points) in finite time. In this case, the two effects are in competition, as surface tension stabilises the boundary, while kinetic undercooling destabilises it. This leads to bifurcation behaviour in the asymptotic (near-extinction) shape of the bubble as the relative strengths of the two effects are varied. In particular, there is a critical range of parameter values for which both circular and slit-type bubbles are stable, with a third (unstable) oval-type shape also present. We discuss some numerical and analytic techniques for solving the full free boundary problem and for exploring this interesting extinction behaviour.

Ising antiferromagnet on a finite triangular lattice with free boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Seung-Yeon

2015-11-01

The exact integer values for the density of states of the Ising model on an equilateral triangular lattice with free boundary conditions are evaluated up to L = 24 spins on a side for the first time by using the microcanonical transfer matrix. The total number of states is 2 N s = 2300 ≈ 2.037 × 1090 for L = 24, where N s = L( L+1)/2 is the number of spins. Classifying all 2300 spin states according to their energy values is an enormous work. From the density of states, the exact partition function zeros in the complex temperature plane of the triangular-lattice Ising model are evaluated. Using the density of states and the partition function zeros, we investigate the properties of the triangularlattice Ising antiferromagnet. The scaling behavior of the ground-state entropy and the form of the correlation length at T = 0 are studied for the triangular-lattice Ising antiferromagnet with free boundary conditions. Also, the scaling behavior of the Fisher edge singularity is investigated.

Stellar wind erosion of protoplanetary discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnepf, N. R.; Lovelace, R. V. E.; Romanova, M. M.; Airapetian, V. S.

2015-04-01

An analytic model is developed for the erosion of protoplanetary gas discs by high-velocity magnetized stellar winds. The winds are centrifugally driven from the surface of rapidly rotating, strongly magnetized young stars. The presence of the magnetic field in the wind leads to Reynolds numbers sufficiently large to cause a strongly turbulent wind/disc boundary layer which entrains and carries away the disc gas. The model uses the conservation of mass and momentum in the turbulent boundary layer. The time-scale for significant erosion depends on the disc accretion speed, disc accretion rate, the wind mass-loss rate, and the wind velocity. The time-scale is estimated to be ˜2 × 106 yr. The analytic model assumes a steady stellar wind with mass- loss rate dot {M}}_w ˜ 10^{-10} M_{⊙} yr-1 and velocity vw ˜ 103 km s-1. A significant contribution to the disc erosion can come from frequent powerful coronal mass ejections (CMEs) where the average mass-loss rate in CMEs, dot{M}_CME, and velocities, vCME, have values comparable to those for the steady wind.

Innovations in compact stellarator coil design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pomphrey, N.; Berry, L.; Boozer, A.; Brooks, A.; Hatcher, R. E.; Hirshman, S. P.; Ku, L.-P.; Miner, W. H.; Mynick, H. E.; Reiersen, W.; Strickler, D. J.; Valanju, P. M.

2001-03-01

Experimental devices for the study of the physics of high beta (β gtrsim 4%), low aspect ratio (A lesssim 4.5) stellarator plasmas require coils that will produce plasmas satisfying a set of physics goals, provide experimental flexibility and be practical to construct. In the course of designing a flexible coil set for the National Compact Stellarator Experiment, several innovations have been made that may be useful in future stellarator design efforts. These include: the use of singular value decomposition methods for obtaining families of smooth current potentials on distant coil winding surfaces from which low current density solutions may be identified; the use of a control matrix method for identifying which few of the many detailed elements of a stellarator boundary must be targeted if a coil set is to provide fields to control the essential physics of the plasma; the use of a genetic algorithm for choosing an optimal set of discrete coils from a continuum of potential contours; the evaluation of alternate coil topologies for balancing the trade-off between physics objectives and engineering constraints; the development of a new coil optimization code for designing modular coils and the identification of a `natural' basis for describing current sheet distributions.

SCOPE - Stellar Classification Online Public Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harenberg, Steven

2010-01-01

The Astronomical Photographic Data Archive (APDA) has been established to be the primary North American archive for the collections of astronomical photographic plates. Located at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) in Rosman, NC, the archive contains hundreds of thousands stellar spectra, many of which have never before been classified. To help classify the vast number of stars, the public is invited to participate in a distributed computing online environment called Stellar Classification Online - Public Exploration (SCOPE). Through a website, the participants will have a tutorial on stellar spectra and practice classifying. After practice, the participants classify spectra on photographic plates uploaded online from APDA. These classifications will be recorded in a database where the results from many users will be statistically analyzed. Stars with known spectral types will be included to test the reliability of classifications. The process of building the database of stars from APDA, which the citizen scientist will be able to classify, includes: scanning the photographic plates, orienting the plate to correct for the change in right ascension/declination using Aladin, stellar HD catalog identification using Simbad, marking the boundaries for each spectrum, and setting up the image for use on the website. We will describe the details of this process.

Flight decks and free flight: where are the system boundaries?

PubMed

Hollnagel, Erik

2007-07-01

The change from managed to free flight is expected to have large effects, over and above the intended efficiency gains. Human factor concerns have understandably focused on how free flight may affect the pilots in the cockpit. Yet it is necessary to see the change from managed to free flight as more than just an increment to the pilots' work. Despite the best intentions the transition will not be a case of a smooth, carefully planned and therefore uneventful introduction of a new technology. It is more likely to be a substantial change to an already challenging working environment, in the air as well as on the ground. The significant effects will therefore not just happen within the existing structure or distribution of work and responsibilities, but affect the structure of work itself. This paper takes a look at free flight from a cognitive systems engineering perspective and identifies two major concerns: first what effects free flight has on the boundaries of the joint cognitive systems, and second how this affects demands to control. The conclusion is that both will change considerably and that we need to understand the nature of these changes before focusing on the possible effects of free flight on pilots' performance.

Imposing the free-slip condition with a continuous forcing immersed boundary method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kempe, Tobias; Lennartz, Matthias; Schwarz, Stephan; Fröhlich, Jochen

2015-02-01

The numerical simulation of spherical and ellipsoidal bubbles in purified fluids requires the imposition of the free-slip boundary condition at the bubble surface. This paper describes a numerical method for the implementation of free-slip boundary conditions in the context of immersed boundary methods. In contrast to other numerical approaches for multiphase flows, the realization is not straightforward. The reason is that the immersed boundary method treats the liquid as well as the gas phase as a field of constant density and viscosity with a fictitious fluid inside the bubble. The motion of the disperse phase is computed explicitly by solving the momentum balance for each of its elements and is coupled to the continuous phase via additional source terms in the Navier-Stokes equations. The paper starts with illustrating that an ad hoc method is unsuccessful. On this basis, a new method is proposed employing appropriate direct forcing at the bubble surface. A central finding is that with common ratios between the step size of the grid and the bubble diameter, curvature terms need to be accounted for to obtain satisfactory results. The new method is first developed for spherical objects and then extended to generally curved interfaces. This is done by introducing a local coordinate system which approximates the surface in the vicinity of a Lagrangian marker with the help of the two principal curvatures of the surface at this point. The numerical scheme is then validated for spherical and ellipsoidal objects with or without prescribed constant angular velocity. It is shown that the proposed method achieves similar convergence behavior as the method for no-slip boundaries. The results are compared to analytical solutions for creeping flow around a sphere and to numerical reference data obtained on a body-fitted grid. The numerical tests confirm the excellent performance of the proposed method.

Continuous protein concentration via free-flow moving reaction boundary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Kong, Fanzhi; Zhang, Min; Chen, Jingjing; Fan, Liuyin; Xiao, Hua; Liu, Shaorong; Cao, Chengxi

2017-07-28

In this work, we developed the model and theory of free-flow moving reaction boundary electrophoresis (FFMRB) for continuous protein concentration for the first time. The theoretical results indicated that (i) the moving reaction boundary (MRB) can be quantitatively designed in free-flow electrophoresis (FFE) system; (ii) charge-to-mass ratio (Z/M) analysis could provide guidance for protein concentration optimization; and (iii) the maximum processing capacity could be predicted. To demonstrate the model and theory, three model proteins of hemoglobin (Hb), cytochrome C (Cyt C) and C-phycocyanin (C-PC) were chosen for the experiments. The experimental results verified that (i) stable MRBs with different velocities could be established in FFE apparatus with weak acid/weak base neutralization reaction system; (ii) proteins of Hb, Cyt C and C-PC were well concentrated with FFMRB; and (iii) a maximum processing capacity and recovery ratio of Cyt C enrichment were 126mL/h and 95.5% respectively, and a maximum enrichment factor was achieved 12.6 times for Hb. All of the experiments demonstrated the protein concentration model and theory. In contrast to other methods, the continuous processing ability enables FFMRB to efficiently enrich diluted protein or peptide in large volume solution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On a Free Boundary Problem for the Curvature Flow with Driving Force

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Jong-Shenq; Matano, Hiroshi; Shimojo, Masahiko; Wu, Chang-Hong

2016-03-01

We study a free boundary problem associated with the curvature dependent motion of planar curves in the upper half plane whose two endpoints slide along the horizontal axis with prescribed fixed contact angles. Our first main result concerns the classification of solutions; every solution falls into one of the three categories, namely, area expanding, area bounded and area shrinking types. We then study in detail the asymptotic behavior of solutions in each category. Among other things we show that solutions are asymptotically self-similar both in the area expanding and the area shrinking cases, while solutions converge to either a stationary solution or a traveling wave in the area bounded case. We also prove results on the concavity properties of solutions. One of the main tools of this paper is the intersection number principle, however in order to deal with solutions with free boundaries, we introduce what we call "the extended intersection number principle", which turns out to be exceedingly useful in handling curves with moving endpoints.

Dynamic collapses of relativistic degenerate stellar cores and radiation pressure dominated stellar interiors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Chun-Hui; Lou, Yu-Qing

2018-04-01

We investigate and explore self-similar dynamic radial collapses of relativistic degenerate stellar cores (RDSCs) and radiation pressure dominated stellar interiors (RPDSIs) of spherical symmetry by invoking a conventional polytropic (CP) equation of state (EoS) with a constant polytropic index γ = 4 / 3 and by allowing free-fall non-zero RDSC or RPDSI surface mass density and pressure due to their sustained physical contact with the outer surrounding stellar envelopes also in contraction. Irrespective of the physical triggering mechanisms (including, e.g., photodissociation, electron-positron pair instability, general relativistic instability etc.) for initiating such a self-similar dynamically collapsing RDSC or RPDSI embedded within a massive star, a very massive star (VMS) or a supermassive star (SMS) in contraction and by comparing with the Schwarzschild radii associated with their corresponding RDSC/RPDSI masses, the emergence of central black holes in a wide mass range appears inevitable during such RDSC/RPDSI dynamic collapses inside massive stars, VMSs, and SMSs, respectively. Radial pulsations of progenitor cores or during a stellar core collapse may well leave imprints onto collapsing RDSCs/RPDSIs towards their self-similar dynamic evolution. Massive neutron stars may form during dynamic collapses of RDSC inside massive stars in contraction under proper conditions.

Coil Realizability Criteria for Stellarator Surface Currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boozer, A.; Hirshman, S.; Brooks, A.

1998-11-01

The method of automatic optimization(P. Merkel, Nucl. Fusion 27 (1987) 867.) for the design of stellarator coils (NESCOIL code) typically yields a two-dimensional surface current potential φ from which current filaments can be extracted, using the relation Ks = n × nabla φ. Until now, the realizability of coils obtained in this way has been largely decoupled from the physics optimization process which originally provided the matching surface on which B_normal = 0 (thus determining φ). For quasi-axisymmetric stellarators (QAS)(A. Reiman, et al., to be published.) or quasi- omnigeneous stellarators(S. P. Hirshman, D. A. Spong, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 80 (1998) 528.) with finite parallel plasma currents, it is often found that the current potential becomes too complicated to be consistent with realizable coils. We have developed analytic measures of the complexity of the current potential. These measures can be incorporated into the physics optimizer and can limit the plasma boundaries to those which are likely to produce realizable coils.

Embedding Circular Force-Free Flux Ropes in Potential Magnetic Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Titov, V. S.; Torok, T.; Mikic, Z.; Linker, J.

2013-12-01

We propose a method for constructing approximate force-free equilibria in active regions that locally have a potential bipolar-type magnetic field with a thin force-free flux rope embedded inside it. The flux rope has a circular-arc axis and circular cross-section in which the interior magnetic field is predominantly toroidal (axial). Its magnetic pressure is balanced outside by that of the poloidal (azimuthal) field created at the boundary by the electric current sheathing the flux rope. To facilitate the implementation of the method in our numerical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code, the entire solution is described in terms of the vector potential of the magnetic field. The parameters of the flux rope can be chosen so that a subsequent MHD relaxation of the constructed configuration under line-tied conditions at the boundary provides a numerically exact equilibrium. Such equilibria are an approximation for the magnetic configuration preceding solar eruptions, which can be triggered in our model by imposing suitable photospheric flows beneath the flux rope. The proposed method is a useful tool for constructing pre-eruption magnetic fields in data-driven simulations of solar active events. Research supported by NASA's Heliophysics Theory and LWS Programs, and NSF/SHINE and NSF/FESD.

On magnetohydrodynamic flow of second grade nanofluid over a nonlinear stretching sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayat, Tasawar; Aziz, Arsalan; Muhammad, Taseer; Ahmad, Bashir

2016-06-01

This research article addresses the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow of second grade nanofluid over a nonlinear stretching sheet. Heat and mass transfer aspects are investigated through the thermophoresis and Brownian motion effects. Second grade fluid is assumed electrically conducting through a non-uniform applied magnetic field. Mathematical formulation is developed subject to small magnetic Reynolds number and boundary layer assumptions. Newly constructed condition having zero mass flux of nanoparticles at the boundary is incorporated. Transformations have been invoked for the reduction of partial differential systems into the set of nonlinear ordinary differential systems. The governing nonlinear systems have been solved for local behavior. Graphical results of different influential parameters are studied and discussed in detail. Computations for skin friction coefficient and local Nusselt number have been carried out. It is observed that the effects of thermophoresis parameter on the temperature and nanoparticles concentration distributions are qualitatively similar. The temperature and nanoparticles concentration distributions are enhanced for the larger magnetic parameter.

A Magnetohydrodynamic Simulation of Magnetic Null-point Reconnections in NOAA AR 12192, Initiated with an Extrapolated Non-force-free Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, A.; Bhattacharyya, R.; Hu, Qiang; Kumar, Sanjay; Nayak, Sushree S.

2018-06-01

The magnetohydrodynamics of the solar corona is simulated numerically. The simulation is initialized with an extrapolated non-force-free magnetic field using the vector magnetogram of the active region NOAA 12192, which was obtained from the solar photosphere. Particularly, we focus on the magnetic reconnections (MRs) occurring close to a magnetic null point that resulted in the appearance of circular chromospheric flare ribbons on 2014 October 24 around 21:21 UT, after the peak of an X3.1 flare. The extrapolated field lines show the presence of the three-dimensional (3D) null near one of the polarity-inversion lines—where the flare was observed. In the subsequent numerical simulation, we find MRs occurring near the null point, where the magnetic field lines from the fan plane of the 3D null form a X-type configuration with underlying arcade field lines. The footpoints of the dome-shaped field lines, inherent to the 3D null, show high gradients of the squashing factor. We find slipping reconnections at these quasi-separatrix layers, which are co-located with the post-flare circular brightening observed at chromospheric heights. This demonstrates the viability of the initial non-force-free field, along with the dynamics it initiates. Moreover, the initial field and its simulated evolution are found to be devoid of any flux rope, which is congruent with the confined nature of the flare.

Numerical magnetohydrodynamic simulations of expanding flux ropes: Influence of boundary driving

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tacke, Thomas; Dreher, Jürgen; Sydora, Richard D.

2013-07-15

The expansion dynamics of a magnetized, current-carrying plasma arch is studied by means of time-dependent ideal MHD simulations. Initial conditions model the setup used in recent laboratory experiments that in turn simulate coronal loops [J. Tenfelde et al., Phys. Plasmas 19, 072513 (2012); E. V. Stenson and P. M. Bellan, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 54, 124017 (2012)]. Boundary conditions of the electric field at the “lower” boundary, intersected by the arch, are chosen such that poloidal magnetic flux is injected into the domain, either localized at the arch footpoints themselves or halfway between them. These conditions are motivated by themore » tangential electric field expected to exist in the laboratory experiments due to the external circuit that drives the plasma current. The boundary driving is found to systematically enhance the expansion velocity of the plasma arch. While perturbations at the arch footpoints also deform its legs and create characteristic elongated segments, a perturbation between the footpoints tends to push the entire structure upwards, retaining an ellipsoidal shape.« less

A grid of MHD models for stellar mass loss and spin-down rates of solar analogs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cohen, O.; Drake, J. J.

2014-03-01

Stellar winds are believed to be the dominant factor in the spin-down of stars over time. However, stellar winds of solar analogs are poorly constrained due to observational challenges. In this paper, we present a grid of magnetohydrodynamic models to study and quantify the values of stellar mass loss and angular momentum loss rates as a function of the stellar rotation period, magnetic dipole component, and coronal base density. We derive simple scaling laws for the loss rates as a function of these parameters, and constrain the possible mass loss rate of stars with thermally driven winds. Despite the successmore » of our scaling law in matching the results of the model, we find a deviation between the 'solar dipole' case and a real case based on solar observations that overestimates the actual solar mass loss rate by a factor of three. This implies that the model for stellar fields might require a further investigation with additional complexity. Mass loss rates in general are largely controlled by the magnetic field strength, with the wind density varying in proportion to the confining magnetic pressure B {sup 2}. We also find that the mass loss rates obtained using our grid models drop much faster with the increase in rotation period than scaling laws derived using observed stellar activity. For main-sequence solar-like stars, our scaling law for angular momentum loss versus poloidal magnetic field strength retrieves the well-known Skumanich decline of angular velocity with time, Ω{sub *}∝t {sup –1/2}, if the large-scale poloidal magnetic field scales with rotation rate as B{sub p}∝Ω{sub ⋆}{sup 2}.« less

Revealing Stellar Surface Structure Behind Transiting Exoplanets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dravins, Dainis

2018-04-01

During exoplanet transits, successive stellar surface portions become hidden and differential spectroscopy between various transit phases provide spectra of small surface segments temporarily hidden behind the planet. Line profile changes across the stellar disk offer diagnostics for hydrodynamic modeling, while exoplanet analyses require stellar background spectra to be known along the transit path. Since even giant planets cover only a small fraction of any main-sequence star, very precise observations are required, as well as averaging over numerous spectral lines with similar parameters. Spatially resolved Fe I line profiles across stellar disks have now been retrieved for HD209458 (G0V) and HD189733A (K1V), using data from the UVES and HARPS spectrometers. Free from rotational broadening, spatially resolved profiles are narrower and deeper than in integrated starlight. During transit, the profiles shift towards longer wavelengths, illustrating both stellar rotation at the latitude of transit and the prograde orbital motion of the exoplanets. This method will soon become applicable to more stars, once additional bright exoplanet hosts have been found.

Multi-region approach to free-boundary three-dimensional tokamak equilibria and resistive wall instabilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferraro, N. M.; Jardin, S. C.; Lao, L. L.

Free-boundary 3D tokamak equilibria and resistive wall instabilities are calculated using a new resistive wall model in the two-fluid M3D-C1 code. In this model, the resistive wall and surround- ing vacuum region are included within the computational domain. Our implementation contrasts with the method typically used in fluid codes in which the resistive wall is treated as a boundary condition on the computational domain boundary and has the advantage of maintaining purely local coupling of mesh elements. We use this new capability to simulate perturbed, free-boundary non- axisymmetric equilibria; the linear evolution of resistive wall modes; and the linear andmore » nonlinear evolution of axisymmetric vertical displacement events (VDEs). Calculated growth rates for a resistive wall mode with arbitrary wall thickness are shown to agree well with the analytic theory. Equilibrium and VDE calculations are performed in diverted tokamak geometry, at physically real- istic values of dissipation, and with resistive walls of finite width. Simulations of a VDE disruption extend into the current-quench phase, in which the plasma becomes limited by the first wall, and strong currents are observed to flow in the wall, in the SOL, and from the plasma to the wall.« less

Multi-region approach to free-boundary three-dimensional tokamak equilibria and resistive wall instabilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferraro, N. M., E-mail: nferraro@pppl.gov; Lao, L. L.; Jardin, S. C.

Free-boundary 3D tokamak equilibria and resistive wall instabilities are calculated using a new resistive wall model in the two-fluid M3D-C1 code. In this model, the resistive wall and surrounding vacuum region are included within the computational domain. This implementation contrasts with the method typically used in fluid codes in which the resistive wall is treated as a boundary condition on the computational domain boundary and has the advantage of maintaining purely local coupling of mesh elements. This new capability is used to simulate perturbed, free-boundary non-axisymmetric equilibria; the linear evolution of resistive wall modes; and the linear and nonlinear evolutionmore » of axisymmetric vertical displacement events (VDEs). Calculated growth rates for a resistive wall mode with arbitrary wall thickness are shown to agree well with the analytic theory. Equilibrium and VDE calculations are performed in diverted tokamak geometry, at physically realistic values of dissipation, and with resistive walls of finite width. Simulations of a VDE disruption extend into the current-quench phase, in which the plasma becomes limited by the first wall, and strong currents are observed to flow in the wall, in the SOL, and from the plasma to the wall.« less

Multi-region approach to free-boundary three-dimensional tokamak equilibria and resistive wall instabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferraro, N. M.; Jardin, S. C.; Lao, L. L.; Shephard, M. S.; Zhang, F.

2016-05-01

Free-boundary 3D tokamak equilibria and resistive wall instabilities are calculated using a new resistive wall model in the two-fluid M3D-C1 code. In this model, the resistive wall and surrounding vacuum region are included within the computational domain. This implementation contrasts with the method typically used in fluid codes in which the resistive wall is treated as a boundary condition on the computational domain boundary and has the advantage of maintaining purely local coupling of mesh elements. This new capability is used to simulate perturbed, free-boundary non-axisymmetric equilibria; the linear evolution of resistive wall modes; and the linear and nonlinear evolution of axisymmetric vertical displacement events (VDEs). Calculated growth rates for a resistive wall mode with arbitrary wall thickness are shown to agree well with the analytic theory. Equilibrium and VDE calculations are performed in diverted tokamak geometry, at physically realistic values of dissipation, and with resistive walls of finite width. Simulations of a VDE disruption extend into the current-quench phase, in which the plasma becomes limited by the first wall, and strong currents are observed to flow in the wall, in the SOL, and from the plasma to the wall.

Multi-region approach to free-boundary three-dimensional tokamak equilibria and resistive wall instabilities

DOE PAGES

Ferraro, N. M.; Jardin, S. C.; Lao, L. L.; ...

2016-05-20

Free-boundary 3D tokamak equilibria and resistive wall instabilities are calculated using a new resistive wall model in the two-fluid M3D-C1 code. In this model, the resistive wall and surround- ing vacuum region are included within the computational domain. Our implementation contrasts with the method typically used in fluid codes in which the resistive wall is treated as a boundary condition on the computational domain boundary and has the advantage of maintaining purely local coupling of mesh elements. We use this new capability to simulate perturbed, free-boundary non- axisymmetric equilibria; the linear evolution of resistive wall modes; and the linear andmore » nonlinear evolution of axisymmetric vertical displacement events (VDEs). Calculated growth rates for a resistive wall mode with arbitrary wall thickness are shown to agree well with the analytic theory. Equilibrium and VDE calculations are performed in diverted tokamak geometry, at physically real- istic values of dissipation, and with resistive walls of finite width. Simulations of a VDE disruption extend into the current-quench phase, in which the plasma becomes limited by the first wall, and strong currents are observed to flow in the wall, in the SOL, and from the plasma to the wall.« less

Physics of magnetospheric boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cairns, Iver H.

1995-01-01

This final report was concerned with the ideas that: (1) magnetospheric boundary layers link disparate regions of the magnetosphere-solar wind system together; and (2) global behavior of the magnetosphere can be understood only by understanding its internal linking mechanisms and those with the solar wind. The research project involved simultaneous research on the global-, meso-, and micro-scale physics of the magnetosphere and its boundary layers, which included the bow shock, the magnetosheath, the plasma sheet boundary layer, and the ionosphere. Analytic, numerical, and simulation projects were performed on these subjects, as well as comparisons of theoretical results with observational data. Other related activity included in the research included: (1) prediction of geomagnetic activity; (2) global MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) simulations; (3) Alfven resonance heating; and (4) Critical Ionization Velocity (CIV) effect. In the appendixes are list of personnel involved, list of papers published; and reprints or photocopies of papers produced for this report.

Dynamo onset as a first-order transition: lessons from a shell model for magnetohydrodynamics.

PubMed

Sahoo, Ganapati; Mitra, Dhrubaditya; Pandit, Rahul

2010-03-01

We carry out systematic and high-resolution studies of dynamo action in a shell model for magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence over wide ranges of the magnetic Prandtl number PrM and the magnetic Reynolds number ReM. Our study suggests that it is natural to think of dynamo onset as a nonequilibrium first-order phase transition between two different turbulent, but statistically steady, states. The ratio of the magnetic and kinetic energies is a convenient order parameter for this transition. By using this order parameter, we obtain the stability diagram (or nonequilibrium phase diagram) for dynamo formation in our MHD shell model in the (PrM-1,ReM) plane. The dynamo boundary, which separates dynamo and no-dynamo regions, appears to have a fractal character. We obtain a hysteretic behavior of the order parameter across this boundary and suggestions of nucleation-type phenomena.

Effect of Grain Boundary Misorientation on Electromigration in Lead-Free Solder Joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasooji, Amaneh; Lara, Leticia; Lee, Kyuoh

2014-12-01

Reduction in microelectronic interconnect size gives rise to solder bumps consisting of few grains, approaching a single- or bicrystal grain morphology in C4 bumps. Single grain anisotropy, individual grain orientation, presence of easy diffusion paths along grain boundaries, and the increased current density in these small solder bumps aggravate electromigration. This reduces the reliability of the entire microelectronic system. This paper focuses on electromigration behavior in Pb-free solder, specifically the Sn-0.7 wt.%Cu alloy. We discuss the effects of texture, grain orientation, and grain boundary misorientation angle on electromigration (EM) and intermetallic compound formation in EM-tested C4 bumps. The detailed electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis used in this study reveals the greater influence of grain boundary misorientation on solder bump electromigration compared with the effect associated with individual grain orientation.

NuGrid Stellar Data Set. I.Stellar Yields from H to Bi for Stars with Metallicities Z = 0.02 and Z = 0.01

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pignatari, M.; Herwig, F.; Hirschi, R.; Bennett, M.; Rockefeller, G.; Fryer, C.; Timmes, F. X.; Ritter, C.; Heger, A.; Jones, S.; Battino, U.; Dotter, A.; Trappitsch, R.; Diehl, S.; Frischknecht, U.; Hungerford, A.; Magkotsios, G.; Travaglio, C.; Young, P.

2016-08-01

We provide a set of stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis calculations that applies established physics assumptions simultaneously to low- and intermediate-mass and massive star models. Our goal is to provide an internally consistent and comprehensive nuclear production and yield database for applications in areas such as presolar grain studies. Our non-rotating models assume convective boundary mixing (CBM) where it has been adopted before. We include 8 (12) initial masses for Z = 0.01 (0.02). Models are followed either until the end of the asymptotic giant branch phase or the end of Si burning, complemented by simple analytic core-collapse supernova (SN) models with two options for fallback and shock velocities. The explosions show which pre-SN yields will most strongly be effected by the explosive nucleosynthesis. We discuss how these two explosion parameters impact the light elements and the s and p process. For low- and intermediate-mass models, our stellar yields from H to Bi include the effect of CBM at the He-intershell boundaries and the stellar evolution feedback of the mixing process that produces the {}13{{C}} pocket. All post-processing nucleosynthesis calculations use the same nuclear reaction rate network and nuclear physics input. We provide a discussion of the nuclear production across the entire mass range organized by element group. The entirety of our stellar nucleosynthesis profile and time evolution output are available electronically, and tools to explore the data on the NuGrid VOspace hosted by the Canadian Astronomical Data Centre are introduced.

Use of long-lived radon daughters as indicators of exchange between the free troposphere and the marine boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kritz, M. A.

1983-01-01

Fluxes and exchange coefficients are derived for the transport of Sr-90, Pb-210, Bi-210, and Po-210 between the free troposphere and the marine boundary layer and between the boundary layer and the sea surface. Radionuclide concentrations previously measured near Hawaii are used in the derivations. Values obtained for the free troposphere/boundary layer exchange coefficient (expressed as a piston velocity) were 185, 228 and 203 m/d for Pb-210, Bi-210, and Sr-90, respectively. The magnitude of the local sea-surface source of Po-210 is also determined.

Magnetohydrodynamics with GAMER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ui-Han; Schive, Hsi-Yu; Chiueh, Tzihong

2018-06-01

GAMER, a parallel Graphic-processing-unit-accelerated Adaptive-MEsh-Refinement (AMR) hydrodynamic code, has been extended to support magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) with both the corner-transport-upwind and MUSCL-Hancock schemes and the constraint transport technique. The divergent preserving operator for AMR has been applied to reinforce the divergence-free constraint on the magnetic field. GAMER-MHD has fully exploited the concurrent executions between the graphic process unit (GPU) MHD solver and other central processing unit computation pertinent to AMR. We perform various standard tests to demonstrate that GAMER-MHD is both second-order accurate and robust, producing results as accurate as those given by high-resolution uniform-grid runs. We also explore a new 3D MHD test, where the magnetic field assumes the Arnold–Beltrami–Childress configuration, temporarily becomes turbulent with current sheets, and finally settles to a lowest-energy equilibrium state. This 3D problem is adopted for the performance test of GAMER-MHD. The single-GPU performance reaches 1.2 × 108 and 5.5 × 107 cell updates per second for the single- and double-precision calculations, respectively, on Tesla P100. We also demonstrate a parallel efficiency of ∼70% for both weak and strong scaling using 1024 XK nodes on the Blue Waters supercomputers.

Estimates of green tensors for certain boundary value problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Solonnikov, V.

1988-01-01

Consider the first boundary value problem for a stationary Navier-Stokes system in a bounded three-dimensional region Omega with the boundary S: delta v = grad p+f, div v=0, v/s=0. Odqvist (1930) developed the potential theory and formulated the Green tensor for the above problem. The basic singular solution used by Odqvist to express the Green tensor is given. A theorem generalizing his results is presented along with four associated theorems. A specific problem associated with the study of the differential properties of the solution of stationary problems of magnetohydrodynamics is examined.

Using Velocity Anisotropy to Analyze Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence in Giant Molecular Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madrid, Alecio; Hernandez, Audra

2018-01-01

Structure function (SF) analysis is a strong tool for gaging the Alfvénic properties of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, yet there is a lack of literature rigorously investigating limitations in the context of radio spectroscopy. This study takes an in depth approach to studying the limitations of SF analysis for analyzing MHD turbulence in giant molecular cloud (GMC) spectroscopy data. MHD turbulence plays a critical role in the structure and evolution of GMCs as well as in the formation of sub-structures known to spawn stellar progenitors. Existing methods of detection are neither economical nor robust (e.g. dust polarization), and nowhere is this more clear than in the theoretical-observational divide in current literature. A significant limitation of GMC spectroscopy results from the large variation in methods used for extracting GMCs from survey data. Thus, a robust method for studying MHD turbulence must correctly gauge physical properties regardless of the data extraction method used. While SF analysis has demonstrated strong potential across a range of simulated conditions, this study finds significant concern regarding its feasibility as a robust tool in GMC spectroscopy.

First results from the IllustrisTNG simulations: the stellar mass content of groups and clusters of galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pillepich, Annalisa; Nelson, Dylan; Hernquist, Lars; Springel, Volker; Pakmor, Rüdiger; Torrey, Paul; Weinberger, Rainer; Genel, Shy; Naiman, Jill P.; Marinacci, Federico; Vogelsberger, Mark

2018-03-01

The IllustrisTNG project is a new suite of cosmological magnetohydrodynamical simulations of galaxy formation performed with the AREPO code and updated models for feedback physics. Here, we introduce the first two simulations of the series, TNG100 and TNG300, and quantify the stellar mass content of about 4000 massive galaxy groups and clusters (1013 ≤ M200c/M⊙ ≤ 1015) at recent times (z ≤ 1). The richest clusters have half of their total stellar mass bound to satellite galaxies, with the other half being associated with the central galaxy and the diffuse intracluster light. Haloes more massive than about 5 × 1014 M⊙ have more diffuse stellar mass outside 100 kpc than within 100 kpc, with power-law slopes of the radial mass density distribution as shallow as the dark matter's ( - 3.5 ≲ α3D ≲ -3). Total halo mass is a very good predictor of stellar mass, and vice versa: at z = 0, the 3D stellar mass measured within 30 kpc scales as ∝(M500c)0.49 with a ˜0.12 dex scatter. This is possibly too steep in comparison to the available observational constraints, even though the abundance of The Next Generation less-massive galaxies ( ≲ 1011 M⊙ in stars) is in good agreement with the measured galaxy stellar mass functions at recent epochs. The 3D sizes of massive galaxies fall too on a tight (˜0.16 dex scatter) power-law relation with halo mass, with r^stars_0.5 ∝ (M_200c)^{0.53}. Even more fundamentally, halo mass alone is a good predictor for the whole stellar mass profiles beyond the inner few kiloparsecs, and we show how on average these can be precisely recovered given a single-mass measurement of the galaxy or its halo.

Stellar winds and coronae of low-mass Population II/III stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Takeru K.

2018-06-01

We investigated stellar winds from zero-/low-metallicity low-mass stars by magnetohydrodynamical simulations for stellar winds driven by Alfvén waves from stars with mass M = (0.6-0.8) M⊙ and metallicity Z = (0-1) Z⊙, where M⊙ and Z⊙ are the solar mass and metallicity, respectively. Alfvénic waves, which are excited by the surface convection, travel upward from the photosphere and heat up the corona by their dissipation. For lower Z, denser gas can be heated up to the coronal temperature because of the inefficient radiation cooling. The coronal density of Population II/III stars with Z ≤ 0.01 Z⊙ is one to two orders of magnitude larger than that of a solar-metallicity star with the same mass, and as a result, the mass loss rate, \\dot{M}, is 4.5-20 times larger. This indicates that metal accretion on low-mass Pop. III stars is negligible. The soft X-ray flux of the Pop. II/III stars is also expected to be ˜1-30 times larger than that of a solar-metallicity counterpart owing to the larger coronal density, even though the radiation cooling efficiency is smaller. A larger fraction of the input Alfvénic wave energy is transmitted to the corona in low-Z stars because they avoid severe reflection owing to the smaller density difference between the photosphere and the corona. Therefore, a larger fraction is converted to the thermal energy of the corona and the kinetic energy of the stellar wind. From this energetics argument, we finally derived a scaling of \\dot{M} as \\dot{M}∝ L R_{\\star }^{11/9} M_{\\star }^{-10/9} T_eff^{11/2}[\\max (Z/Z_{⊙},0.01)]^{-1/5}, where L, R⋆, and Teff are the stellar luminosity, radius, and effective temperature, respectively.

Stellar winds and coronae of low-mass Population II/III stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Takeru K.

2018-04-01

We investigated stellar winds from zero-/low-metallicity low-mass stars by magnetohydrodynamical simulations for stellar winds driven by Alfvén waves from stars with mass M = (0.6-0.8) M⊙ and metallicity Z = (0-1) Z⊙, where M⊙ and Z⊙ are the solar mass and metallicity, respectively. Alfvénic waves, which are excited by the surface convection, travel upward from the photosphere and heat up the corona by their dissipation. For lower Z, denser gas can be heated up to the coronal temperature because of the inefficient radiation cooling. The coronal density of Population II/III stars with Z ≤ 0.01 Z⊙ is one to two orders of magnitude larger than that of a solar-metallicity star with the same mass, and as a result, the mass loss rate, \\dot{M}, is 4.5-20 times larger. This indicates that metal accretion on low-mass Pop. III stars is negligible. The soft X-ray flux of the Pop. II/III stars is also expected to be ˜1-30 times larger than that of a solar-metallicity counterpart owing to the larger coronal density, even though the radiation cooling efficiency is smaller. A larger fraction of the input Alfvénic wave energy is transmitted to the corona in low-Z stars because they avoid severe reflection owing to the smaller density difference between the photosphere and the corona. Therefore, a larger fraction is converted to the thermal energy of the corona and the kinetic energy of the stellar wind. From this energetics argument, we finally derived a scaling of \\dot{M} as \\dot{M}∝ L R_{\\star }^{11/9} M_{\\star }^{-10/9} T_eff^{11/2}[\\max (Z/Z_{⊙},0.01)]^{-1/5}, where L, R⋆, and Teff are the stellar luminosity, radius, and effective temperature, respectively.

A free boundary approach to the Rosensweig instability of ferrofluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parini, Enea; Stylianou, Athanasios

2018-04-01

We establish the existence of saddle points for a free boundary problem describing the two-dimensional free surface of a ferrofluid undergoing normal field instability. The starting point is the ferrohydrostatic equations for the magnetic potentials in the ferrofluid and air, and the function describing their interface. These constitute the strong form for the Euler-Lagrange equations of a convex-concave functional, which we extend to include interfaces that are not necessarily graphs of functions. Saddle points are then found by iterating the direct method of the calculus of variations and applying classical results of convex analysis. For the existence part, we assume a general nonlinear magnetization law; for a linear law, we also show, via convex duality, that the saddle point is a constrained minimizer of the relevant energy functional.

Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator

DOEpatents

Wheatley, J.C.; Swift, G.W.; Migliori, A.

1984-11-16

A thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator includes an intrinsically irreversible thermoacoustic heat engine coupled to a magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator. The heat engine includes an electrically conductive liquid metal as the working fluid and includes two heat exchange and thermoacoustic structure assemblies which drive the liquid in a push-pull arrangement to cause the liquid metal to oscillate at a resonant acoustic frequency on the order of 1000 Hz. The engine is positioned in the field of a magnet and is oriented such that the liquid metal oscillates in a direction orthogonal to the field of the magnet, whereby an alternating electrical potential is generated in the liquid metal. Low-loss, low-inductance electrical conductors electrically connected to opposite sides of the liquid metal conduct an output signal to a transformer adapted to convert the low-voltage, high-current output signal to a more usable higher voltage, lower current signal.

Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator

DOEpatents

Wheatley, John C.; Swift, Gregory W.; Migliori, Albert

1986-01-01

A thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator includes an intrinsically irreversible thermoacoustic heat engine coupled to a magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator. The heat engine includes an electrically conductive liquid metal as the working fluid and includes two heat exchange and thermoacoustic structure assemblies which drive the liquid in a push-pull arrangement to cause the liquid metal to oscillate at a resonant acoustic frequency on the order of 1,000 Hz. The engine is positioned in the field of a magnet and is oriented such that the liquid metal oscillates in a direction orthogonal to the field of the magnet, whereby an alternating electrical potential is generated in the liquid metal. Low-loss, low-inductance electrical conductors electrically connected to opposite sides of the liquid metal conduct an output signal to a transformer adapted to convert the low-voltage, high-current output signal to a more usable higher voltage, lower current signal.

A free-boundary model of a motile cell explains turning behavior.

PubMed

Nickaeen, Masoud; Novak, Igor L; Pulford, Stephanie; Rumack, Aaron; Brandon, Jamie; Slepchenko, Boris M; Mogilner, Alex

2017-11-01

To understand shapes and movements of cells undergoing lamellipodial motility, we systematically explore minimal free-boundary models of actin-myosin contractility consisting of the force-balance and myosin transport equations. The models account for isotropic contraction proportional to myosin density, viscous stresses in the actin network, and constant-strength viscous-like adhesion. The contraction generates a spatially graded centripetal actin flow, which in turn reinforces the contraction via myosin redistribution and causes retraction of the lamellipodial boundary. Actin protrusion at the boundary counters the retraction, and the balance of the protrusion and retraction shapes the lamellipodium. The model analysis shows that initiation of motility critically depends on three dimensionless parameter combinations, which represent myosin-dependent contractility, a characteristic viscosity-adhesion length, and a rate of actin protrusion. When the contractility is sufficiently strong, cells break symmetry and move steadily along either straight or circular trajectories, and the motile behavior is sensitive to conditions at the cell boundary. Scanning of a model parameter space shows that the contractile mechanism of motility supports robust cell turning in conditions where short viscosity-adhesion lengths and fast protrusion cause an accumulation of myosin in a small region at the cell rear, destabilizing the axial symmetry of a moving cell.

Simulating the environment around planet-hosting stars. II. Stellar winds and inner astrospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarado-Gómez, J. D.; Hussain, G. A. J.; Cohen, O.; Drake, J. J.; Garraffo, C.; Grunhut, J.; Gombosi, T. I.

2016-10-01

We present the results of a comprehensive numerical simulation of the environment around three exoplanet-host stars (HD 1237, HD 22049, and HD 147513). Our simulations consider one of the latest models currently used for space weather studies in the Heliosphere, with turbulent Alfvén wave dissipation as the source of coronal heating and stellar wind acceleration. Large-scale magnetic field maps, recovered with two implementations of the tomographic technique of Zeeman-Doppler imaging, serve to drive steady-state solutions in each system. This paper contains the description of the stellar wind and inner astrosphere, while the coronal structure was discussed in a previous paper. The analysis includes the magneto-hydrodynamical properties of the stellar wind, the associated mass and angular momentum loss rates, as well as the topology of the astrospheric current sheet in each system. A systematic comparison among the considered cases is performed, including two reference solar simulations covering activity minimum and maximum. For HD 1237, we investigate the interactions between the structure of the developed stellar wind, and a possible magnetosphere around the Jupiter-mass planet in this system. We find that the process of particle injection into the planetary atmosphere is dominated by the density distribution rather than the velocity profile of the stellar wind. In this context, we predict a maximum exoplanetary radio emission of 12 mJy at 40 MHz in this system, assuming the crossing of a high-density streamer during periastron passage. Furthermore, in combination with the analysis performed in the first paper of this study, we obtain for the first time a fully simulated mass loss-activity relation. This relation is compared and discussed in the context of the previously proposed observational counterpart, derived from astrospheric detections. Finally, we provide a characterisation of the global 3D properties of the stellar wind of these systems, at the inner

Simulation of the small-scale magnetism in main-sequence stellar atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salhab, R. G.; Steiner, O.; Berdyugina, S. V.; Freytag, B.; Rajaguru, S. P.; Steffen, M.

2018-06-01

Context. Observations of the Sun tell us that its granular and subgranular small-scale magnetism has significant consequences for global quantities such as the total solar irradiance or convective blueshift of spectral lines. Aims: In this paper, properties of the small-scale magnetism of four cool stellar atmospheres, including the Sun, are investigated, and in particular its effects on the radiative intensity and flux. Methods: We carried out three-dimensional radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations with the CO5BOLD code in two different settings: with and without a magnetic field. These are thought to represent states of high and low small-scale magnetic activity of a stellar magnetic cycle. Results: We find that the presence of small-scale magnetism increases the bolometric intensity and flux in all investigated models. The surplus in radiative flux of the magnetic over the magnetic field-free atmosphere increases with increasing effective temperature, Teff, from 0.47% for spectral type K8V to 1.05% for the solar model, but decreases for higher effective temperatures than solar. The degree of evacuation of the magnetic flux concentrations monotonically increases with Teff as does their depression of the visible optical surface, that is the Wilson depression. Nevertheless, the strength of the field concentrations on this surface stays remarkably unchanged at ≈1560 G throughout the considered range of spectral types. With respect to the surrounding gas pressure, the field strength is close to (thermal) equipartition for the Sun and spectral type F5V but is clearly sub-equipartition for K2V and more so for K8V. The magnetic flux concentrations appear most conspicuous for model K2V owing to their high brightness contrast. Conclusions: For mean magnetic flux densities of approximately 50 G, we expect the small-scale magnetism of stars in the spectral range from F5V to K8V to produce a positive contribution to their bolometric luminosity. The modulation seems to

Three-dimensional MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) flows in rectangular ducts of liquid-metal-cooled blankets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hua, T.Q.; Walker, J.S.; Picologlou, B.F.

1988-07-01

Magnetohydrodynamic flows of liquid metals in rectangular ducts with thin conducting walls in the presence of strong nonuniform transverse magnetic fields are examined. The interaction parameter and Hartmann number are assumed to be large, whereas the magnetic Reynolds number is assumed to be small. Under these assumptions, viscous and inertial effects are confined in very thin boundary layers adjacent to the walls. A significant fraction of the fluid flow is concentrated in the boundary layers adjacent to the side walls which are parallel to the magnetic field. This paper describes the analysis and numerical methods for obtaining 3-D solutions formore » flow parameters outside these layers, without solving explicitly for the layers themselves. Numerical solutions are presented for cases which are relevant to the flows of liquid metals in fusion reactor blankets. Experimental results obtained from the ALEX experiments at Argonne National Laboratory are used to validate the numerical code. In general, the agreement is excellent. 5 refs., 14 figs.« less

Probing the biology of cell boundary conditions through confinement of Xenopus cell-free cytoplasmic extracts.

PubMed

Bermudez, Jessica G; Chen, Hui; Einstein, Lily C; Good, Matthew C

2017-01-01

Cell-free cytoplasmic extracts prepared from Xenopus eggs and embryos have for decades provided a biochemical system with which to interrogate complex cell biological processes in vitro. Recently, the application of microfabrication and microfluidic strategies in biology has narrowed the gap between in vitro and in vivo studies by enabling formation of cell-size compartments containing functional cytoplasm. These approaches provide numerous advantages over traditional biochemical experiments performed in a test tube. Most notably, the cell-free cytoplasm is confined using a two- or three-dimensional boundary, which mimics the natural configuration of a cell. This strategy enables characterization of the spatial organization of a cell, and the role that boundaries play in regulating intracellular assembly and function. In this review, we describe the marriage of Xenopus cell-free cytoplasm and confinement technologies to generate synthetic cell-like systems, the recent biological insights they have enabled, and the promise they hold for future scientific discovery. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An adaptive moving mesh method for two-dimensional ideal magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jianqiang; Tang, Huazhong

2007-01-01

This paper presents an adaptive moving mesh algorithm for two-dimensional (2D) ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) that utilizes a staggered constrained transport technique to keep the magnetic field divergence-free. The algorithm consists of two independent parts: MHD evolution and mesh-redistribution. The first part is a high-resolution, divergence-free, shock-capturing scheme on a fixed quadrangular mesh, while the second part is an iterative procedure. In each iteration, mesh points are first redistributed, and then a conservative-interpolation formula is used to calculate the remapped cell-averages of the mass, momentum, and total energy on the resulting new mesh; the magnetic potential is remapped to the new mesh in a non-conservative way and is reconstructed to give a divergence-free magnetic field on the new mesh. Several numerical examples are given to demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve high numerical accuracy, track and resolve strong shock waves in ideal MHD problems, and preserve divergence-free property of the magnetic field. Numerical examples include the smooth Alfvén wave problem, 2D and 2.5D shock tube problems, two rotor problems, the stringent blast problem, and the cloud-shock interaction problem.

A boundary integral approach in primitive variables for free surface flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casciola, C.; Piva, R.

The boundary integral formulation, very efficient for free surface potential flows, was considered for its possible extension to rotational flows either inviscid or viscous. We first analyze a general formulation for unsteady Navier-Stokes equations in primitive variables, which reduces to a representation for the Euler equations in the limiting case of Reynolds infinity. A first simplified model for rotational flows, obtained by decoupling kinematics and dynamics, reduces the integral equations to a known kinematical form whose mathematical and numerical properties have been studied. The dynamics equations to complete the model are obtained for the free surface and the wake. A simple and efficient scheme for the study of the non linear evolution of the wave system and its interaction with the body wake is presented. A steady state version for the calculation of the wave resistance is also reported. A second model was proposed for the simulation of rotational separated regions, by coupling the integral equations in velocity with an integral equation for the vorticity at the body boundary. The same procedure may be extended to include the diffusion of the vorticity in the flowfield. The vortex shedding from a cylindrical body in unsteady motion is discussed, as a first application of the model.

On the divergence-free condition in Godunov-type schemes for ideal magnetohydrodynamics: the upwind constrained transport method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Londrillo, P.; del Zanna, L.

2004-03-01

We present a general framework to design Godunov-type schemes for multidimensional ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) systems, having the divergence-free relation and the related properties of the magnetic field B as built-in conditions. Our approach mostly relies on the constrained transport (CT) discretization technique for the magnetic field components, originally developed for the linear induction equation, which assures [∇.B]num=0 and its preservation in time to within machine accuracy in a finite-volume setting. We show that the CT formalism, when fully exploited, can be used as a general guideline to design the reconstruction procedures of the B vector field, to adapt standard upwind procedures for the momentum and energy equations, avoiding the onset of numerical monopoles of O(1) size, and to formulate approximate Riemann solvers for the induction equation. This general framework will be named here upwind constrained transport (UCT). To demonstrate the versatility of our method, we apply it to a variety of schemes, which are finally validated numerically and compared: a novel implementation for the MHD case of the second-order Roe-type positive scheme by Liu and Lax [J. Comput. Fluid Dyn. 5 (1996) 133], and both the second- and third-order versions of a central-type MHD scheme presented by Londrillo and Del Zanna [Astrophys. J. 530 (2000) 508], where the basic UCT strategies have been first outlined.

Numerical solution of system of boundary value problems using B-spline with free parameter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Yogesh

2017-01-01

This paper deals with method of B-spline solution for a system of boundary value problems. The differential equations are useful in various fields of science and engineering. Some interesting real life problems involve more than one unknown function. These result in system of simultaneous differential equations. Such systems have been applied to many problems in mathematics, physics, engineering etc. In present paper, B-spline and B-spline with free parameter methods for the solution of a linear system of second-order boundary value problems are presented. The methods utilize the values of cubic B-spline and its derivatives at nodal points together with the equations of the given system and boundary conditions, ensuing into the linear matrix equation.

Disk Accretion and the Stellar Birthline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, Lee; Cassen, Patrick; Kenyon, Scott J.

1997-02-01

We present a simplified analysis of some effects of disk accretion on the early evolution of fully convective, low-mass pre-main-sequence stars. Our analysis builds on the previous seminal work of Stahler, but it differs in that the accretion of material occurs over a small area of the stellar surface, such as through a disk or magnetospheric accretion column, so that most of the stellar photosphere is free to radiate to space. This boundary condition is similar to the limiting case considered by Palla & Stahler for intermediate-mass stars. We argue that for a wide variety of disk mass accretion rates, material will be added to the star with relatively small amounts of thermal energy. Protostellar evolution calculated assuming this ``low-temperature'' limit of accretion generally follows the results of Stahler because of the thermostatic nature of deuterium fusion, which prevents protostars from contracting below a ``birthline'' in the H-R diagram. Our calculated protostellar radii tend to fall below Stahler's at higher masses; the additional energy loss from the stellar photosphere in the case of disk accretion tends to make the protostar contract. The low-temperature disk accretion evolutionary tracks never fall below the deuterium-fusion birthline until the internal deuterium is depleted, but protostellar tracks can lie above the birthline in the H-R diagram if the initial radius of the protostellar core is large enough or if rapid disk accretion (such as might occur during FU Ori outbursts) adds significant amounts of thermal energy to the star. These possibilities cannot be ruled out by either theoretical arguments or observational constraints at present, so that individual protostars might evolve along a multiplicity of birthlines with a modest range of luminosity at a given mass. Our results indicate that there are large uncertainties in assigning ages for the youngest stars from H-R diagram positions, given the uncertainty in birthline positions. Our

Magnetohydrodynamic and gasdynamic theories for planetary bow waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spreiter, John R.; Stahara, Stephen S.

1985-01-01

A bow wave was previously observed in the solar wind upstream of each of the first six planets. The observed properties of these bow waves and the associated plasma flows are outlined, and those features identified that can be described by a continuum magnetohydrodynamic flow theory. An account of the fundamental concepts and current status of the magnetohydrodynamic and gas dynamic theories for solar wind flow past planetary bodies is provided. This includes a critical examination of: (1) the fundamental assumptions of the theories; (2) the various simplifying approximations introduced to obtain tractable mathematical problems; (3) the limitations they impose on the results; and (4) the relationship between the results of the simpler gas dynamic-frozen field theory and the more accurate but less completely worked out magnetohydrodynamic theory. Representative results of the various theories are presented and compared.

Magnetohydrodynamic and gasdynamic theories for planetary bow waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spreiter, J. R.; Stahara, S. S.

1983-01-01

A bow wave was previously observed in the solar wind upstream of each of the first six planets. The observed properties of these bow waves and the associated plasma flows are outlined, and those features identified that can be described by a continuum magnetohydrodynamic flow theory. An account of the fundamental concepts and current status of the magnetohydrodynamic and gas dynamic theories for solar wind flow past planetary bodies is provided. This includes a critical examination of: (1) the fundamental assumptions of the theories; (2) the various simplifying approximations introduced to obtain tractable mathematical problems; (3) the limitations they impose on the results; and (4) the relationship between the results of the simpler gas dynamic-frozen field theory and the more accurate but less completely worked out magnetohydrodynamic theory. Representative results of the various theories are presented and compared.

Superconvergent second order Cartesian method for solving free boundary problem for invadopodia formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallinato, Olivier; Poignard, Clair

2017-06-01

In this paper, we present a superconvergent second order Cartesian method to solve a free boundary problem with two harmonic phases coupled through the moving interface. The model recently proposed by the authors and colleagues describes the formation of cell protrusions. The moving interface is described by a level set function and is advected at the velocity given by the gradient of the inner phase. The finite differences method proposed in this paper consists of a new stabilized ghost fluid method and second order discretizations for the Laplace operator with the boundary conditions (Dirichlet, Neumann or Robin conditions). Interestingly, the method to solve the harmonic subproblems is superconvergent on two levels, in the sense that the first and second order derivatives of the numerical solutions are obtained with the second order of accuracy, similarly to the solution itself. We exhibit numerical criteria on the data accuracy to get such properties and numerical simulations corroborate these criteria. In addition to these properties, we propose an appropriate extension of the velocity of the level-set to avoid any loss of consistency, and to obtain the second order of accuracy of the complete free boundary problem. Interestingly, we highlight the transmission of the superconvergent properties for the static subproblems and their preservation by the dynamical scheme. Our method is also well suited for quasistatic Hele-Shaw-like or Muskat-like problems.

A semi-implicit augmented IIM for Navier–Stokes equations with open, traction, or free boundary conditions

PubMed Central

Li, Zhilin; Xiao, Li; Cai, Qin; Zhao, Hongkai; Luo, Ray

2016-01-01

In this paper, a new Navier–Stokes solver based on a finite difference approximation is proposed to solve incompressible flows on irregular domains with open, traction, and free boundary conditions, which can be applied to simulations of fluid structure interaction, implicit solvent model for biomolecular applications and other free boundary or interface problems. For some problems of this type, the projection method and the augmented immersed interface method (IIM) do not work well or does not work at all. The proposed new Navier–Stokes solver is based on the local pressure boundary method, and a semi-implicit augmented IIM. A fast Poisson solver can be used in our algorithm which gives us the potential for developing fast overall solvers in the future. The time discretization is based on a second order multi-step method. Numerical tests with exact solutions are presented to validate the accuracy of the method. Application to fluid structure interaction between an incompressible fluid and a compressible gas bubble is also presented. PMID:27087702

A semi-implicit augmented IIM for Navier-Stokes equations with open, traction, or free boundary conditions.

PubMed

Li, Zhilin; Xiao, Li; Cai, Qin; Zhao, Hongkai; Luo, Ray

2015-08-15

In this paper, a new Navier-Stokes solver based on a finite difference approximation is proposed to solve incompressible flows on irregular domains with open, traction, and free boundary conditions, which can be applied to simulations of fluid structure interaction, implicit solvent model for biomolecular applications and other free boundary or interface problems. For some problems of this type, the projection method and the augmented immersed interface method (IIM) do not work well or does not work at all. The proposed new Navier-Stokes solver is based on the local pressure boundary method, and a semi-implicit augmented IIM. A fast Poisson solver can be used in our algorithm which gives us the potential for developing fast overall solvers in the future. The time discretization is based on a second order multi-step method. Numerical tests with exact solutions are presented to validate the accuracy of the method. Application to fluid structure interaction between an incompressible fluid and a compressible gas bubble is also presented.

Finite element solutions of free convective Casson fluid flow past a vertically inclined plate submitted in magnetic field in presence of heat and mass transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raju, R. Srinivasa; Reddy, B. Mahesh; Reddy, G. Jithender

2017-09-01

The aim of this research work is to study the influence of thermal radiation on steady magnetohydrodynamic-free convective Casson fluid flow of an optically thick fluid over an inclined vertical plate with heat and mass transfer. Combined phenomenon of heat and mass transfer is considered. Numerical solutions in general form are obtained by using the finite element method. The sum of thermal and mechanical parts is expressed as velocity of fluid. Corresponding limiting solutions are also reduced from the general solutions. It is found that the obtained numerical solutions satisfy all imposed initial and boundary conditions and reduce to some known solutions from the literature as special cases. Numerical results for the controlling flow parameters are drawn graphically and discussed in detail. In some special cases, the obtained numerical results are compared and found to be in good agreement with the previously published results which are available in literature. Applications of this study includes laminar magneto-aerodynamics, materials processing and magnetohydrodynamic propulsion thermo-fluid dynamics, etc.

High mode magnetohydrodynamic waves propagation in a twisted rotating jet emerging from a filament eruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhelyazkov, Ivan; Chandra, Ramesh

2018-05-01

We study the conditions under which high mode magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves propagating on a rotating jet emerging from the filament eruption on 2013 April 10-11 can became unstable against the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI). The evolution of jet indicates the blob like structure at its boundary which could be one of the observable features of the KHI development. We model the jet as a twisted rotating axially moving magnetic flux tube and explore the propagation characteristics of the running MHD modes on the basis of dispersion relations derived in the framework of the ideal magnetohydrodynamics. It is established that unstable MHD waves with wavelengths in the range of 12-15 Mm and instability developing times from 1.5 to 2.6 min can be detected at the excitation of high mode MHD waves. The magnitude of the azimuthal mode number m crucially depends upon the twist of the internal magnetic field. It is found that at slightly twisted magnetic flux tube the appropriate azimuthal mode number is m = 16 while in the case of a moderately twisted flux tube it is equal to 18.

A resistive magnetohydrodynamics solver using modern C++ and the Boost library

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Einkemmer, Lukas

2016-09-01

In this paper we describe the implementation of our C++ resistive magnetohydrodynamics solver. The framework developed facilitates the separation of the code implementing the specific numerical method and the physical model from the handling of boundary conditions and the management of the computational domain. In particular, this will allow us to use finite difference stencils which are only defined in the interior of the domain (the boundary conditions are handled automatically). We will discuss this and other design considerations and their impact on performance in some detail. In addition, we provide a documentation of the code developed and demonstrate that a performance comparable to Fortran can be achieved, while still maintaining a maximum of code readability and extensibility. Catalogue identifier: AFAH_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AFAH_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 592774 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 43771395 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: C++03. Computer: PC, HPC systems. Operating system: POSIX compatible (extensively tested on various Linux systems). In fact only the timing class requires POSIX routines; all other parts of the program can be run on any system where a C++ compiler, Boost, CVODE, and an implementation of BLAS are available. RAM: Hundredths of Kilobytes to Gigabytes (depending on the problem size) Classification: 19.10, 4.3. External routines: Boost, CVODE, either a BLAS library or Intel MKL Nature of problem: An approximate solution to the equations of resistive magnetohydrodynamics for a given initial value and given boundary conditions is computed. Solution method: The discretization is performed using a finite difference approximation in

Book Review: A Concise History of Solar and Stellar Physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Kenneth J. H.

2005-01-01

There is no doubt that the awareness of the often long history and its principal players of a scientific specialty is disappearing among present-day researchers. The reason is the inexorable rise of specialization, in which scientists are expected to keep pace with publications in their own field, not to mention the inevitable round of writing grant proposals and teaching and other mundane responsibilities. The authors of this small book had the intention of rectifying this for solar and stellar physics, disciplines which are still broad enough to embrace fields as diverse as nuclear fusion, magnetohydrodynamics, and the dynamic theory of gas spheres. They take the reader on a journey from ancient Greek and middle Eastern astronomy to the late 1990s, one which has an emphasis very much on a theoretical point of view. For the authors, it is the ideas that are central, not the observations.

Book Review: A Concise History of Solar and Stellar Physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Kenneth J. H.

2005-01-01

There is no doubt that the awareness of the often long history and its principal players of a scientific specialty is disappearing among present-day researchers. The reason is the inexorable rise of specialization, in which scientists are expected to keep pace with publications in their own field, not to mention the inevitable round of writing grant proposals and teaching and other mundane responsibilities. The authors of this small book had the intention of rectifying this for solar and stellar physics, disciplines which are still broad enough to embrace fields as diverse as nuclear fusion, magnetohydrodynamics, and the dynamic theory of gas spheres. They take the read on a journey from ancient Greek and middle Eastern astronomy to the late 1990s, one which has an emphasis very much on a theoretical point of view. For the authors, it is the ideas that are central, not the observations.

An accurate front capturing scheme for tumor growth models with a free boundary limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jian-Guo; Tang, Min; Wang, Li; Zhou, Zhennan

2018-07-01

We consider a class of tumor growth models under the combined effects of density-dependent pressure and cell multiplication, with a free boundary model as its singular limit when the pressure-density relationship becomes highly nonlinear. In particular, the constitutive law connecting pressure p and density ρ is p (ρ) = m/m-1 ρ m - 1, and when m ≫ 1, the cell density ρ may evolve its support according to a pressure-driven geometric motion with sharp interface along its boundary. The nonlinearity and degeneracy in the diffusion bring great challenges in numerical simulations. Prior to the present paper, there is lack of standard mechanism to numerically capture the front propagation speed as m ≫ 1. In this paper, we develop a numerical scheme based on a novel prediction-correction reformulation that can accurately approximate the front propagation even when the nonlinearity is extremely strong. We show that the semi-discrete scheme naturally connects to the free boundary limit equation as m → ∞. With proper spatial discretization, the fully discrete scheme has improved stability, preserves positivity, and can be implemented without nonlinear solvers. Finally, extensive numerical examples in both one and two dimensions are provided to verify the claimed properties in various applications.

SPLASH program for three dimensional fluid dynamics with free surface boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, A.

1996-05-01

This paper describes a three dimensional computer program SPLASH that solves Navier-Stokes equations based on the Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) finite element method. SPLASH has been developed for application to the fluid dynamics problems including the moving boundary of a liquid metal cooled Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR). To apply SPLASH code to the free surface behavior analysis, a capillary model using a cubic Spline function has been developed. Several sample problems, e.g., free surface oscillation, vortex shedding development, and capillary tube phenomena, are solved to verify the computer program. In the analyses, the numerical results are in good agreement with the theoretical value or experimental observance. Also SPLASH code has been applied to an analysis of a free surface sloshing experiment coupled with forced circulation flow in a rectangular tank. This is a simplified situation of the flow field in a reactor vessel of the FBR. The computational simulation well predicts the general behavior of the fluid flow inside and the free surface behavior. Analytical capability of the SPLASH code has been verified in this study and the application to more practical problems such as FBR design and safety analysis is under way.

Global existence of the three-dimensional viscous quantum magnetohydrodynamic model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Jianwei, E-mail: yangjianwei@ncwu.edu.cn; Ju, Qiangchang, E-mail: qiangchang-ju@yahoo.com

2014-08-15

The global-in-time existence of weak solutions to the viscous quantum Magnetohydrodynamic equations in a three-dimensional torus with large data is proved. The global existence of weak solutions to the viscous quantum Magnetohydrodynamic equations is shown by using the Faedo-Galerkin method and weak compactness techniques.

Hydrodynamic and Thermal Slip Effect on Double-Diffusive Free Convective Boundary Layer Flow of a Nanofluid Past a Flat Vertical Plate in the Moving Free Stream

PubMed Central

Khan, Waqar A.; Uddin, Md Jashim; Ismail, A. I. Md.

2013-01-01

The effects of hydrodynamic and thermal slip boundary conditions on the double-diffusive free convective flow of a nanofluid along a semi-infinite flat solid vertical plate are investigated numerically. It is assumed that free stream is moving. The governing boundary layer equations are non-dimensionalized and transformed into a system of nonlinear, coupled similarity equations. The effects of the controlling parameters on the dimensionless velocity, temperature, solute and nanofluid concentration as well as on the reduced Nusselt number, reduced Sherwood number and the reduced nanoparticle Sherwood number are investigated and presented graphically. To the best of our knowledge, the effects of hydrodynamic and thermal slip boundary conditions have not been investigated yet. It is found that the reduced local Nusselt, local solute and the local nanofluid Sherwood numbers increase with hydrodynamic slip and decrease with thermal slip parameters. PMID:23533566

A Conserving Discretization for the Free Boundary in a Two-Dimensional Stefan Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segal, Guus; Vuik, Kees; Vermolen, Fred

1998-03-01

The dissolution of a disk-likeAl2Cuparticle is considered. A characteristic property is that initially the particle has a nonsmooth boundary. The mathematical model of this dissolution process contains a description of the particle interface, of which the position varies in time. Such a model is called a Stefan problem. It is impossible to obtain an analytical solution for a general two-dimensional Stefan problem, so we use the finite element method to solve this problem numerically. First, we apply a classical moving mesh method. Computations show that after some time steps the predicted particle interface becomes very unrealistic. Therefore, we derive a new method for the displacement of the free boundary based on the balance of atoms. This method leads to good results, also, for nonsmooth boundaries. Some numerical experiments are given for the dissolution of anAl2Cuparticle in anAl-Cualloy.

Boundary-layer development and transition due to free-stream exothermic reactions in shock-induced flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, J. L.

1974-01-01

A study of the effect of free-stream thermal-energy release from shock-induced exothermic reactions on boundary-layer development and transition is presented. The flow model is that of a boundary layer developing behind a moving shock wave in two-dimensional unsteady flow over a shock-tube wall. Matched sets of combustible hydrogen-oxygen-nitrogen mixtures and inert hydrogen-nitrogen mixtures were used to obtain transition data over a range of transition Reynolds numbers from 1,100,000 to 21,300,000. The heat-energy is shown to significantly stabilize the boundary layer without changing its development character. A method for application of this data to flat-plate steady flows is included.

MHD Free Convective Boundary Layer Flow of a Nanofluid past a Flat Vertical Plate with Newtonian Heating Boundary Condition

PubMed Central

Uddin, Mohammed J.; Khan, Waqar A.; Ismail, Ahmed I.

2012-01-01

Steady two dimensional MHD laminar free convective boundary layer flows of an electrically conducting Newtonian nanofluid over a solid stationary vertical plate in a quiescent fluid taking into account the Newtonian heating boundary condition is investigated numerically. A magnetic field can be used to control the motion of an electrically conducting fluid in micro/nano scale systems used for transportation of fluid. The transport equations along with the boundary conditions are first converted into dimensionless form and then using linear group of transformations, the similarity governing equations are developed. The transformed equations are solved numerically using the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg fourth-fifth order method with shooting technique. The effects of different controlling parameters, namely, Lewis number, Prandtl number, buoyancy ratio, thermophoresis, Brownian motion, magnetic field and Newtonian heating on the flow and heat transfer are investigated. The numerical results for the dimensionless axial velocity, temperature and nanoparticle volume fraction as well as the reduced Nusselt and Sherwood number have been presented graphically and discussed. It is found that the rate of heat and mass transfer increase as Newtonian heating parameter increases. The dimensionless velocity and temperature distributions increase with the increase of Newtonian heating parameter. The results of the reduced heat transfer rate is compared for convective heating boundary condition and found an excellent agreement. PMID:23166688

Criticality and turbulence in a resistive magnetohydrodynamic current sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klimas, Alexander J.; Uritsky, Vadim M.

2017-02-01

Scaling properties of a two-dimensional (2d) plasma physical current-sheet simulation model involving a full set of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations with current-dependent resistivity are investigated. The current sheet supports a spatial magnetic field reversal that is forced through loading of magnetic flux containing plasma at boundaries of the simulation domain. A balance is reached between loading and annihilation of the magnetic flux through reconnection at the current sheet; the transport of magnetic flux from boundaries to current sheet is realized in the form of spatiotemporal avalanches exhibiting power-law statistics of lifetimes and sizes. We identify this dynamics as self-organized criticality (SOC) by verifying an extended set of scaling laws related to both global and local properties of the current sheet (critical susceptibility, finite-size scaling of probability distributions, geometric exponents). The critical exponents obtained from this analysis suggest that the model operates in a slowly driven SOC state similar to the mean-field state of the directed stochastic sandpile model. We also investigate multiscale correlations in the velocity field and find them numerically indistinguishable from certain intermittent turbulence (IT) theories. The results provide clues on physical conditions for SOC behavior in a broad class of plasma systems with propagating instabilities, and suggest that SOC and IT may coexist in driven current sheets which occur ubiquitously in astrophysical and space plasmas.

Criticality and turbulence in a resistive magnetohydrodynamic current sheet.

PubMed

Klimas, Alexander J; Uritsky, Vadim M

2017-02-01

Scaling properties of a two-dimensional (2d) plasma physical current-sheet simulation model involving a full set of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations with current-dependent resistivity are investigated. The current sheet supports a spatial magnetic field reversal that is forced through loading of magnetic flux containing plasma at boundaries of the simulation domain. A balance is reached between loading and annihilation of the magnetic flux through reconnection at the current sheet; the transport of magnetic flux from boundaries to current sheet is realized in the form of spatiotemporal avalanches exhibiting power-law statistics of lifetimes and sizes. We identify this dynamics as self-organized criticality (SOC) by verifying an extended set of scaling laws related to both global and local properties of the current sheet (critical susceptibility, finite-size scaling of probability distributions, geometric exponents). The critical exponents obtained from this analysis suggest that the model operates in a slowly driven SOC state similar to the mean-field state of the directed stochastic sandpile model. We also investigate multiscale correlations in the velocity field and find them numerically indistinguishable from certain intermittent turbulence (IT) theories. The results provide clues on physical conditions for SOC behavior in a broad class of plasma systems with propagating instabilities, and suggest that SOC and IT may coexist in driven current sheets which occur ubiquitously in astrophysical and space plasmas.

ON THE ROLE OF INVOLUTIONS IN THE DISCONTINUOUS GALERKIN DISCRETIZATION OF MAXWELL AND MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC SYSTEMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barth, Timothy

2005-01-01

The role of involutions in energy stability of the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretization of Maxwell and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) systems is examined. Important differences are identified in the symmetrization of the Maxwell and MHD systems that impact the construction of energy stable discretizations using the DG method. Specifically, general sufficient conditions to be imposed on the DG numerical flux and approximation space are given so that energy stability is retained These sufficient conditions reveal the favorable energy consequence of imposing continuity in the normal component of the magnetic induction field at interelement boundaries for MHD discretizations. Counterintuitively, this condition is not required for stability of Maxwell discretizations using the discontinuous Galerkin method.

AXISYMMETRIC SIMULATIONS OF HOT JUPITER–STELLAR WIND HYDRODYNAMIC INTERACTION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christie, Duncan; Arras, Phil; Li, Zhi-Yun

2016-03-20

Gas giant exoplanets orbiting at close distances to the parent star are subjected to large radiation and stellar wind fluxes. In this paper, hydrodynamic simulations of the planetary upper atmosphere and its interaction with the stellar wind are carried out to understand the possible flow regimes and how they affect the Lyα transmission spectrum. Following Tremblin and Chiang, charge exchange reactions are included to explore the role of energetic atoms as compared to thermal particles. In order to understand the role of the tail as compared to the leading edge of the planetary gas, the simulations were carried out undermore » axisymmetry, and photoionization and stellar wind electron impact ionization reactions were included to limit the extent of the neutrals away from the planet. By varying the planetary gas temperature, two regimes are found. At high temperature, a supersonic planetary wind is found, which is turned around by the stellar wind and forms a tail behind the planet. At lower temperatures, the planetary wind is shut off when the stellar wind penetrates inside where the sonic point would have been. In this regime mass is lost by viscous interaction at the boundary between planetary and stellar wind gases. Absorption by cold hydrogen atoms is large near the planetary surface, and decreases away from the planet as expected. The hot hydrogen absorption is in an annulus and typically dominated by the tail, at large impact parameter, rather than by the thin leading edge of the mixing layer near the substellar point.« less

Receptivity of Flat-Plate Boundary Layer in a Non-Uniform Free Stream (Vorticity Normal to the Plate)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kogan, M. N.; Ustinov, M. V.

1997-01-01

Work is devoted to study of free-stream vorticity normal to leading edge interaction with boundary layer over plate and resulting flow distortion influence on laminar-turbulent transition. In experiments made the wake behind the vertically stretched wire was used as a source of vortical disturbances and its effect on the boundary layer over the horizontally mounted plate with various leading edge shapes was investigated. The purpose of experiments was to check the predictions of theoretical works of M.E. Goldstein, et. al. This theory shows that small free-stream inhomogeneity interacting with leading edge produces considerable distortion of boundary layer flow. In general, results obtained confirms predictions of Goldstein's theory, i.e., the amplification of steady vortical disturbances in boundary layer caused by vortex lines stretching was observed. Experimental results fully coincide with predictions of theory for large Reynolds number, relatively sharp leading edge and small disturbances. For large enough disturbances the flow distortion caused by symmetric wake unexpectedly becomes antisymmetric in spanwise direction. If the leading edge is too blunt the maximal distortion takes place immediately at the nose and no further amplification was observed. All these conditions and results are beyond the scope of Goldstein's theory.

Radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulation of plasma formed on a surface by a megagauss field.

PubMed

Esaulov, A A; Bauer, B S; Makhin, V; Siemon, R E; Lindemuth, I R; Awe, T J; Reinovsky, R E; Struve, K W; Desjarlais, M P; Mehlhorn, T A

2008-03-01

Radiation magnetohydrodynamic modeling is used to study the plasma formed on the surface of a cylindrical metallic load, driven by megagauss magnetic field at the 1MA Zebra generator (University of Nevada, Reno). An ionized aluminum plasma is used to represent the "core-corona" behavior in which a heterogeneous Z-pinch consists of a hot low-density corona surrounding a dense low-temperature core. The radiation dynamics model included simultaneously a self-consistent treatment of both the opaque and transparent plasma regions in a corona. For the parameters of this experiment, the boundary of the opaque plasma region emits the major radiation power with Planckian black-body spectrum in the extreme ultraviolet corresponding to an equilibrium temperature of 16 eV. The radiation heat transport significantly exceeds the electron and ion kinetic heat transport in the outer layers of the opaque plasma. Electromagnetic field energy is partly radiated (13%) and partly deposited into inner corona and core regions (87%). Surface temperature estimates are sensitive to the radiation effects, but the surface motion in response to pressure and magnetic forces is not. The general results of the present investigation are applicable to the liner compression experiments at multi-MA long-pulse current accelerators such as Atlas and Shiva Star. Also the radiation magnetohydrodynamic model discussed in the paper may be useful for understanding key effects of wire array implosion dynamics.

Cancellation exponent and multifractal structure in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics: direct numerical simulations and Lagrangian averaged modeling.

PubMed

Graham, Jonathan Pietarila; Mininni, Pablo D; Pouquet, Annick

2005-10-01

We present direct numerical simulations and Lagrangian averaged (also known as alpha model) simulations of forced and free decaying magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in two dimensions. The statistics of sign cancellations of the current at small scales is studied using both the cancellation exponent and the fractal dimension of the structures. The alpha model is found to have the same scaling behavior between positive and negative contributions as the direct numerical simulations. The alpha model is also able to reproduce the time evolution of these quantities in free decaying turbulence. At large Reynolds numbers, an independence of the cancellation exponent with the Reynolds numbers is observed.

MHD Stability in Compact Stellarators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Guoyong

1999-11-01

A key issue for current carrying compact stellarators(S.P. Hirshman et al., "Physics of compact stellarators", Phys. Plasmas 6, 1858 (1999).) is the stability of ideal MHD modes. We present recent stability results of external kink modes, ballooning mode, and vertical modes in Quasi-axisymmetric Stellarators (QAS)( A. Reiman et al, "Physics issue in the design of a high beta Quasi-Axisymmetric Stellarator" the 17th IAEA Fusion Energy conference, (Yokohama, Japan, October 1998), Paper ICP/06.) as well as Quasi-Omnigeneous Stellarators (QOS)^2. The 3D stability code Terpsichore(W. A. Cooper et al., Phys. Plasmas 3, 275 (1996)) is used in this study. The vertical stability in a current carrying stellarator is studied for the first time. The vertical mode is found to be stabilized by externally generated poloidal flux(G.Y. Fu et al., "Stability of vertical mode in a current carrying stellarator"., to be submitted). Physically, this is because the external poloidal flux enhances the field line bending energy relative to the current drive term in the MHD energy principle, δ W. A simple stability criteria is derived in the limit of large aspect ratio and constant current density. For wall at infinite distance from the plasma, the amount of external flux needed for stabilization is given by f=(κ^2-κ)/(κ^2+1) where κ is the axisymmetric elongation and f is the fraction of the external rotational transform at the plasma edge. A systematic parameter study shows that the external kink in QAS can be stabilized at high beta ( ~ 5%) without a conducting wall by combination of edge magnetic shear and 3D shaping(G. Y. Fu et al., "MHD stability calculations of high-beta Quasi-Axisymmetric Stellarators", the 17th IAEA Fusion Energy conference, (Yokohama, Japan, October 1998), paper THP1/07.). The optimal shaping is obtained by using an optimizer with kink stability included in its objective function. The physics mechanism for the kink modes is studied by examining relative

Direct simulation of flat-plate boundary layer with mild free-stream turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiaohua; Moin, Parviz

2014-11-01

Spatially evolving direct numerical simulation of the flat-plate boundary layer has been performed. The momentum thickness Reynolds number develops from 80 to 3000 with a free-stream turbulence intensity decaying from 3 percent to 0.8 percent. Predicted skin-friction is in agreement with the Blasius solution prior to breakdown, follows the well-known T3A bypass transition data during transition, and agrees with the Erm and Joubert Melbourne wind-tunnel data after the completion of transition. We introduce the concept of bypass transition in the narrow sense. Streaks, although present, do not appear to be dynamically important during the present bypass transition as they occur downstream of infant turbulent spots. For the turbulent boundary layer, viscous scaling collapses the rate of dissipation profiles in the logarithmic region at different Reynolds numbers. The ratio of Taylor microscale and the Kolmogorov length scale is nearly constant over a large portion of the outer layer. The ratio of large-eddy characteristic length and the boundary layer thickness scales very well with Reynolds number. The turbulent boundary layer is also statistically analyzed using frequency spectra, conditional-sampling, and two-point correlations. Near momentum thickness Reynolds number of 2900, three layers of coherent vortices are observed: the upper and lower layers are distinct hairpin forests of large and small sizes respectively; the middle layer consists of mostly fragmented hairpin elements.

Polarized Continuum Radiation from Stellar Atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrington, J. Patrick

2015-10-01

Continuum scattering by free electrons can be significant in early type stars, while in late type stars Rayleigh scattering by hydrogen atoms or molecules may be important. Computer programs used to construct models of stellar atmospheres generally treat the scattering of the continuum radiation as isotropic and unpolarized, but this scattering has a dipole angular dependence and will produce polarization. We review an accurate method for evaluating the polarization and limb darkening of the radiation from model stellar atmospheres. We use this method to obtain results for: (i) Late type stars, based on the MARCS code models (Gustafsson et al. 2008), and (ii) Early type stars, based on the NLTE code TLUSTY (Lanz and Hubeny 2003). These results are tabulated at http://www.astro.umd.edu/~jph/Stellar_Polarization.html. While the net polarization vanishes for an unresolved spherical star, this symmetry is broken by rapid rotation or by the masking of part of the star by a binary companion or during the transit of an exoplanet. We give some numerical results for these last cases.

Variational Integration for Ideal Magnetohydrodynamics and Formation of Current Singularities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Yao

Coronal heating has been a long-standing conundrum in solar physics. Parker's conjecture that spontaneous current singularities lead to nanoflares that heat the corona has been controversial. In ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), can genuine current singularities emerge from a smooth 3D line-tied magnetic field? To numerically resolve this issue, the schemes employed must preserve magnetic topology exactly to avoid artificial reconnection in the presence of (nearly) singular current densities. Structure-preserving numerical methods are favorable for mitigating numerical dissipation, and variational integration is a powerful machinery for deriving them. However, successful applications of variational integration to ideal MHD have been scarce. In thismore » thesis, we develop variational integrators for ideal MHD in Lagrangian labeling by discretizing Newcomb's Lagrangian on a moving mesh using discretized exterior calculus. With the built-in frozen-in equation, the schemes are free of artificial reconnection, hence optimal for studying current singularity formation. Using this method, we first study a fundamental prototype problem in 2D, the Hahm-Kulsrud-Taylor (HKT) problem. It considers the effect of boundary perturbations on a 2D plasma magnetized by a sheared field, and its linear solution is singular. We find that with increasing resolution, the nonlinear solution converges to one with a current singularity. The same signature of current singularity is also identified in other 2D cases with more complex magnetic topologies, such as the coalescence instability of magnetic islands. We then extend the HKT problem to 3D line-tied geometry, which models the solar corona by anchoring the field lines in the boundaries. The effect of such geometry is crucial in the controversy over Parker's conjecture. The linear solution, which is singular in 2D, is found to be smooth. However, with finite amplitude, it can become pathological above a critical system length. The

Linear Dichroism and Photoluminescence Microscopy Imaging of Grain Boundaries in Crystalline Metal-Free Phthalocyanine Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Zhenwen; Lamarche, Cody; Cour, Ishviene; Rawat, Naveen; Manning, Lane; Headrick, Randall; Furis, Madalina; Physics Dept.; Material Science Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405 Team

2011-03-01

We employed a combination of linear dichroism and photoluminescence microscopy with spatial resolution of 5 μ m to study the excitonic properties of solution-processed metal-free phthalocyanine (H2Pc) crystalline thin films with millimeter-sized grains. We observe a highly-localized, sharp, monomer-like emission at the high angle grain boundaries, in contrast to samples with more uniform grain orientation where no such feature has been observed. The energy difference between the grain boundary luminescence and the HOMO-LUMO singlet exciton recombination of the crystalline H2Pc is measured to be 160meV. Our systematic survey of grain boundaries indicates this localized state is never present at low angle boundaries where the π -orbital overlap between adjacent grains is significant. It supports recent results which associated a decrease in carrier mobility with the presence of large angle boundaries in similar crystalline pentacene films. This project is supported by DMR- 0722451; DMR-0348354; DMR- 0821268.

Magnetohydrodynamic and gasdynamic theories for planetary bow waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spreiter, J. R.; Stahara, S. S.

1984-01-01

The observed properties of bow waves and the associated plasma flows are outlined, along with those features identified that can be described by a continuum magnetohydrodynamic flow theory as opposed to a more detailed multicomponent particle and field plasma theory. The primary objectives are to provide an account of the fundamental concepts and current status of the magnetohydrodynamic and gas dynamic theories for solar wind flow past planetary bodies. This includes a critical examination of: (1) the fundamental assumptions of the theories; (2) the various simplifying approximations introduced to obtain tractable mathematical problems; (3) the limitations they impose on the results; and (4) the relationship between the results of the simpler gas dynamic-frozen field theory and the more accurate but less completely worked out magnetohydrodynamic theory. Representative results of the various theories are presented and compared. A number of deficiencies, ambiguities, and suggestions for improvements are discussed, and several significant extensions of the theory required to provide comparable results for all planets, their satellites, and comets are noted.

A Newton method for the magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliver, Hilary James

We have developed and implemented a (J, B) space Newton method to solve the full nonlinear three dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium equations in toroidal geometry. Various cases have been run successfully, demonstrating significant improvement over Picard iteration, including a 3D stellarator equilibrium at β = 2%. The algorithm first solves the equilibrium force balance equation for the current density J, given a guess for the magnetic field B. This step is taken from the Picard-iterative PIES 3D equilibrium code. Next, we apply Newton's method to Ampere's Law by expansion of the functional J(B), which is defined by the first step. An analytic calculation in magnetic coordinates, of how the Pfirsch-Schlüter currents vary in the plasma in response to a small change in the magnetic field, yields the Newton gradient term (analogous to ∇f . δx in Newton's method for f(x) = 0). The algorithm is computationally feasible because we do this analytically, and because the gradient term is flux surface local when expressed in terms of a vector potential in an Ar=0 gauge. The equations are discretized by a hybrid spectral/offset grid finite difference technique, and leading order radial dependence is factored from Fourier coefficients to improve finite- difference accuracy near the polar-like origin. After calculating the Newton gradient term we transfer the equation from the magnetic grid to a fixed background grid, which greatly improves the code's performance.

Boundary-artifact-free phase retrieval with the transport of intensity equation II: applications to microlens characterization.

PubMed

Zuo, Chao; Chen, Qian; Li, Hongru; Qu, Weijuan; Asundi, Anand

2014-07-28

Boundary conditions play a crucial role in the solution of the transport of intensity equation (TIE). If not appropriately handled, they can create significant boundary artifacts across the reconstruction result. In a previous paper [Opt. Express 22, 9220 (2014)], we presented a new boundary-artifact-free TIE phase retrieval method with use of discrete cosine transform (DCT). Here we report its experimental investigations with applications to the micro-optics characterization. The experimental setup is based on a tunable lens based 4f system attached to a non-modified inverted bright-field microscope. We establish inhomogeneous Neumann boundary values by placing a rectangular aperture in the intermediate image plane of the microscope. Then the boundary values are applied to solve the TIE with our DCT-based TIE solver. Experimental results on microlenses highlight the importance of boundary conditions that often overlooked in simplified models, and confirm that our approach effectively avoid the boundary error even when objects are located at the image borders. It is further demonstrated that our technique is non-interferometric, accurate, fast, full-field, and flexible, rendering it a promising metrological tool for the micro-optics inspection.

EXor OUTBURSTS FROM DISK AMPLIFICATION OF STELLAR MAGNETIC CYCLES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Armitage, Philip J., E-mail: pja@jilau1.colorado.edu

EXor outbursts—moderate-amplitude disk accretion events observed in Class I and Class II protostellar sources—have timescales and amplitudes that are consistent with the viscous accumulation and release of gas in the inner disk near the dead zone boundary. We suggest that outbursts are indirectly triggered by stellar dynamo cycles, via poloidal magnetic flux that diffuses radially outward through the disk. Interior to the dead zone the strength of the net field modulates the efficiency of angular momentum transport by the magnetorotational instability. In the dead zone changes in the polarity of the net field may lead to stronger outbursts because ofmore » the dominant role of the Hall effect in this region of the disk. At the level of simple estimates we show that changes to kG-strength stellar fields could stimulate disk outbursts on 0.1 au scales, though this optimistic conclusion depends upon the uncertain efficiency of net flux transport through the inner disk. The model predicts a close association between observational tracers of stellar magnetic activity and EXor events.« less

Spherical-shell boundaries for two-dimensional compressible convection in a star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratt, J.; Baraffe, I.; Goffrey, T.; Geroux, C.; Viallet, M.; Folini, D.; Constantino, T.; Popov, M.; Walder, R.

2016-10-01

Context. Studies of stellar convection typically use a spherical-shell geometry. The radial extent of the shell and the boundary conditions applied are based on the model of the star investigated. We study the impact of different two-dimensional spherical shells on compressible convection. Realistic profiles for density and temperature from an established one-dimensional stellar evolution code are used to produce a model of a large stellar convection zone representative of a young low-mass star, like our sun at 106 years of age. Aims: We analyze how the radial extent of the spherical shell changes the convective dynamics that result in the deep interior of the young sun model, far from the surface. In the near-surface layers, simple small-scale convection develops from the profiles of temperature and density. A central radiative zone below the convection zone provides a lower boundary on the convection zone. The inclusion of either of these physically distinct layers in the spherical shell can potentially affect the characteristics of deep convection. Methods: We perform hydrodynamic implicit large eddy simulations of compressible convection using the MUltidimensional Stellar Implicit Code (MUSIC). Because MUSIC has been designed to use realistic stellar models produced from one-dimensional stellar evolution calculations, MUSIC simulations are capable of seamlessly modeling a whole star. Simulations in two-dimensional spherical shells that have different radial extents are performed over tens or even hundreds of convective turnover times, permitting the collection of well-converged statistics. Results: To measure the impact of the spherical-shell geometry and our treatment of boundaries, we evaluate basic statistics of the convective turnover time, the convective velocity, and the overshooting layer. These quantities are selected for their relevance to one-dimensional stellar evolution calculations, so that our results are focused toward studies exploiting the so

Circumstellar disc lifetimes in numerous galactic young stellar clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richert, A. J. W.; Getman, K. V.; Feigelson, E. D.; Kuhn, M. A.; Broos, P. S.; Povich, M. S.; Bate, M. R.; Garmire, G. P.

2018-07-01

Photometric detections of dust circumstellar discs around pre-main sequence (PMS) stars, coupled with estimates of stellar ages, provide constraints on the time available for planet formation. Most previous studies on disc longevity, starting with Haisch, Lada & Lada, use star samples from PMS clusters but do not consider data sets with homogeneous photometric sensitivities and/or ages placed on a uniform time-scale. Here we conduct the largest study to date of the longevity of inner dust discs using X-ray and 1-8 µm infrared photometry from the MYStIX and SFiNCs projects for 69 young clusters in 32 nearby star-forming regions with ages t ≤ 5 Myr. Cluster ages are derived by combining the empirical AgeJX method with PMS evolutionary models, which treat dynamo-generated magnetic fields in different ways. Leveraging X-ray data to identify disc-free objects, we impose similar stellar mass sensitivity limits for disc-bearing and disc-free young stellar objects while extending the analysis to stellar masses as low as M ˜ 0.1 M⊙. We find that the disc longevity estimates are strongly affected by the choice of PMS evolutionary model. Assuming a disc fraction of 100 per cent at zero age, the inferred disc half-life changes significantly, from t1/2 ˜ 1.3-2 Myr to t1/2 ˜ 3.5 Myr when switching from non-magnetic to magnetic PMS models. In addition, we find no statistically significant evidence that disc fraction varies with stellar mass within the first few Myr of life for stars with masses <2 M⊙, but our samples may not be complete for more massive stars. The effects of initial disc fraction and star-forming environment are also explored.

Energy balance of stellar coronae. III - Effect of stellar mass and radius

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammer, R.

1984-01-01

A homologous transformation is derived which permits the application of the numerical coronal models of Hammer from a star with solar mass and radius to other stars. This scaling requires a few approximations concerning the lower boundary conditions and the temperature dependence of the conductivity and emissivity. These approximations are discussed and found to be surprisingly mild. Therefore, the scaling of the coronal models to other stars is rather accurate; it is found to be particularly accurate for main-sequence stars. The transformation is used to derive an equation that gives the maximum temperature of open coronal regions as a function of stellar mass and radius, the coronal heating flux, and the characteristic damping length over which the corona is heated.

The Stellar Imager (SI) project: a deep space UV/Optical Interferometer (UVOI) to observe the Universe at 0.1 milli-arcsec angular resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carpenter, Kenneth G.; Schrijver, Carolus J.; Karovska, Margarita

2009-04-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is a space-based, UV/Optical Interferometer (UVOI) designed to enable 0.1 milli-arcsecond (mas) spectral imaging of stellar surfaces and of the Universe in general. It will also probe via asteroseismology flows and structures in stellar interiors. SI’s science focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe and will revolutionize our understanding of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magneto-hydrodynamically controlled processes, such as accretion, in the Universe. The ultra-sharp images of SI will revolutionize our view of many dynamic astrophysical processes by transforming point sources into extended sources, and snapshots into evolving views. SI is a “Flagship and Landmark Discovery Mission” in the 2005 Heliophysics Roadmap and a potential implementation of the UVOI in the 2006 Science Program for NASA’s Astronomy and Physics Division. We present here the science goals of the SI Mission, a mission architecture that could meet those goals, and the technology development needed to enable this mission. Additional information on SI can be found at: http://hires.gsfc.nasa.gov/si/

The Stellar Imager (SI) Project: A Deep Space UV/Optical Interferometer (UVOI) to Observe the Universe at 0.1 Milli-Arcsec Angular Resolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Kenneth G.; Schrijver, Carolus J.; Karovska, Margarita

2008-01-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is a space-based, UV/ Optical Interferometer (UVOI) designed to enable 0.1 milliarcsecond (mas) spectral imaging of stellar surfaces and of the Universe in general. It will also probe via asteroseismology flows and structures in stellar interiors. SI's science focuses on the role of magnetism in the Universe and will revolutionize our understanding, of the formation of planetary systems, of the habitability and climatology of distant planets, and of many magneto-hydrodynamically controlled processes, such as accretion, in the Universe. The ultra-sharp images of SI will revolutionize our view of many dynamic astrophysical processes by transforming point sources into extended sources, and snapshots into evolving views. SI is a "Flagship and Landmark Discovery Mission" in the 2005 Heliophysics Roadmap and a potential implementation of the UVOI in the 2006 Science Program for NASA's Astronomy and Physics Division. We present here the science goals of the SI Mission, a mission architecture that could meet those goals, and the technology development needed to enable this missin. Additional information on SI can be found at: http://hires.gsfc.nasa.gov/si/.

Novel design methods for magnetic flux loops in the National Compact Stellarator Experiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pomphrey, N.; Lazarus, E.; Zarnstorff, M.

2007-05-15

Magnetic pickup loops on the vacuum vessel (VV) can provide an abundance of equilibrium information for stellarators. A substantial effort has gone into designing flux loops for the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) [Zarnstorff et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 43, A237 (2001)], a three-field period quasi-axisymmetric stellarator under construction at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The design philosophy, to measure all of the magnetic field distributions normal to the VV that can be measured, has necessitated the development of singular value decomposition algorithms for identifying efficient loop locations. Fields are expected to be predominantly stellarator symmetric (SS)--the symmetry ofmore » the machine design--with toroidal mode numbers per torus (n) equal to a multiple of 3 and possessing reflection symmetry in a period. However, plasma instabilities and coil imperfections will generate non-SS fields that must also be diagnosed. The measured symmetric fields will yield important information on the plasma current and pressure profile as well as on the plasma shape. All fields that obey the design symmetries could be measured by placing flux loops in a single half-period of the VV, but accurate resolution of nonsymmetric modes, quantified by the condition number of a matrix, requires repositioning loops to equivalent locations on the full torus. A subarray of loops located along the inside wall of the vertically elongated cross section was designed to detect n=3, m=5 or 6 resonant field perturbations that can cause important islands. Additional subarrays included are continuous in the toroidal and poloidal directions. Loops are also placed at symmetry points of the VV to obtain maximal sensitivity to asymmetric perturbations. Combining results from various calculations which have made extensive use of a database of 2500 free-boundary VMEC equilibria, has led to the choice of 225 flux loops for NCSX, of which 151 have distinct

Calculation of continuum damping of Alfvén eigenmodes in tokamak and stellarator equilibria

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bowden, G. W.; Hole, M. J.; Könies, A.

2015-09-15

In an ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) plasma, shear Alfvén eigenmodes may experience dissipationless damping due to resonant interaction with the shear Alfvén continuum. This continuum damping can make a significant contribution to the overall growth/decay rate of shear Alfvén eigenmodes, with consequent implications for fast ion transport. One method for calculating continuum damping is to solve the MHD eigenvalue problem over a suitable contour in the complex plane, thereby satisfying the causality condition. Such an approach can be implemented in three-dimensional ideal MHD codes which use the Galerkin method. Analytic functions can be fitted to numerical data for equilibrium quantities inmore » order to determine the value of these quantities along the complex contour. This approach requires less resolution than the established technique of calculating damping as resistivity vanishes and is thus more computationally efficient. The complex contour method has been applied to the three-dimensional finite element ideal MHD Code for Kinetic Alfvén waves. In this paper, we discuss the application of the complex contour technique to calculate the continuum damping of global modes in tokamak as well as torsatron, W7-X and H-1NF stellarator cases. To the authors' knowledge, these stellarator calculations represent the first calculation of continuum damping for eigenmodes in fully three-dimensional equilibria. The continuum damping of global modes in W7-X and H-1NF stellarator configurations investigated is found to depend sensitively on coupling to numerous poloidal and toroidal harmonics.« less

STELLTRANS: A Transport Analysis Suite for Stellarators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mittelstaedt, Joseph; Lazerson, Samuel; Pablant, Novimir; Weir, Gavin; W7-X Team

2016-10-01

The stellarator transport code STELLTRANS allows us to better analyze the power balance in W7-X. Although profiles of temperature and density are measured experimentally, geometrical factors are needed in conjunction with these measurements to properly analyze heat flux densities in stellarators. The STELLTRANS code interfaces with VMEC to find an equilibrium flux surface configuration and with TRAVIS to determine the RF heating and current drive in the plasma. Stationary transport equations are then considered which are solved using a boundary value differential equation solver. The equations and quantities considered are averaged over flux surfaces to reduce the system to an essentially one dimensional problem. We have applied this code to data from W-7X and were able to calculate the heat flux coefficients. We will also present extensions of the code to a predictive capacity which would utilize DKES to find neoclassical transport coefficients to update the temperature and density profiles.

Magneto-hydrodynamical model for plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ruikuan; Yang, Jiayan

2017-10-01

Based on the Newton's second law and the Maxwell equations for the electromagnetic field, we establish a new 3-D incompressible magneto-hydrodynamics model for the motion of plasma under the standard Coulomb gauge. By using the Galerkin method, we prove the existence of a global weak solution for this new 3-D model.

A COMPARISON OF STELLAR ELEMENTAL ABUNDANCE TECHNIQUES AND MEASUREMENTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hinkel, Natalie R.; Young, Patrick A.; Pagano, Michael D.

2016-09-01

Stellar elemental abundances are important for understanding the fundamental properties of a star or stellar group, such as age and evolutionary history, as well as the composition of an orbiting planet. However, as abundance measurement techniques have progressed, there has been little standardization between individual methods and their comparisons. As a result, different stellar abundance procedures determine measurements that vary beyond the quoted error for the same elements within the same stars. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the systematic variations between methods and offer recommendations for producing more accurate results in the future. We invited amore » number of participants from around the world (Australia, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States) to calculate 10 element abundances (C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Fe, Ni, Ba, and Eu) using the same stellar spectra for four stars (HD 361, HD 10700, HD 121504, and HD 202206). Each group produced measurements for each star using (1) their own autonomous techniques, (2) standardized stellar parameters, (3) a standardized line list, and (4) both standardized parameters and a line list. We present the resulting stellar parameters, absolute abundances, and a metric of data similarity that quantifies the homogeneity of the data. We conclude that standardization of some kind, particularly stellar parameters, improves the consistency between methods. However, because results did not converge as more free parameters were standardized, it is clear there are inherent issues within the techniques that need to be reconciled. Therefore, we encourage more conversation and transparency within the community such that stellar abundance determinations can be reproducible as well as accurate and precise.« less

Boundary between stable and unstable regimes of accretion. Ordered and chaotic unstable regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blinova, A. A.; Romanova, M. M.; Lovelace, R. V. E.

2016-07-01

We present a new study of the Rayleigh-Taylor unstable regime of accretion on to rotating magnetized stars in a set of high grid resolution three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations performed in low-viscosity discs. We find that the boundary between the stable and unstable regimes is determined almost entirely by the fastness parameter ωs = Ω⋆/ΩK(rm), where Ω⋆ is the angular velocity of the star and ΩK(rm) is the angular velocity of the Keplerian disc at the disc-magnetosphere boundary r = rm. We found that accretion is unstable if ωs ≲ 0.6. Accretion through instabilities is present in stars with different magnetospheric sizes. However, only in stars with relatively small magnetospheres, rm/R⋆ ≲ 7, do the unstable tongues produce chaotic hotspots on the stellar surface and irregular light curves. At even smaller values of the fastness parameter, ωs ≲ 0.45, multiple irregular tongues merge, forming one or two ordered unstable tongues that rotate with the angular frequency of the inner disc. This transition occurs in stars with even smaller magnetospheres, rm/R⋆ ≲ 4.2. Most of our simulations were performed at a small tilt of the dipole magnetosphere, Θ = 5°, and a small viscosity parameter α = 0.02. Test simulations at higher α values show that many more cases become unstable, and the light curves become even more irregular. Test simulations at larger tilts of the dipole Θ show that instability is present, however, accretion in two funnel streams dominates if Θ ≳ 15°. The results of these simulations can be applied to accreting magnetized stars with relatively small magnetospheres: Classical T Tauri stars, accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars, and cataclysmic variables.

The effects of magnetohydrodynamic and radiation on flow of second grade fluid past an infinite inclined plate in porous medium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ismail, Zulkhibri; Khan, Ilyas; Nasir, Nadirah Mohd

2015-02-03

An analysis of the exact solutions of second grade fluid problem for unsteady magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows past an infinite inclined plate in a porous medium is presented. It is assumed that the bounding infinite inclined plate has a constant temperature with radiation effects. Based on Boussinesq approximation the expressions for dimensionless velocity, temperature and concentration are obtained by using Laplace transform method. The derived solutions satisfying the involved differential equations, and all the boundary and initial conditions. The influence of various parameters on the velocity has been illustrated graphically and analyzed.

Model structure of a cosmic-ray mediated stellar or solar wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, M. A.; Axford, W. I.

1988-01-01

An idealized hydrodynamic model is presented for the mediation of a free-streaming stellar wind by galactic cosmic rays or energetic particles accelerated at the stellar wind termination shock. The spherically-symmetric stellar wind is taken to be cold; the only body force is the cosmic ray pressure gradient. The cosmic rays are treated as a massless fluid with an effective mean diffusion coefficient k proportional to radial distance r. The structure of the governing equations is investigated both analytically and numerically. Solutions for a range of values of k are presented which describe the deceleration of the stellar wind and a transition to nearly incompressible flow and constant cosmic ray pressure at large r. In the limit of small k the transition steepens to a strong stellar wind termination shock. For large k the stellar wind is decelerated gradually with no shock transition. It is argued that the solutions provide a simple model for the mediation of the solar wind by interstellar ions as both pickup ions and the cosmic ray anomalous component which together dominate the pressure of the solar wind at large r.

Shape of initial portion of boundary of supersonic axisymmetric free jets at large jet pressure ratios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Love, Eugene S; Lee, Louise P

1958-01-01

Calculations have been made of the initial portion of the boundary of axisymmetric free jets exhausting at large pressure ratios from a conically divergent nozzle having a jet exit Mach number of 2.5 and a semidivergence angle of 15 degrees. The results of the calculations indicate the size and shape of the jet to be expected at large pressure ratios, the effects of ratio of specific heats, and the large initial inclinations of the boundary that are likely to be encountered by hypersonic vehicles at high altitude.

Magnetohydrodynamics and Plasma Cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleidis, Kostas; Kuiroukidis, Apostolos; Papadopoulos, Demetrios; Vlahos, Loukas

2007-09-01

We study the linear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations, both in the Newtonian and the general-relativistic limit, as regards a viscous magnetized fluid of finite conductivity and discuss instability criteria. In addition, we explore the excitation of cosmological perturbations in anisotropic spacetimes, in the presence of an ambient magnetic field. Acoustic, electromagnetic (e/m) and fast-magnetosonic modes, propagating normal to the magnetic field, can be excited, resulting in several implications of cosmological significance.

Stellarator Saddle Coils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boozer, Allen H.

1999-11-01

Modern stellarators are designed using J. Nuehrenberg’s method of varying Fourier coefficients in the shape of the plasma boundary to maximize a target function. The matrix of second derivatives of the target function at the optimum determines a quality matrix. This matrix gives the degradation in the quality of the configuration as the normal magnetic field is varied on a control surface, which lies on or outside the plasma surface. The task is finding saddle coils that produce the desired configuration in the presence of a given toroidal field. An eigenvector of the quality matrix can be important for two reasons: (1) the normal field that must be produced by the saddles is large or (2) the eigenvalue is large (an island-causing resonant perturbation). The rank of the important part of the quality matrix is the number of important eigenvectors. The current in each saddle coil produces a normal field on the control surface, which can be described by an inductance matrix. The relevant part of the inductance matrix has large eigenvalues. The coils can produce the configuration if the rank of the important part of the quality matrix and its product with the relevant part of the inductance matrix are the same. Existing coil design codes, pioneered by P. Merkel, approximate the quality matrix by the unit matrix. Stellarator flexibility could be enhanced by using a more realistic quality matrix and by using trim coils to balance large eigenvalues.

Non-axisymmetric equilibrium reconstruction of a current-carrying stellarator using external magnetic and soft x-ray inversion radius measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, X.; Maurer, D. A.; Knowlton, S. F.; ArchMiller, M. C.; Cianciosa, M. R.; Ennis, D. A.; Hanson, J. D.; Hartwell, G. J.; Hebert, J. D.; Herfindal, J. L.; Pandya, M. D.; Roberds, N. A.; Traverso, P. J.

2015-12-01

Non-axisymmetric free-boundary equilibrium reconstructions of stellarator plasmas are performed for discharges in which the magnetic configuration is strongly modified by ohmically driven plasma current. These studies were performed on the compact toroidal hybrid device using the V3FIT reconstruction code with a set of 50 magnetic diagnostics external to the plasma. With the assumption of closed magnetic flux surfaces, the reconstructions using external magnetic measurements allow accurate estimates of the net toroidal flux within the last closed flux surface, the edge safety factor, and the plasma shape of these highly non-axisymmetric plasmas. The inversion radius of standard sawteeth is used to infer the current profile near the magnetic axis; with external magnetic diagnostics alone, the current density profile is imprecisely reconstructed.

Boundary integral equation analysis for suspension of spheres in Stokes flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corona, Eduardo; Veerapaneni, Shravan

2018-06-01

We show that the standard boundary integral operators, defined on the unit sphere, for the Stokes equations diagonalize on a specific set of vector spherical harmonics and provide formulas for their spectra. We also derive analytical expressions for evaluating the operators away from the boundary. When two particle are located close to each other, we use a truncated series expansion to compute the hydrodynamic interaction. On the other hand, we use the standard spectrally accurate quadrature scheme to evaluate smooth integrals on the far-field, and accelerate the resulting discrete sums using the fast multipole method (FMM). We employ this discretization scheme to analyze several boundary integral formulations of interest including those arising in porous media flow, active matter and magneto-hydrodynamics of rigid particles. We provide numerical results verifying the accuracy and scaling of their evaluation.

Closed-loop control of boundary layer streaks induced by free-stream turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadakis, George; Lu, Liang; Ricco, Pierre

2016-08-01

The central aim of the paper is to carry out a theoretical and numerical study of active wall transpiration control of streaks generated within an incompressible boundary layer by free-stream turbulence. The disturbance flow model is based on the linearized unsteady boundary-region (LUBR) equations, studied by Leib, Wundrow, and Goldstein [J. Fluid Mech. 380, 169 (1999), 10.1017/S0022112098003504], which are the rigorous asymptotic limit of the Navier-Stokes equations for low-frequency and long-streamwise wavelength. The mathematical formulation of the problem directly incorporates the random forcing into the equations in a consistent way. Due to linearity, this forcing is factored out and appears as a multiplicative factor. It is shown that the cost function (integral of kinetic energy in the domain) is properly defined as the expectation of a random quadratic function only after integration in wave number space. This operation naturally introduces the free-stream turbulence spectral tensor into the cost function. The controller gains for each wave number are independent of the spectral tensor and, in that sense, universal. Asymptotic matching of the LUBR equations with the free-stream conditions results in an additional forcing term in the state-space system whose presence necessitates the reformulation of the control problem and the rederivation of its solution. It is proved that the solution can be obtained analytically using an extension of the sweep method used in control theory to obtain the standard Riccati equation. The control signal consists of two components, a feedback part and a feed-forward part (that depends explicitly on the forcing term). Explicit recursive equations that provide these two components are derived. It is shown that the feed-forward part makes a negligible contribution to the control signal. We also derive an explicit expression that a priori (i.e., before solving the control problem) leads to the minimum of the objective cost

Global Magnetohydrodynamic Modeling of the Solar Corona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linker, Jon A.

1998-01-01

The coronal magnetic field defines the structure of the solar corona, the position of the heliospheric current sheet, the regions of fast and slow solar wind, and the most likely sites of coronal mass ejections. There are few measurements of the magnetic fields in the corona, but the line-of-sight component of the global magnetic fields in the photosphere have been routinely measured for many years (for example, at Stanford's Wilcox Solar Observatory, and at the National Solar Observatory at Kitt Peak). The SOI/MDI instrument is now providing high-resolution full-disk magnetograms several times a day. Understanding the large-scale structure of the solar corona and inner heliosphere requires accurately mapping the measured photospheric magnetic field into the corona and outward. Ideally, a model should not only extrapolate the magnetic field, but should self-consistently reconstruct both the plasma and magnetic fields in the corona and solar wind. Support from our NASA SR&T contract has allowed us to develop three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) computations of the solar corona that incorporate observed photospheric magnetic fields into the boundary conditions. These calculations not only describe the magnetic field in the corona and interplanetary spice, but also predict the plasma properties as well. Our computations thus far have been successful in reproducing many aspects of both coronal and interplanetary data, including the structure of the streamer belt, the location of coronal hole boundaries, and the position and shape of the heliospheric current sheet. The most widely used technique for extrapolating the photospheric magnetic field into the corona and heliosphere are potential field models, such as the potential field source-surface model (PFSS),and the potential field current-sheet (PFCS) model

The exponential behavior and stabilizability of the stochastic magnetohydrodynamic equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huaqiao

2018-06-01

This paper studies the two-dimensional stochastic magnetohydrodynamic equations which are used to describe the turbulent flows in magnetohydrodynamics. The exponential behavior and the exponential mean square stability of the weak solutions are proved by the application of energy method. Furthermore, we establish the pathwise exponential stability by using the exponential mean square stability. When the stochastic perturbations satisfy certain additional hypotheses, we can also obtain pathwise exponential stability results without using the mean square stability.

Gyrokinetic magnetohydrodynamics and the associated equilibria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, W. W.; Hudson, S. R.; Ma, C. H.

2017-12-01

The gyrokinetic magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations, related to the recent paper by W. W. Lee ["Magnetohydrodynamics for collisionless plasmas from the gyrokinetic perspective," Phys. Plasmas 23, 070705 (2016)], and their associated equilibria properties are discussed. This set of equations consists of the time-dependent gyrokinetic vorticity equation, the gyrokinetic parallel Ohm's law, and the gyrokinetic Ampere's law as well as the equations of state, which are expressed in terms of the electrostatic potential, ϕ, and the vector potential, A , and support both spatially varying perpendicular and parallel pressure gradients and the associated currents. The corresponding gyrokinetic MHD equilibria can be reached when ϕ→0 and A becomes constant in time, which, in turn, gives ∇.(J∥+J⊥)=0 and the associated magnetic islands, if they exist. Examples of simple cylindrical geometry are given. These gyrokinetic MHD equations look quite different from the conventional MHD equations, and their comparisons will be an interesting topic in the future.

Edge localized linear ideal magnetohydrodynamic instability studies in an extended-magnetohydrodynamic code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burke, B. J.; Kruger, S. E.; Hegna, C. C.

A linear benchmark between the linear ideal MHD stability codes ELITE [H. R. Wilson et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 1277 (2002)], GATO [L. Bernard et al., Comput. Phys. Commun. 24, 377 (1981)], and the extended nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code, NIMROD [C. R. Sovinec et al.., J. Comput. Phys. 195, 355 (2004)] is undertaken for edge-localized (MHD) instabilities. Two ballooning-unstable, shifted-circle tokamak equilibria are compared where the stability characteristics are varied by changing the equilibrium plasma profiles. The equilibria model an H-mode plasma with a pedestal pressure profile and parallel edge currents. For both equilibria, NIMROD accurately reproduces the transition tomore » instability (the marginally unstable mode), as well as the ideal growth spectrum for a large range of toroidal modes (n=1-20). The results use the compressible MHD model and depend on a precise representation of 'ideal-like' and 'vacuumlike' or 'halo' regions within the code. The halo region is modeled by the introduction of a Lundquist-value profile that transitions from a large to a small value at a flux surface location outside of the pedestal region. To model an ideal-like MHD response in the core and a vacuumlike response outside the transition, separate criteria on the plasma and halo Lundquist values are required. For the benchmarked equilibria the critical Lundquist values are 10{sup 8} and 10{sup 3} for the ideal-like and halo regions, respectively. Notably, this gives a ratio on the order of 10{sup 5}, which is much larger than experimentally measured values using T{sub e} values associated with the top of the pedestal and separatrix. Excellent agreement with ELITE and GATO calculations are made when sharp boundary transitions in the resistivity are used and a small amount of physical dissipation is added for conditions very near and below marginal ideal stability.« less

Magnetohydrodynamic electrode

DOEpatents

Marchant, David D.; Killpatrick, Don H.

1978-01-01

An electrode capable of withstanding high temperatures and suitable for use as a current collector in the channel of a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator consists of a sintered powdered metal base portion, the upper surface of the base being coated with a first layer of nickel aluminide, an intermediate layer of a mixture of nickel aluminide - refractory ceramic on the first layer and a third or outer layer of a refractory ceramic material on the intermediate layer. The sintered powdered metal base resists spalling by the ceramic coatings and permits greater electrode compliance to thermal shock. The density of the powdered metal base can be varied to allow optimization of the thermal conductivity of the electrode and prevent excess heat loss from the channel.

Second order modeling of boundary-free turbulent shear flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shih, T.-H.; Chen, Y.-Y.; Lumley, J. L.

1991-01-01

A set of realizable second order models for boundary-free turbulent flows is presented. The constraints on second order models based on the realizability principle are re-examined. The rapid terms in the pressure correlations for both the Reynolds stress and the passive scalar flux equations are constructed to exactly satisfy the joint realizability. All other model terms (return-to-isotropy, third moments, and terms in the dissipation equations) already satisfy realizability. To correct the spreading rate of the axisymmetric jet, an extra term is added to the dissipation equation which accounts for the effect of mean vortex stretching on dissipation. The test flows used in this study are the mixing shear layer, plane jet, axisymmetric jet, and plane wake. The numerical solutions show that the unified model equations predict all these flows reasonably. It is expected that these models would be suitable for more complex and critical flows.

Dynamics of Coronal Hole Boundaries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Higginson, A. K.; Zurbuchen, T. H.; Antiochos, S. K.

Remote and in situ observations strongly imply that the slow solar wind consists of plasma from the hot, closed-field corona that is released onto open magnetic field lines. The Separatrix Web theory for the slow wind proposes that photospheric motions at the scale of supergranules are responsible for generating dynamics at coronal-hole boundaries, which result in the closed plasma release. We use three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations to determine the effect of photospheric flows on the open and closed magnetic flux of a model corona with a dipole magnetic field and an isothermal solar wind. A rotational surface motion is used tomore » approximate photospheric supergranular driving and is applied at the boundary between the coronal hole and helmet streamer. The resulting dynamics consist primarily of prolific and efficient interchange reconnection between open and closed flux. The magnetic flux near the coronal-hole boundary experiences multiple interchange events, with some flux interchanging over 50 times in one day. Additionally, we find that the interchange reconnection occurs all along the coronal-hole boundary and even produces a lasting change in magnetic-field connectivity in regions that were not driven by the applied motions. Our results show that these dynamics should be ubiquitous in the Sun and heliosphere. We discuss the implications of our simulations for understanding the observed properties of the slow solar wind, with particular focus on the global-scale consequences of interchange reconnection.« less

Nonlinear theory of magnetohydrodynamic flows of a compressible fluid in the shallow water approximation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klimachkov, D. A., E-mail: klimchakovdmitry@gmail.com; Petrosyan, A. S., E-mail: apetrosy@iki.rssi.ru

2016-09-15

Shallow water magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory describing incompressible flows of plasma is generalized to the case of compressible flows. A system of MHD equations is obtained that describes the flow of a thin layer of compressible rotating plasma in a gravitational field in the shallow water approximation. The system of quasilinear hyperbolic equations obtained admits a complete simple wave analysis and a solution to the initial discontinuity decay problem in the simplest version of nonrotating flows. In the new equations, sound waves are filtered out, and the dependence of density on pressure on large scales is taken into account that describesmore » static compressibility phenomena. In the equations obtained, the mass conservation law is formulated for a variable that nontrivially depends on the shape of the lower boundary, the characteristic vertical scale of the flow, and the scale of heights at which the variation of density becomes significant. A simple wave theory is developed for the system of equations obtained. All self-similar discontinuous solutions and all continuous centered self-similar solutions of the system are obtained. The initial discontinuity decay problem is solved explicitly for compressible MHD equations in the shallow water approximation. It is shown that there exist five different configurations that provide a solution to the initial discontinuity decay problem. For each configuration, conditions are found that are necessary and sufficient for its implementation. Differences between incompressible and compressible cases are analyzed. In spite of the formal similarity between the solutions in the classical case of MHD flows of an incompressible and compressible fluids, the nonlinear dynamics described by the solutions are essentially different due to the difference in the expressions for the squared propagation velocity of weak perturbations. In addition, the solutions obtained describe new physical phenomena related to the dependence

Impact of internal crystalline boundaries on lattice thermal conductivity: Importance of boundary structure and spacing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aghababaei, Ramin, E-mail: ramin.aghababaei@epfl.ch; Anciaux, Guillaume; Molinari, Jean-François

2014-11-10

The low thermal conductivity of nano-crystalline materials is commonly explained via diffusive scattering of phonons by internal boundaries. In this study, we have quantitatively studied phonon-crystalline boundaries scattering and its effect on the overall lattice thermal conductivity of crystalline bodies. Various types of crystalline boundaries such as stacking faults, twins, and grain boundaries have been considered in FCC crystalline structures. Accordingly, the specularity coefficient has been determined for different boundaries as the probability of the specular scattering across boundaries. Our results show that in the presence of internal boundaries, the lattice thermal conductivity can be characterized by two parameters: (1)more » boundary spacing and (2) boundary excess free volume. We show that the inverse of the lattice thermal conductivity depends linearly on a non-dimensional quantity which is the ratio of boundary excess free volume over boundary spacing. This shows that phonon scattering across crystalline boundaries is mainly a geometrically favorable process rather than an energetic one. Using the kinetic theory of phonon transport, we present a simple analytical model which can be used to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity of nano-crystalline materials where the ratio can be considered as an average density of excess free volume. While this study is focused on FCC crystalline materials, where inter-atomic potentials and corresponding defect structures have been well studied in the past, the results would be quantitatively applicable for semiconductors in which heat transport is mainly due to phonon transport.« less

Shell models of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plunian, Franck; Stepanov, Rodion; Frick, Peter

2013-02-01

Shell models of hydrodynamic turbulence originated in the seventies. Their main aim was to describe the statistics of homogeneous and isotropic turbulence in spectral space, using a simple set of ordinary differential equations. In the eighties, shell models of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence emerged based on the same principles as their hydrodynamic counter-part but also incorporating interactions between magnetic and velocity fields. In recent years, significant improvements have been made such as the inclusion of non-local interactions and appropriate definitions for helicities. Though shell models cannot account for the spatial complexity of MHD turbulence, their dynamics are not over simplified and do reflect those of real MHD turbulence including intermittency or chaotic reversals of large-scale modes. Furthermore, these models use realistic values for dimensionless parameters (high kinetic and magnetic Reynolds numbers, low or high magnetic Prandtl number) allowing extended inertial range and accurate dissipation rate. Using modern computers it is difficult to attain an inertial range of three decades with direct numerical simulations, whereas eight are possible using shell models. In this review we set up a general mathematical framework allowing the description of any MHD shell model. The variety of the latter, with their advantages and weaknesses, is introduced. Finally we consider a number of applications, dealing with free-decaying MHD turbulence, dynamo action, Alfvén waves and the Hall effect.

Exact law for homogeneous compressible Hall magnetohydrodynamics turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrés, N.; Galtier, S.; Sahraoui, F.

2018-01-01

We derive an exact law for three-dimensional (3D) homogeneous compressible isothermal Hall magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, without the assumption of isotropy. The Hall current is shown to introduce new flux and source terms that act at the small scales (comparable or smaller than the ion skin depth) to significantly impact the turbulence dynamics. The law provides an accurate means to estimate the energy cascade rate over a broad range of scales covering the magnetohydrodynamic inertial range and the sub-ion dispersive range in 3D numerical simulations and in in situ spacecraft observations of compressible turbulence. This work is particularly relevant to astrophysical flows in which small-scale density fluctuations cannot be ignored such as the solar wind, planetary magnetospheres, and the interstellar medium.

Reevaluating Old Stellar Populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanway, E. R.; Eldridge, J. J.

2018-05-01

Determining the properties of old stellar populations (those with age >1 Gyr) has long involved the comparison of their integrated light, either in the form of photometry or spectroscopic indexes, with empirical or synthetic templates. Here we reevaluate the properties of old stellar populations using a new set of stellar population synthesis models, designed to incorporate the effects of binary stellar evolution pathways as a function of stellar mass and age. We find that single-aged stellar population models incorporating binary stars, as well as new stellar evolution and atmosphere models, can reproduce the colours and spectral indices observed in both globular clusters and quiescent galaxies. The best fitting model populations are often younger than those derived from older spectral synthesis models, and may also lie at slightly higher metallicities.

LQG/LTR optimal attitude control of small flexible spacecraft using free-free boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fulton, Joseph M.

Due to the volume and power limitations of a small satellite, careful consideration must be taken while designing an attitude control system for 3-axis stabilization. Placing redundancy in the system proves difficult and utilizing power hungry, high accuracy, active actuators is not a viable option. Thus, it is customary to find dependable, passive actuators used in conjunction with small scale active control components. This document describes the application of Elastic Memory Composite materials in the construction of a flexible spacecraft appendage, such as a gravity gradient boom. Assumed modes methods are used with Finite Element Modeling information to obtain the equations of motion for the system while assuming free-free boundary conditions. A discussion is provided to illustrate how cantilever mode shapes are not always the best assumption when modeling small flexible spacecraft. A key point of interest is first resonant modes may be needed in the system design plant in spite of these modes being greater than one order of magnitude in frequency when compared to the crossover frequency of the controller. LQG/LTR optimal control techniques are implemented to compute attitude control gains while controller robustness considerations determine appropriate reduced order controllers and which flexible modes to include in the design model. Key satellite designer concerns in the areas of computer processor sizing, material uncertainty impacts on the system model, and system performance variations resulting from appendage length modifications are addressed.

Non-axisymmetric equilibrium reconstruction of a current-carrying stellarator using external magnetic and soft x-ray inversion radius measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, X., E-mail: xzm0005@auburn.edu; Maurer, D. A.; Knowlton, S. F.

2015-12-15

Non-axisymmetric free-boundary equilibrium reconstructions of stellarator plasmas are performed for discharges in which the magnetic configuration is strongly modified by ohmically driven plasma current. These studies were performed on the compact toroidal hybrid device using the V3FIT reconstruction code with a set of 50 magnetic diagnostics external to the plasma. With the assumption of closed magnetic flux surfaces, the reconstructions using external magnetic measurements allow accurate estimates of the net toroidal flux within the last closed flux surface, the edge safety factor, and the plasma shape of these highly non-axisymmetric plasmas. The inversion radius of standard sawteeth is used tomore » infer the current profile near the magnetic axis; with external magnetic diagnostics alone, the current density profile is imprecisely reconstructed.« less

Non-axisymmetric equilibrium reconstruction of a current-carrying stellarator using external magnetic and soft x-ray inversion radius measurements

DOE PAGES

Ma, X.; Maurer, D. A.; Knowlton, Stephen F.; ...

2015-12-22

Non-axisymmetric free-boundary equilibrium reconstructions of stellarator plasmas are performed for discharges in which the magnetic configuration is strongly modified by ohmically driven plasma current. These studies were performed on the compact toroidal hybrid device using the V3FIT reconstruction code with a set of 50 magnetic diagnostics external to the plasma. With the assumption of closed magnetic flux surfaces, the reconstructions using external magnetic measurements allow accurate estimates of the net toroidal flux within the last closed flux surface, the edge safety factor, and the plasma shape of these highly non-axisymmetric plasmas. Lastly, the inversion radius of standard saw-teeth is usedmore » to infer the current profile near the magnetic axis; with external magnetic diagnostics alone, the current density profile is imprecisely reconstructed.« less

Solar-driven liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J. H.; Hohl, F.

1981-01-01

A solar oven heated by concentrated solar radiation as the heat source of a liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic (LMMHD) power generation system is proposed. The design allows the production of electric power in space, as well as on Earth, at high rates of efficiency. Two types of the solar oven suitable for the system are discussed.

An analytical study of the free and forced vibration response of a ribbed plate with free boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Tian Ran; Zhang, Kai

2018-05-01

An analytical study to predict the vibration response of a ribbed plate with free boundary conditions is presented. The analytical solution was derived using a double cosine integral transform technique and then utilized to study the free and forced vibration of the ribbed plate, as well as the effect of the rib on the modal response of the uniform plate. It is shown that in addition to the three zero-frequency rigid body modes of the plate, the vibration modes of the uniform plate can be classified into four mode groups according to the symmetric properties of the plate with respect to the two orthogonal middle lines parallel to the plate edges. The four mode groups correspond to a double symmetric group, a double anti-symmetric group and two symmetric/anti-symmetric groups. Whilst the inclusion of the rib to the plate is shown to cause distortion to the distribution of vibration modes, most modes can still be traced back to the original modes of the uniform plate. Both the mass and stiffness of the rib are shown to affect the modal vibration of the uniform plate, whereby a dominant effect from the rib mass leads to a decrease in the modal frequency of the plate, whereas a dominant effect from the rib stiffness leads to an increase in plate modal frequency. When the stiffened rib behaves as an effective boundary to the plate vibration, an original plate mode becomes a pair of degenerate modes, whereby one mode has a higher frequency and the other mode has a lower frequency than that of the original mode.

Effective temperatures of red giants in the APOKASC catalogue and the mixing length calibration in stellar models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salaris, M.; Cassisi, S.; Schiavon, R. P.; Pietrinferni, A.

2018-04-01

Red giants in the updated APOGEE-Kepler catalogue, with estimates of mass, chemical composition, surface gravity and effective temperature, have recently challenged stellar models computed under the standard assumption of solar calibrated mixing length. In this work, we critically reanalyse this sample of red giants, adopting our own stellar model calculations. Contrary to previous results, we find that the disagreement between the Teff scale of red giants and models with solar calibrated mixing length disappears when considering our models and the APOGEE-Kepler stars with scaled solar metal distribution. However, a discrepancy shows up when α-enhanced stars are included in the sample. We have found that assuming mass, chemical composition and effective temperature scale of the APOGEE-Kepler catalogue, stellar models generally underpredict the change of temperature of red giants caused by α-element enhancements at fixed [Fe/H]. A second important conclusion is that the choice of the outer boundary conditions employed in model calculations is critical. Effective temperature differences (metallicity dependent) between models with solar calibrated mixing length and observations appear for some choices of the boundary conditions, but this is not a general result.

Benchmarking the Multidimensional Stellar Implicit Code MUSIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goffrey, T.; Pratt, J.; Viallet, M.; Baraffe, I.; Popov, M. V.; Walder, R.; Folini, D.; Geroux, C.; Constantino, T.

2017-04-01

We present the results of a numerical benchmark study for the MUltidimensional Stellar Implicit Code (MUSIC) based on widely applicable two- and three-dimensional compressible hydrodynamics problems relevant to stellar interiors. MUSIC is an implicit large eddy simulation code that uses implicit time integration, implemented as a Jacobian-free Newton Krylov method. A physics based preconditioning technique which can be adjusted to target varying physics is used to improve the performance of the solver. The problems used for this benchmark study include the Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, and the decay of the Taylor-Green vortex. Additionally we show a test of hydrostatic equilibrium, in a stellar environment which is dominated by radiative effects. In this setting the flexibility of the preconditioning technique is demonstrated. This work aims to bridge the gap between the hydrodynamic test problems typically used during development of numerical methods and the complex flows of stellar interiors. A series of multidimensional tests were performed and analysed. Each of these test cases was analysed with a simple, scalar diagnostic, with the aim of enabling direct code comparisons. As the tests performed do not have analytic solutions, we verify MUSIC by comparing it to established codes including ATHENA and the PENCIL code. MUSIC is able to both reproduce behaviour from established and widely-used codes as well as results expected from theoretical predictions. This benchmarking study concludes a series of papers describing the development of the MUSIC code and provides confidence in future applications.

Analytical study of magnetohydrodynamic propulsion stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdollahzadeh Jamalabadi, M. Y.

2014-09-01

In this paper an analytical solution for the stability of the fully developed flow drive in a magneto-hydro-dynamic pump with pulsating transverse Eletro-magnetic fields is presented. To do this, a theoretical model of the flow is developed and the analytical results are obtained for both the cylindrical and Cartesian configurations that are proper to use in the propulsion of marine vessels. The governing parabolic momentum PDEs are transformed into an ordinary differential equation using approximate velocity distribution. The numerical results are obtained and asymptotic analyses are built to discover the mathematical behavior of the solutions. The maximum velocity in a magneto-hydro-dynamic pump versus time for various values of the Stuart number, electro-magnetic interaction number, Reynolds number, aspect ratio, as well as the magnetic and electrical angular frequency and the shift of the phase angle is presented. Results show that for a high Stuart number there is a frequency limit for stability of the fluid flow in a certain direction of the flow. This stability frequency is dependent on the geometric parameters of a channel.

Global magnetohydrodynamic simulations on multiple GPUs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Un-Hong; Wong, Hon-Cheng; Ma, Yonghui

2014-01-01

Global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models play the major role in investigating the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction. However, the huge computation requirement in global MHD simulations is also the main problem that needs to be solved. With the recent development of modern graphics processing units (GPUs) and the Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA), it is possible to perform global MHD simulations in a more efficient manner. In this paper, we present a global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulator on multiple GPUs using CUDA 4.0 with GPUDirect 2.0. Our implementation is based on the modified leapfrog scheme, which is a combination of the leapfrog scheme and the two-step Lax-Wendroff scheme. GPUDirect 2.0 is used in our implementation to drive multiple GPUs. All data transferring and kernel processing are managed with CUDA 4.0 API instead of using MPI or OpenMP. Performance measurements are made on a multi-GPU system with eight NVIDIA Tesla M2050 (Fermi architecture) graphics cards. These measurements show that our multi-GPU implementation achieves a peak performance of 97.36 GFLOPS in double precision.

Dissipative, forced turbulence in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fyfe, D.; Montgomery, D.; Joyce, G.

1976-01-01

The equations of motion for turbulent two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic flows are solved in the presence of finite viscosity and resistivity, for the case in which external forces (mechanical and/or magnetic) act on the fluid. The goal is to verify the existence of a magnetohydrodynamic dynamo effect which is represented mathematically by a substantial back-transfer of mean square vector potential to the longest allowed Fourier wavelengths. External forces consisting of a random part plus a fraction of the value at the previous time step are employed, after the manner of Lilly for the Navier-Stokes case. The regime explored is that for which the mechanical and magnetic Reynolds numbers are in the region of 100 to 1000. The conclusions are that mechanical forcing terms alone cannot lead to dynamo action, but that dynamo action can result from either magnetic forcing terms or from both mechanical and magnetic forcing terms simultaneously.

Analysis of Heat Transfer Phenomenon in Magnetohydrodynamic Casson Fluid Flow Through Cattaneo-Christov Heat Diffusion Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramesh, G. K.; Gireesha, B. J.; Shehzad, S. A.; Abbasi, F. M.

2017-07-01

Heat transport phenomenon of two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic Casson fluid flow by employing Cattaneo-Christov heat diffusion theory is described in this work. The term of heat absorption/generation is incorporated in the mathematical modeling of present flow problem. The governing mathematical expressions are solved for velocity and temperature profiles using RKF 45 method along with shooting technique. The importance of arising nonlinear quantities namely velocity, temperature, skin-friction and temperature gradient are elaborated via plots. It is explored that the Casson parameter retarded the liquid velocity while it enhances the fluid temperature. Further, we noted that temperature and thickness of temperature boundary layer are weaker in case of Cattaneo-Christov heat diffusion model when matched with the profiles obtained for Fourier’s theory of heat flux.

A STELLAR-MASS-DEPENDENT DROP IN PLANET OCCURRENCE RATES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mulders, Gijs D.; Pascucci, Ilaria; Apai, Dániel

2015-01-10

The Kepler spacecraft has discovered a large number of planets with up to one-year periods and down to terrestrial sizes. While the majority of the target stars are main-sequence dwarfs of spectral type F, G, and K, Kepler covers stars with effective temperatures as low as 2500 K, which corresponds to M stars. These cooler stars allow characterization of small planets near the habitable zone, yet it is not clear if this population is representative of that around FGK stars. In this paper, we calculate the occurrence of planets around stars of different spectral types as a function of planetmore » radius and distance from the star and show that they are significantly different from each other. We further identify two trends. First, the occurrence of Earth- to Neptune-sized planets (1-4 R {sub ⊕}) is successively higher toward later spectral types at all orbital periods probed by Kepler; planets around M stars occur twice as frequently as around G stars, and thrice as frequently as around F stars. Second, a drop in planet occurrence is evident at all spectral types inward of a ∼10 day orbital period, with a plateau further out. By assigning to each spectral type a median stellar mass, we show that the distance from the star where this drop occurs is stellar mass dependent, and scales with semi-major axis as the cube root of stellar mass. By comparing different mechanisms of planet formation, trapping, and destruction, we find that this scaling best matches the location of the pre-main-sequence co-rotation radius, indicating efficient trapping of migrating planets or planetary building blocks close to the star. These results demonstrate the stellar-mass dependence of the planet population, both in terms of occurrence rate and of orbital distribution. The prominent stellar-mass dependence of the inner boundary of the planet population shows that the formation or migration of planets is sensitive to the stellar parameters.« less

Circumstellar Disk Lifetimes In Numerous Galactic Young Stellar Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richert, A. J. W.; Getman, K. V.; Feigelson, E. D.; Kuhn, M. A.; Broos, P. S.; Povich, M. S.; Bate, M. R.; Garmire, G. P.

2018-04-01

Photometric detections of dust circumstellar disks around pre-main sequence (PMS) stars, coupled with estimates of stellar ages, provide constraints on the time available for planet formation. Most previous studies on disk longevity, starting with Haisch, Lada & Lada (2001), use star samples from PMS clusters but do not consider datasets with homogeneous photometric sensitivities and/or ages placed on a uniform timescale. Here we conduct the largest study to date of the longevity of inner dust disks using X-ray and 1-8 {μ m} infrared photometry from the MYStIX and SFiNCs projects for 69 young clusters in 32 nearby star-forming regions with ages t ≤ 5 Myr. Cluster ages are derived by combining the empirical AgeJX method with PMS evolutionary models, which treat dynamo-generated magnetic fields in different ways. Leveraging X-ray data to identify disk-free objects, we impose similar stellar mass sensitivity limits for disk-bearing and disk-free YSOs while extending the analysis to stellar masses as low as M ˜ 0.1 M⊙. We find that the disk longevity estimates are strongly affected by the choice of PMS evolutionary model. Assuming a disk fraction of 100% at zero age, the inferred disk half-life changes significantly, from t1/2 ˜ 1.3 - 2 Myr to t1/2 ˜ 3.5 Myr when switching from non-magnetic to magnetic PMS models. In addition, we find no statistically significant evidence that disk fraction varies with stellar mass within the first few Myr of life for stars with masses <2 M⊙, but our samples may not be complete for more massive stars. The effects of initial disk fraction and star-forming environment are also explored.

Solution of free-boundary problems using finite-element/Newton methods and locally refined grids - Application to analysis of solidification microstructure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsiveriotis, K.; Brown, R. A.

1993-01-01

A new method is presented for the solution of free-boundary problems using Lagrangian finite element approximations defined on locally refined grids. The formulation allows for direct transition from coarse to fine grids without introducing non-conforming basis functions. The calculation of elemental stiffness matrices and residual vectors are unaffected by changes in the refinement level, which are accounted for in the loading of elemental data to the global stiffness matrix and residual vector. This technique for local mesh refinement is combined with recently developed mapping methods and Newton's method to form an efficient algorithm for the solution of free-boundary problems, as demonstrated here by sample calculations of cellular interfacial microstructure during directional solidification of a binary alloy.

Multiplicity in Early Stellar Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reipurth, B.; Clarke, C. J.; Boss, A. P.; Goodwin, S. P.; Rodríguez, L. F.; Stassun, K. G.; Tokovinin, A.; Zinnecker, H.

Observations from optical to centimeter wavelengths have demonstrated that multiple systems of two or more bodies is the norm at all stellar evolutionary stages. Multiple systems are widely agreed to result from the collapse and fragmentation of cloud cores, despite the inhibiting influence of magnetic fields. Surveys of class 0 protostars with millimeter interferometers have revealed a very high multiplicity frequency of about 2/3, even though there are observational difficulties in resolving close protobinaries, thus supporting the possibility that all stars could be born in multiple systems. Near-infrared adaptive optics observations of class I protostars show a lower binary frequency relative to the class 0 phase, a declining trend that continues through the class II/III stages to the field population. This loss of companions is a natural consequence of dynamical interplay in small multiple systems, leading to ejection of members. We discuss observational consequences of this dynamical evolution, and its influence on circumstellar disks, and we review the evolution of circumbinary disks and their role in defining binary mass ratios. Special attention is paid to eclipsing PMS binaries, which allow for observational tests of evolutionary models of early stellar evolution. Many stars are born in clusters and small groups, and we discuss how interactions in dense stellar environments can significantly alter the distribution of binary separations through dissolution of wider binaries. The binaries and multiples we find in the field are the survivors of these internal and external destructive processes, and we provide a detailed overview of the multiplicity statistics of the field, which form a boundary condition for all models of binary evolution. Finally, we discuss various formation mechanisms for massive binaries, and the properties of massive trapezia.

Magneto-Hydrodynamic Damping of Convection During Vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger Growth of HgCdTe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watring, D. A.; Lehoczky, S. L.

1996-01-01

In order to quantify the effects of convection on segregation, Hg(0.8)Cd(0.2)Te crystals were grown by the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method in the presence of an applied axial magnetic field of 50 kG. The influence of convection, by magneto-hydrodynamic damping, on mass transfer in the melt and segregation at the solid-liquid interface was investigated by measuring the axial and radial compositional variations in the grown samples. The reduction of convective mixing in the melt through the application of the magnetic field is found to decrease radial segregation to the diffusion-limited regime. It was also found that the suppression of the convective cell near the solid-liquid interface results in an increase in the slope of the diffusion-controlled solute boundary layer, which can lead to constitutional supercooling.

Initial-boundary value problem to 2D Boussinesq equations for MHD convection with stratification effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bian, Dongfen; Liu, Jitao

2017-12-01

This paper is concerned with the initial-boundary value problem to 2D magnetohydrodynamics-Boussinesq system with the temperature-dependent viscosity, thermal diffusivity and electrical conductivity. First, we establish the global weak solutions under the minimal initial assumption. Then by imposing higher regularity assumption on the initial data, we obtain the global strong solution with uniqueness. Moreover, the exponential decay rates of weak solutions and strong solution are obtained respectively.

Refined boundary conditions on the free surface of an elastic half-space taking into account non-local effects.

PubMed

Chebakov, R; Kaplunov, J; Rogerson, G A

2016-02-01

The dynamic response of a homogeneous half-space, with a traction-free surface, is considered within the framework of non-local elasticity. The focus is on the dominant effect of the boundary layer on overall behaviour. A typical wavelength is assumed to considerably exceed the associated internal lengthscale. The leading-order long-wave approximation is shown to coincide formally with the 'local' problem for a half-space with a vertical inhomogeneity localized near the surface. Subsequent asymptotic analysis of the inhomogeneity results in an explicit correction to the classical boundary conditions on the surface. The order of the correction is greater than the order of the better-known correction to the governing differential equations. The refined boundary conditions enable us to evaluate the interior solution outside a narrow boundary layer localized near the surface. As an illustration, the effect of non-local elastic phenomena on the Rayleigh wave speed is investigated.

A free-form lensing model of A370 revealing stellar mass dominated BCGs, in Hubble Frontier Fields images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diego, Jose M.; Schmidt, Kasper B.; Broadhurst, Tom; Lam, Daniel; Vega-Ferrero, Jesús; Zheng, Wei; Lee, Slanger; Morishita, Takahiro; Bernstein, Gary; Lim, Jeremy; Silk, Joseph; Ford, Holland

2018-02-01

We derive a free-form mass distribution for the unrelaxed cluster A370 (z = 0.375), using the first release of the Hubble Frontier Fields images (76 orbits) and GLASS spectroscopy. Starting from a reliable set of 10 multiply lensed systems, we produce a free-form lens model that identifies ≈80 multiple images. Good consistency is found between models using independent subsamples of these lensed systems, with detailed agreement for the well-resolved arcs. The mass distribution has two very similar concentrations centred on the two prominent brightest cluster galaxies (or BCGs), with mass profiles that are accurately constrained by a uniquely useful system of long radially lensed images centred on both BCGs. We show that the lensing mass profiles of these BCGs are mainly accounted for by their stellar mass profiles, with a modest contribution from dark matter within r < 100 kpc of each BCG. This conclusion may favour a cooled cluster gas origin for BCGs, rather than via mergers of normal galaxies for which dark matter should dominate over stars. Growth via merging between BCGs is, however, consistent with this finding, so that stars still dominate over dark matter. We do not observe any significant offset between the positions of the peaks of the dark matter distribution and the light distribution.

Time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the inner heliosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merkin, V. G.; Lyon, J. G.; Lario, D.; Arge, C. N.; Henney, C. J.

2016-04-01

This paper presents results from a simulation study exploring heliospheric consequences of time-dependent changes at the Sun. We selected a 2 month period in the beginning of year 2008 that was characterized by very low solar activity. The heliosphere in the equatorial region was dominated by two coronal holes whose changing structure created temporal variations distorting the classical steady state picture of the heliosphere. We used the Air Force Data Assimilate Photospheric Flux Transport (ADAPT) model to obtain daily updated photospheric magnetograms and drive the Wang-Sheeley-Arge (WSA) model of the corona. This leads to a formulation of a time-dependent boundary condition for our three-dimensional (3-D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model, LFM-helio, which is the heliospheric adaptation of the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry MHD simulation code. The time-dependent coronal conditions were propagated throughout the inner heliosphere, and the simulation results were compared with the spacecraft located near 1 astronomical unit (AU) heliocentric distance: Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO-A and STEREO-B), and the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft that was in cruise phase measuring the heliospheric magnetic field between 0.35 and 0.6 AU. In addition, during the selected interval MESSENGER and ACE aligned radially allowing minimization of the effects of temporal variation at the Sun versus radial evolution of structures. Our simulations show that time-dependent simulationsreproduce the gross-scale structure of the heliosphere with higher fidelity, while on smaller spatial and faster time scales (e.g., 1 day) they provide important insights for interpretation of the data. The simulations suggest that moving boundaries of slow-fast wind transitions at 0.1 AU may result in the formation of inverted magnetic fields near pseudostreamers which is an intrinsically time-dependent process

Details of Exact Low Prandtl Number Boundary-Layer Solutions for Forced and For Free Convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sparrow, E. M.; Gregg, J. L.

1959-01-01

A detailed report is given of exact (numerical) solutions of the laminar-boundary-layer equations for the Prandtl number range appropriate to liquid metals (0.003 to 0.03). Consideration is given to the following situations: (1) forced convection over a flat plate for the conditions of uniform wall temperature and uniform wall heat flux, and (2) free convection over an isothermal vertical plate. Tabulations of the new solutions are given in detail. Results are presented for the heat-transfer and shear-stress characteristics; temperature and velocity distributions are also shown. The heat-transfer results are correlated in terms of dimensionless parameters that vary only slightly over the entire liquid-metal range. Previous analytical and experimental work on low Prandtl number boundary layers is surveyed and compared with the new exact solutions.

Measuring the opacity of stellar interior matter in terrestrial laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailey, James

2015-11-01

How does energy propagate from the core to the surface of the Sun, where it emerges to warm the Earth? Nearly a century ago Eddington recognized that the attenuation of radiation by stellar matter controls the internal structure of stars like the sun. Opacities for high energy density (HED) matter are challenging to calculate because accurate and complete descriptions of the energy levels, populations, and plasma effects such as continuum lowering and line broadening are needed for partially ionized atoms. This requires approximations, in part because billions of bound-bound and bound-free electronic transitions can contribute to the opacity. Opacity calculations, however, have never been benchmarked against laboratory measurements at stellar interior conditions. Laboratory opacity measurements were limited in the past by the challenges of creating and diagnosing sufficiently large and uniform samples at the extreme conditions found inside stars. In research conducted over more than 10 years, we developed an experimental platform on the Z facility and measured wavelength-resolved iron opacity at electron temperatures Te = 156-195 eV and densities ne = 0.7-4.0 x 1022 cm-3 - conditions very similar to the radiation/convection boundary zone within the Sun. The wavelength-dependent opacity in the 975-1775 eV photon energy range is 30-400% higher than models predict. This raises questions about how well we understand the behavior of atoms in HED plasma. These measurements may also help resolve decade-old discrepancies between solar model predictions and helioseismic observations. This talk will provide an overview of the measurements, investigations of possible errors, and ongoing experiments aimed at testing hypotheses to resolve the model-data discrepancy. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Mixed convection of magnetohydrodynamic nanofluids inside microtubes at constant wall temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moshizi, S. A.; Zamani, M.; Hosseini, S. J.; Malvandi, A.

2017-05-01

Laminar fully developed mixed convection of magnetohydrodynamic nanofluids inside microtubes at a constant wall temperature (CWT) under the effects of a variable directional magnetic field is investigated numerically. Nanoparticles are assumed to have slip velocities relative to the base fluid owing to thermophoretic diffusion (temperature gradient driven force) and Brownian diffusion (concentration gradient driven force). The no-slip boundary condition is avoided at the fluid-solid mixture to assess the non-equilibrium region at the fluid-solid interface. A scale analysis is performed to estimate the relative significance of the pertaining parameters that should be included in the governing equations. After the effects of pertinent parameters on the pressure loss and heat transfer enhancement were considered, the figure of merit (FoM) is employed to evaluate and optimize the thermal performance of heat exchange equipment. The results indicate the optimum thermal performance is obtained when the thermophoresis overwhelms the Brownian diffusion, which is for larger nanoparticles. This enhancement boosts when the buoyancy force increases. In addition, increasing the magnetic field strength and slippage at the fluid-solid interface enhances the thermal performance.

Parabolized Navier-Stokes Code for Computing Magneto-Hydrodynamic Flowfields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehta, Unmeel B. (Technical Monitor); Tannehill, J. C.

2003-01-01

This report consists of two published papers, 'Computation of Magnetohydrodynamic Flows Using an Iterative PNS Algorithm' and 'Numerical Simulation of Turbulent MHD Flows Using an Iterative PNS Algorithm'.

Effect of free-stream turbulence on boundary layer transition.

PubMed

Goldstein, M E

2014-07-28

This paper is concerned with the transition to turbulence in flat plate boundary layers due to moderately high levels of free-stream turbulence. The turbulence is assumed to be generated by an (idealized) grid and matched asymptotic expansions are used to analyse the resulting flow over a finite thickness flat plate located in the downstream region. The characteristic Reynolds number Rλ based on the mesh size λ and free-stream velocity is assumed to be large, and the turbulence intensity ε is assumed to be small. The asymptotic flow structure is discussed for the generic case where the turbulence Reynolds number εRλ and the plate thickness and are held fixed (at O(1) and O(λ), respectively) in the limit as [Formula: see text] and ε→0. But various limiting cases are considered in order to explain the relevant transition mechanisms. It is argued that there are two types of streak-like structures that can play a role in the transition process: (i) those that appear in the downstream region and are generated by streamwise vorticity in upstream flow and (ii) those that are concentrated near the leading edge and are generated by plate normal vorticity in upstream flow. The former are relatively unaffected by leading edge geometry and are usually referred to as Klebanoff modes while the latter are strongly affected by leading edge geometry and are more streamwise vortex-like in appearance. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

The Role of Wave Cyclones in Transporting Boundary Layer Air to the Free Troposphere During the Spring 2001 NASA / TRACE-P Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuelberg, Henry E.; Hannan, J. R.; Crawford, J. H.; Sachse, G. W.; Blake, D. R.

2003-01-01

Transport of boundary layer air to the free troposphere by cyclones during NASA's Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) experiment is investigated. Airstreams responsible for boundary layer venting are diagnosed using results from a high-resolution meteorological model (MM5) together with in situ and remotely sensed chemical data. Hourly wind data from the MM5 are used to calculate three-dimensional grids of backward air trajectories. A reverse domain filling (RDF) technique then is employed to examine the characteristics of airstreams over the computational domain, and to isolate airstreams ascending from the boundary layer to the free troposphere during the previous 36 hours. Two cases are examined in detail. Results show that airstreams responsible for venting the boundary layer differ considerably from those described by classic conceptual models and in the recent literature. In addition, airstreams sampled by the TRACE-P aircraft are found to exhibit large variability in chemical concentrations. This variability is due to differences in the boundary layer histories of individual airstreams with respect to anthropogenic sources over continental Asia and Japan. Complex interactions between successive wave cyclones also are found to be important in determining the chemical composition of the airstreams. Particularly important is the process of post-cold frontal boundary layer air being rapidly transported offshore and recirculated into ascending airstreams of upstream cyclones.

STELLAR ATMOSPHERES, ATMOSPHERIC EXTENSION, AND FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS: WEIGHING STARS USING THE STELLAR MASS INDEX

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neilson, Hilding R.; Lester, John B.; Baron, Fabien

2016-10-20

One of the great challenges of understanding stars is measuring their masses. The best methods for measuring stellar masses include binary interaction, asteroseismology, and stellar evolution models, but these methods are not ideal for red giant and supergiant stars. In this work, we propose a novel method for inferring stellar masses of evolved red giant and supergiant stars using interferometric and spectrophotometric observations combined with spherical model stellar atmospheres to measure what we call the stellar mass index, defined as the ratio between the stellar radius and mass. The method is based on the correlation between different measurements of angularmore » diameter, used as a proxy for atmospheric extension, and fundamental stellar parameters. For a given star, spectrophotometry measures the Rosseland angular diameter while interferometric observations generally probe a larger limb-darkened angular diameter. The ratio of these two angular diameters is proportional to the relative extension of the stellar atmosphere, which is strongly correlated to the star’s effective temperature, radius, and mass. We show that these correlations are strong and can lead to precise measurements of stellar masses.« less

BOOK REVIEW: Stellarator and Heliotron Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, John L.

1999-02-01

ground for students without detracting from the usefulness of the book for knowledgeable fusion physicists. After a short, somewhat historical, introduction, Chapter 2 contains a good treatment of the basic properties of a toroidal magnetic configuration (the concepts of magnetic surfaces, rotational transform, shear and magnetic wells), averaging techniques which can often be used to simplify the calculations, helically invariant configurations, magnetic islands and line tracing techniques. Derivations and discussions of the basic tools of plasma theory, including the Vlasov equation, magnetohydrodynamic equations and their reduced form for low-β, large aspect ratio systems, properties of MHD waves, the drift kinetic equation and transport equations, are given in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 contains a good treatment of MHD equilibria, including a derivation of the three dimensional Grad-Shafranov equation, a discussion of the calculation of equilibria with a planar magnetic axis with both averaged equations and a variational approach, a comparison of the results of the two techniques, a formulation for stellarators with a helical magnetic axis and a good discussion of the Pfirsch-Schlüter current. The treatment of MHD instabilities in Chapter 5 is also excellent. It starts with a good derivation and discussion of the energy principle, gives a detailed treatment of ballooning modes where the wavelengths of the perturbation perpendicular to the field are short while those along B are long and derives the Mercier criterion from the ballooning mode equation. I personally prefer to obtain this criterion by making the low mode number assumption that dξ/dΨ>>dξ/dθ approx dξ/dζ, since non-ideal effects such as finite gyration radius corrections may provide less stabilization to these modes. A careful treatment of the resistive interchange mode is followed by a discussion of the role of localized stability criteria in the analysis of experiment and design studies, a study of

Spatial spreading model and dynamics of West Nile virus in birds and mosquitoes with free boundary.

PubMed

Lin, Zhigui; Zhu, Huaiping

2017-12-01

In this paper, a reaction-diffusion system is proposed to model the spatial spreading of West Nile virus in vector mosquitoes and host birds in North America. Transmission dynamics are based on a simplified model involving mosquitoes and birds, and the free boundary is introduced to model and explore the expanding front of the infected region. The spatial-temporal risk index [Formula: see text], which involves regional characteristic and time, is defined for the simplified reaction-diffusion model with the free boundary to compare with other related threshold values, including the usual basic reproduction number [Formula: see text]. Sufficient conditions for the virus to vanish or to spread are given. Our results suggest that the virus will be in a scenario of vanishing if [Formula: see text], and will spread to the whole region if [Formula: see text] for some [Formula: see text], while if [Formula: see text], the spreading or vanishing of the virus depends on the initial number of infected individuals, the area of the infected region, the diffusion rate and other factors. Moreover, some remarks on the basic reproduction numbers and the spreading speeds are presented and compared.

Entropy generation in a second grade magnetohydrodynamic nanofluid flow over a convectively heated stretching sheet with nonlinear thermal radiation and viscous dissipation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sithole, Hloniphile; Mondal, Hiranmoy; Sibanda, Precious

2018-06-01

This study addresses entropy generation in magnetohydrodynamic flow of a second grade nanofluid over a convectively heated stretching sheet with nonlinear thermal radiation and viscous dissipation. The second grade fluid is assumed to be electrically conducting and is permeated by an applied non-uniform magnetic field. We further consider the impact on the fluid properties and the Nusselt number of homogeneous-heterogeneous reactions and a convective boundary condition. The mathematical equations are solved using the spectral local linearization method. Computations for skin-friction coefficient and local Nusselt number are carried out and displayed in a table. It is observed that the effects of the thermophoresis parameter is to increase the temperature distributions throughout the boundary layer. The entropy generation is enhanced by larger magnetic parameters and increasing Reynolds number. The aim of this manuscript is to pay more attention of entropy generation analysis with heat and fluid flow on second grade nanofluids to improve the system performance. Also the fluid velocity and temperature in the boundary layer region rise significantly for increasing the values of the second grade nanofluid parameter.

Solutions of the Helmholtz equation with boundary conditions for force-free magnetic fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rasband, S. N.; Turner, L.

1981-01-01

It is shown that the solution, with one ignorable coordinate, for the Taylor minimum energy state (resulting in a force-free magnetic field) in either a straight cylindrical or a toroidal geometry with arbitrary cross section can be reduced to the solution of either an inhomogeneous Helmholtz equation or a Grad-Shafranov equation with simple boundary conditions. Standard Green's function theory is, therefore, applicable. Detailed solutions are presented for the Taylor state in toroidal and cylindrical domains having a rectangular cross section. The focus is on solutions corresponding to the continuous eigenvalue spectra. Singular behavior at 90 deg corners is explored in detail.

Magneto-Hydrodynamics Based Microfluidics

PubMed Central

Qian, Shizhi; Bau, Haim H.

2009-01-01

In microfluidic devices, it is necessary to propel samples and reagents from one part of the device to another, stir fluids, and detect the presence of chemical and biological targets. Given the small size of these devices, the above tasks are far from trivial. Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) offers an elegant means to control fluid flow in microdevices without a need for mechanical components. In this paper, we review the theory of MHD for low conductivity fluids and describe various applications of MHD such as fluid pumping, flow control in fluidic networks, fluid stirring and mixing, circular liquid chromatography, thermal reactors, and microcoolers. PMID:20046890

An Immersed Boundary method with divergence-free velocity interpolation and force spreading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Yuanxun; Donev, Aleksandar; Griffith, Boyce E.; McQueen, David M.; Peskin, Charles S.

2017-10-01

The Immersed Boundary (IB) method is a mathematical framework for constructing robust numerical methods to study fluid-structure interaction in problems involving an elastic structure immersed in a viscous fluid. The IB formulation uses an Eulerian representation of the fluid and a Lagrangian representation of the structure. The Lagrangian and Eulerian frames are coupled by integral transforms with delta function kernels. The discretized IB equations use approximations to these transforms with regularized delta function kernels to interpolate the fluid velocity to the structure, and to spread structural forces to the fluid. It is well-known that the conventional IB method can suffer from poor volume conservation since the interpolated Lagrangian velocity field is not generally divergence-free, and so this can cause spurious volume changes. In practice, the lack of volume conservation is especially pronounced for cases where there are large pressure differences across thin structural boundaries. The aim of this paper is to greatly reduce the volume error of the IB method by introducing velocity-interpolation and force-spreading schemes with the properties that the interpolated velocity field in which the structure moves is at least C1 and satisfies a continuous divergence-free condition, and that the force-spreading operator is the adjoint of the velocity-interpolation operator. We confirm through numerical experiments in two and three spatial dimensions that this new IB method is able to achieve substantial improvement in volume conservation compared to other existing IB methods, at the expense of a modest increase in the computational cost. Further, the new method provides smoother Lagrangian forces (tractions) than traditional IB methods. The method presented here is restricted to periodic computational domains. Its generalization to non-periodic domains is important future work.

Free-stream turbulence and concave curvature effects on heated, transitional boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, J.; Simon, T. W.

1991-01-01

An experimental investigation of the transition process on flat-plate and concave curved-wall boundary layers for various free-stream turbulence levels was performed. Results show that for transition of a flat-plate, the two forms of boundary layer behavior, identified as laminar-like and turbulent-like, cannot be thought of as separate Blasius and fully-turbulent profiles, respectively. Thus, simple transition models in which the desired quantity is assumed to be an average, weighted on intermittency, of the theoretical laminar and fully turbulent values is not expected to be successful. Deviation of the flow identified as laminar-like from theoretical laminar behavior is shown to be due to recovery after the passage of a turbulent spot, while deviation of the flow identified as turbulent-like from the full-turbulent values is thought to be due to incomplete establishment of the fully-turbulent power spectral distribution. Turbulent Prandtl numbers for the transitional flow, computed from measured shear stress, turbulent heat flux and mean velocity and temperature profiles, were less than unity. For the curved-wall case with low free-stream turbulence intensity, the existence of Gortler vortices on the concave wall within both laminar and turbulent flows was established using liquid crystal visualization and spanwise velocity and temperature traverses. Transition was found to occur via a vortex breakdown mode. The vortex wavelength was quite irregular in both the laminar and turbulent flows, but the vortices were stable in time and space. The upwash was found to be more unstable, with higher levels of u' and u'v', and lower skin friction coefficients and shape factors. Turbulent Prandtl numbers, measured using a triple-wire probe, were found to be near unity for all post-transitional profiles, indicating no gross violation of Reynolds analogy. No evidence of streamwise vortices was seen in the high turbulence intensity case.

3-D plasma boundary and plasma wall interaction research at UW-Madison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitz, Oliver; Akerson, Adrian; Bader, Aaron; Barbui, Tullio; Effenberg, Florian; Flesch, Kurt; Frerichs, Heinke; Green, Jonathan; Hinson, Edward; Kremeyer, Thierry; Norval, Ryan; Stephey, Laurie; Waters, Ian; Winters, Victoria

2016-10-01

The necessity of considering 3-D effects on the plasma boundary and plasma wall interaction (PWI) in tokamaks, stellarators and reversed field pinches has been highlighted by abundant experimental and numerical results in the recent past. Prominent examples with 3-D boundary situations are numerous: ELM controlled H-modes by RMP fields in tokamaks, research on boundary plasmas and PWI in stellarators in general, quasi-helical states in RFPs, asymmetric fueling situations, and structural and wall elements which are not aligned with the magnetic guiding fields. A systematic approach is being taken at UW-Madison to establish a targeted experimental basis for identifying the most significant effects for plasma edge transport and resulting PWI in such 3-D plasma boundary situations. We deploy advanced 3-D modeling using the EMC3-EIRENE, ERO and MCI codes in combination with laboratory experiments at UW-Madison to investigate the relevance of 3-D effects in large scale devices with a concerted approach on DIII-D, NSTX-U, and Wendelstein 7-X. Highlights of experimental results from the on-site laboratory activities at UW-Madison and the large scale facilities are presented and interlinks will be discussed. This work was supported by US DOE DE-SC0013911, DE-SC00012315 and DE-SC00014210.

Conditions for the appearance of boundary-free circulation zones in supersonic axisymmetric accelerating flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savin, Andrey V.; Sokolov, Eugeny I.

2018-05-01

The mechanism of appearance of boundary-free circulation zones - circulating flows arising behind the Mach disk of an underexpanded supersonic jet is investigated. Ideas on the mechanism of formation of circulation zones and the criteria for their occurrence are formulated within the near-axis approximation. Technical possibilities of realization flows that satisfy these criteria are analyzed with the help of numerical simulation. A comparison is made with the results of a study of the formation of circulation zones in axisymmetric nozzles at the overexpansion mode.

Free-stream turbulence and concave curvature effects on heated, transitional boundary layers, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, J.; Simon, T. W.

1991-01-01

An experimental investigation of the transition process on flat-plate and concave curved-wall boundary layers for various free-streem turbulence levels was performed. Where possible, sampling according to the intermittency function was made. Such sampling allowed segregation of the signal into two types of behavior: laminar-like and turbulent-like. The results from the investigation are discussed. Documentation is presented in two volumes. Volume one contains the text of the report including figures and supporting appendices. Volume two contains data reduction program listings and tabulated data.

Anisotropic magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in a strong external magnetic field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, D.; Turner, L.

1981-01-01

A strong external dc magnetic field introduces a basic anisotropy into incompressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence. The modifications that this is likely to produce in the properties of the turbulence are explored for the high Reynolds number case. The conclusion is reached that the turbulent spectrum splits into two parts: an essentially two dimensional spectrum with both the velocity field and magnetic fluctuations perpendicular to the dc magnetic field, and a generally weaker and more nearly isotropic spectrum of Alfven waves. A minimal characterization of the spectral density tensors is given. Similarities to measurements from the Culham-Harwell Zeta pinch device and the UCLA Macrotor Tokamak are remarked upon, as are certain implications for the Belcher and Davis measurements of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the solar wind.

THE DEPENDENCE OF STELLAR MASS AND ANGULAR MOMENTUM LOSSES ON LATITUDE AND THE INTERACTION OF ACTIVE REGION AND DIPOLAR MAGNETIC FIELDS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garraffo, Cecilia; Drake, Jeremy J.; Cohen, Ofer

Rotation evolution of late-type stars is dominated by magnetic braking and the underlying factors that control this angular momentum loss are important for the study of stellar spin-down. In this work, we study angular momentum loss as a function of two different aspects of magnetic activity using a calibrated Alfvén wave-driven magnetohydrodynamic wind model: the strengths of magnetic spots and their distribution in latitude. By driving the model using solar and modified solar surface magnetograms, we show that the topology of the field arising from the net interaction of both small-scale and large-scale field is important for spin-down rates andmore » that angular momentum loss is not a simple function of large scale magnetic field strength. We find that changing the latitude of magnetic spots can modify mass and angular momentum loss rates by a factor of two. The general effect that causes these differences is the closing down of large-scale open field at mid- and high-latitudes by the addition of the small-scale field. These effects might give rise to modulation of mass and angular momentum loss through stellar cycles, and present a problem for ab initio attempts to predict stellar spin-down based on wind models. For all the magnetogram cases considered here, from dipoles to various spotted distributions, we find that angular momentum loss is dominated by the mass loss at mid-latitudes. The spin-down torque applied by magnetized winds therefore acts at specific latitudes and is not evenly distributed over the stellar surface, though this aspect is unlikely to be important for understanding spin-down and surface flows on stars.« less

STELLAR SURFACE MAGNETO-CONVECTION AS A SOURCE OF ASTROPHYSICAL NOISE. I. MULTI-COMPONENT PARAMETERIZATION OF ABSORPTION LINE PROFILES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cegla, H. M.; Shelyag, S.; Watson, C. A.

2013-02-15

We outline our techniques to characterize photospheric granulation as an astrophysical noise source. A four-component parameterization of granulation is developed that can be used to reconstruct stellar line asymmetries and radial velocity shifts due to photospheric convective motions. The four components are made up of absorption line profiles calculated for granules, magnetic intergranular lanes, non-magnetic intergranular lanes, and magnetic bright points at disk center. These components are constructed by averaging Fe I 6302 A magnetically sensitive absorption line profiles output from detailed radiative transport calculations of the solar photosphere. Each of the four categories adopted is based on magnetic fieldmore » and continuum intensity limits determined from examining three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations with an average magnetic flux of 200 G. Using these four-component line profiles we accurately reconstruct granulation profiles, produced from modeling 12 Multiplication-Sign 12 Mm{sup 2} areas on the solar surface, to within {approx} {+-}20 cm s{sup -1} on a {approx}100 m s{sup -1} granulation signal. We have also successfully reconstructed granulation profiles from a 50 G simulation using the parameterized line profiles from the 200 G average magnetic field simulation. This test demonstrates applicability of the characterization to a range of magnetic stellar activity levels.« less

Shaping effects on toroidal magnetohydrodynamic modes in the presence of plasma and wall resistivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhodes, Dov J.; Cole, A. J.; Brennan, D. P.; Finn, J. M.; Li, M.; Fitzpatrick, R.; Mauel, M. E.; Navratil, G. A.

2018-01-01

This study explores the effects of plasma shaping on magnetohydrodynamic mode stability and rotational stabilization in a tokamak, including both plasma and wall resistivity. Depending upon the plasma shape, safety factor, and distance from the wall, the β-limit for rotational stabilization is given by either the resistive-plasma ideal-wall (tearing mode) limit or the ideal-plasma resistive-wall (resistive wall mode) limit. In order to explore this broad parameter space, a sharp-boundary model is developed with a realistic geometry, resonant tearing surfaces, and a resistive wall. The β-limit achievable in the presence of stabilization by rigid plasma rotation, or by an equivalent feedback control with imaginary normal-field gain, is shown to peak at specific values of elongation and triangularity. It is shown that the optimal shaping with rotation typically coincides with transitions between tearing-dominated and wall-dominated mode behavior.

VISCOUS BOUNDARY LAYERS OF RADIATION-DOMINATED, RELATIVISTIC JETS. II. THE FREE-STREAMING JET MODEL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coughlin, Eric R.; Begelman, Mitchell C., E-mail: eric.coughlin@colorado.edu, E-mail: mitch@jila.colorado.edu

2015-08-10

We analyze the interaction of a radiation-dominated jet and its surroundings using the equations of radiation hydrodynamics in the viscous limit. In a previous paper we considered the two-stream scenario, which treats the jet and its surroundings as distinct media interacting through radiation viscous forces. Here we present an alternative boundary layer model, known as the free-streaming jet model—where a narrow stream of fluid is injected into a static medium—and present solutions where the flow is ultrarelativistic and the boundary layer is dominated by radiation. It is shown that these jets entrain material from their surroundings and that their coresmore » have a lower density of scatterers and a harder spectrum of photons, leading to observational consequences for lines of sight that look “down the barrel of the jet.” These jetted outflow models may be applicable to the jets produced during long gamma-ray bursts and super-Eddington phases of tidal disruption events.« less

A General Computational Approach for Magnetohydrodynamic Flows Using the CFX Code: Buoyant Flow Through a Vertical Square Channel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Di Piazza, Ivan; Buehler, Leo

2000-09-15

The buoyancy-driven magnetoconvection in the cross section of an infinitely long vertical square duct is investigated numerically using the CFX code package. The implementation of a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) problem in CFX is discussed, with particular reference to the Lorentz forces and the electric potential boundary conditions for arbitrary electrical conductivity of the walls. The method proposed is general and applies to arbitrary geometries with an arbitrary orientation of the magnetic field. Results for fully developed flow under various thermal boundary conditions are compared with asymptotic analytical solutions. The comparison shows that the asymptotic analysis is confirmed for highly conducting wallsmore » as high velocity jets occur at the side walls. For weakly conducting walls, the side layers become more conducting than the side walls, and strong electric currents flow within these layers parallel to the magnetic field. As a consequence, the velocity jets are suppressed, and the core solution is only corrected by the viscous forces near the wall. The implementation of MHD in CFX is achieved.« less

Discretization of three-dimensional free surface flows and moving boundary problems via elliptic grid methods based on variational principles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraggedakis, D.; Papaioannou, J.; Dimakopoulos, Y.; Tsamopoulos, J.

2017-09-01

A new boundary-fitted technique to describe free surface and moving boundary problems is presented. We have extended the 2D elliptic grid generator developed by Dimakopoulos and Tsamopoulos (2003) [19] and further advanced by Chatzidai et al. (2009) [18] to 3D geometries. The set of equations arises from the fulfillment of the variational principles established by Brackbill and Saltzman (1982) [21], and refined by Christodoulou and Scriven (1992) [22]. These account for both smoothness and orthogonality of the grid lines of tessellated physical domains. The elliptic-grid equations are accompanied by new boundary constraints and conditions which are based either on the equidistribution of the nodes on boundary surfaces or on the existing 2D quasi-elliptic grid methodologies. The capabilities of the proposed algorithm are first demonstrated in tests with analytically described complex surfaces. The sequence in which these tests are presented is chosen to help the reader build up experience on the best choice of the elliptic grid parameters. Subsequently, the mesh equations are coupled with the Navier-Stokes equations, in order to reveal the full potential of the proposed methodology in free surface flows. More specifically, the problem of gas assisted injection in ducts of circular and square cross-sections is examined, where the fluid domain experiences extreme deformations. Finally, the flow-mesh solver is used to calculate the equilibrium shapes of static menisci in capillary tubes.

Constrained-transport Magnetohydrodynamics with Adaptive Mesh Refinement in CHARM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miniati, Francesco; Martin, Daniel F.

2011-07-01

We present the implementation of a three-dimensional, second-order accurate Godunov-type algorithm for magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) in the adaptive-mesh-refinement (AMR) cosmological code CHARM. The algorithm is based on the full 12-solve spatially unsplit corner-transport-upwind (CTU) scheme. The fluid quantities are cell-centered and are updated using the piecewise-parabolic method (PPM), while the magnetic field variables are face-centered and are evolved through application of the Stokes theorem on cell edges via a constrained-transport (CT) method. The so-called multidimensional MHD source terms required in the predictor step for high-order accuracy are applied in a simplified form which reduces their complexity in three dimensions without loss of accuracy or robustness. The algorithm is implemented on an AMR framework which requires specific synchronization steps across refinement levels. These include face-centered restriction and prolongation operations and a reflux-curl operation, which maintains a solenoidal magnetic field across refinement boundaries. The code is tested against a large suite of test problems, including convergence tests in smooth flows, shock-tube tests, classical two- and three-dimensional MHD tests, a three-dimensional shock-cloud interaction problem, and the formation of a cluster of galaxies in a fully cosmological context. The magnetic field divergence is shown to remain negligible throughout.

Ekman-Hartmann layer in a magnetohydrodynamic Taylor-Couette flow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Szklarski, Jacek; Ruediger, Guenther

2007-12-15

We study magnetic effects induced by rigidly rotating plates enclosing a cylindrical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Taylor-Couette flow at the finite aspect ratio H/D=10. The fluid confined between the cylinders is assumed to be liquid metal characterized by small magnetic Prandtl number, the cylinders are perfectly conducting, an axial magnetic field is imposed with Hartmann number Ha{approx_equal}10, and the rotation rates correspond to Reynolds numbers of order 10{sup 2}-10{sup 3}. We show that the end plates introduce, besides the well-known Ekman circulation, similar magnetic effects which arise for infinite, rotating plates, horizontally unbounded by any walls. In particular, there exists the Hartmannmore » current, which penetrates the fluid, turns in the radial direction, and together with the applied magnetic field gives rise to a force. Consequently, the flow can be compared with a Taylor-Dean flow driven by an azimuthal pressure gradient. We analyze the stability of such flows and show that the currents induced by the plates can give rise to instability for the considered parameters. When designing a MHD Taylor-Couette experiment, special care must be taken concerning the vertical magnetic boundaries so that they do not significantly alter the rotational profile.« less

In Situ Magnetohydrodynamic Energy Generation for Planetary Entry Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, H. K.; Braun, R. D.

2014-06-01

This work aims to study the suitability of multi-pass entry trajectories for harnessing of vehicle kinetic energy through magnetohydrodynamic power generation from the high temperature entry plasma. Potential mission configurations are analyzed.

Pulsar Magnetohydrodynamic Winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okamoto, Isao; Sigalo, Friday B.

2006-12-01

The acceleration and collimation/decollimation of relativistic magnetocentrifugal winds are discussed concerning a cold plasma from a strongly magnetized, rapidly rotating neutron star in a steady axisymmetric state based on ideal magnetohydrodynamics. There exist unipolar inductors associated with the field line angular frequency, α, at the magnetospheric base surface, SB, with a huge potential difference between the poles and the equator, which drive electric current through the pulsar magnetosphere. Any ``current line'' must emanate from one terminal of the unipolar inductor and return to the other, converting the Poynting flux to the kinetic flux of the wind at finite distances. In a plausible field structure satisfying the transfield force-balance equation, the fast surface, SF, must exist somewhere between the subasymptotic and asymptotic domains, i.e., at the innermost point along each field line of the asymptotic domain of \\varpaA2/\\varpi2 ≪ 1, where \\varpiA is the Alfvénic axial distance. The criticality condition at SF yields the Lorentz factor, γF = μ\\varepsilon1/3, and the angular momentum flux, β, as the eigenvalues in terms of the field line angular velocity, α, the mass flux per unit flux tube, η, and one of the Bernoulli integrals, μδ, which are assumed to be specifiable as the boundary conditions at SB. The other Bernoulli integral, μɛ, is related to μδ as μɛ = μδ[1-(α2\\varpiA2/c2)]-1, and both μɛ and \\varpiA2 are eigenvalues to be determined by the criticality condition at SF. Ongoing MHD acceleration is possible in the superfast domain. This fact may be helpful in resolving a discrepancy between the wind theory and the Crab-nebula model. It is argued that the ``anti-collimation theorem'' holds for relativistic winds, based on the curvature of field streamlines determined by the transfield force balance. The ``theorem'' combines with the ``current-closure condition'' as a global condition in the wind zone to produce a

sunstardb: A Database for the Study of Stellar Magnetism and the Solar-stellar Connection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egeland, Ricky

2018-05-01

The “solar-stellar connection” began as a relatively small field of research focused on understanding the processes that generate magnetic fields in stars and sometimes lead to a cyclic pattern of long-term variability in activity, as demonstrated by our Sun. This area of study has recently become more broadly pertinent to questions of exoplanet habitability and exo-space weather, as well as stellar evolution. In contrast to other areas of stellar research, individual stars in the solar-stellar connection often have a distinct identity and character in the literature, due primarily to the rarity of the decades-long time-series that are necessary for studying stellar activity cycles. Furthermore, the underlying stellar dynamo is not well understood theoretically, and is thought to be sensitive to several stellar properties, e.g., luminosity, differential rotation, and the depth of the convection zone, which in turn are often parameterized by other more readily available properties. Relevant observations are scattered throughout the literature and existing stellar databases, and consolidating information for new studies is a tedious and laborious exercise. To accelerate research in this area I developed sunstardb, a relational database of stellar properties and magnetic activity proxy time-series keyed by individual named stars. The organization of the data eliminates the need for the problematic catalog cross-matching operations inherent when building an analysis data set from heterogeneous sources. In this article I describe the principles behind sunstardb, the data structures and programming interfaces, as well as use cases from solar-stellar connection research.

Global strong solutions to the one-dimensional heat-conductive model for planar non-resistive magnetohydrodynamics with large data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yang

2018-06-01

In this paper, we consider the initial-boundary value problem to the one-dimensional compressible heat-conductive model for planar non-resistive magnetohydrodynamics. By making full use of the effective viscous flux and an analogue, together with the structure of the equations, global existence and uniqueness of strong solutions are obtained on condition that the initial density is bounded below away from vacuum and the heat conductivity coefficient κ satisfies the growth condition κ _1(1+θ^{α })≤ κ (θ)≤ κ _2(1+θ^{α }),\\quad { for some }0< α < ∞, with κ _1,κ _2 being positive constants. Moreover, global solvability of strong solutions is shown with the initial vacuum. The results are obtained without any smallness restriction to the initial data.

Free-stream disturbance, continuous Eigenfunctions, boundary-layer instability and transition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grosch, C. E.

1980-01-01

A rational foundation is presented for the application of the linear shear flows to transition prediction, and an explicit method is given for carrying out the necessary calculations. The expansions used are shown to be complete. Sample calculations show that a typical boundary layer is very sensitive to vorticity disturbances in the inner boundary layer, near the critical layer. Vorticity disturbances three or four boundary layer thicknesses above the boundary are nearly uncoupled from the boundary layer in that the amplitudes of the discrete Tollmien-Schlicting waves are an extremely small fraction of the amplitude of the disturbance.

Derivation of Inviscid Quasi-geostrophic Equation from Rotational Compressible Magnetohydrodynamic Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Young-Sam; Lin, Ying-Chieh; Su, Cheng-Fang

2018-04-01

In this paper, we consider the compressible models of magnetohydrodynamic flows giving rise to a variety of mathematical problems in many areas. We derive a rigorous quasi-geostrophic equation governed by magnetic field from the rotational compressible magnetohydrodynamic flows with the well-prepared initial data. It is a first derivation of quasi-geostrophic equation governed by the magnetic field, and the tool is based on the relative entropy method. This paper covers two results: the existence of the unique local strong solution of quasi-geostrophic equation with the good regularity and the derivation of a quasi-geostrophic equation.

Physical consistency in modeling interplanetary magnetohydrodynamic fluctuations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Y.; Matthaeus, W. H.; Roberts, D. A.; Goldstein, M. L.

1990-01-01

The validity of the Velli, Grappin and Mangeney (1989) model is evaluated. It is argued that the model is incorrect because it mixes different dynamical models, assumes weak nonlinearities, makes predictions that vary with observations, and violates causality. It is proposed that self-similar behavior in the coronal source region of the magnetohydrodynamic fluctuations cause the Kolmogorov-like spectra.

Distribution of nuclei in equilibrium stellar matter from the free-energy density in a Wigner-Seitz cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grams, G.; Giraud, S.; Fantina, A. F.; Gulminelli, F.

2018-03-01

The aim of the present study is to calculate the nuclear distribution associated at finite temperature to any given equation of state of stellar matter based on the Wigner-Seitz approximation, for direct applications in core-collapse simulations. The Gibbs free energy of the different configurations is explicitly calculated, with special care devoted to the calculation of rearrangement terms, ensuring thermodynamic consistency. The formalism is illustrated with two different applications. First, we work out the nuclear statistical equilibrium cluster distribution for the Lattimer and Swesty equation of state, widely employed in supernova simulations. Secondly, we explore the effect of including shell structure, and consider realistic nuclear mass tables from the Brussels-Montreal Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov model (specifically, HFB-24). We show that the whole collapse trajectory is dominated by magic nuclei, with extremely spread and even bimodal distributions of the cluster probability around magic numbers, demonstrating the importance of cluster distributions with realistic mass models in core-collapse simulations. Simple analytical expressions are given, allowing further applications of the method to any relativistic or nonrelativistic subsaturation equation of state.

COUPLING OF CORONAL AND HELIOSPHERIC MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC MODELS: SOLUTION COMPARISONS AND VERIFICATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Merkin, V. G.; Lionello, R.; Linker, J.

2016-11-01

Two well-established magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) codes are coupled to model the solar corona and the inner heliosphere. The corona is simulated using the MHD algorithm outside a sphere (MAS) model. The Lyon–Fedder–Mobarry (LFM) model is used in the heliosphere. The interface between the models is placed in a spherical shell above the critical point and allows both models to work in either a rotating or an inertial frame. Numerical tests are presented examining the coupled model solutions from 20 to 50 solar radii. The heliospheric simulations are run with both LFM and the MAS extension into the heliosphere, and use themore » same polytropic coronal MAS solutions as the inner boundary condition. The coronal simulations are performed for idealized magnetic configurations, with an out-of-equilibrium flux rope inserted into an axisymmetric background, with and without including the solar rotation. The temporal evolution at the inner boundary of the LFM and MAS solutions is shown to be nearly identical, as are the steady-state background solutions, prior to the insertion of the flux rope. However, after the coronal mass ejection has propagated through the significant portion of the simulation domain, the heliospheric solutions diverge. Additional simulations with different resolution are then performed and show that the MAS heliospheric solutions approach those of LFM when run with progressively higher resolution. Following these detailed tests, a more realistic simulation driven by the thermodynamic coronal MAS is presented, which includes solar rotation and an azimuthally asymmetric background and extends to the Earth’s orbit.« less

Extending the capability of GYRE to calculate tidally forced stellar oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Zhao; Gies, Douglas R.

2016-01-01

Tidally forced oscillations have been observed in many eccentric binary systems, such as KOI-54 and many other 'heart beat stars'. The tidal response of the star can be calculated by solving a revised stellar oscillations equations.The open-source stellar oscillation code GYRE (Townsend & Teitler 2013) can be used to solve the free stellar oscillation equations in both adiabatic and non-adiabatic cases. It uses a novel matrix exponential method which avoids many difficulties of the classical shooting and relaxation method. The new version also includes the effect of rotation in traditional approximation.After showing the code flow of GYRE, we revise its subroutines and extend its capability to calculate tidallyforced oscillations in both adiabatic and non-adiabatic cases following the procedure in the CAFein code (Valsecchi et al. 2013). In the end, we compare the tidal eigenfunctions with those calculated from CAFein.More details of the revision and a simple version of the code in MATLAB can be obtained upon request.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: NuGrid stellar data set I. Yields from H to Bi (Pignatari+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pignatari, M.; Herwig, F.; Hirschi, R.; Bennett, M.; Rockefeller, G.; Fryer, C.; Timmes, F. X.; Ritter, C.; Heger, A.; Jones, S.; Battino, U.; Dotter, A.; Trappitsch, R.; Diehl, S.; Frischknecht, U.; Hungerford, A.; Magkotsios, G.; Travaglio, C.; Young, P.

2016-10-01

We provide a set of stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis calculations that applies established physics assumptions simultaneously to low- and intermediate-mass and massive star models. Our goal is to provide an internally consistent and comprehensive nuclear production and yield database for applications in areas such as presolar grain studies. Our non-rotating models assume convective boundary mixing (CBM) where it has been adopted before. We include 8 (12) initial masses for Z=0.01 (0.02). Models are followed either until the end of the asymptotic giant branch phase or the end of Si burning, complemented by simple analytic core-collapse supernova (SN) models with two options for fallback and shock velocities. The explosions show which pre-SN yields will most strongly be effected by the explosive nucleosynthesis. We discuss how these two explosion parameters impact the light elements and the s and p process. For low- and intermediate-mass models, our stellar yields from H to Bi include the effect of CBM at the He-intershell boundaries and the stellar evolution feedback of the mixing process that produces the 13C pocket. All post-processing nucleosynthesis calculations use the same nuclear reaction rate network and nuclear physics input. We provide a discussion of the nuclear production across the entire mass range organized by element group. The entirety of our stellar nucleosynthesis profile and time evolution output are available electronically, and tools to explore the data on the NuGrid VOspace hosted by the Canadian Astronomical Data Centre are introduced. (12 data files).

Stellar population models in the Near-Infrared (Ph.D. thesis)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meneses-Goytia, Sofia

2015-11-01

The study of early-type elliptical and lenticular galaxies provides important information about the formation and evolution of galaxies in the early Universe. These distant systems cannot be studied by looking at their individual stars but information can still be obtained by studying their unresolved spectrum in detail. During my PhD I have constructed accurate unresolved stellar population models for populations of a single age and metallicity in the near-infrared range. The extension to the NIR is important for the study of early-type galaxies, since these galaxies are predominantly old and therefore emit most of their light in this wavelength range. The models are based on the NASA IRTF library of empirical stellar spectra. Integrating these spectra along theoretical isochrones, while assuming an initial mass function, we have produced model spectra of single age-metallicity stellar populations at an intermediate resolution. Comparison to literature results show that our models are well suited for studying stellar populations in unresolved galaxies. They are particularly useful for studying the old and intermediate-age stellar populations in galaxies, relatively free from contamination of young stars and extinction by dust. Subsequently, we use the models to fit the observed spectra of globular clusters and galaxies, to derive their age distribution, chemical abundances and IMF properties. We show that the contribution of AGB stars to the galaxy spectrum is clearly larger in the field than it is in the Fornax cluster. This implies that the environment plays an important role in driving the evolutionary histories of the galaxies.

New cellular automaton model for magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Hudong; Matthaeus, William H.

1987-01-01

A new type of two-dimensional cellular automation method is introduced for computation of magnetohydrodynamic fluid systems. Particle population is described by a 36-component tensor referred to a hexagonal lattice. By appropriate choice of the coefficients that control the modified streaming algorithm and the definition of the macroscopic fields, it is possible to compute both Lorentz-force and magnetic-induction effects. The method is local in the microscopic space and therefore suited to massively parallel computations.

Stellar age spreads in clusters as imprints of cluster-parent clump densities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parmentier, G.; Grebel, E. K.; Pfalzner, S.

2014-08-20

It has recently been suggested that high-density star clusters have stellar age distributions much narrower than that of the Orion Nebula Cluster, indicating a possible trend of narrower age distributions for denser clusters. We show this effect to likely arise from star formation being faster in gas with a higher density. We model the star formation history of molecular clumps in equilibrium by associating a star formation efficiency per free-fall time, ε{sub ff}, to their volume density profile. We focus on the case of isothermal spheres and we obtain the evolution with time of their star formation rate. Our modelmore » predicts a steady decline of the star formation rate, which we quantify with its half-life time, namely, the time needed for the star formation rate to drop to half its initial value. Given the uncertainties affecting the star formation efficiency per free-fall time, we consider two distinct values: ε{sub ff} = 0.1 and ε{sub ff} = 0.01. When ε{sub ff} = 0.1, the half-life time is of the order of the clump free-fall time, τ{sub ff}. As a result, the age distributions of stars formed in high-density clumps have smaller full-widths at half-maximum than those of stars formed in low-density clumps. When the star formation efficiency per free-fall time is 0.01, the half-life time is 10 times longer, i.e., 10 clump free-fall times. We explore what happens if the duration of star formation is shorter than 10τ{sub ff}, that is, if the half-life time of the star formation rate cannot be defined. There, we build on the invariance of the shape of the young cluster mass function to show that an anti-correlation between the clump density and the duration of star formation is expected. We therefore conclude that, regardless of whether the duration of star formation is longer than the star formation rate half-life time, denser molecular clumps yield narrower star age distributions in clusters. Published densities and stellar age spreads of young clusters

Warm stellar matter within the quark-meson-coupling model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Panda, P. K.; Providencia, C.; Menezes, D. P.

2010-10-15

In the present article, we investigate stellar matter obtained within the quark-meson-coupling (QMC) model for fixed temperature and with the entropy of the order of 1 or 2 Boltzmann units per baryon for neutrino-free matter and matter with trapped neutrinos. A new prescription for the calculation of the baryon effective masses in terms of the free energy is used. Comparing the results of the present work with those obtained from the nonlinear Walecka model, smaller strangeness and neutrino fractions are predicted within QMC. As a consequence, QMC has a smaller window of metastability for conversion into a low-mass blackhole duringmore » cooling.« less

Free boundary problems in shock reflection/diffraction and related transonic flow problems

PubMed Central

Chen, Gui-Qiang; Feldman, Mikhail

2015-01-01

Shock waves are steep wavefronts that are fundamental in nature, especially in high-speed fluid flows. When a shock hits an obstacle, or a flying body meets a shock, shock reflection/diffraction phenomena occur. In this paper, we show how several long-standing shock reflection/diffraction problems can be formulated as free boundary problems, discuss some recent progress in developing mathematical ideas, approaches and techniques for solving these problems, and present some further open problems in this direction. In particular, these shock problems include von Neumann's problem for shock reflection–diffraction by two-dimensional wedges with concave corner, Lighthill's problem for shock diffraction by two-dimensional wedges with convex corner, and Prandtl-Meyer's problem for supersonic flow impinging onto solid wedges, which are also fundamental in the mathematical theory of multidimensional conservation laws. PMID:26261363

Habitability in Different Milky Way Stellar Environments: A Stellar Interaction Dynamical Approach

PubMed Central

Pichardo, Bárbara; Lake, George; Segura, Antígona

2013-01-01

Abstract Every Galactic environment is characterized by a stellar density and a velocity dispersion. With this information from literature, we simulated flyby encounters for several Galactic regions, numerically calculating stellar trajectories as well as orbits for particles in disks; our aim was to understand the effect of typical stellar flybys on planetary (debris) disks in the Milky Way Galaxy. For the solar neighborhood, we examined nearby stars with known distance, proper motions, and radial velocities. We found occurrence of a disturbing impact to the solar planetary disk within the next 8 Myr to be highly unlikely; perturbations to the Oort cloud seem unlikely as well. Current knowledge of the full phase space of stars in the solar neighborhood, however, is rather poor; thus we cannot rule out the existence of a star that is more likely to approach than those for which we have complete kinematic information. We studied the effect of stellar encounters on planetary orbits within the habitable zones of stars in more crowded stellar environments, such as stellar clusters. We found that in open clusters habitable zones are not readily disrupted; this is true if they evaporate in less than 108 yr. For older clusters the results may not be the same. We specifically studied the case of Messier 67, one of the oldest open clusters known, and show the effect of this environment on debris disks. We also considered the conditions in globular clusters, the Galactic nucleus, and the Galactic bulge-bar. We calculated the probability of whether Oort clouds exist in these Galactic environments. Key Words: Stellar interactions—Galactic habitable zone—Oort cloud. Astrobiology 13, 491–509. PMID:23659647

A MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC MODEL OF THE 2006 DECEMBER 13 ERUPTIVE FLARE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fan, Y.

2011-10-20

We present a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulation that qualitatively models the coronal magnetic field evolution associated with the eruptive flare that occurred on 2006 December 13 in the emerging {delta}-sunspot region NOAA 10930 observed by the Hinode satellite. The simulation is set up to drive the emergence of an east-west-oriented magnetic flux rope at the lower boundary into a preexisting coronal field constructed from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Michelson Doppler Imager full-disk magnetogram at 20:51:01 UT on 2006 December 12. The resulting coronal flux rope embedded in the ambient coronal magnetic field first settles into a stage of quasi-static rise andmore » then undergoes a dynamic eruption, with the leading edge of the flux rope cavity accelerating to a steady speed of about 830 km s{sup -1}. The pre-eruption coronal magnetic field shows morphology that is in qualitative agreement with that seen in the Hinode soft X-ray observation in both the magnetic connectivity as well as the development of an inverse-S-shaped X-ray sigmoid. We examine the properties of the erupting flux rope and the morphology of the post-reconnection loops, and compare them with the observations.« less

Near-Field Cosmology with Resolved Stellar Populations Around Local Volume LMC Stellar-Mass Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlin, Jeffrey L.; Sand, David J.; Willman, Beth; Brodie, Jean P.; Crnojevic, Denija; Forbes, Duncan; Hargis, Jonathan R.; Peter, Annika; Pucha, Ragadeepika; Romanowsky, Aaron J.; Spekkens, Kristine; Strader, Jay

2018-06-01

We discuss our ongoing observational program to comprehensively map the entire virial volumes of roughly LMC stellar mass galaxies at distances of ~2-4 Mpc. The MADCASH (Magellanic Analog Dwarf Companions And Stellar Halos) survey will deliver the first census of the dwarf satellite populations and stellar halo properties within LMC-like environments in the Local Volume. Our results will inform our understanding of the recent DES discoveries of dwarf satellites tentatively affiliated with the LMC/SMC system. This program has already yielded the discovery of the faintest known dwarf galaxy satellite of an LMC stellar-mass host beyond the Local Group, based on deep Subaru+HyperSuprimeCam imaging reaching ~2 magnitudes below its TRGB, and at least two additional candidate satellites. We will summarize the survey results and status to date, highlighting some challenges encountered and lessons learned as we process the data for this program through a prototype LSST pipeline. Our program will examine whether LMC stellar mass dwarfs have extended stellar halos, allowing us to assess the relative contributions of in-situ stars vs. merger debris to their stellar populations and halo density profiles. We outline the constraints on galaxy formation models that will be provided by our observations of low-mass galaxy halos and their satellites.

Two Regimes of Turbulent Fragmentation and the Stellar Initial Mass Function from Primordial to Present-Day Star Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padoan, Paolo; Nordlund, Åke; Kritsuk, Alexei G.; Norman, Michael L.; Li, Pak Shing

2007-06-01

The Padoan and Nordlund model of the stellar initial mass function (IMF) is derived from low-order statistics of supersonic turbulence, neglecting gravity (e.g., gravitational fragmentation, accretion, and merging). In this work, the predictions of that model are tested using the largest numerical experiments of supersonic hydrodynamic (HD) and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence to date (~10003 computational zones) and three different codes (Enzo, Zeus, and the Stagger code). The model predicts a power-law distribution for large masses, related to the turbulence-energy power-spectrum slope and the shock-jump conditions. This power-law mass distribution is confirmed by the numerical experiments. The model also predicts a sharp difference between the HD and MHD regimes, which is recovered in the experiments as well, implying that the magnetic field, even below energy equipartition on the large scale, is a crucial component of the process of turbulent fragmentation. These results suggest that the stellar IMF of primordial stars may differ from that in later epochs of star formation, due to differences in both gas temperature and magnetic field strength. In particular, we find that the IMF of primordial stars born in turbulent clouds may be narrowly peaked around a mass of order 10 Msolar, as long as the column density of such clouds is not much in excess of 1022 cm-2.

Deriving stellar inclination of slow rotators using stellar activity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dumusque, X., E-mail: xdumusque@cfa.harvard.edu

2014-12-01

Stellar inclination is an important parameter for many astrophysical studies. Although different techniques allow us to estimate stellar inclination for fast rotators, it becomes much more difficult when stars are rotating slower than ∼2-2.5 km s{sup –1}. By using the new activity simulation SOAP 2.0 which can reproduce the photometric and spectroscopic variations induced by stellar activity, we are able to fit observations of solar-type stars and derive their inclination. For HD 189733, we estimate the stellar inclination to be i=84{sub −20}{sup +6} deg, which implies a star-planet obliquity of ψ=4{sub −4}{sup +18} considering previous measurements of the spin-orbit angle.more » For α Cen B, we derive an inclination of i=45{sub −19}{sup +9}, which implies that the rotational spin of the star is not aligned with the orbital spin of the α Cen binary system. In addition, assuming that α Cen Bb is aligned with its host star, no transit would occur. The inclination of α Cen B can be measured using 40 radial-velocity measurements, which is remarkable given that the projected rotational velocity of the star is smaller than 1.15 km s{sup –1}.« less

Receptivity of Flat-Plate Boundary Layer in a Non-Uniform Free Stream (Vorticity Normal to the Plate)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kogan, M. N.; Shumilkin, V. G.; Ustinov, M. V.; Zhigulev, S. V.

1999-01-01

Experimental and theoretical studies of low speed leading edge boundary layer receptivity to free-stream vorticity produced by upstream wires normal to the leading edge are discussed. Data include parametric variations in leading edge configuration and details of the incident disturbance field including single and multiple wakes. The induced disturbance amplitude increases with increases in the leading edge diameter and wake interactions. Measurements agree with the theory of M. E. Goldstein.

Magnetohydrodynamics Accelerator Research Into Advanced Hypersonics (MARIAH). Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Micheletti, David A.; Baughman, Jack A.; Nelson, Gordon L.; Simmons, Gloyd A.

1997-01-01

This report documents the activities, results, conclusions and recommendations of the Magnetohydrodynamics Accelerator Research Into Advanced Hypersonics (MARIAH) Project in which the use of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) technology is investigated for its applicability to augment hypersonic wind tunnels. The long range objective of this investigation is to advance the development of ground test facilities to support the development of hypervelocity flight vehicles. The MHD accelerator adds kinetic energy directly to the wind tunnel working fluid, thereby increasing its Mach number to hypervelocity levels. Several techniques for MHD augmentation, as well as other physical characteristics of the process are studied to enhance the overall performance of hypersonic wind tunnel design. Specific recommendations are presented to improve the effectiveness of ground test facilities. The work contained herein builds on nearly four decades of research and experimentation by the aeronautics ground test and evaluation community, both foreign and domestic.

Magnetohydrodynamics Accelerator Research into Advanced Hypersonics (MARIAH). Part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baughman, Jack A.; Micheletti, David A.; Nelson, Gordon L.; Simmons, Gloyd A.

1997-01-01

This report documents the activities, results, conclusions and recommendations of the Magnetohydrodynamics Accelerator Research Into Advanced Hypersonics (MARIAH) Project in which the use of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) technology is investigated for its applicability to augment hypersonic wind tunnels. The long range objective of this investigation is to advance the development of ground test facilities to support the development of hypervelocity flight vehicles. The MHD accelerator adds kinetic energy directly to the wind tunnel working fluid, thereby increasing its Mach number to hypervelocity levels. Several techniques for MHD augmentation, as well as other physical characteristics of the process are studied to enhance the overall performance of hypersonic wind tunnel design. Specific recommendations are presented to improve the effectiveness of ground test facilities. The work contained herein builds on nearly four decades of research and experimentation by the aeronautics ground test and evaluation community, both foreign and domestic.

Tidal effects on stellar activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poppenhaeger, K.

2017-10-01

The architecture of many exoplanetary systems is different from the solar system, with exoplanets being in close orbits around their host stars and having orbital periods of only a few days. We can expect interactions between the star and the exoplanet for such systems that are similar to the tidal interactions observed in close stellar binary systems. For the exoplanet, tidal interaction can lead to circularization of its orbit and the synchronization of its rotational and orbital period. For the host star, it has long been speculated if significant angular momentum transfer can take place between the planetary orbit and the stellar rotation. In the case of the Earth-Moon system, such tidal interaction has led to an increasing distance between Earth and Moon. For stars with Hot Jupiters, where the orbital period of the exoplanet is typically shorter than the stellar rotation period, one expects a decreasing semimajor axis for the planet and enhanced stellar rotation, leading to increased stellar activity. Also excess turbulence in the stellar convective zone due to rising and subsiding tidal bulges may change the magnetic activity we observe for the host star. I will review recent observational results on stellar activity and tidal interaction in the presence of close-in exoplanets, and discuss the effects of enhanced stellar activity on the exoplanets in such systems.

A new class of relativistic stellar models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haggag, Salah

1995-03-01

Einstein field equations for a static and spherically symmetric perfect fluid are considered. A formulation given by Patino and Rago is used to obtain a class of nine solutions, two of them are Tolman solutions I, IV and the remaining seven are new. The solutions are the correct ones corresponding to expressions derived by Patino and Rago which have been shown by Knutsen to be incorrect. Similar to Tolan solution IV each of the new solutions satisfies energy conditions inside a sphere in some range of two independent parameters. Besides, each solution could be matched to the exterior Schwarzschild solution at a boundary where the pressure vanishes and thus the solutions constitute a class of new physically reasonable stellar models.

Some topics in the magnetohydrodynamics of accreting magnetic compact objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aly, J. J.

1986-01-01

Magnetic compact objects (neutron stars or white dwarfs) are currently thought to be present in many accreting systems that are releasing large amounts of energy. The magnetic field of the compact star may interact strongly with the accretion flow and play an essential role in the physics of these systems. Some magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) problems that are likely to be relevant in building up self-consistent models of the interaction between the accreting plasma and the star's magnetosphere are addressed in this series of lectures. The basic principles of MHD are first introduced and some important MHD mechanisms (Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities; reconnection) are discussed, with particular reference to their role in allowing the infalling matter to penetrate the magnetosphere and mix with the field. The structure of a force-free magnetosphere and the possibility of quasistatic momentum and energy transfer between regions linked by field-aligned currents are then studied in some detail. Finally, the structure of axisymmetric accretion flows onto magnetic compact objects is considered.

The effect of convective boundary condition on MHD mixed convection boundary layer flow over an exponentially stretching vertical sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isa, Siti Suzilliana Putri Mohamed; Arifin, Norihan Md.; Nazar, Roslinda; Bachok, Norfifah; Ali, Fadzilah Md

2017-12-01

A theoretical study that describes the magnetohydrodynamic mixed convection boundary layer flow with heat transfer over an exponentially stretching sheet with an exponential temperature distribution has been presented herein. This study is conducted in the presence of convective heat exchange at the surface and its surroundings. The system is controlled by viscous dissipation and internal heat generation effects. The governing nonlinear partial differential equations are converted into ordinary differential equations by a similarity transformation. The converted equations are then solved numerically using the shooting method. The results related to skin friction coefficient, local Nusselt number, velocity and temperature profiles are presented for several sets of values of the parameters. The effects of the governing parameters on the features of the flow and heat transfer are examined in detail in this study.

New theory of stellar convection without the mixing-length parameter: new stellar atmosphere model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasetto, Stefano; Chiosi, Cesare; Cropper, Mark; Grebel, Eva K.

2018-01-01

Stellar convection is usually described by the mixing-length theory, which makes use of the mixing-length scale factor to express the convective flux, velocity, and temperature gradients of the convective elements and stellar medium. The mixing-length scale is proportional to the local pressure scale height of the star, and the proportionality factor (i.e. mixing-length parameter) is determined by comparing the stellar models to some calibrator, i.e. the Sun. No strong arguments exist to suggest that the mixing-length parameter is the same in all stars and all evolutionary phases and because of this, all stellar models in the literature are hampered by this basic uncertainty. In a recent paper [1] we presented a new theory that does not require the mixing length parameter. Our self-consistent analytical formulation of stellar convection determines all the properties of stellar convection as a function of the physical behavior of the convective elements themselves and the surrounding medium. The new theory of stellar convection is formulated starting from a conventional solution of the Navier-Stokes/Euler equations expressed in a non-inertial reference frame co-moving with the convective elements. The motion of stellar convective cells inside convective-unstable layers is fully determined by a new system of equations for convection in a non-local and time-dependent formalism. The predictions of the new theory are compared with those from the standard mixing-length paradigm with positive results for atmosphere models of the Sun and all the stars in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.

Fully Implicit, Nonlinear 3D Extended Magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chacon, Luis; Knoll, Dana

2003-10-01

Extended magnetohydrodynamics (XMHD) includes nonideal effects such as nonlinear, anisotropic transport and two-fluid (Hall) effects. XMHD supports multiple, separate time scales that make explicit time differencing approaches extremely inefficient. While a fully implicit implementation promises efficiency without sacrificing numerical accuracy,(D. A. Knoll et al., phJ. Comput. Phys.) 185 (2), 583-611 (2003) the nonlinear nature of the XMHD system and the numerical stiffness associated with the fast waves make this endeavor difficult. Newton-Krylov methods are, however, ideally suited for such a task. These synergistically combine Newton's method for nonlinear convergence, and Krylov techniques to solve the associated Jacobian (linear) systems. Krylov methods can be implemented Jacobian-free and can be preconditioned for efficiency. Successful preconditioning strategies have been developed for 2D incompressible resistive(L. Chacón et al., phJ. Comput. Phys). 178 (1), 15- 36 (2002) and Hall(L. Chacón and D. A. Knoll, phJ. Comput. Phys.), 188 (2), 573-592 (2003) MHD models. These are based on ``physics-based'' ideas, in which knowledge of the physics is exploited to derive well-conditioned (diagonally-dominant) approximations to the original system that are amenable to optimal solver technologies (multigrid). In this work, we will describe the status of the extension of the 2D preconditioning ideas for a 3D compressible, single-fluid XMHD model.

Aeroheating Measurement of Apollo Shaped Capsule with Boundary Layer Trip in the Free-piston Shock Tunnel HIEST

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hideyuki, TANNO; Tomoyuki, KOMURO; Kazuo, SATO; Katsuhiro, ITOH; Lillard, Randolph P.; Olejniczak, Joseph

2013-01-01

An aeroheating measurement test campaign of an Apollo capsule model with laminar and turbulent boundary layer was performed in the free-piston shock tunnel HIEST at JAXA Kakuda Space Center. A 250mm-diameter 6.4%-scaled Apollo CM capsule model made of SUS-304 stainless steel was applied in this study. To measure heat flux distribution, the model was equipped with 88 miniature co-axial Chromel-Constantan thermocouples on the heat shield surface of the model. In order to promote boundary layer transition, a boundary layer trip insert with 13 "pizza-box" isolated roughness elements, which have 1.27mm square, were placed at 17mm below of the model geometric center. Three boundary layer trip inserts with roughness height of k=0.3mm, 0.6mm and 0.8mm were used to identify the appropriate height to induce transition. Heat flux records with or without roughness elements were obtained for model angles of attack 28º under stagnation enthalpy between H(sub 0)=3.5MJ/kg to 21MJ/kg and stagnation pressure between P(sub 0)=14MPa to 60MPa. Under the condition above, Reynolds number based on the model diameter was varied from 0.2 to 1.3 million. With roughness elements, boundary layer became fully turbulent less than H(sub 0)=9MJ/kg condition. However, boundary layer was still laminar over H(sub 0)=13MJ/kg condition even with the highest roughness elements. An additional experiment was also performed to correct unexpected heat flux augmentation observed over H(sub 0)=9MJ/kg condition.

Hall effects on unsteady MHD oscillatory free convective flow of second grade fluid through porous medium between two vertical plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

VeeraKrishna, M.; Subba Reddy, G.; Chamkha, A. J.

2018-02-01

The effects of radiation and Hall current on an unsteady magnetohydrodynamic free convective flow in a vertical channel filled with a porous medium have been studied. We consider an incompressible viscous and electrically conducting incompressible viscous second grade fluid bounded by a loosely packed porous medium. The fluid is driven by an oscillating pressure gradient parallel to the channel plates, and the entire flow field is subjected to a uniform inclined magnetic field of strength Ho inclined at an angle of inclination α with the normal to the boundaries in the transverse xy-plane. The temperature of one of the plates varies periodically, and the temperature difference of the plates is high enough to induce the radiative heat transfer. The effects of various parameters on the velocity profiles, the skin friction, temperature field, rate of heat transfer in terms of their amplitude, and phase angles are shown graphically.

A free boundary problem for steady small plaques in the artery and their stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedman, Avner; Hao, Wenrui; Hu, Bei

2015-08-01

Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide; it originates from a plaque which builds up in the artery. In this paper, we consider a simplified model of plaque growth involving LDL and HDL cholesterols, macrophages and foam cells, which satisfy a coupled system of PDEs with a free boundary, the interface between the plaque and the blood flow. We prove that there exist small radially symmetric stationary plaques and establish a sharp condition that ensures their stability. We also determine necessary and sufficient conditions under which a small initial plaque will shrink and disappear, or persist for all times.

Edge plasma boundary layer generated by kink modes in tokamaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharov, Leonid E.

2011-06-01

This paper describes the structure of the electric current generated by external wall touching and free boundary kink modes at the plasma edge using the ideally conducting plasma model. Both kinds of modes generate δ-functional surface current at the plasma edge. Free boundary kink modes also perturb the core plasma current, which in the plasma edge compensates the difference between the δ-functional surface currents of free boundary and wall touching kink modes. In addition, the resolution of an apparent paradox with the pressure balance across the plasma boundary in the presence of the surface currents is provided.

The Birth of a Galaxy: Primordial Metal Enrichment and Stellar Populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wise, John H.; Turk, Matthew J.; Norman, Michael L.; Abel, Tom

2012-01-01

By definition, Population III stars are metal-free, and their protostellar collapse is driven by molecular hydrogen cooling in the gas phase, leading to large characteristic masses. Population II stars with lower characteristic masses form when the star-forming gas reaches a critical metallicity of 10-6-10-3.5 Z ⊙. We present an adaptive mesh refinement radiation hydrodynamics simulation that follows the transition from Population III to Population II star formation. The maximum spatial resolution of 1 comoving parsec allows for individual molecular clouds to be well resolved and their stellar associations to be studied in detail. We model stellar radiative feedback with adaptive ray tracing. A top-heavy initial mass function for the Population III stars is considered, resulting in a plausible distribution of pair-instability supernovae and associated metal enrichment. We find that the gas fraction recovers from 5% to nearly the cosmic fraction in halos with merger histories rich in halos above 107 M ⊙. A single pair-instability supernova is sufficient to enrich the host halo to a metallicity floor of 10-3 Z ⊙ and to transition to Population II star formation. This provides a natural explanation for the observed floor on damped Lyα systems metallicities reported in the literature, which is of this order. We find that stellar metallicities do not necessarily trace stellar ages, as mergers of halos with established stellar populations can create superpositions of t-Z evolutionary tracks. A bimodal metallicity distribution is created after a starburst occurs when the halo can cool efficiently through atomic line cooling.

Young Stellar Grouping in Cygnus X

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Cygnus X hosts many young stellar groupings. The combined outflows and ultraviolet radiation from the region's numerous massive stars have heated and pushed gas away from the clusters, producing cavities of hot, lower-density gas. In this 8-micron infrared image, ridges of denser gas mark the boundaries of the cavities. Bright spots within these ridges show where stars are forming today. Credit: NASA/IPAC/MSX To read more go to: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST/news/cygnus-cocoon.html NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Dynamic behavior of an unsteady trubulent boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parikh, P. G.; Reynolds, W. C.; Jayaramen, R.; Carr, L. W.

1981-01-01

Experiments on an unsteady turbulent boundary layer are reported in which the upstream portion of the flow is steady (in the mean) and in the downstream region, the boundary layer sees a linearly decreasing free stream velocity. This velocity gradient oscillates in time, at frequencies ranging from zero to approximately the bursting frequency. For the small amplitude, the mean velocity and mean turbulence intensity profiles are unaffected by the oscillations. The amplitude of the periodic velocity component, although as much as 70% greater than that in the free stream for very low frequencies, becomes equal to that in the free stream at higher frequencies. At high frequencies, both the boundary layer thickness and the Reynolds stress distribution across the boundary layer become frozen. The behavior at higher amplitude is quite similar. At sufficiently high frequencies, the boundary layer thickness remains frozen at the mean value over the oscillation cycle, even though flow reverses near the wall during a part of the cycle.

Magnetohydrodynamic effects in liquid metal batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefani, F.; Galindo, V.; Kasprzyk, C.; Landgraf, S.; Seilmayer, M.; Starace, M.; Weber, N.; Weier, T.

2016-07-01

Liquid metal batteries (LMBs) consist of two liquid metal electrodes and a molten salt ionic conductor sandwiched between them. The density ratios allow for a stable stratification of the three layers. LMBs were already considered as part of energy conversion systems in the 1960s and have recently received renewed interest for economical large-scale energy storage. In this paper, we concentrate on the magnetohydrodynamic aspects of this cell type with special focus on electro-vortex flows and possible effects of the Tayler instability.

Stellarator Research Opportunities: A Report of the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee

DOE PAGES

Gates, David A.; Anderson, David; Anderson, S.; ...

2018-02-19

This paper is the product of a stellarator community workshop, organized by the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee and referred to as Stellcon, that was held in Cambridge, Massachusetts in February 2016, hosted by MIT. The workshop was widely advertised, and was attended by 40 scientists from 12 different institutions including national labs, universities and private industry, as well as a representative from the Department of Energy. The final section of this document describes areas of community wide consensus that were developed as a result of the discussions held at that workshop. Areas where further study would be helpful to generatemore » a consensus path forward for the US stellarator program are also discussed. The program outlined in this document is directly responsive to many of the strategic priorities of FES as articulated in “Fusion Energy Sciences: A Ten-Year Perspective (2015–2025)” [1]. The natural disruption immunity of the stellarator directly addresses “Elimination of transient events that can be deleterious to toroidal fusion plasma confinement devices” an area of critical importance for the US fusion energy sciences enterprise over the next decade. Another critical area of research “Strengthening our partnerships with international research facilities,” is being significantly advanced on the W7-X stellarator in Germany and serves as a test-bed for development of successful international collaboration on ITER. Finally, this report also outlines how materials science as it relates to plasma and fusion sciences, another critical research area, can be carried out effectively in a stellarator. Additionally, significant advances along two of the Research Directions outlined in the report; “Burning Plasma Science: Foundations—Next-generation research capabilities”, and “Burning Plasma Science: Long pulse—Sustainment of Long-Pulse Plasma Equilibria” are proposed.« less

Stellarator Research Opportunities: A Report of the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gates, David A.; Anderson, David; Anderson, S.

This paper is the product of a stellarator community workshop, organized by the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee and referred to as Stellcon, that was held in Cambridge, Massachusetts in February 2016, hosted by MIT. The workshop was widely advertised, and was attended by 40 scientists from 12 different institutions including national labs, universities and private industry, as well as a representative from the Department of Energy. The final section of this document describes areas of community wide consensus that were developed as a result of the discussions held at that workshop. Areas where further study would be helpful to generatemore » a consensus path forward for the US stellarator program are also discussed. The program outlined in this document is directly responsive to many of the strategic priorities of FES as articulated in “Fusion Energy Sciences: A Ten-Year Perspective (2015–2025)” [1]. The natural disruption immunity of the stellarator directly addresses “Elimination of transient events that can be deleterious to toroidal fusion plasma confinement devices” an area of critical importance for the US fusion energy sciences enterprise over the next decade. Another critical area of research “Strengthening our partnerships with international research facilities,” is being significantly advanced on the W7-X stellarator in Germany and serves as a test-bed for development of successful international collaboration on ITER. Finally, this report also outlines how materials science as it relates to plasma and fusion sciences, another critical research area, can be carried out effectively in a stellarator. Additionally, significant advances along two of the Research Directions outlined in the report; “Burning Plasma Science: Foundations—Next-generation research capabilities”, and “Burning Plasma Science: Long pulse—Sustainment of Long-Pulse Plasma Equilibria” are proposed.« less

Stellarator Research Opportunities: A Report of the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gates, D. A.; Anderson, D.; Anderson, S.; Zarnstorff, M.; Spong, D. A.; Weitzner, H.; Neilson, G. H.; Ruzic, D.; Andruczyk, D.; Harris, J. H.; Mynick, H.; Hegna, C. C.; Schmitz, O.; Talmadge, J. N.; Curreli, D.; Maurer, D.; Boozer, A. H.; Knowlton, S.; Allain, J. P.; Ennis, D.; Wurden, G.; Reiman, A.; Lore, J. D.; Landreman, M.; Freidberg, J. P.; Hudson, S. R.; Porkolab, M.; Demers, D.; Terry, J.; Edlund, E.; Lazerson, S. A.; Pablant, N.; Fonck, R.; Volpe, F.; Canik, J.; Granetz, R.; Ware, A.; Hanson, J. D.; Kumar, S.; Deng, C.; Likin, K.; Cerfon, A.; Ram, A.; Hassam, A.; Prager, S.; Paz-Soldan, C.; Pueschel, M. J.; Joseph, I.; Glasser, A. H.

2018-02-01

This document is the product of a stellarator community workshop, organized by the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee and referred to as Stellcon, that was held in Cambridge, Massachusetts in February 2016, hosted by MIT. The workshop was widely advertised, and was attended by 40 scientists from 12 different institutions including national labs, universities and private industry, as well as a representative from the Department of Energy. The final section of this document describes areas of community wide consensus that were developed as a result of the discussions held at that workshop. Areas where further study would be helpful to generate a consensus path forward for the US stellarator program are also discussed. The program outlined in this document is directly responsive to many of the strategic priorities of FES as articulated in "Fusion Energy Sciences: A Ten-Year Perspective (2015-2025)" [1]. The natural disruption immunity of the stellarator directly addresses "Elimination of transient events that can be deleterious to toroidal fusion plasma confinement devices" an area of critical importance for the US fusion energy sciences enterprise over the next decade. Another critical area of research "Strengthening our partnerships with international research facilities," is being significantly advanced on the W7-X stellarator in Germany and serves as a test-bed for development of successful international collaboration on ITER. This report also outlines how materials science as it relates to plasma and fusion sciences, another critical research area, can be carried out effectively in a stellarator. Additionally, significant advances along two of the Research Directions outlined in the report; "Burning Plasma Science: Foundations - Next-generation research capabilities", and "Burning Plasma Science: Long pulse - Sustainment of Long-Pulse Plasma Equilibria" are proposed.

Stellarator Research Opportunities: A report of the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gates, David A.; Anderson, David

This document is the product of a stellarator community workshop, organized by the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee and referred to as Stellcon, that was held in Cambridge, Massachusetts in February 2016, hosted by MIT. The workshop was widely advertised, and was attended by 40 scientists from 12 different institutions including national labs, universities and private industry, as well as a representative from the Department of Energy. The final section of this document describes areas of community wide consensus that were developed as a result of the discussions held at that workshop. Areas where further study would be helpful to generatemore » a consensus path forward for the US stellarator program are also discussed. The program outlined in this document is directly responsive to many of the strategic priorities of FES as articulated in “Fusion Energy Sciences: A Ten-Year Perspective (2015-2025)” [2]. The natural disruption immunity of the stellarator directly addresses “Elimination of transient events that can be deleterious to toroidal fusion plasma confinement devices” an area of critical importance for the U.S. fusion energy sciences enterprise over the next decade. Another critical area of research “Strengthening our partnerships with international research facilities,” is being significantly advanced on the W7-X stellarator in Germany and serves as a test-bed for development of successful international collaboration on ITER. This report also outlines how materials science as it relates to plasma and fusion sciences, another critical research area, can be carried out effectively in a stellarator. Additionally, significant advances along two of the Research Directions outlined in the report; “Burning Plasma Science: Foundations - Next-generation research capabilities”, and “Burning Plasma Science: Long pulse - Sustainment of Long-Pulse Plasma Equilibria” are proposed.« less

Numerical study of compressible magnetoconvection with an open transitional boundary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanami, H.; Tajima, T.

1990-08-01

We study by computer simulation nonlinear evolution of magnetoconvection in a system with a dynamical open boundary between the convection region and corona of the sun. We study a model in which the fluid is subject to the vertical gravitation, magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), and high stratification, through an MHD code with the MacCormack-Donner cell hybrid scheme in order to well represent convective phenomena. Initially the vertical fluid flux penetrates from the convectively unstable zone at the bottom into the upper diffuse atmosphere. As the instability develops, the magnetic fields are twisted by the convection motion and the folding magnetic fields ismore » observed. When the magnetic pressure is comparable to the thermal pressure in the upper layer of convective zone, strong flux expulsion from the convective cell interior toward the cell boundary appears. Under appropriate conditions our simulation exhibits no shock formation incurred by the fluid convected to the photosphere, in contrast to earlier works with box boundaries. The magnetic field patterns observed are those of concentrated magnetic flux tubes, accumulation of dynamo flux near the bottom boundary, pinched flux near the downdraft region, and the surface movement of magnetic flux toward the downdraft region. Many of these computationally observed features are reminiscent of solar observations of the fluid and magnetic structures of their motions.« less

Habitability in different Milky Way stellar environments: a stellar interaction dynamical approach.

PubMed

Jiménez-Torres, Juan J; Pichardo, Bárbara; Lake, George; Segura, Antígona

2013-05-01

Every Galactic environment is characterized by a stellar density and a velocity dispersion. With this information from literature, we simulated flyby encounters for several Galactic regions, numerically calculating stellar trajectories as well as orbits for particles in disks; our aim was to understand the effect of typical stellar flybys on planetary (debris) disks in the Milky Way Galaxy. For the solar neighborhood, we examined nearby stars with known distance, proper motions, and radial velocities. We found occurrence of a disturbing impact to the solar planetary disk within the next 8 Myr to be highly unlikely; perturbations to the Oort cloud seem unlikely as well. Current knowledge of the full phase space of stars in the solar neighborhood, however, is rather poor; thus we cannot rule out the existence of a star that is more likely to approach than those for which we have complete kinematic information. We studied the effect of stellar encounters on planetary orbits within the habitable zones of stars in more crowded stellar environments, such as stellar clusters. We found that in open clusters habitable zones are not readily disrupted; this is true if they evaporate in less than 10(8) yr. For older clusters the results may not be the same. We specifically studied the case of Messier 67, one of the oldest open clusters known, and show the effect of this environment on debris disks. We also considered the conditions in globular clusters, the Galactic nucleus, and the Galactic bulge-bar. We calculated the probability of whether Oort clouds exist in these Galactic environments.

Non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics on a moving mesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marinacci, Federico; Vogelsberger, Mark; Kannan, Rahul; Mocz, Philip; Pakmor, Rüdiger; Springel, Volker

2018-05-01

In certain astrophysical systems, the commonly employed ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) approximation breaks down. Here, we introduce novel explicit and implicit numerical schemes of ohmic resistivity terms in the moving-mesh code AREPO. We include these non-ideal terms for two MHD techniques: the Powell 8-wave formalism and a constrained transport scheme, which evolves the cell-centred magnetic vector potential. We test our implementation against problems of increasing complexity, such as one- and two-dimensional diffusion problems, and the evolution of progressive and stationary Alfvén waves. On these test problems, our implementation recovers the analytic solutions to second-order accuracy. As first applications, we investigate the tearing instability in magnetized plasmas and the gravitational collapse of a rotating magnetized gas cloud. In both systems, resistivity plays a key role. In the former case, it allows for the development of the tearing instability through reconnection of the magnetic field lines. In the latter, the adopted (constant) value of ohmic resistivity has an impact on both the gas distribution around the emerging protostar and the mass loading of magnetically driven outflows. Our new non-ideal MHD implementation opens up the possibility to study magneto-hydrodynamical systems on a moving mesh beyond the ideal MHD approximation.

Magnetohydrodynamic Oscillations in the Solar Corona and Earth's Magnetosphere: Towards Consolidated Understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakariakov, V. M.; Pilipenko, V.; Heilig, B.; Jelínek, P.; Karlický, M.; Klimushkin, D. Y.; Kolotkov, D. Y.; Lee, D.-H.; Nisticò, G.; Van Doorsselaere, T.; Verth, G.; Zimovets, I. V.

2016-04-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) oscillatory processes in different plasma systems, such as the corona of the Sun and the Earth's magnetosphere, show interesting similarities and differences, which so far received little attention and remain under-exploited. The successful commissioning within the past ten years of THEMIS, Hinode, STEREO and SDO spacecraft, in combination with matured analysis of data from earlier spacecraft (Wind, SOHO, ACE, Cluster, TRACE and RHESSI) makes it very timely to survey the breadth of observations giving evidence for MHD oscillatory processes in solar and space plasmas, and state-of-the-art theoretical modelling. The paper reviews several important topics, such as Alfvénic resonances and mode conversion; MHD waveguides, such as the magnetotail, coronal loops, coronal streamers; mechanisms for periodicities produced in energy releases during substorms and solar flares, possibility of Alfvénic resonators along open field lines; possible drivers of MHD waves; diagnostics of plasmas with MHD waves; interaction of MHD waves with partly-ionised boundaries (ionosphere and chromosphere). The review is mainly oriented to specialists in magnetospheric physics and solar physics, but not familiar with specifics of the adjacent research fields.

Exact solutions of magnetohydrodynamics for describing different structural disturbances in solar wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grib, S. A.; Leora, S. N.

2016-03-01

We use analytical methods of magnetohydrodynamics to describe the behavior of cosmic plasma. This approach makes it possible to describe different structural fields of disturbances in solar wind: shock waves, direction discontinuities, magnetic clouds and magnetic holes, and their interaction with each other and with the Earth's magnetosphere. We note that the wave problems of solar-terrestrial physics can be efficiently solved by the methods designed for solving classical problems of mathematical physics. We find that the generalized Riemann solution particularly simplifies the consideration of secondary waves in the magnetosheath and makes it possible to describe in detail the classical solutions of boundary value problems. We consider the appearance of a fast compression wave in the Earth's magnetosheath, which is reflected from the magnetosphere and can nonlinearly overturn to generate a back shock wave. We propose a new mechanism for the formation of a plateau with protons of increased density and a magnetic field trough in the magnetosheath due to slow secondary shock waves. Most of our findings are confirmed by direct observations conducted on spacecrafts (WIND, ACE, Geotail, Voyager-2, SDO and others).

Unsteady MHD free convection flow of casson fluid over an inclined vertical plate embedded in a porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manideep, P.; Raju, R. Srinivasa; Rao, T. Siva Nageswar; Reddy, G. Jithender

2018-05-01

This paper deals, an unsteady magnetohydrodynamic heat transfer natural convection flow of non-Newtonian Casson fluid over an inclined vertical plate embedded in a porous media with the presence of boundary conditions such as oscillating velocity, constant wall temperature. The governing dimensionless boundary layer partial differential equations are reduced to simultaneous algebraic linear equation for velocity, temperature of Casson fluid through finite element method. Those equations are solved by Thomas algorithm after imposing the boundary conditions through MATLAB for analyzing the behavior of Casson fluid velocity and temperature with various physical parameters. Also analyzed the local skin-friction and rate of heat transfer. Compared the present results with earlier reported studies, the results are comprehensively authenticated and robust FEM.

Propulsive Efficiencies of Magnetohydrodynamic Submerged Vehicular Propulsors

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

TERMS (Con’we on mrae . neoaay and kWerty by back nLt.) FIELD GROUP SUB-GROUP Magnetohydrodynamic propulsion, marine propulsion, seawater pump ...propelling a vehicular structure by a seawater elec- tromagnetic pump . This propulsion system can be applied to a surface ship or a submerged vehicle; however...structure by a seawater electromagnetic pump . This propulsion system can be applied to a surface ship or a submerged vehicle; however, in this work only

Method for manufacturing magnetohydrodynamic electrodes

DOEpatents

Killpatrick, D.H.; Thresh, H.R.

1980-06-24

A method of manufacturing electrodes for use in a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator is described comprising the steps of preparing a billet having a core of a first metal, a tubular sleeve of a second metal, and an outer sheath of an extrusile metal; evacuating the space between the parts of the assembled billet; extruding the billet; and removing the outer jacket. The extruded bar may be made into electrodes by cutting and bending to the shape required for an MHD channel frame. The method forms a bond between the first metal of the core and the second metal of the sleeve strong enough to withstand a hot and corrosive environment.

Strong stellar winds.

PubMed

Conti, P S; McCray, R

1980-04-04

The hottest and most luminous stars lose a substantial fraction of their mass in strong stellar winds. These winds not only affect the evolution of the star, they also carve huge expanding cavities in the surrounding interstellar medium, possibly affecting star formation. The winds are probably driven by radiation pressure, but uncertainties persist in their theoretical description. Strong x-ray sources associated with a few of these hot stars may be used to probe the stellar winds. The nature of the weak x-ray sources recently observed to be associated with many of these stars is uncertain. It is suggested that roughly 10 percent of the luminous hot stars may have as companions neutron stars or black holes orbiting within the stellar winds.

Frontiers of stellar evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambert, David L. (Editor)

1991-01-01

The present conference discusses theoretical and observational views of star formation, spectroscopic constraints on the evolution of massive stars, very low mass stars and brown dwarfs, asteroseismology, globular clusters as tests of stellar evolution, observational tests of stellar evolution, and mass loss from cool evolved giant stars. Also discussed are white dwarfs and hot subdwarfs, neutron stars and black holes, supernovae from single stars, close binaries with evolved components, accretion disks in interacting binaries, supernovae in binary systems, stellar evolution and galactic chemical evolution, and interacting binaries containing compact components.

The Fundamental Physical Processes Producing and Controlling Stellar Coronal/ Transition-Region/Chromospheric Activity and Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ayres, Thomas R.; Brown, Alexander

1998-01-01

Our LTSA grant supports a long-term collaborative investigation of stellar activity. The project involves current NASA spacecraft and supporting ground-based telescopes, will make use of future missions, and utilizes the extensive archives of IUE, ROSAT, HST, and EUVE. Our interests include observational work (with a nonnegligible groundbased component); specialized processing techniques for imaging and spectral data; and semiempirical modeling, ranging from optically-thin emission measure studies to simulations of optically-thick resonance lines. Collaborations with our cool-star colleagues here in Boulder (at JILA and the High Altitude Observatory) provide access to even broader expertise, particularly on the solar corona, convection, and magnetohydrodynamic phenomena (including "dynamo" theories). The broad-brush of our investigation include the following: (1) where do coronae occur in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram? (2) the winds of coronal stars: hot, cool, or both? (3) age, activity, rotation relations; (4) atmospheric inhomogeneities; and (5) heating mechanisms, subcoronal flows and flares. Our observation task has been to map the global properties of chromospheres and coronae in the H-R diagram and conduct detailed studies of key objects.

Investigation of the High, Finite n Ballooning Mode Limit for Compact Quasi-Axially Symmetric Stellarators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redi, Martha; Canik, John; Fredrickson, E.; Fu, G.; Nuehrenberg, C.; Boozer, A. H.

2000-10-01

The standard ballooning-mode beta limit comes from an infinite-n, radially local, ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) calculation. Finite-n ballooning modes have been observed in tokamak plasmas [1]. Investigations of optimized quasiaxially symmetric stellarators with three dimensional, global, ideal MHD codes have recently shown good stability for the external kink, ``vertical" and infinite-n ballooning modes [2,3]. However, infinite-n ballooning stability may be too restrictive, due to its sensitivity to features in the local shear and curvature. The CAS3D [4] code is being used to compare the stability of the high-n ballooning modes to the infinite-n calculations from TERPSICHORE [5]. [1] E. Fredrickson, et al. Phys. Plas. 3 (1996) 2620. [2] G. Fu, Phys. Plas. 7 (2000)1079; Phys. Plas. 7 (2000) 1809. M. Redi, et al. Phys. Plas 7 (2000)1911. [3] A. Reiman, et al., Plas. Phys. Cont. Fus. 41 (1999) B273. [4] C. Nuehrenberg, Phys. Plas. 6 (1999) 275. C. Nuehrenberg, Phys. Plas. 3 (1996) 2401. C. Schwab, Phys. Fluids B5 (1993) 3195. [5] W. A. Cooper, Phys. Plas. 3 (1996) 275.

The turbulent plasmasphere boundary layer and the outer radiation belt boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishin, Evgeny; Sotnikov, Vladimir

2017-12-01

We report on observations of enhanced plasma turbulence and hot particle distributions in the plasmasphere boundary layer formed by reconnection-injected hot plasma jets entering the plasmasphere. The data confirm that the electron pressure peak is formed just outward of the plasmapause in the premidnight sector. Free energy for plasma wave excitation comes from diamagnetic ion currents near the inner edge of the boundary layer due to the ion pressure gradient, electron diamagnetic currents in the entry layer near the electron plasma sheet boundary, and anisotropic (sometimes ring-like) ion distributions revealed inside, and further inward of, the inner boundary. We also show that nonlinear parametric coupling between lower oblique resonance and fast magnetosonic waves significantly contributes to the VLF whistler wave spectrum in the plasmasphere boundary layer. These emissions represent a distinctive subset of substorm/storm-related VLF activity in the region devoid of substorm injected tens keV electrons and could be responsible for the alteration of the outer radiation belt boundary during (sub)storms.

Magnetohydrodynamic modelling of exploding foil initiators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neal, William

2015-06-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) codes are currently being developed, and used, to predict the behaviour of electrically-driven flyer-plates. These codes are of particular interest to the design of exploding foil initiator (EFI) detonators but there is a distinct lack of comparison with high-fidelity experimental data. This study aims to compare a MHD code with a collection of temporally and spatially resolved diagnostics including PDV, dual-axis imaging and streak imaging. The results show the code's excellent representation of the flyer-plate launch and highlight features within the experiment that the model fails to capture.

Large-Scale Dynamics of the Magnetospheric Boundary: Comparisons between Global MHD Simulation Results and ISTP Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berchem, J.; Raeder, J.; Ashour-Abdalla, M.; Frank, L. A.; Paterson, W. R.; Ackerson, K. L.; Kokubun, S.; Yamamoto, T.; Lepping, R. P.

1998-01-01

Understanding the large-scale dynamics of the magnetospheric boundary is an important step towards achieving the ISTP mission's broad objective of assessing the global transport of plasma and energy through the geospace environment. Our approach is based on three-dimensional global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of the solar wind-magnetosphere- ionosphere system, and consists of using interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and plasma parameters measured by solar wind monitors upstream of the bow shock as input to the simulations for predicting the large-scale dynamics of the magnetospheric boundary. The validity of these predictions is tested by comparing local data streams with time series measured by downstream spacecraft crossing the magnetospheric boundary. In this paper, we review results from several case studies which confirm that our MHD model reproduces very well the large-scale motion of the magnetospheric boundary. The first case illustrates the complexity of the magnetic field topology that can occur at the dayside magnetospheric boundary for periods of northward IMF with strong Bx and By components. The second comparison reviewed combines dynamic and topological aspects in an investigation of the evolution of the distant tail at 200 R(sub E) from the Earth.

Stellar CME candidates: towards a stellar CME-flare relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paraskevi Moschou, Sofia; Drake, Jeremy J.; Cohen, Ofer; Alvarado-Gomez, Julian D.; Garraffo, Cecilia

2018-06-01

For decades the Sun has been the only star that allowed for direct CME observations. Recently, with the discovery of multiple extrasolar systems, it has become imperative that the role of stellar CMEs be assessed in the context of exoplanetary habitability. Solar CMEs and flares show a higher association with increasing flaring energy, with strong flares corresponding to large and fast CMEs. As argued in earlier studies, extrasolar environments around active stars are potentially dominated by CMEs, as a result of their extreme flaring activity. This has strong implications for the energy budget of the system and the atmospheric erosion of orbiting planets.Nevertheless, with current instrumentation we are unable to directly observe CMEs in even the closest stars, and thus we have to look for indirect techniques and observational evidence and signatures for the eruption of stellar CMEs. There are three major observational techniques for tracing CME signatures in other stellar systems, namely measuring Type II radio bursts, Doppler shifts in UV/optical lines or transient absorption in the X-ray spectrum. We present observations of the most probable stellar CME candidates captured so far and examine the different observational techniques used together with their levels of uncertainty. Assuming that they were CMEs, we try to asses their kinematic and energetic characteristics and place them in an extension of the well-established solar CME-flare energy scaling law. We finish by discussing future observations for direct measurements.

Dynamical effects of stellar companions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naoz, Smadar

2015-08-01

The fraction of stellar binaries in the field is extremely high (about 40% - 70% for > 1 Msun stars), and thus, given this frequency, a large fraction of all exoplanetary systems may reside in binaries. While close-in giant planets tend to be found preferentially in binary stellar systems it seems that the frequency of giant planets in close binaries (<100 AU) is significantly lower than in the overall population. Stellar companions’ gravitational perturbations may significantly alter the planetary orbits around their partner on secular timescales. They can drive planets to large eccentric orbits which can either result in plunging these planets into the star or shrinking their orbits and forming short period planets. I will review the dynamical effects stellar binaries have on a planetary systems. I will also present new results on the influence that stellar evolution has on the dynamical processes in these systems.

LES models for incompressible magnetohydrodynamics derived from the variational multiscale formulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sondak, David; Oberai, Assad

2012-10-01

Novel large eddy simulation (LES) models are developed for incompressible magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). These models include the application of the variational multiscale formulation (VMS) of LES to the equations of incompressible MHD, a new residual-based eddy viscosity model (RBEVM,) and a mixed LES model that combines the strengths of both of these models. The new models result in a consistent numerical method that is relatively simple to implement. A dynamic procedure for determining model coefficients is no longer required. The new LES models are tested on a decaying Taylor-Green vortex generalized to MHD and benchmarked against classical and state-of-the art LES turbulence models as well as direct numerical simulations (DNS). These new models are able to account for the essential MHD physics which is demonstrated via comparisons of energy spectra. We also compare the performance of our models to a DNS simulation by A. Pouquet et al., for which the ratio of DNS modes to LES modes is 262,144. Additionally, we extend these models to a finite element setting in which boundary conditions play a role. A classic problem on which we test these models is turbulent channel flow, which in the case of MHD, is called Hartmann flow.

Eigenvalue problems for Beltrami fields arising in a three-dimensional toroidal magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium problem

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hudson, S. R.; Hole, M. J.; Dewar, R. L.

2007-05-15

A generalized energy principle for finite-pressure, toroidal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibria in general three-dimensional configurations is proposed. The full set of ideal-MHD constraints is applied only on a discrete set of toroidal magnetic surfaces (invariant tori), which act as barriers against leakage of magnetic flux, helicity, and pressure through chaotic field-line transport. It is argued that a necessary condition for such invariant tori to exist is that they have fixed, irrational rotational transforms. In the toroidal domains bounded by these surfaces, full Taylor relaxation is assumed, thus leading to Beltrami fields {nabla}xB={lambda}B, where {lambda} is constant within each domain. Two distinctmore » eigenvalue problems for {lambda} arise in this formulation, depending on whether fluxes and helicity are fixed, or boundary rotational transforms. These are studied in cylindrical geometry and in a three-dimensional toroidal region of annular cross section. In the latter case, an application of a residue criterion is used to determine the threshold for connected chaos.« less

Design and experimental investigation of an oxy-fuel combustion system for magnetohydrodynamic power extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, Manuel Johannes

design concepts. Therefore, numerical computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were developed to design and optimize the combustion flow fields of oxy-fuel combustion systems. These models were analyzed to understand the boundary layer and heat transfer profile and qualitative behaviors in the product designs. Advanced materials for high-temperature applications were assessed for their possible implementation in the product design. A trade-off analysis indicated that this scheme may incur elevated product cost and a difficulty in manufacturing. Active cooling strategies were considered for product development. A rocket-based cooling scheme, regenerative cooling, was implemented to provide active cooling. In the hot gas path (HGP) cooling design, CFD models were developed to predict the variation of heat removal along the oxy-combustion wall for various operating conditions. The oxy-combustion technology was manufactured using electrical discharge machining (EDM). The product development lifecycle in this dissertation encompassed preliminary design, detailed design, and demonstration and validation of the product. Towards the final stages of the product development, Fuel-rich oxy combustion experiments were carried out to demonstrate and observe flame characteristics from the designed technology and to predict heat transfer loads. The demonstration findings of oxy-combustion flames are presented in this work to contribute the developing field of MHD direct power extraction, which lacks oxy-combustion design data and qualitative combustion datasets. The findings show that this oxy-combustion concept is capable of providing a high-enthalpy MHD environment for seeding, in order to render the flow to be conductive. Based on previous findings, temperatures in the range of 2800-3000 K may enable magnetohydrodynamic power extraction. The combustor hardware design was developed to contribute to engineered systems rated less than 100 kW for demonstration. The product hardware was

Evolution of relative magnetic helicity. New boundary conditions for the vector potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shangbin; Büchner, Jörg; Skála, Jan; Zhang, Hongqi

2018-05-01

Context. For a better understanding of the dynamics of the solar corona, it is important to analyse the evolution of the helicity of the magnetic field. Since the helicity cannot be directly determined by observations, we have recently proposed a method to calculate the relative magnetic helicity in a finite volume for a given magnetic field, which however required the flux to be balanced separately on all the sides of the considered volume. Aims: We developed a scheme to obtain the vector potential in a volume without the above restriction at the boundary. We studied the dissipation and escape of relative magnetic helicity from an active region. Methods: In order to allow finite magnetic fluxes through the boundaries, a Coulomb gauge was constructed that allows for global magnetic flux balance. The property of sinusoidal function was used to obtain the vector potentials at the 12 edges of the considered rectangular volume extending above an active region. We tested and verified our method in a theoretical fore-free magnetic field model. Results: We applied the new method to the former calculation data and found a difference of less than 1.2%. We also applied our method to the magnetic field above active region NOAA 11429 obtained by a new photospheric-data-driven magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model code GOEMHD3. We analysed the magnetic helicity evolution in the solar corona using our new method. We find that the normalized magnetic helicity (H/Φ2) is equal to -0.038 when fast magnetic reconnection is triggered. This value is comparable to the previous value (-0.029) in the MHD simulations when magnetic reconnection happened and the observed normalized magnetic helicity (-0.036) from the eruption of newly emerging active regions. We find that only 8% of the accumulated magnetic helicity is dissipated after it is injected through the bottom boundary. This is in accordance with the Woltjer conjecture. Only 2% of the magnetic helicity injected from the bottom boundary

Colour pairs for constraining the age and metallicity of stellar populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhongmu; Han, Zhanwen

2008-04-01

Using a widely used stellar-population synthesis model, we study the possibility of using pairs of AB system colours to break the well-known stellar age-metallicity degeneracy and to give constraints on two luminosity-weighted stellar-population parameters (age and metallicity). We present the relative age and metallicity sensitivities of the AB system colours that relate to the u,B,g,V,r,R,i, I,z,J,H and K bands, and we quantify the ability of various colour pairs to break the age-metallicity degeneracy. Our results suggest that a few pairs of colours can be used to constrain the above two stellar-population parameters. This will be very useful for exploring the stellar populations of distant galaxies. In detail, colour pairs [(r-K), (u-R)] and [(r-K), (u-r)] are shown to be the best pairs for estimating the luminosity-weighted stellar ages and metallicities of galaxies. They can constrain two stellar-population parameters on average with age uncertainties less than 3.89 Gyr and metallicity uncertainties less than 0.34 dex for typical colour uncertainties. The typical age uncertainties for young populations (age < 4.6 Gyr) and metal-rich populations (Z >= 0.001) are small (about 2.26 Gyr) while those for old populations (age >= 4.6 Gyr) and metal-poor populations (Z < 0.001) are much larger (about 6.88 Gyr). However, the metallicity uncertainties for metal-poor populations (about 0.0024) are much smaller than for other populations (about 0.015). Some other colour pairs can also possibly be used for constraining the two parameters. On the whole, the estimation of stellar-population parameters is likely to be reliable only for early-type galaxies with small colour errors and globular clusters, because such objects contain less dust. In fact, no galaxy is totally dust-free and early-type galaxies are also likely have some dust [e.g. E(B- V) ~ 0.05], which can change the stellar ages by about 2.5 Gyr and metallicities (Z) by about 0.015. When we compare the

Comments on stellar boundary cooling and the reality of supermetallicity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deming, D.

1980-01-01

The paper discusses the 'super-metal-rich' (SMR) stars and reexamines Peterson's analysis of the SMR prototype mu Leo (1978) with regard to a postulated error in continuum error. Model atmospheres are used to compute theoretical equivalent widths and to explore the sensitivity of these widths to metallicity, temperature, surface gravity, and microturbulence. It is shown that Peterson's results are sensitive to continuum placement, and that her data does not indicate that the temperature gradient is steeper in mu Leo than in normal giants. It is concluded that the SMR stars are very metal rich and are also somewhat boundary cooled, possibly due to high metallicity.

Lattice Boltzmann model for simulation of magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Shiyi; Chen, Hudong; Martinez, Daniel; Matthaeus, William

1991-01-01

A numerical method, based on a discrete Boltzmann equation, is presented for solving the equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The algorithm provides advantages similar to the cellular automaton method in that it is local and easily adapted to parallel computing environments. Because of much lower noise levels and less stringent requirements on lattice size, the method appears to be more competitive with traditional solution methods. Examples show that the model accurately reproduces both linear and nonlinear MHD phenomena.

Geomagnetic main field modeling using magnetohydrodynamic constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, R. H.

1985-01-01

The influence of physical constraints are investigated which may be approximately satisfied by the Earth's liquid core on models of the geomagnetic main field and its secular variation. A previous report describes the methodology used to incorporate nonlinear equations of constraint into the main field model. The application of that methodology to the GSFC 12/83 field model to test the frozen-flux hypothesis and the usefulness of incorporating magnetohydrodynamic constraints for obtaining improved geomagnetic field models is described.

Convective Overshoot in Stellar Interior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Q. S.

2015-07-01

In stellar interiors, the turbulent thermal convection transports matters and energy, and dominates the structure and evolution of stars. The convective overshoot, which results from the non-local convective transport from the convection zone to the radiative zone, is one of the most uncertain and difficult factors in stellar physics at present. The classical method for studying the convective overshoot is the non-local mixing-length theory (NMLT). However, the NMLT bases on phenomenological assumptions, and leads to contradictions, thus the NMLT was criticized in literature. At present, the helioseismic studies have shown that the NMLT cannot satisfy the helioseismic requirements, and have pointed out that only the turbulent convection models (TCMs) can be accepted. In the first part of this thesis, models and derivations of both the NMLT and the TCM were introduced. In the second part, i.e., the work part, the studies on the TCM (theoretical analysis and applications), and the development of a new model of the convective overshoot mixing were described in detail. In the work of theoretical analysis on the TCM, the approximate solution and the asymptotic solution were obtained based on some assumptions. The structure of the overshoot region was discussed. In a large space of the free parameters, the approximate/asymptotic solutions are in good agreement with the numerical results. We found an important result that the scale of the overshoot region in which the thermal energy transport is effective is 1 HK (HK is the scale height of turbulence kinetic energy), which does not depend on the free parameters of the TCM. We applied the TCM and a simple overshoot mixing model in three cases. In the solar case, it was found that the temperature gradient in the overshoot region is in agreement with the helioseismic requirements, and the profiles of the solar lithium abundance, sound speed, and density of the solar models are also improved. In the low-mass stars of open

Experimental measurements of unsteady turbulent boundary layers near separation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, R. L.

1982-01-01

Investigations conducted to document the behavior of turbulent boundary layers on flat surfaces that separate due to adverse pressure gradients are reported. Laser and hot wire anemometers measured turbulence and flow structure of a steady free stream separating turbulent boundary layer produced on the flow of a wind tunnel section. The effects of sinusoidal and unsteadiness of the free stream velocity on this separating turbulent boundary layer at a reduced frequency were determined. A friction gage and a thermal tuft were developed and used to measure the surface skin friction and the near wall fraction of time the flow moves downstream for several cases. Abstracts are provided of several articles which discuss the effects of the periodic free stream unsteadiness on the structure or separating turbulent boundary layers.

The Anemic Stellar Halo of M101

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holwerda, Benne

2014-10-01

Models of galaxy formation in a cosmological context predict that massive disk galaxies should have richly-structured extended stellar halos, containing ~10% of a galaxy's stars, originating in large part from the tidal disruption of dwarf galaxies. Observations of a number of nearby disk galaxies have generally agreed with these expectations. Recent new observations in integrated light with a novel array of low scattered-light telephoto lenses have failed to convincingly detect a stellar halo in the nearby massive face-on disk galaxy M101 (van Dokkum et al. 2014). They argue that any halo has to have <0.3% of the mass of the galaxy. This halo would be the least massive of any massive disk galaxy in the local Universe (by factors of several) -- such a halo is not predicted or naturally interpreted by the models, and would present a critical challenge to the picture of ubiquitous stellar halos formed from the debris of disrupting dwarf galaxies.We propose to resolve the stellar populations of this uniquely anemic stellar halo for 6 orbits with HST (ACS and WFC3), allowing us to reach surface brightness limits sufficient to clearly detect and characterize M101's stellar halo if it carries more than 0.1% of M101's mass. With resolved stellar populations, we can use the gradient of stellar populations as a function of radius to separate stellar halo from disk, which is impossible using integrated light observations. The resolved stellar populations will reveal the halo mass to much greater accuracy, measure the halo radial profile, constrain any halo lopsidedness, estimate the halo's stellar metallicity, and permit an analysis of outer disk stellar populations.

Magnetohydrodynamic motion of a two-fluid plasma

DOE PAGES

Burby, Joshua W.

2017-07-21

Here, the two-fluid Maxwell system couples frictionless electron and ion fluids via Maxwell’s equations. When the frequencies of light waves, Langmuir waves, and single-particle cyclotron motion are scaled to be asymptotically large, the two-fluid Maxwell system becomes a fast-slow dynamical system. This fast-slow system admits a formally-exact single-fluid closure that may be computed systematically with any desired order of accuracy through the use of a functional partial differential equation. In the leading order approximation, the closure reproduces magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). Higher order truncations of the closure give an infinite hierarchy of extended MHD models that allow for arbitrary mass ratio, asmore » well as perturbative deviations from charge neutrality. The closure is interpreted geometrically as an invariant slow manifold in the infinite-dimensional two-fluid phase space, on which two-fluid motions are free of high-frequency oscillations. This perspective shows that the full closure inherits a Hamiltonian structure from two-fluid theory. By employing infinite-dimensional Lie transforms, the Poisson bracket for the all-orders closure may be obtained in closed form. Thus, conservative truncations of the single-fluid closure may be obtained by simply truncating the single-fluid Hamiltonian. Moreover, the closed-form expression for the all-orders bracket gives explicit expressions for a number of the full closure’s conservation laws. Notably, the full closure, as well as any of its Hamiltonian truncations, admits a pair of independent circulation invariants.« less

Magnetohydrodynamic motion of a two-fluid plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burby, Joshua W.

Here, the two-fluid Maxwell system couples frictionless electron and ion fluids via Maxwell’s equations. When the frequencies of light waves, Langmuir waves, and single-particle cyclotron motion are scaled to be asymptotically large, the two-fluid Maxwell system becomes a fast-slow dynamical system. This fast-slow system admits a formally-exact single-fluid closure that may be computed systematically with any desired order of accuracy through the use of a functional partial differential equation. In the leading order approximation, the closure reproduces magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). Higher order truncations of the closure give an infinite hierarchy of extended MHD models that allow for arbitrary mass ratio, asmore » well as perturbative deviations from charge neutrality. The closure is interpreted geometrically as an invariant slow manifold in the infinite-dimensional two-fluid phase space, on which two-fluid motions are free of high-frequency oscillations. This perspective shows that the full closure inherits a Hamiltonian structure from two-fluid theory. By employing infinite-dimensional Lie transforms, the Poisson bracket for the all-orders closure may be obtained in closed form. Thus, conservative truncations of the single-fluid closure may be obtained by simply truncating the single-fluid Hamiltonian. Moreover, the closed-form expression for the all-orders bracket gives explicit expressions for a number of the full closure’s conservation laws. Notably, the full closure, as well as any of its Hamiltonian truncations, admits a pair of independent circulation invariants.« less

Formation of Relativistic Jets : Magnetohydrodynamics and Synchrotron Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porth, Oliver J. G.

2011-11-01

In this thesis, the formation of relativistic jets is investigated by means of special relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations and synchrotron radiative transfer. Our results show that the magnetohydrodynamic jet self-collimation paradigm can also be applied to the relativistic case. In the first part, jets launched from rotating hot accretion disk coronae are explored, leading to well collimated, but only mildly relativistic flows. Beyond the light-cylinder, the electric charge separation force balances the classical trans-field Lorentz force almost entirely, resulting in a decreased efficiency of acceleration and collimation in comparison to non-relativistic disk winds. In the second part, we examine Poynting dominated flows of various electric current distributions. By following the outflow for over 3000 Schwarzschild radii, highly relativistic jets of Lorentz factor 8 and half-opening angles below 1 degree are obtained, providing dynamical models for the parsec scale jets of active galactic nuclei. Applying the magnetohydrodynamic structure of the quasi-stationary simulation models, we solve the relativistically beamed synchrotron radiation transport. This yields synthetic radiation maps and polarization patterns that can be used to confront high resolution radio and (sub-) mm observations of nearby active galactic nuclei. Relativistic motion together with the helical magnetic fields of the jet formation site imprint a clear signature on the observed polarization and Faraday rotation. In particular, asymmetries in the polarization direction across the jet can disclose the handedness of the magnetic helix and thus the spin direction of the central engine. Finally, we show first results from fully three-dimensional, high resolution adaptive mesh refinement simulations of jet formation from a rotating magnetosphere and examine the jet stability. Relativistic field-line rotation leads to an electric charge separation force that opposes the magnetic Lorentz

Formation of stellar clusters in magnetized, filamentary infrared dark clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Pak Shing; Klein, Richard I.; McKee, Christopher F.

2018-01-01

Star formation in a filamentary infrared dark cloud (IRDC) is simulated over the dynamic range of 4.2 pc to 28 au for a period of 3.5 × 105 yr, including magnetic fields and both radiative and outflow feedback from the protostars. At the end of the simulation, the star formation efficiency is 4.3 per cent and the star formation rate per free-fall time is εff ≃ 0.04, within the range of observed values. The total stellar mass increases as ∼t2, whereas the number of protostars increases as ∼t1.5. We find that the density profile around most of the simulated protostars is ∼ρ ∝ r-1.5. At the end of the simulation, the protostellar mass function approaches the Chabrier stellar initial mass function. We infer that the time to form a star of median mass 0.2 M⊙ is about 1.4 × 105 yr from the median mass accretion rate. We find good agreement among the protostellar luminosities observed in the large sample of Dunham et al., our simulation and a theoretical estimate, and we conclude that the classical protostellar luminosity problem is resolved. The multiplicity of the stellar systems in the simulation agrees, to within a factor of 2, with observations of Class I young stellar objects; most of the simulated multiple systems are unbound. Bipolar protostellar outflows are launched using a subgrid model, and extend up to 1 pc from their host star. The mass-velocity relation of the simulated outflows is consistent with both observation and theory.

Steady state toroidal magnetic field at earth's core-mantle boundary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levy, Eugene H.; Pearce, Steven J.

1991-01-01

Measurements of the dc electrical potential near the top of earth's mantle have been extrapolated into the deep mantle in order to estimate the strength of the toroidal magnetic field component at the core-mantle interface. Recent measurements have been interpreted as indicating that at the core-mantle interface, the magnetic toroidal and poloidal field components are approximately equal in magnitude. A motivation for such measurements is to obtain an estimate of the strength of the toroidal magnetic field in the core, a quantity important to our understanding of the geomagnetic field's dynamo generation. Through the use of several simple and idealized calculation, this paper discusses the theoretical relationship between the amplitude of the toroidal magnetic field at the core-mantle boundary and the actual amplitude within the core. Even with a very low inferred value of the toroidal field amplitude at the core-mantle boundary, (a few gauss), the toroidal field amplitude within the core could be consistent with a magnetohydrodynamic dynamo dominated by nonuniform rotation and having a strong toroidal magnetic field.

The Stellar-Solar Connection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayres, T. R.

2004-05-01

Many solar-stellar astronomers believe that the solar-stellar connection primarily is a one-way street: the exquisitely detailed studies of the solar surface, interior, and heliosphere strongly mold our views of the distant, unresolved stars. Perhaps many solar physicists have gone so far as to adopt the myopic view that stellar astronomy, by and large, is merely sponging up the fabulous insights from ever deeper examinations of our local star, but the ``dark side'' is not really capable of returning the favor. What could we possibly learn from the stars, that we don't already know from much better observations of the Sun? In my Introduction to this Topical Session, I will discuss two broad issues: (1) the present divergence between solar and stellar physics (driven by the different goals and tools of the two disciplines); and (2) the diversity of stars in the H-R diagram, to help inform our understanding of solar processes. Today, there are observations of stars that greatly exceed the quality of analogous solar measurements: e.g., HST/STIS UV echelle spectra of Alpha Cen A; Chandra transmission grating spectra of solar-type stars; and only recently have we obtained a definitive understanding of the Sun's soft X-ray luminosity in the key ROSAT/PSPC band. The lack of equivalent solar observations hinders practical applications of the solar-stellar connection. On the more informative side, the evolutionary paths of other stars can be quite different from the Sun's, with potentially dramatic influences on phenomena such as magnetic activity. Equally important, examples of Sun-like stars can be found at all stages of evolution, from proplyds to red giants, in the volume of nearby space out to 500 pc. In short, the solar-stellar connection need not be a one-way street, but rather a powerful tool to explore solar processes within the broader context of stars and stellar evolution. This work was supported by NASA grant NAG5-13058.

Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence in the Plasmoid-mediated Regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comisso, L.; Huang, Y.-M.; Lingam, M.; Hirvijoki, E.; Bhattacharjee, A.

2018-02-01

Magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and magnetic reconnection are ubiquitous in astrophysical environments. In most situations these processes do not occur in isolation but interact with each other. This renders a comprehensive theory of these processes highly challenging. Here we propose a theory of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence driven at a large scale that self-consistently accounts for the mutual interplay with magnetic reconnection occurring at smaller scales. Magnetic reconnection produces plasmoids (flux ropes) that grow from turbulence-generated noise and eventually disrupt the sheet-like structures in which they are born. The disruption of these structures leads to a modification of the turbulent energy cascade, which in turn exerts a feedback effect on the plasmoid formation via the turbulence-generated noise. The energy spectrum in this plasmoid-mediated range steepens relative to the standard inertial range and does not follow a simple power law. As a result of the complex interplay between turbulence and reconnection, we also find that the length scale that marks the beginning of the plasmoid-mediated range and the dissipation length scale do not obey true power laws. The transitional magnetic Reynolds number above which the plasmoid formation becomes statistically significant enough to affect the turbulent cascade is fairly modest, implying that plasmoids are expected to modify the turbulent path to dissipation in many astrophysical systems.

Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence in the Plasmoid-mediated Regime

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Comisso, L.; Huang, Y. -M.; Lingam, M.

Magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and magnetic reconnection are ubiquitous in astrophysical environments. In most situations these processes do not occur in isolation but interact with each other. This renders a comprehensive theory of these processes highly challenging. Here we propose a theory of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence driven at a large scale that self-consistently accounts for the mutual interplay with magnetic reconnection occurring at smaller scales. Magnetic reconnection produces plasmoids (flux ropes) that grow from turbulence-generated noise and eventually disrupt the sheet-like structures in which they are born. The disruption of these structures leads to a modification of the turbulent energy cascade, which inmore » turn exerts a feedback effect on the plasmoid formation via the turbulence-generated noise. The energy spectrum in this plasmoid-mediated range steepens relative to the standard inertial range and does not follow a simple power law. As a result of the complex interplay between turbulence and reconnection, we also find that the length scale that marks the beginning of the plasmoid-mediated range and the dissipation length scale do not obey true power laws. The transitional magnetic Reynolds number above which the plasmoid formation becomes statistically significant enough to affect the turbulent cascade is fairly modest, implying that plasmoids are expected to modify the turbulent path to dissipation in many astrophysical systems« less

Magnetohydrodynamic stability of stochastically driven accretion flows.

PubMed

Nath, Sujit Kumar; Mukhopadhyay, Banibrata; Chattopadhyay, Amit K

2013-07-01

We investigate the evolution of magnetohydrodynamic (or hydromagnetic as coined by Chandrasekhar) perturbations in the presence of stochastic noise in rotating shear flows. The particular emphasis is the flows whose angular velocity decreases but specific angular momentum increases with increasing radial coordinate. Such flows, however, are Rayleigh stable but must be turbulent in order to explain astrophysical observed data and, hence, reveal a mismatch between the linear theory and observations and experiments. The mismatch seems to have been resolved, at least in certain regimes, in the presence of a weak magnetic field, revealing magnetorotational instability. The present work explores the effects of stochastic noise on such magnetohydrodynamic flows, in order to resolve the above mismatch generically for the hot flows. We essentially concentrate on a small section of such a flow which is nothing but a plane shear flow supplemented by the Coriolis effect, mimicking a small section of an astrophysical accretion disk around a compact object. It is found that such stochastically driven flows exhibit large temporal and spatial autocorrelations and cross-correlations of perturbation and, hence, large energy dissipations of perturbation, which generate instability. Interestingly, autocorrelations and cross-correlations appear independent of background angular velocity profiles, which are Rayleigh stable, indicating their universality. This work initiates our attempt to understand the evolution of three-dimensional hydromagnetic perturbations in rotating shear flows in the presence of stochastic noise.

Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence in the Plasmoid-mediated Regime

DOE PAGES

Comisso, L.; Huang, Y. -M.; Lingam, M.; ...

2018-02-16

Magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and magnetic reconnection are ubiquitous in astrophysical environments. In most situations these processes do not occur in isolation but interact with each other. This renders a comprehensive theory of these processes highly challenging. Here we propose a theory of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence driven at a large scale that self-consistently accounts for the mutual interplay with magnetic reconnection occurring at smaller scales. Magnetic reconnection produces plasmoids (flux ropes) that grow from turbulence-generated noise and eventually disrupt the sheet-like structures in which they are born. The disruption of these structures leads to a modification of the turbulent energy cascade, which inmore » turn exerts a feedback effect on the plasmoid formation via the turbulence-generated noise. The energy spectrum in this plasmoid-mediated range steepens relative to the standard inertial range and does not follow a simple power law. As a result of the complex interplay between turbulence and reconnection, we also find that the length scale that marks the beginning of the plasmoid-mediated range and the dissipation length scale do not obey true power laws. The transitional magnetic Reynolds number above which the plasmoid formation becomes statistically significant enough to affect the turbulent cascade is fairly modest, implying that plasmoids are expected to modify the turbulent path to dissipation in many astrophysical systems« less

Method for manufacturing magnetohydrodynamic electrodes

DOEpatents

Killpatrick, Don H.; Thresh, Henry R.

1982-01-01

A method of manufacturing electrodes for use in a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator comprising the steps of preparing a billet having a core 10 of a first metal, a tubular sleeve 12 of a second metal, and an outer sheath 14, 16, 18 of an extrusile metal; evacuating the space between the parts of the assembled billet; extruding the billet; and removing the outer jacket 14. The extruded bar may be made into electrodes by cutting and bending to the shape required for an MDH channel frame. The method forms a bond between the first metal of the core 10 and the second metal of the sleeve 12 strong enough to withstand a hot and corrosive environment.

Studies of free-space optical links through simulated boundary layer and long-path turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasiczko, Linda; Smolyaninov, Igor I.; Milner, Stuart D.; Davis, Christopher C.

2004-02-01

There is recent interest from the US Department of Defense in free space optical communication networks involving aircraft flying at various altitudes. The optical links between these aircraft may be as long as 100km, and involve communication between network nodes that are moving at sub-sonic speeds. An unresolved issue for links of this kind between pairs of aircraft is the effect of boundary layer turbulence near each aircraft, as well as along the atmospheric path between them. The deployment of optical wireless links in several different scenarios will be described. These include links near to the ground for which the turbulence parameter Cn2 varies along the path between transmitter (TX) and receiver (RX), high altitude links between aircraft, and ground to aircraft links. The last two of these may involve boundary layer turbulence near the aircraft node where the turbulence is localized either at the TX or at the RX. Some of the theoretical approaches to examining these situations will be described, as well as an ongoing program of research to examine these situations experimentally. Ways to mitigate the effects of node motion, and scintillation at the RX will be discussed, including the use of non-imaging concentrators at the RX.

An Introduction to Magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, P. A.

2001-03-01

Magnetic fields are routinely used in industry to heat, pump, stir and levitate liquid metals. There is the terrestrial magnetic field that is maintained by fluid motion in the earth's core, the solar magnetic field, which generates sunspots and solar flares, and the galactic field that influences the formation of stars. This introductory text on magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) (the study of the interaction of magnetic fields and conducting fluids) is intended to serve as an introductory text for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in physics, applied mathematics and engineering. The material in the text is heavily weighted toward incompressible flows and to terrestrial (as distinct from astrophysical) applications. The final sections of the text, which outline the latest advances in the metallurgical applications of MHD, make the book of interest to professional researchers in applied mathematics, engineering and metallurgy.

Magnetohydrodynamic models of bipolar knotty jet in henize 2-90

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, C.; Sahai, R.

2004-01-01

A remarkably linear, bipolar, knotty jet was recently discovered in Hen 2-90, an object classified as a young planetary nebula. Using two-dimensional, magnetohydrodynamic simulations, we investigate periodic variations in jet density and velocity as the mechanism for producing the jet and its knotty structures.

DAMPING OF MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC TURBULENCE IN PARTIALLY IONIZED PLASMA: IMPLICATIONS FOR COSMIC RAY PROPAGATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Siyao; Yan, Huirong; Lazarian, A., E-mail: syxu@pku.edu.cn, E-mail: huirong.yan@desy.de, E-mail: lazarian@astro.wisc.edu

2016-08-01

We study the damping processes of both incompressible and compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in a partially ionized medium. We start from the linear analysis of MHD waves, applying both single-fluid and two-fluid treatments. The damping rates derived from the linear analysis are then used in determining the damping scales of MHD turbulence. The physical connection between the damping scale of MHD turbulence and the cutoff boundary of linear MHD waves is investigated. We find two branches of slow modes propagating in ions and neutrals, respectively, below the damping scale of slow MHD turbulence, and offer a thorough discussion of theirmore » propagation and dissipation behavior. Our analytical results are shown to be applicable in a variety of partially ionized interstellar medium (ISM) phases and the solar chromosphere. The importance of neutral viscosity in damping the Alfvenic turbulence in the interstellar warm neutral medium and the solar chromosphere is demonstrated. As a significant astrophysical utility, we introduce damping effects to the propagation of cosmic rays in partially ionized ISM. The important role of turbulence damping in both transit-time damping and gyroresonance is identified.« less

Influence of the outer boundary condition on models of AGB stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagstaff, G.; Weiss, A.

2018-07-01

Current implementations of the stellar atmosphere typically derive boundary conditions for the interior model from either grey plane-parallel atmospheres or scaled solar atmospheres, neither of which can be considered to have appropriate underlying assumptions for the Thermally Pulsing Asymptotic Giant Branch (TP-AGB). This paper discusses the treatment and influence of the outer boundary condition within stellar evolution codes, and the resulting effects on the AGB evolution. The complex interaction of processes, such as the third dredge up and mass-loss, governing the TP-AGB can be affected by varying the treatment of this boundary condition. Presented here are the results from altering the geometry, opacities, and the implementation of a grid of MARCS/COMARCS model atmospheres in order to improve this treatment. Although there are changes in the TP-AGB evolution, observable quantities, such as the final core mass, are not significantly altered as a result of the change of atmospheric treatment. During the course of the investigation, a previously unseen phenomenon in the AGB models was observed and further investigated. This is believed to be physical, although arising from specific conditions which make its presence unlikely. If it were present in stars, this phenomenon would increase the carbon-star lifetime above 10 Myr and increase the final core mass by ˜0.1 M⊙ in the narrow initial-mass range where it was observed (˜2-2.3 M⊙).

Influence of the Outer Boundary Condition on models of AGB stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagstaff, G.; Weiss, A.

2018-04-01

Current implementations of the stellar atmosphere typically derive boundary conditions for the interior model from either grey plane-parallel atmospheres or scaled solar atmospheres, neither of which can be considered to have appropriate underlying assumptions for the Thermally Pulsing Asymptotic Giant Branch (TP-AGB). This paper discusses the treatment and influence of the outer boundary condition within stellar evolution codes, and the resulting effects on the AGB evolution. The complex interaction of processes, such as the third dredge up and mass loss, governing the TP-AGB can be affected by varying the treatment of this boundary condition. Presented here are the results from altering the geometry, opacities and the implementation of a grid of MARCS/COMARCS model atmospheres in order to improve this treatment. Although there are changes in the TP-AGB evolution, observable quantities, such as the final core mass, are not significantly altered as a result of the change of atmospheric treatment. During the course of the investigation, a previously unseen phenomena in the AGB models was observed and further investigated. This is believed to be physical, although arising from specific conditions which make its presence unlikely. If it were present in stars, this phenomenon would increase the carbon-star lifetime above 10Myr and increase the final core mass by ˜0.1M⊙ in the narrow initial-mass range where it was observed (˜2 - 2.3M⊙).

An HLLC Riemann solver for resistive relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda-Aranguren, S.; Aloy, M. A.; Rembiasz, T.

2018-05-01

We present a new approximate Riemann solver for the augmented system of equations of resistive relativistic magnetohydrodynamics that belongs to the family of Harten-Lax-van Leer contact wave (HLLC) solvers. In HLLC solvers, the solution is approximated by two constant states flanked by two shocks separated by a contact wave. The accuracy of the new approximate solver is calibrated through 1D and 2D test problems.

Magnetohydrodynamics of atmospheric transients. IV - Nonplane two-dimensional analyses of energy conversion and magnetic field evolution. [during corona following solar flare

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, S. T.; Nakagawa, Y.; Han, S. M.; Dryer, M.

1982-01-01

The evolution of the magnetic field and the manner of conversion of thermal energy into different forms in the corona following a solar flare are investigated by means of a nonplane magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) analysis. All three components of magnetic field and velocity are treated in a physically self-consistent manner, with all physical variables as functions of time (t) and two spatial coordinates (r, theta). The difference arising from the initial magnetic field, either twisted (force-free) or non-twisted (potential), is demonstrated. Consideration is given to two initial field topologies (open vs. closed). The results demonstrate that the conversion of magnetic energy is faster for the case of the initially twisted (force-free) field than for the initially untwisted (potential) field. In addition, the twisted field is found to produce a complex structure of the density enhancements.

Targeted Optimization of Quasi-Symmetric Stellarators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hegna, Chris C.; Anderson, D. T.; Talmadge, J. N.

2016-10-06

The proposed research focuses on targeted areas of plasma physics dedicated to improving the stellarator concept. Research was pursued in the technical areas of edge/divertor physics in 3D configurations, magnetic island physics in stellarators, the role of 3D shaping on microinstabilities and turbulent transport and energetic ion confinement in stellarators.

Stellar Absorption Line Analysis of Local Star-forming Galaxies: The Relation between Stellar Mass, Metallicity, Dust Attenuation, and Star Formation Rate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jabran Zahid, H.; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Ho, I-Ting

We analyze the optical continuum of star-forming galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey by fitting stacked spectra with stellar population synthesis models to investigate the relation between stellar mass, stellar metallicity, dust attenuation, and star formation rate. We fit models calculated with star formation and chemical evolution histories that are derived empirically from multi-epoch observations of the stellar mass–star formation rate and the stellar mass–gas-phase metallicity relations, respectively. We also fit linear combinations of single-burst models with a range of metallicities and ages. Star formation and chemical evolution histories are unconstrained for these models. The stellar mass–stellar metallicity relationsmore » obtained from the two methods agree with the relation measured from individual supergiant stars in nearby galaxies. These relations are also consistent with the relation obtained from emission-line analysis of gas-phase metallicity after accounting for systematic offsets in the gas-phase metallicity. We measure dust attenuation of the stellar continuum and show that its dependence on stellar mass and star formation rate is consistent with previously reported results derived from nebular emission lines. However, stellar continuum attenuation is smaller than nebular emission line attenuation. The continuum-to-nebular attenuation ratio depends on stellar mass and is smaller in more massive galaxies. Our consistent analysis of stellar continuum and nebular emission lines paves the way for a comprehensive investigation of stellar metallicities of star-forming and quiescent galaxies.« less

Measuring the mass distribution in stellar systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tremaine, Scott

2018-06-01

One of the fundamental tasks of dynamical astronomy is to infer the distribution of mass in a stellar system from a snapshot of the positions and velocities of its stars. The usual approach to this task (e.g. Schwarzschild's method) involves fitting parametrized forms of the gravitational potential and the phase-space distribution to the data. We review the practical and conceptual difficulties in this approach and describe a novel statistical method for determining the mass distribution that does not require determining the phase-space distribution of the stars. We show that this new estimator out-performs other distribution-free estimators for the harmonic and Kepler potentials.

Thermo-fluid-dynamics of turbulent boundary layer over a moving continuous flat sheet in a parallel free stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afzal, Bushra; Noor Afzal Team; Bushra Afzal Team

2014-11-01

The momentum and thermal turbulent boundary layers over a continuous moving sheet subjected to a free stream have been analyzed in two layers (inner wall and outer wake) theory at large Reynolds number. The present work is based on open Reynolds equations of momentum and heat transfer without any closure model say, like eddy viscosity or mixing length etc. The matching of inner and outer layers has been carried out by Izakson-Millikan-Kolmogorov hypothesis. The matching for velocity and temperature profiles yields the logarithmic laws and power laws in overlap region of inner and outer layers, along with friction factor and heat transfer laws. The uniformly valid solution for velocity, Reynolds shear stress, temperature and thermal Reynolds heat flux have been proposed by introducing the outer wake functions due to momentum and thermal boundary layers. The comparison with experimental data for velocity profile, temperature profile, skin friction and heat transfer are presented. In outer non-linear layers, the lowest order momentum and thermal boundary layer equations have also been analyses by using eddy viscosity closure model, and results are compared with experimental data. Retired Professor, Embassy Hotel, Rasal Ganj, Aligarh 202001 India.

Time-dependent boundary conditions for hyperbolic systems. II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Kevin W.

1990-01-01

A general boundary condition formalism is developed for all types of boundary conditions to which hyperbolic systems are subject; the formalism makes possible a 'cookbook' approach to boundary conditions, by means of which novel boundary 'recipes' may be derived and previously devised ones may be consulted as required. Numerous useful conditions are derived for such CFD problems as subsonic and supersonic inflows and outflows, nonreflecting boundaries, force-free boundaries, constant pressure boundaries, and constant mass flux. Attention is given to the computation and integration of time derivatives.

Time-dependent boundary conditions for hyperbolic systems. II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Kevin W.

1990-08-01

A general boundary condition formalism is developed for all types of boundary conditions to which hyperbolic systems are subject; the formalism makes possible a 'cookbook' approach to boundary conditions, by means of which novel boundary 'recipes' may be derived and previously devised ones may be consulted as required. Numerous useful conditions are derived for such CFD problems as subsonic and supersonic inflows and outflows, nonreflecting boundaries, force-free boundaries, constant pressure boundaries, and constant mass flux. Attention is given to the computation and integration of time derivatives.

G-Jitter Induced Magnetohydrodynamics Flow of Nanofluid with Constant Convective Thermal and Solutal Boundary Conditions

PubMed Central

Uddin, Mohammed J.; Khan, Waqar A.; Ismail, Ahmad Izani Md.

2015-01-01

Taking into account the effect of constant convective thermal and mass boundary conditions, we present numerical solution of the 2-D laminar g-jitter mixed convective boundary layer flow of water-based nanofluids. The governing transport equations are converted into non-similar equations using suitable transformations, before being solved numerically by an implicit finite difference method with quasi-linearization technique. The skin friction decreases with time, buoyancy ratio, and thermophoresis parameters while it increases with frequency, mixed convection and Brownian motion parameters. Heat transfer rate decreases with time, Brownian motion, thermophoresis and diffusion-convection parameters while it increases with the Reynolds number, frequency, mixed convection, buoyancy ratio and conduction-convection parameters. Mass transfer rate decreases with time, frequency, thermophoresis, conduction-convection parameters while it increases with mixed convection, buoyancy ratio, diffusion-convection and Brownian motion parameters. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper on this topic and hence the results are new. We believe that the results will be useful in designing and operating thermal fluids systems for space materials processing. Special cases of the results have been compared with published results and an excellent agreement is found. PMID:25933066

Theory of Stellar Oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunha, Margarida S.

In recent years, astronomers have witnessed major progresses in the field of stellar physics. This was made possible thanks to the combination of a solid theoretical understanding of the phenomena of stellar pulsations and the availability of a tremendous amount of exquisite space-based asteroseismic data. In this context, this chapter reviews the basic theory of stellar pulsations, considering small, adiabatic perturbations to a static, spherically symmetric equilibrium. It starts with a brief discussion of the solar oscillation spectrum, followed by the setting of the theoretical problem, including the presentation of the equations of hydrodynamics, their perturbation, and a discussion of the functional form of the solutions. Emphasis is put on the physical properties of the different types of modes, in particular acoustic (p-) and gravity (g-) modes and their propagation cavities. The surface (f-) mode solutions are also discussed. While not attempting to be comprehensive, it is hoped that the summary presented in this chapter addresses the most important theoretical aspects that are required for a solid start in stellar pulsations research.

Bypass transition and spot nucleation in boundary layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kreilos, Tobias; Khapko, Taras; Schlatter, Philipp; Duguet, Yohann; Henningson, Dan S.; Eckhardt, Bruno

2016-08-01

The spatiotemporal aspects of the transition to turbulence are considered in the case of a boundary-layer flow developing above a flat plate exposed to free-stream turbulence. Combining results on the receptivity to free-stream turbulence with the nonlinear concept of a transition threshold, a physically motivated model suggests a spatial distribution of spot nucleation events. To describe the evolution of turbulent spots a probabilistic cellular automaton is introduced, with all parameters directly obtained from numerical simulations of the boundary layer. The nucleation rates are then combined with the cellular automaton model, yielding excellent quantitative agreement with the statistical characteristics for different free-stream turbulence levels. We thus show how the recent theoretical progress on transitional wall-bounded flows can be extended to the much wider class of spatially developing boundary-layer flows.

Deriving stellar inclination of slow rotators using stellar activity signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumusque, Xavier

2015-01-01

Stellar inclination is an important parameter for many astrophysical studies. In the context of exoplanets, this allows us to derive the true obliquity of a system if the projected stellar spin-planetary orbit angle can measured via the Rossiter-Mclaughlin effect. Although different techniques allow us to estimate stellar inclination for fast rotators, it becomes much more difficult when stars are rotating slower than 2-2.5 km.s-1. By using the new activity simulation SOAP 2.0 that can reproduce the photometric and spectroscopic variations induced by stellar activity, we are able to fit the activity variation of solar-type stars and derive their inclination. The case of the equator-on star HD189733 will be presented, as well as the case of Alpha Centauri B, which present an inclination of 45+9-19 degrees, implying that the earth-mass orbiting planet is not transiting if aligned with its host star. Other exemples will also demonstrate the power of the technique, that can infer a stellar inclination, even for slow rotators like Alpha Centauri B, that present a projected rotational velocity smaller than 1.15 km.s-1. In addition, the SOAP 2.0 simulation can be used to correct for the effect of activity when one major active region is dominating the RV signal. This could enhance the detection of small mass exoplanets orbiting slightly active stars.This project is funded by ETAEARTH (European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement n. 313014), a transnational collaboration between European countries and the US (the Swiss Space Office, the Harvard Origin of Life Initiative, the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, the University of Geneva, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the Italian National Astrophysical Institute, the University of St. Andrews, Queens University Belfast, and the University of Edinburgh) setup to optimize the synergy between space-and ground-based data whose scientific potential for the characterization of

Mechanism analysis of Magnetohydrodynamic heat shield system and optimization of externally applied magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Kai; Liu, Jun; Liu, Weiqiang

2017-04-01

As a novel thermal protection technique for hypersonic vehicles, Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) heat shield system has been proved to be of great intrinsic value in the hypersonic field. In order to analyze the thermal protection mechanisms of such a system, a physical model is constructed for analyzing the effect of the Lorentz force components in the counter and normal directions. With a series of numerical simulations, the dominating Lorentz force components are analyzed for the MHD heat flux mitigation in different regions of a typical reentry vehicle. Then, a novel magnetic field with variable included angle between magnetic induction line and streamline is designed, which significantly improves the performance of MHD thermal protection in the stagnation and shoulder areas. After that, the relationships between MHD shock control and MHD thermal protection are investigated, based on which the magnetic field above is secondarily optimized obtaining better performances of both shock control and thermal protection. Results show that the MHD thermal protection is mainly determined by the Lorentz force's effect on the boundary layer. From the stagnation to the shoulder region, the flow deceleration effect of the counter-flow component is weakened while the flow deflection effect of the normal component is enhanced. Moreover, there is no obviously positive correlation between the MHD shock control and thermal protection. But once a good Lorentz force's effect on the boundary layer is guaranteed, the thermal protection performance can be further improved with an enlarged shock stand-off distance by strengthening the counter-flow Lorentz force right after shock.

The Magnetohydrodynamic Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability: A Two-dimensional Numerical Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, Adam; Jones, T. W.; Ryu, Dongsu; Gaalaas, Joseph B.

1996-04-01

We have carried out two-dimensional simulations of the nonlinear evolution of unstable sheared magnetohydrodynamic flows. These calculations extend the earlier work of Miura (1984) and consider periodic sections of flows containing aligned magnetic fields. Two equal density, compressible fluids are separated by a shear layer with a hyperbolic tangent velocity profile. We considered two cases: a strong magnetic field (Alfvén Mach number, MA = 2.5) and a weak field (MA = 5). Each flow rapidly evolves until it reaches a nearly steady condition, which is fundamentally different from the analogous gas- dynamic state. Both MHD flows relax to a stable, laminar flow on timescales less than or of the order of 15 linear growth times, measured from saturation of the instability. That timescale is several orders of magnitude less than the nominal dissipation time for these simulated flows, so this condition represents an quasi-steady relaxed state analogous to the long-lived single vortex, known as "Kelvin's Cat's Eye," formed in two-dimensional nearly ideal gasdynamic simulations of a vortex sheet. The strong magnetic field case reaches saturation as magnetic tension in the displaced flow boundary becomes sufficient to stabilize it. That flow then relaxes in a straightforward way to the steady, laminar flow condition. The weak magnetic field case, on the other hand, begins development of the vortex expected for gasdynamics, but that vortex is destroyed by magnetic stresses that locally become strong. Magnetic topologies lead to reconnection and dynamical alignment between magnetic and velocity fields. Together these processes produce a sequence of intermittent vortices and subsequent relaxation to a nearly laminar flow condition in which the magnetic cross helicity is nearly maximized. Remaining irregularities show several interesting properties. A pair of magnetic flux tubes are formed that straddle the boundary between the oppositely moving fluids. Velocity and magnetic

SPIDER. V. MEASURING SYSTEMATIC EFFECTS IN EARLY-TYPE GALAXY STELLAR MASSES FROM PHOTOMETRIC SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTION FITTING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swindle, R.; Gal, R. R.; La Barbera, F.

2011-10-15

We present robust statistical estimates of the accuracy of early-type galaxy stellar masses derived from spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting as functions of various empirical and theoretical assumptions. Using large samples consisting of {approx}40,000 galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS; ugriz), of which {approx}5000 are also in the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (YJHK), with spectroscopic redshifts in the range 0.05 {<=} z {<=} 0.095, we test the reliability of some commonly used stellar population models and extinction laws for computing stellar masses. Spectroscopic ages (t), metallicities (Z), and extinctions (A{sub V} ) are also computed from fitsmore » to SDSS spectra using various population models. These external constraints are used in additional tests to estimate the systematic errors in the stellar masses derived from SED fitting, where t, Z, and A{sub V} are typically left as free parameters. We find reasonable agreement in mass estimates among stellar population models, with variation of the initial mass function and extinction law yielding systematic biases on the mass of nearly a factor of two, in agreement with other studies. Removing the near-infrared bands changes the statistical bias in mass by only {approx}0.06 dex, adding uncertainties of {approx}0.1 dex at the 95% CL. In contrast, we find that removing an ultraviolet band is more critical, introducing 2{sigma} uncertainties of {approx}0.15 dex. Finally, we find that the stellar masses are less affected by the absence of metallicity and/or dust extinction knowledge. However, there is a definite systematic offset in the mass estimate when the stellar population age is unknown, up to a factor of 2.5 for very old (12 Gyr) stellar populations. We present the stellar masses for our sample, corrected for the measured systematic biases due to photometrically determined ages, finding that age errors produce lower stellar masses by {approx}0.15 dex, with errors of {approx}0.02 dex

Influence of a large-scale field on energy dissipation in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhdankin, Vladimir; Boldyrev, Stanislav; Mason, Joanne

2017-07-01

In magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence, the large-scale magnetic field sets a preferred local direction for the small-scale dynamics, altering the statistics of turbulence from the isotropic case. This happens even in the absence of a total magnetic flux, since MHD turbulence forms randomly oriented large-scale domains of strong magnetic field. It is therefore customary to study small-scale magnetic plasma turbulence by assuming a strong background magnetic field relative to the turbulent fluctuations. This is done, for example, in reduced models of plasmas, such as reduced MHD, reduced-dimension kinetic models, gyrokinetics, etc., which make theoretical calculations easier and numerical computations cheaper. Recently, however, it has become clear that the turbulent energy dissipation is concentrated in the regions of strong magnetic field variations. A significant fraction of the energy dissipation may be localized in very small volumes corresponding to the boundaries between strongly magnetized domains. In these regions, the reduced models are not applicable. This has important implications for studies of particle heating and acceleration in magnetic plasma turbulence. The goal of this work is to systematically investigate the relationship between local magnetic field variations and magnetic energy dissipation, and to understand its implications for modelling energy dissipation in realistic turbulent plasmas.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: SDSS bulge, disk and total stellar mass estimates (Mendel+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendel, J. T.; Simard, L.; Palmer, M.; Ellison, S. L.; Patton, D. R.

2014-01-01

We present a catalog of bulge, disk, and total stellar mass estimates for ~660000 galaxies in the Legacy area of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data (SDSS) Release 7. These masses are based on a homogeneous catalog of g- and r-band photometry described by Simard et al. (2011, Cat. J/ApJS/196/11), which we extend here with bulge+disk and Sersic profile photometric decompositions in the SDSS u, i, and z bands. We discuss the methodology used to derive stellar masses from these data via fitting to broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs), and show that the typical statistical uncertainty on total, bulge, and disk stellar mass is ~0.15 dex. Despite relatively small formal uncertainties, we argue that SED modeling assumptions, including the choice of synthesis model, extinction law, initial mass function, and details of stellar evolution likely contribute an additional 60% systematic uncertainty in any mass estimate based on broadband SED fitting. We discuss several approaches for identifying genuine bulge+disk systems based on both their statistical likelihood and an analysis of their one-dimensional surface-brightness profiles, and include these metrics in the catalogs. Estimates of the total, bulge and disk stellar masses for both normal and dust-free models and their uncertainties are made publicly available here. (4 data files).

The Spatial Distribution of the Young Stellar Clusters in the Star-forming Galaxy NGC 628

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grasha, K.; Calzetti, D.; Adamo, A.; Kim, H.; Elmegreen, B. G.; Gouliermis, D. A.; Aloisi, A.; Bright, S. N.; Christian, C.; Cignoni, M.; Dale, D. A.; Dobbs, C.; Elmegreen, D. M.; Fumagalli, M.; Gallagher, J. S., III; Grebel, E. K.; Johnson, K. E.; Lee, J. C.; Messa, M.; Smith, L. J.; Ryon, J. E.; Thilker, D.; Ubeda, L.; Wofford, A.

2015-12-01

We present a study of the spatial distribution of the stellar cluster populations in the star-forming galaxy NGC 628. Using Hubble Space Telescope broadband WFC3/UVIS UV and optical images from the Treasury Program LEGUS (Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey), we have identified 1392 potential young (≲ 100 Myr) stellar clusters within the galaxy using a combination of visual inspection and automatic selection. We investigate the clustering of these young stellar clusters and quantify the strength and change of clustering strength with scale using the two-point correlation function. We also investigate how image boundary conditions and dust lanes affect the observed clustering. The distribution of the clusters is well fit by a broken power law with negative exponent α. We recover a weighted mean index of α ∼ -0.8 for all spatial scales below the break at 3.″3 (158 pc at a distance of 9.9 Mpc) and an index of α ∼ -0.18 above 158 pc for the accumulation of all cluster types. The strength of the clustering increases with decreasing age and clusters older than 40 Myr lose their clustered structure very rapidly and tend to be randomly distributed in this galaxy, whereas the mass of the star cluster has little effect on the clustering strength. This is consistent with results from other studies that the morphological hierarchy in stellar clustering resembles the same hierarchy as the turbulent interstellar medium.

Center for Extended Magnetohydrodynamics Modeling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ramos, Jesus

This researcher participated in the DOE-funded Center for Extended Magnetohydrodynamics Modeling (CEMM), a multi-institutional collaboration led by the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory with Dr. Stephen Jardin as the overall Principal Investigator. This project developed advanced simulation tools to study the non-linear macroscopic dynamics of magnetically confined plasmas. The collaborative effort focused on the development of two large numerical simulation codes, M3D-C1 and NIMROD, and their application to a wide variety of problems. Dr. Ramos was responsible for theoretical aspects of the project, deriving consistent sets of model equations applicable to weakly collisional plasmas and devising test problems for verification ofmore » the numerical codes. This activity was funded for twelve years.« less

High-Speed Magnetohydrodynamic Flow Control Analyses With 3-D Simulations

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

color. 14. ABSTRACT Magnetohydrodynamic studies of high-speed flow control are described with emphasis on understanding fluid response to specific...interactions play a crucial role by distorting the velocity field. The interaction with an external circuit through electrodes is relatively efficient when... Entropy layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 6 Energy management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 7 Conclusion

Incompressible Modes Excited by Supersonic Shear in Boundary Layers: Acoustic CFS Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, Mikhail A.

2017-02-01

We present an instability for exciting incompressible modes (e.g., gravity or Rossby modes) at the surface of a star accreting through a boundary layer. The instability excites a stellar mode by sourcing an acoustic wave in the disk at the boundary layer, which carries a flux of energy and angular momentum with the opposite sign as the energy and angular momentum density of the stellar mode. We call this instability the acoustic Chandrasekhar-Friedman-Schutz (CFS) instability, because of the direct analogy to the CFS instability for exciting modes on a rotating star by emission of energy in the form of gravitational waves. However, the acoustic CFS instability differs from its gravitational wave counterpart in that the fluid medium in which the acoustic wave propagates (I.e., the accretion disk) typically rotates faster than the star in which the incompressible mode is sourced. For this reason, the instability can operate even for a non-rotating star in the presence of an accretion disk. We discuss applications of our results to high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations in accreting black hole and neutron star systems and dwarf nova oscillations in cataclysmic variables.

Incompressible Modes Excited by Supersonic Shear in Boundary Layers: Acoustic CFS Instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belyaev, Mikhail A., E-mail: mbelyaev@berkeley.edu

We present an instability for exciting incompressible modes (e.g., gravity or Rossby modes) at the surface of a star accreting through a boundary layer. The instability excites a stellar mode by sourcing an acoustic wave in the disk at the boundary layer, which carries a flux of energy and angular momentum with the opposite sign as the energy and angular momentum density of the stellar mode. We call this instability the acoustic Chandrasekhar–Friedman–Schutz (CFS) instability, because of the direct analogy to the CFS instability for exciting modes on a rotating star by emission of energy in the form of gravitationalmore » waves. However, the acoustic CFS instability differs from its gravitational wave counterpart in that the fluid medium in which the acoustic wave propagates (i.e., the accretion disk) typically rotates faster than the star in which the incompressible mode is sourced. For this reason, the instability can operate even for a non-rotating star in the presence of an accretion disk. We discuss applications of our results to high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations in accreting black hole and neutron star systems and dwarf nova oscillations in cataclysmic variables.« less

Global solvability and asymptotic behavior of a free boundary problem for the one-dimensional viscous radiative and reactive gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jie; Zheng, Songmu

2012-12-01

In this paper, we study a Neumann and free boundary problem for the one-dimensional viscous radiative and reactive gas. We prove that under rather general assumptions on the heat conductivity κ, for any arbitrary large smooth initial data, the problem admits a unique global classical solution. Our global existence results improve those results by Umehara and Tani ["Global solution to the one-dimensional equations for a self-gravitating viscous radiative and reactive gas," J. Differ. Equations 234(2), 439-463 (2007), 10.1016/j.jde.2006.09.023; Umehara and Tani "Global solvability of the free-boundary problem for one-dimensional motion of a self-gravitating viscous radiative and reactive gas," Proc. Jpn. Acad., Ser. A: Math. Sci. 84(7), 123-128 (2008)], 10.3792/pjaa.84.123 and by Qin, Hu, and Wang ["Global smooth solutions for the compressible viscous and heat-conductive gas," Q. Appl. Math. 69(3), 509-528 (2011)]., 10.1090/S0033-569X-2011-01218-0 Moreover, we analyze the asymptotic behavior of the global solutions to our problem, and we prove that the global solution will converge to an equilibrium as time goes to infinity. This is the result obtained for this problem in the literature for the first time.

Reynolds-number dependence of the dimensionless dissipation rate in homogeneous magnetohydrodynamic turbulence.

PubMed

Linkmann, Moritz; Berera, Arjun; Goldstraw, Erin E

2017-01-01

This paper examines the behavior of the dimensionless dissipation rate C_{ɛ} for stationary and nonstationary magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in the presence of external forces. By combining with previous studies for freely decaying MHD turbulence, we obtain here both the most general model equation for C_{ɛ} applicable to homogeneous MHD turbulence and a comprehensive numerical study of the Reynolds number dependence of the dimensionless total energy dissipation rate at unity magnetic Prandtl number. We carry out a series of medium to high resolution direct numerical simulations of mechanically forced stationary MHD turbulence in order to verify the predictions of the model equation for the stationary case. Furthermore, questions of nonuniversality are discussed in terms of the effect of external forces as well as the level of cross- and magnetic helicity. The measured values of the asymptote C_{ɛ,∞} lie between 0.193≤C_{ɛ,∞}≤0.268 for free decay, where the value depends on the initial level of cross- and magnetic helicities. In the stationary case we measure C_{ɛ,∞}=0.223.

Catalyzed D-D stellarator reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sheffield, John; Spong, Donald A.

The advantages of using the catalyzed deuterium-deuterium (D-D) approach for a fusion reactor—lower and less energetic neutron flux and no need for a tritium breeding blanket—have been evaluated in previous papers, giving examples of both tokamak and stellarator reactors. This paper presents an update for the stellarator example, taking account of more recent empirical transport scaling results and design studies of lower-aspect-ratio stellarators. We use a modified version of the Generic Magnetic Fusion Reactor model to cost a stellarator-type reactor. Recently, this model has been updated to reflect the improved science and technology base and costs in the magnetic fusionmore » program. Furthermore, it is shown that an interesting catalyzed D-D, stellarator power plant might be possible if the following parameters could be achieved: R/ ≈ 4, required improvement factor to ISS04 scaling, F R = 0.9 to 1.15, ≈ 8.0% to 11.5%, Z eff ≈ 1.45 plus a relativistic temperature correction, fraction of fast ions lost ≈ 0.07, B m ≈ 14 to 16 T, and R ≈ 18 to 24 m.« less

Catalyzed D-D stellarator reactor

DOE PAGES

Sheffield, John; Spong, Donald A.

2016-05-12

The advantages of using the catalyzed deuterium-deuterium (D-D) approach for a fusion reactor—lower and less energetic neutron flux and no need for a tritium breeding blanket—have been evaluated in previous papers, giving examples of both tokamak and stellarator reactors. This paper presents an update for the stellarator example, taking account of more recent empirical transport scaling results and design studies of lower-aspect-ratio stellarators. We use a modified version of the Generic Magnetic Fusion Reactor model to cost a stellarator-type reactor. Recently, this model has been updated to reflect the improved science and technology base and costs in the magnetic fusionmore » program. Furthermore, it is shown that an interesting catalyzed D-D, stellarator power plant might be possible if the following parameters could be achieved: R/ ≈ 4, required improvement factor to ISS04 scaling, F R = 0.9 to 1.15, ≈ 8.0% to 11.5%, Z eff ≈ 1.45 plus a relativistic temperature correction, fraction of fast ions lost ≈ 0.07, B m ≈ 14 to 16 T, and R ≈ 18 to 24 m.« less

Cosmic-Ray Propagation in Turbulent Spiral Magnetic Fields Associated with Young Stellar Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatuzzo, Marco; Adams, Fred C.

2018-04-01

External cosmic rays impinging upon circumstellar disks associated with young stellar objects provide an important source of ionization, and, as such, play an important role in disk evolution and planet formation. However, these incoming cosmic rays are affected by a variety of physical processes internal to stellar/disk systems, including modulation by turbulent magnetic fields. Globally, these fields naturally provide both a funneling effect, where cosmic rays from larger volumes are focused into the disk region, and a magnetic mirroring effect, where cosmic rays are repelled due to the increasing field strength. This paper considers cosmic-ray propagation in the presence of a turbulent spiral magnetic field, analogous to that produced by the solar wind. The interaction of this wind with the interstellar medium defines a transition radius, analogous to the heliopause, which provides the outer boundary to this problem. We construct a new coordinate system where one coordinate follows the spiral magnetic field lines and consider magnetic perturbations to the field in the perpendicular directions. The presence of magnetic turbulence replaces the mirroring points with a distribution of values and moves the mean location outward. Our results thus help quantify the degree to which cosmic-ray fluxes are reduced in circumstellar disks by the presence of magnetic field structures that are shaped by stellar winds. The new coordinate system constructed herein should also be useful in other astronomical applications.

Magnetic helicity conservation and inverse energy cascade in electron magnetohydrodynamic wave packets.

PubMed

Cho, Jungyeon

2011-05-13

Electron magnetohydrodynamics (EMHD) provides a fluidlike description of small-scale magnetized plasmas. An EMHD wave propagates along magnetic field lines. The direction of propagation can be either parallel or antiparallel to the magnetic field lines. We numerically study propagation of three-dimensional (3D) EMHD wave packets moving in one direction. We obtain two major results. (1) Unlike its magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) counterpart, an EMHD wave packet is dispersive. Because of this, EMHD wave packets traveling in one direction create opposite-traveling wave packets via self-interaction and cascade energy to smaller scales. (2) EMHD wave packets traveling in one direction clearly exhibit inverse energy cascade. We find that the latter is due to conservation of magnetic helicity. We compare inverse energy cascade in 3D EMHD turbulence and two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic turbulence.

Numerical study of 3D flow structure near a cylinder piercing turbulent free-convection boundary layer on a vertical plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levchenya, A. M.; Smirnov, E. M.; Zhukovskaya, V. D.

2018-05-01

The present contribution covers RANS-based simulation of 3D flow near a cylinder introduced into turbulent vertical-plate free-convection boundary layer. Numerical solutions were obtained with a finite-volume Navier-Stokes code of second-order accuracy using refined grids. Peculiarities of the flow disturbed by the obstacle are analyzed. Cylinder-diameter effect on the horseshoe vortex size and its position is evaluated.

Tuning the electrocaloric enhancement near the morphotropic phase boundary in lead-free ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Goupil, Florian; McKinnon, Ruth; Koval, Vladimir; Viola, Giuseppe; Dunn, Steve; Berenov, Andrey; Yan, Haixue; Alford, Neil Mcn.

2016-06-01

The need for more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly alternatives in the refrigeration industry to meet global emission targets has driven efforts towards materials with a potential for solid state cooling. Adiabatic depolarisation cooling, based on the electrocaloric effect (ECE), is a significant contender for efficient new solid state refrigeration techniques. Some of the highest ECE performances reported are found in compounds close to the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). This relationship between performance and the MPB makes the ability to tune the position of the MPB an important challenge in electrocaloric research. Here, we report direct ECE measurements performed on MPB tuned NBT-06BT bulk ceramics with a combination of A-site substitutions. We successfully shift the MPB of these lead-free ceramics closer to room temperature, as required for solid state refrigeration, without loss of the criticality of the system and the associated ECE enhancement.

Tuning the electrocaloric enhancement near the morphotropic phase boundary in lead-free ceramics

PubMed Central

Le Goupil, Florian; McKinnon, Ruth; Koval, Vladimir; Viola, Giuseppe; Dunn, Steve; Berenov, Andrey; Yan, Haixue; Alford, Neil McN.

2016-01-01

The need for more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly alternatives in the refrigeration industry to meet global emission targets has driven efforts towards materials with a potential for solid state cooling. Adiabatic depolarisation cooling, based on the electrocaloric effect (ECE), is a significant contender for efficient new solid state refrigeration techniques. Some of the highest ECE performances reported are found in compounds close to the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). This relationship between performance and the MPB makes the ability to tune the position of the MPB an important challenge in electrocaloric research. Here, we report direct ECE measurements performed on MPB tuned NBT-06BT bulk ceramics with a combination of A-site substitutions. We successfully shift the MPB of these lead-free ceramics closer to room temperature, as required for solid state refrigeration, without loss of the criticality of the system and the associated ECE enhancement. PMID:27312287

Tuning the electrocaloric enhancement near the morphotropic phase boundary in lead-free ceramics.

PubMed

Le Goupil, Florian; McKinnon, Ruth; Koval, Vladimir; Viola, Giuseppe; Dunn, Steve; Berenov, Andrey; Yan, Haixue; Alford, Neil McN

2016-06-17

The need for more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly alternatives in the refrigeration industry to meet global emission targets has driven efforts towards materials with a potential for solid state cooling. Adiabatic depolarisation cooling, based on the electrocaloric effect (ECE), is a significant contender for efficient new solid state refrigeration techniques. Some of the highest ECE performances reported are found in compounds close to the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). This relationship between performance and the MPB makes the ability to tune the position of the MPB an important challenge in electrocaloric research. Here, we report direct ECE measurements performed on MPB tuned NBT-06BT bulk ceramics with a combination of A-site substitutions. We successfully shift the MPB of these lead-free ceramics closer to room temperature, as required for solid state refrigeration, without loss of the criticality of the system and the associated ECE enhancement.

Free Vibration Study of Anti-Symmetric Angle-Ply Laminated Plates under Clamped Boundary Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, K. K.; Karthik, K.; Sanyasiraju, Y. V. S. S.; Aziz, Z. A.

2016-11-01

Two type of numerical approach namely, Radial Basis Function and Spline approximation, used to analyse the free vibration of anti-symmetric angle-ply laminated plates under clamped boundary conditions. The equations of motion are derived using YNS theory under first order shear deformation. By assuming the solution in separable form, coupled differential equations obtained in term of mid-plane displacement and rotational functions. The coupled differential is then approximated using Spline function and radial basis function to obtain the generalize eigenvalue problem and parametric studies are made to investigate the effect of aspect ratio, length-to-thickness ratio, number of layers, fibre orientation and material properties with respect to the frequency parameter. Some results are compared with the existing literature and other new results are given in tables and graphs.

A hybrid numerical fluid dynamics code for resistive magnetohydrodynamics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Jeffrey

2006-04-01

Spasmos is a computational fluid dynamics code that uses two numerical methods to solve the equations of resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows in compressible, inviscid, conducting media[1]. The code is implemented as a set of libraries for the Python programming language[2]. It represents conducting and non-conducting gases and materials with uncomplicated (analytic) equations of state. It supports calculations in 1D, 2D, and 3D geometry, though only the 1D configuation has received significant testing to date. Because it uses the Python interpreter as a front end, users can easily write test programs to model systems with a variety of different numerical andmore » physical parameters. Currently, the code includes 1D test programs for hydrodynamics (linear acoustic waves, the Sod weak shock[3], the Noh strong shock[4], the Sedov explosion[5], magnetic diffusion (decay of a magnetic pulse[6], a driven oscillatory "wine-cellar" problem[7], magnetic equilibrium), and magnetohydrodynamics (an advected magnetic pulse[8], linear MHD waves, a magnetized shock tube[9]). Spasmos current runs only in a serial configuration. In the future, it will use MPI for parallel computation.« less

Stellar Streams Discovered in the Dark Energy Survey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shipp, N.; et al.

We perform a search for stellar streams around the Milky Way using the first three years of multi-band optical imaging data from the Dark Energy Survey (DES). We use DES data coveringmore » $$\\sim 5000$$ sq. deg. to a depth of $g > 23.5$ with a relative photometric calibration uncertainty of $$< 1 \\%$$. This data set yields unprecedented sensitivity to the stellar density field in the southern celestial hemisphere, enabling the detection of faint stellar streams to a heliocentric distance of $$\\sim 50$$ kpc. We search for stellar streams using a matched-filter in color-magnitude space derived from a synthetic isochrone of an old, metal-poor stellar population. Our detection technique recovers four previously known thin stellar streams: Phoenix, ATLAS, Tucana III, and a possible extension of Molonglo. In addition, we report the discovery of eleven new stellar streams. In general, the new streams detected by DES are fainter, more distant, and lower surface brightness than streams detected by similar techniques in previous photometric surveys. As a by-product of our stellar stream search, we find evidence for extra-tidal stellar structure associated with four globular clusters: NGC 288, NGC 1261, NGC 1851, and NGC 1904. The ever-growing sample of stellar streams will provide insight into the formation of the Galactic stellar halo, the Milky Way gravitational potential, as well as the large- and small-scale distribution of dark matter around the Milky Way.« less

A direct imaging search for close stellar and sub-stellar companions to young nearby stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, N.; Mugrauer, M.; Neuhäuser, R.; Schmidt, T. O. B.; Contreras-Quijada, A.; Schmidt, J. G.

2015-01-01

A total of 28 young nearby stars (ages {≤ 60} Myr) have been observed in the K_s-band with the adaptive optics imager Naos-Conica of the Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. Among the targets are ten visual binaries and one triple system at distances between 10 and 130 pc, all previously known. During a first observing epoch a total of 20 faint stellar or sub-stellar companion-candidates were detected around seven of the targets. These fields, as well as most of the stellar binaries, were re-observed with the same instrument during a second epoch, about one year later. We present the astrometric observations of all binaries. Their analysis revealed that all stellar binaries are co-moving. In two cases (HD 119022 AB and FG Aqr B/C) indications for significant orbital motions were found. However, all sub-stellar companion candidates turned out to be non-moving background objects except PZ Tel which is part of this project but whose results were published elsewhere. Detection limits were determined for all targets, and limiting masses were derived adopting three different age values; they turn out to be less than 10 Jupiter masses in most cases, well below the brown dwarf mass range. The fraction of stellar multiplicity and of the sub-stellar companion occurrence in the star forming regions in Chamaeleon are compared to the statistics of our search, and possible reasons for the observed differences are discussed. Based on observations made with ESO telescopes at Paranal Observatory under programme IDs 083.C-0150(B), 084.C-0364(A), 084.C-0364(B), 084.C-0364(C), 086.C-0600(A) and 086.C-0600(B).

Stability of the thermodynamic equilibrium - A test of the validity of dynamic models as applied to gyroviscous perpendicular magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faghihi, Mustafa; Scheffel, Jan; Spies, Guenther O.

1988-05-01

Stability of the thermodynamic equilibrium is put forward as a simple test of the validity of dynamic equations, and is applied to perpendicular gyroviscous magnetohydrodynamics (i.e., perpendicular magnetohydrodynamics with gyroviscosity added). This model turns out to be invalid because it predicts exponentially growing Alfven waves in a spatially homogeneous static equilibrium with scalar pressure.

Investigations on the mechanical behavior of nanowires with twin boundaries by atomistic simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tian, Xia, E-mail: tianxia@lsec.cc.ac.cn

2015-03-10

Atomistic simulations are used to study the deformation behavior of twinned Cu nanowires with a <111> growth orientation under tension. Due to the existence of the twin boundaries, the strength of the twinned nanowires is higher than that of the twin-free nanowire and the yielding stress of twinned nanowires is inversely proportional to the spacings of the twin boundaries. Moreover, The ductility of the twin-free nanowire is the highest of all and it grows with the increasing spacings of the twin boundaries for twinned nanowires. Besides, we find that the twin boundaries can be served as dislocation sources as wellmore » as the free surfaces and grain boundaries.« less

Progress Toward Attractive Stellarators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neilson, G H; Brown, T G; Gates, D A

The quasi-axisymmetric stellarator (QAS) concept offers a promising path to a more compact stellarator reactor, closer in linear dimensions to tokamak reactors than previous stellarator designs. Concept improvements are needed, however, to make it more maintainable and more compatible with high plant availability. Using the ARIES-CS design as a starting point, compact stellarator designs with improved maintenance characteristics have been developed. While the ARIES-CS features a through-the-port maintenance scheme, we have investigated configuration changes to enable a sector-maintenance approach, as envisioned for example in ARIES AT. Three approaches are reported. The first is to make tradeoffs within the QAS designmore » space, giving greater emphasis to maintainability criteria. The second approach is to improve the optimization tools to more accurately and efficiently target the physics properties of importance. The third is to employ a hybrid coil topology, so that the plasma shaping functions of the main coils are shared more optimally, either with passive conductors made of high-temperature superconductor or with local compensation coils, allowing the main coils to become simpler. Optimization tools are being improved to test these approaches.« less

Stellar Explosions: Hydrodynamics and Nucleosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jose, Jordi

2016-01-01

Stars are the main factories of element production in the universe through a suite of complex and intertwined physical processes. Such stellar alchemy is driven by multiple nuclear interactions that through eons have transformed the pristine, metal-poor ashes leftover by the Big Bang into a cosmos with 100 distinct chemical species. The products of stellar nucleosynthesis frequently get mixed inside stars by convective transport or through hydrodynamic instabilities, and a fraction of them is eventually ejected into the interstellar medium, thus polluting the cosmos with gas and dust. The study of the physics of the stars and their role as nucleosynthesis factories owes much to cross-fertilization of different, somehow disconnected fields, ranging from observational astronomy, computational astrophysics, and cosmochemistry to experimental and theoretical nuclear physics. Few books have simultaneously addressed the multidisciplinary nature of this field in an engaging way suitable for students and young scientists. Providing the required multidisciplinary background in a coherent way has been the driving force for Stellar Explosions: Hydrodynamics and Nucleosynthesis. Written by a specialist in stellar astrophysics, this book presents a rigorous but accessible treatment of the physics of stellar explosions from a multidisciplinary perspective at the crossroads of computational astrophysics, observational astronomy, cosmochemistry, and nuclear physics. Basic concepts from all these different fields are applied to the study of classical and recurrent novae, type I and II supernovae, X-ray bursts and superbursts, and stellar mergers. The book shows how a multidisciplinary approach has been instrumental in our understanding of nucleosynthesis in stars, particularly during explosive events.

Stellar Explosions: Hydrodynamics and Nucleosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

José, Jordi

2015-12-01

Stars are the main factories of element production in the universe through a suite of complex and intertwined physical processes. Such stellar alchemy is driven by multiple nuclear interactions that through eons have transformed the pristine, metal-poor ashes leftover by the Big Bang into a cosmos with 100 distinct chemical species. The products of stellar nucleosynthesis frequently get mixed inside stars by convective transport or through hydrodynamic instabilities, and a fraction of them is eventually ejected into the interstellar medium, thus polluting the cosmos with gas and dust. The study of the physics of the stars and their role as nucleosynthesis factories owes much to cross-fertilization of different, somehow disconnected fields, ranging from observational astronomy, computational astrophysics, and cosmochemistry to experimental and theoretical nuclear physics. Few books have simultaneously addressed the multidisciplinary nature of this field in an engaging way suitable for students and young scientists. Providing the required multidisciplinary background in a coherent way has been the driving force for Stellar Explosions: Hydrodynamics and Nucleosynthesis. Written by a specialist in stellar astrophysics, this book presents a rigorous but accessible treatment of the physics of stellar explosions from a multidisciplinary perspective at the crossroads of computational astrophysics, observational astronomy, cosmochemistry, and nuclear physics. Basic concepts from all these different fields are applied to the study of classical and recurrent novae, type I and II supernovae, X-ray bursts and superbursts, and stellar mergers. The book shows how a multidisciplinary approach has been instrumental in our understanding of nucleosynthesis in stars, particularly during explosive events.

Analysis of electron transfer processes across liquid/liquid interfaces: estimation of free energy of activation using diffuse boundary model.

PubMed

Harinipriya, S; Sangaranarayanan, M V

2006-01-31

The evaluation of the free energy of activation pertaining to the electron-transfer reactions occurring at liquid/liquid interfaces is carried out employing a diffuse boundary model. The interfacial solvation numbers are estimated using a lattice gas model under the quasichemical approximation. The standard reduction potentials of the redox couples, appropriate inner potential differences, dielectric permittivities, as well as the width of the interface are included in the analysis. The methodology is applied to the reaction between [Fe(CN)6](3-/4-) and [Lu(biphthalocyanine)](3+/4+) at water/1,2-dichloroethane interface. The rate-determining step is inferred from the estimated free energy of activation for the constituent processes. The results indicate that the solvent shielding effect and the desolvation of the reactants at the interface play a central role in dictating the free energy of activation. The heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constant is evaluated from the molar reaction volume and the frequency factor.

Observing Stellar Clusters in the Computer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borch, A.; Spurzem, R.; Hurley, J.

2006-08-01

We present a new approach to combine direct N-body simulations to stellar population synthesis modeling in order to model the dynamical evolution and color evolution of globular clusters at the same time. This allows us to model the spectrum, colors and luminosities of each star in the simulated cluster. For this purpose the NBODY6++ code (Spurzem 1999) is used, which is a parallel version of the NBODY code. J. Hurley implemented simple recipes to follow the changes of stellar masses, radii, and luminosities due to stellar evolution into the NBODY6++ code (Hurley et al. 2001), in the sense that each simulation particle represents one star. These prescriptions cover all evolutionary phases and solar to globular cluster metallicities. We used the stellar parameters obtained by this stellar evolution routine and coupled them to the stellar library BaSeL 2.0 (Lejeune et al. 1997). As a first application we investigated the integrated broad band colors of simulated clusters. We modeled tidally disrupted globular clusters and compared the results with isolated globular clusters. Due to energy equipartition we expected a relative blueing of tidally disrupted clusters, because of the higher escape probability of red, low-mass stars. This behaviour we actually observe for concentrated globular clusters. The mass-to-light ratio of isolated clusters follows exactly a color-M/L correlation, similar as described in Bell and de Jong (2001) in the case of spiral galaxies. At variance to this correlation, in tidally disrupted clusters the M/L ratio becomes significantly lower at the time of cluster dissolution. Hence, for isolated clusters the behavior of the stellar population is not influenced by dynamical evolution, whereas the stellar population of tidally disrupted clusters is strongly influenced by dynamical effects.

Stellar Activity at the End of the Main Sequence: GHRS Observations of the M8 Ve Star VB 10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linsky, Jeffrey L.; Wood, Brian E.; Brown, Alexander; Giampapa, Mark S.; Ambruster, Carol

1995-01-01

We present Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph observations of the M8 Ve star VB 10 (equal to G1 752B), located very near the end of the stellar main sequence, and its dM3.5 binary companion G1 752A. These coeval stars provide a test bed for studying whether the outer atmospheres of stars respond to changes in internal structure as stars become fully convective near mass 0.3 solar mass (about spectral type M5), where the nature of the stellar magnetic dynamo presumably changes, and near the transition from red to brown dwarfs near mass 0.08 solar mass (about spectral type M9), when hydrogen burning ceases at the end of the main sequence. We obtain upper limits for the quiescent emission of VB 10 but observe a transition region spectrum during a large flare, which indicates that some type of magnetic dynamo must be present. Two indirect lines of evidence-scaling from the observed X-ray emission and scaling from a time-resolved flare on AD Leo suggest that the fraction of the stellar bolometric luminosity that heats the transition region of VB 10 outside of obvious flares is comparable to, or larger than, that for G1 752A. This suggests an increase in the magnetic heating rates, as measured by L(sub line)/L(sub bol) ratios, across the radiative/convective core boundary and as stars approach the red/brown dwarf boundary. These results provide new constraints for dynamo models and models of coronal and transition-region heating in late-type stars.

Flow unsteadiness effects on boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murthy, Sreedhara V.

1989-01-01

The development of boundary layers at high subsonic speeds in the presence of either mass flux fluctuations or acoustic disturbances (the two most important parameters in the unsteadiness environment affecting the aerodynamics of a flight vehicle) was investigated. A high quality database for generating detailed information concerning free-stream flow unsteadiness effects on boundary layer growth and transition in high subsonic and transonic speeds is described. The database will be generated with a two-pronged approach: (1) from a detailed review of existing literature on research and wind tunnel calibration database, and (2) from detailed tests in the Boundary Layer Apparatus for Subsonic and Transonic flow Affected by Noise Environment (BLASTANE). Special instrumentation, including hot wire anemometry, the buried wire gage technique, and laser velocimetry were used to obtain skin friction and turbulent shear stress data along the entire boundary layer for various free stream noise levels, turbulence content, and pressure gradients. This database will be useful for improving the correction methodology of applying wind tunnel test data to flight predictions and will be helpful for making improvements in turbulence modeling laws.

Micromachined magnetohydrodynamic actuators and sensors

DOEpatents

Lee, Abraham P.; Lemoff, Asuncion V.

2000-01-01

A magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) micropump and microsensor which utilizes micromachining to integrate the electrodes with microchannels and includes a magnet for producing magnetic fields perpendicular to both the electrical current direction and the fluid flow direction. The magnet can also be micromachined and integrated with the micropump using existing technology. The MHD micropump, for example, can generate continuous, reversible flow, with readily controllable flow rates. The flow can be reversed by either reversing the electrical current flow or reversing the magnetic field. By mismatching the electrodes, a swirling vortex flow can be generated for potential mixing applications. No moving parts are necessary and the dead volume is minimal. The micropumps can be placed at any position in a fluidic circuit and a combination of micropumps can generate fluidic plugs and valves.

Featured Image: A Looping Stellar Stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2016-11-01

This negative image of NGC 5907 (originally published inMartinez-Delgadoet al. 2008; click for the full view!) reveals the faint stellar stream that encircles the galaxy, forming loops around it a fossil of a recent merger. Mergers between galaxies come in several different flavors: major mergers, in which the merging galaxies are within a 1:5 ratio in stellar mass; satellite cannibalism, in which a large galaxy destroys a small satellite less than a 50th of its size; and the in-between case of minor mergers, in which the merging galaxieshave stellar mass ratios between 1:5 and 1:50. These minor mergers are thought to be relatively common, and they can have a significant effect on the dynamics and structure of the primary galaxy. A team of scientists led by Seppo Laine (Spitzer Science Center Caltech) has recently analyzed the metallicity and age of the stellar population in the stream around NGC 5907. By fitting these observations with a stellar population synthesis model, they conclude that this stream is an example of a massive minor merger, with a stellar mass ratio of at least 1:8. For more information, check out the paper below!CitationSeppo Laine et al 2016 AJ 152 72. doi:10.3847/0004-6256/152/3/72

The Resolved Stellar Populations Early Release Science Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, Karoline; Weisz, Daniel; Resolved Stellar Populations ERS Program Team

2018-06-01

The Resolved Stellar Populations Early Release Science Program (PI D. Weisz) will observe Local Group targets covering a range of stellar density and star formation histories, including a globular cluster, and ultra-faint dwarf galaxy, and a star-forming dwarf galaxy. Using observations of these diverse targets we will explore a broad science program: we will measure star formation histories, the sub-solar stellar initial mass function, and proper motions, perform studies of evolved stars, and map extinction in the target fields. Our observations will be of high archival value for other science such as calibrating stellar evolution models, studying variable stars, and searching for metal-poor stars. We will determine optimal observational setups and develop data reduction techniques that will be common to JWST studies of resolved stellar populations. We will also design, test, and release point spread function (PSF) fitting software specific to NIRCam and NIRISS, required for the crowded stellar regime. Prior to the Cycle 2 Call for Proposals, we will release PSF fitting software, matched HST and JWST catalogs, and clear documentation and step-by-step tutorials (such as Jupyter notebooks) for reducing crowded stellar field data and producing resolved stellar photometry catalogs, as well as for specific resolved stellar photometry science applications.

Boundary-layer effects in composite laminates. I - Free-edge stress singularities. II - Free-edge stress solutions and basic characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, S. S.; Choi, I.

1982-01-01

The fundamental nature of the boundary-layer effect in fiber-reinforced composite laminates is formulated in terms of the theory of anisotropic elasticity. The basic structure of the boundary-layer field solution is obtained by using Lekhnitskii's stress potentials (1963). The boundary-layer stress field is found to be singular at composite laminate edges, and the exact order or strength of the boundary layer stress singularity is determined using an eigenfunction expansion method. A complete solution to the boundary-layer problem is then derived, and the convergence and accuracy of the solution are analyzed, comparing results with existing approximate numerical solutions. The solution method is demonstrated for a symmetric graphite-epoxy composite.

Stellar Vampires Unmasked

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2006-10-01

Astronomers have found possible proofs of stellar vampirism in the globular cluster 47 Tucanae. Using ESO's Very Large Telescope, they found that some hot, bright, and apparently young stars in the cluster present less carbon and oxygen than the majority of their sisters. This indicates that these few stars likely formed by taking their material from another star. "This is the first detection of a chemical signature clearly pointing to a specific scenario to form so-called 'Blue straggler stars' in a globular cluster", said Francesco Ferraro, from the Astronomy Department of Bologna University (Italy) and lead-author of the paper presenting the results. Blue stragglers are unexpectedly young-looking stars found in stellar aggregates, such as globular clusters, which are known to be made up of old stars. These enigmatic objects are thought to be created in either direct stellar collisions or through the evolution and coalescence of a binary star system in which one star 'sucks' material off the other, rejuvenating itself. As such, they provide interesting constraints on both binary stellar evolution and star cluster dynamics. To date, the unambiguous signatures of either stellar traffic accidents or stellar vampirism have not been observed, and the formation mechanisms of Blue stragglers are still a mystery. The astronomers used ESO's Very Large Telescope to measure the abundance of chemical elements at the surface of 43 Blue straggler stars in the globular cluster 47 Tucanae [1]. They discovered that six of these Blue straggler stars contain less carbon and oxygen than the majority of these peculiar objects. Such an anomaly indicates that the material at the surface of the blue stragglers comes from the deep interiors of a parent star [2]. Such deep material can reach the surface of the blue straggler only during the mass transfer process occurring between two stars in a binary system. Numerical simulations indeed show that the coalescence of stars should not

Discussion and analytical test for inclusion of advanced field and boundary condition in theory of free electron lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niknejadi, Pardis; Madey, John M. J.

2017-09-01

By the covariant statement of the distance in space-time separating transmitter and receivers, the emission and absorption of the retarded and advanced waves are all simultaneous. In other words, for signals carried on electromagnetic waves (advanced or retarded) the invariant interval (cdt) 2 -dr2 between the emission of a wave and it's absorption at the non-reflecting boundary is always identically zero. Utilizing this principle, we have previously explained the advantages of including the coherent radiation reaction force as a part of the solution to the boundary value problem for FELs that radiate into "free space" (Self Amplified Spontaneous Emission (SASE) FELs) and discussed how the advanced field of the absorber can interact with the radiating particles at the time of emission. Here we present an analytical test which verifies that a multilayer mirror can act as a band pass filter and can contribute to microbunching in the electron beam. Here we will discuss motivation, conditions and requirements, and method for testing this effect.

A high-order positivity-preserving single-stage single-step method for the ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christlieb, Andrew J.; Feng, Xiao; Seal, David C.; Tang, Qi

2016-07-01

We propose a high-order finite difference weighted ENO (WENO) method for the ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations. The proposed method is single-stage (i.e., it has no internal stages to store), single-step (i.e., it has no time history that needs to be stored), maintains a discrete divergence-free condition on the magnetic field, and has the capacity to preserve the positivity of the density and pressure. To accomplish this, we use a Taylor discretization of the Picard integral formulation (PIF) of the finite difference WENO method proposed in Christlieb et al. (2015) [23], where the focus is on a high-order discretization of the fluxes (as opposed to the conserved variables). We use the version where fluxes are expanded to third-order accuracy in time, and for the fluid variables space is discretized using the classical fifth-order finite difference WENO discretization. We use constrained transport in order to obtain divergence-free magnetic fields, which means that we simultaneously evolve the magnetohydrodynamic (that has an evolution equation for the magnetic field) and magnetic potential equations alongside each other, and set the magnetic field to be the (discrete) curl of the magnetic potential after each time step. In this work, we compute these derivatives to fourth-order accuracy. In order to retain a single-stage, single-step method, we develop a novel Lax-Wendroff discretization for the evolution of the magnetic potential, where we start with technology used for Hamilton-Jacobi equations in order to construct a non-oscillatory magnetic field. The end result is an algorithm that is similar to our previous work Christlieb et al. (2014) [8], but this time the time stepping is replaced through a Taylor method with the addition of a positivity-preserving limiter. Finally, positivity preservation is realized by introducing a parameterized flux limiter that considers a linear combination of high and low-order numerical fluxes. The choice of the free

A Meshless Method for Magnetohydrodynamics and Applications to Protoplanetary Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNally, Colin P.

2012-08-01

study. Nonetheless, how the test is posed circumvents the issues raised by tests starting from a sharp contact discontinuity yet it still shows the poor performance of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics. We then comment on the connection between this behavior and the underlying lack of zeroth-order consistency in Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics interpolation. In astrophysical magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and electrodynamics simulations, numerically enforcing the divergence free constraint on the magnetic field has been difficult. We observe that for point-based discretization, as used in finite-difference type and pseudo-spectral methods, the divergence free constraint can be satisfied entirely by a choice of interpolation used to define the derivatives of the magnetic field. As an example we demonstrate a new class of finite-difference type derivative operators on a regular grid which has the divergence free property. This principle clarifies the nature of magnetic monopole errors. The principles and techniques demonstrated in this chapter are particularly useful for the magnetic field, but can be applied to any vector field. Finally, we examine global zoom-in simulations of turbulent magnetorotationally unstable flow. We extract and analyze the high-current regions produced in the turbulent flow. Basic parameters of these regions are abstracted, and we build one dimensional models including non-ideal MHD, and radiative transfer. For sufficiently high temperatures, an instability resulting from the temperature dependence of the Ohmic resistivity is found. This instability concentrates current sheets, resulting in the possibility of rapid heating from temperatures on the order of 600 Kelvin to 2000 Kelvin in magnetorotationally turbulent regions of protoplanetary disks. This is a possible local mechanism for the melting of chondrules and the formation of other high-temperature materials in protoplanetary disks.

A catalog of stellar spectrophotometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, S. J.; Pyper, D. M.; Shore, S. N.; White, R. E.; Warren, W. H., Jr.

1989-01-01

A machine-readable catalog of stellar spectrophotometric measurements made with rotating grating scanner is introduced. Consideration is given to the processes by which the stellar data were collected and calibrated with the fluxes of Vega (Hayes and Latham, 1975). A sample page from the spectrophotometric catalog is presented.

The Role of Stellar Feedback on the Structure of the ISM and Star Formation in Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grisdale, Kearn Michael

2017-08-01

Stellar feedback refers to the injection of energy, momentum and mass into the interstellar medium (ISM) by massive stars. This feedback owes to a combination of ionising radiation, radiation pressure, stellar winds and supernovae and is likely responsible both for the inefficiency of star formation in galaxies, and the observed super-sonic turbulence of the ISM. In this thesis, I study how stellar feedback shapes the ISM thereby regulating galaxy evolution. In particular, I focus on three key questions: (i) How does stellar feedback shape the gas density distribution of the ISM? (ii) How does feedback change or influence the distribution of the kinetic energy in the ISM? and (iii) What role does feedback play in determining the star formation efficiency of giant molecular clouds (GMCs)? To answer these questions, I run high resolution (Deltax 4.6 pc) numerical simulations of three isolated galaxies, both with and without stellar feedback. I compare these simulations to observations of six galaxies from The HI Nearby Galaxy Survey (THINGS) using power spectra, and I use clump finding techniques to identify GMCs in my simulations and calculate their properties. I find that the kinetic energy power spectra in stellar feedback- regulated galaxies, regardless of the galaxy's mass and size, show scalings in excellent agreement with supersonic turbulence on scales below the thickness of the HI layer. I show that feedback influences the gas density field, and drives gas turbulence, up to large (kiloparsec) scales. This is in stark contrast to the density fields generated by large-scale gravity-only driven turbulence (i.e. without stellar feedback). Simulations with stellar feedback are able to reproduce the internal properties of GMCs such as: mass, size and velocity dispersion. Finally, I demonstrate that my simulations naturally reproduce the observed scatter (3.5-4 dex) in the star formation efficiency per free-fall time of GMCs, despite only employing a simple Schmidt

The Origin of Stellar Species: constraining stellar evolution scenarios with Local Group galaxy surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarbadhicary, Sumit; Badenes, Carles; Chomiuk, Laura; Maldonado, Jessica; Caprioli, Damiano; Heger, Mairead; Huizenga, Daniel

2018-01-01

Our understanding of the progenitors of many stellar species, such as supernovae, massive and low-mass He-burning stars, is limited because of many poorly constrained aspects of stellar evolution theory. For my dissertation, I have focused on using Local Group galaxy surveys to constrain stellar evolution scenarios by measuring delay-time distributions (DTD). The DTD is the hypothetical occurrence rate of a stellar object per elapsed time after a brief burst of star formation. It is the measured distribution of timescales on which stars evolve, and therefore serves as a powerful observational constraint on theoretical progenitor models. The DTD can be measured from a survey of stellar objects and a set of star-formation histories of the host galaxy, and is particularly effective in the Local Group, where high-quality star-formation histories are available from resolved stellar populations. I am currently calculating a SN DTD with supernova remnants (SNRs) in order to provide the strongest constraints on the progenitors of thermonuclear and core-collapse supernovae. However, most SNRs do not have reliable age measurements and their evolution depends on the ambient environment. For this reason, I wrote a radio light curve model of an SNR population to extract the visibility times and rates of supernovae - crucial ingredients for the DTD - from an SNR survey. The model uses observational constraints on the local environments from multi-wavelength surveys, accounts for missing SNRs and employs the latest models of shock-driven particle acceleration. The final calculation of the SN DTD in the Local Group is awaiting completion of a systematic SNR catalog from deep radio-continuum images, now in preparation by a group led by Dr. Laura Chomiuk. I have also calculated DTDs for the LMC population of RR Lyrae and Cepheid variables, which serve as important distance calibrators and stellar population tracers. We find that Cepheids can have delay-times between 10 Myrs - 1 Gyr

PREFACE: A Stellar Journey A Stellar Journey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asplund, M.

2008-10-01

The conference A Stellar Journey was held in Uppsala, Sweden, 23 27June 2008, in honour of Professor Bengt Gustafsson's 65th birthday. The choice of Uppsala as the location for this event was obvious given Bengt's long-standing association with the city stemming back to his school days. With the exception of a two-year postdoc stint in Copenhagen, five years as professor at Stockholm University and two years as director of the Sigtuna foundation, Bengt has forged his illustrious professional career at Uppsala University. The symposium venue was Museum Gustavianum, once the main building of the oldest university in Scandinavia. The title of the symposium is a paraphrasing of Bengt's popular astronomy book Kosmisk Resa (in English: Cosmic Journey) written in the early eighties. I think this aptly symbolizes his career that has been an astronomical voyage from near to far, from the distant past to the present. The original book title was modified slightly to reflect that most of his work to date has dealt with stars in one way or another. In addition it also gives credit to Bengt's important role as a guiding light for a very large number of students, colleagues and collaborators, indeed for several generations of astronomers. For me personally, the book Kosmisk Resa bears particular significance as it has shaped my life rather profoundly. Although I had already decided to become an astronomer, when I first read the book as a 14-year-old I made up my mind then and there that I would study under Bengt Gustafsson and work on stars. Indeed I have remained true to this somewhat audacious resolution. I suspect that a great number of us have similar stories how Bengt has had a major influence on our lives, whether on the professional or personal level. Perhaps Bengt's most outstanding characteristic is his enthralling enthusiasm. This is equally true whether he is pondering some scientific conundrum, supervising students or performing in front of an audience, be it an

Stellar dynamics around a massive black hole - III. Resonant relaxation of razor-thin axisymmetric discs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sridhar, S.; Touma, Jihad R.

2017-02-01

We study the resonant relaxation (RR) of an axisymmetric, low-mass (or Keplerian) stellar disc orbiting a more massive black hole (MBH). Our recent work on the general kinetic theory of RR is simplified in the standard manner by the neglect of 'gravitational polarization' and applied to a razor-thin axisymmetric disc. The wake of a stellar orbit is expressed in terms of the angular momenta exchanged with other orbits, and used to derive a kinetic equation for RR under the combined actions of self-gravity, 1 PN and 1.5 PN general relativistic effects of the MBH and an arbitrary external axisymmetric potential. This is a Fokker-Planck equation for the stellar distribution function (DF), wherein the diffusion coefficients are given self-consistently in terms of contributions from apsidal resonances between pairs of stellar orbits. The physical kinetics is studied for the two main cases of interest. (1) 'Lossless' discs in which the MBH is not a sink of stars, and disc mass, angular momentum and energy are conserved: we prove that general H-functions can increase or decrease during RR, but the Boltzmann entropy is (essentially) unique in being a non-decreasing function of time. Therefore, secular thermal equilibria are maximum entropy states, with DFs of the Boltzmann form; the two-ring correlation function at equilibrium is computed. (2) Discs that lose stars to the MBH through an 'empty loss cone': we derive expressions for the MBH feeding rates of mass, angular momentum and energy in terms of the diffusive fluxes at the loss-cone boundaries.

Exploring Astrophysical Magnetohydrodynamics in the Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manuel, Mario

2014-10-01

Plasma evolution in many astrophysical systems is dominated by magnetohydrodynamics. Specifically of interest to this talk are collimated outflows from accretion systems. Away from the central object, the Euler equations can represent the plasma dynamics well and may be scaled to a laboratory system. We have performed experiments to investigate the effects of a background magnetic field on an otherwise hydrodynamically collimated plasma. Laser-irradiated, cone targets produce hydrodynamically collimated plasma jets and a pulse-powered solenoid provides a constant background magnetic field. The application of this field is shown to completely disrupt the original flow and a new magnetically-collimated, hollow envelope is produced. Results from these experiments and potential implications for their astrophysical analogs will be discussed.

Non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the two-stage fragmentation model for cluster formation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bailey, Nicole D.; Basu, Shantanu, E-mail: N.Bailey@leeds.ac.uk, E-mail: basu@uwo.ca

2014-01-01

We model molecular cloud fragmentation with thin-disk, non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations that include ambipolar diffusion and partial ionization that transitions from primarily ultraviolet-dominated to cosmic-ray-dominated regimes. These simulations are used to determine the conditions required for star clusters to form through a two-stage fragmentation scenario. Recent linear analyses have shown that the fragmentation length scales and timescales can undergo a dramatic drop across the column density boundary that separates the ultraviolet- and cosmic-ray-dominated ionization regimes. As found in earlier studies, the absence of an ionization drop and regular perturbations leads to a single-stage fragmentation on pc scales in transcritical clouds, somore » that the nonlinear evolution yields the same fragment sizes as predicted by linear theory. However, we find that a combination of initial transcritical mass-to-flux ratio, evolution through a column density regime in which the ionization drop takes place, and regular small perturbations to the mass-to-flux ratio is sufficient to cause a second stage of fragmentation during the nonlinear evolution. Cores of size ∼0.1 pc are formed within an initial fragment of ∼pc size. Regular perturbations to the mass-to-flux ratio also accelerate the onset of runaway collapse.« less

Radiative Transfer in Stellar Atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutten, Robert J.

2003-05-01

The main topic treated in these graduate course notes is the classical theory of radiative transfer for explaining stellar spectra. It needs relatively much attention to be mastered. Radiative transfer in gaseous media that are neither optically thin nor fully opaque and scatter to boot is a key part of astrophysics but not a transparent subject. These course notes represent a middle road between Mihalas' "Stellar Atmospheres" (graduate level and up) and the books by Novotny and Boehm-Vitense (undergraduate level). They are at about the level of Gray's "The observation and analysis of stellar photospheres" but emphasize NLTE radiative transfer rather than observational techniques and data interpretation.

Recent advances in non-LTE stellar atmosphere models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sander, Andreas A. C.

2017-11-01

In the last decades, stellar atmosphere models have become a key tool in understanding massive stars. Applied for spectroscopic analysis, these models provide quantitative information on stellar wind properties as well as fundamental stellar parameters. The intricate non-LTE conditions in stellar winds dictate the development of adequate sophisticated model atmosphere codes. The increase in both, the computational power and our understanding of physical processes in stellar atmospheres, led to an increasing complexity in the models. As a result, codes emerged that can tackle a wide range of stellar and wind parameters. After a brief address of the fundamentals of stellar atmosphere modeling, the current stage of clumped and line-blanketed model atmospheres will be discussed. Finally, the path for the next generation of stellar atmosphere models will be outlined. Apart from discussing multi-dimensional approaches, I will emphasize on the coupling of hydrodynamics with a sophisticated treatment of the radiative transfer. This next generation of models will be able to predict wind parameters from first principles, which could open new doors for our understanding of the various facets of massive star physics, evolution, and death.

Numerical investigation of implementation of air-earth boundary by acoustic-elastic boundary approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Xu, Y.; Xia, J.; Miller, R.D.

2007-01-01

The need for incorporating the traction-free condition at the air-earth boundary for finite-difference modeling of seismic wave propagation has been discussed widely. A new implementation has been developed for simulating elastic wave propagation in which the free-surface condition is replaced by an explicit acoustic-elastic boundary. Detailed comparisons of seismograms with different implementations for the air-earth boundary were undertaken using the (2,2) (the finite-difference operators are second order in time and space) and the (2,6) (second order in time and sixth order in space) standard staggered-grid (SSG) schemes. Methods used in these comparisons to define the air-earth boundary included the stress image method (SIM), the heterogeneous approach, the scheme of modifying material properties based on transversely isotropic medium approach, the acoustic-elastic boundary approach, and an analytical approach. The method proposed achieves the same or higher accuracy of modeled body waves relative to the SIM. Rayleigh waves calculated using the explicit acoustic-elastic boundary approach differ slightly from those calculated using the SIM. Numerical results indicate that when using the (2,2) SSG scheme for SIM and our new method, a spatial step of 16 points per minimum wavelength is sufficient to achieve 90% accuracy; 32 points per minimum wavelength achieves 95% accuracy in modeled Rayleigh waves. When using the (2,6) SSG scheme for the two methods, a spatial step of eight points per minimum wavelength achieves 95% accuracy in modeled Rayleigh waves. Our proposed method is physically reasonable and, based on dispersive analysis of simulated seismographs from a layered half-space model, is highly accurate. As a bonus, our proposed method is easy to program and slightly faster than the SIM. ?? 2007 Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

The AIMSS Project - III. The stellar populations of compact stellar systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janz, Joachim; Norris, Mark A.; Forbes, Duncan A.; Huxor, Avon; Romanowsky, Aaron J.; Frank, Matthias J.; Escudero, Carlos G.; Faifer, Favio R.; Forte, Juan Carlos; Kannappan, Sheila J.; Maraston, Claudia; Brodie, Jean P.; Strader, Jay; Thompson, Bradley R.

2016-02-01

In recent years, a growing zoo of compact stellar systems (CSSs) have been found whose physical properties (mass, size, velocity dispersion) place them between classical globular clusters (GCs) and true galaxies, leading to debates about their nature. Here we present results using a so far underutilized discriminant, their stellar population properties. Based on new spectroscopy from 8-10m telescopes, we derive ages, metallicities, and [α/Fe] of 29 CSSs. These range from GCs with sizes of merely a few parsec to compact ellipticals (cEs) larger than M32. Together with a literature compilation, this provides a panoramic view of the stellar population characteristics of early-type systems. We find that the CSSs are predominantly more metal rich than typical galaxies at the same stellar mass. At high mass, the cEs depart from the mass-metallicity relation of massive early-type galaxies, which forms a continuous sequence with dwarf galaxies. At lower mass, the metallicity distribution of ultracompact dwarfs (UCDs) changes at a few times 107 M⊙, which roughly coincides with the mass where luminosity function arguments previously suggested the GC population ends. The highest metallicities in CSSs are paralleled only by those of dwarf galaxy nuclei and the central parts of massive early types. These findings can be interpreted as CSSs previously being more massive and undergoing tidal interactions to obtain their current mass and compact size. Such an interpretation is supported by CSSs with direct evidence for tidal stripping, and by an examination of the CSS internal escape velocities.

Two-jet astrosphere model: effect of azimuthal magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golikov, E. A.; Izmodenov, V. V.; Alexashov, D. B.; Belov, N. A.

2017-01-01

Opher et al., Drake, Swisdak and Opher have shown that the heliospheric magnetic field results in formation of two-jet structure of the solar wind flow in the inner heliosheath, I.e. in the subsonic region between the heliospheric termination shock (TS) and the heliopause. In this scenario, the heliopause has a tube-like topology as compared with a sheet-like topology in the most models of the global heliosphere. In this paper, we explore the two-jet scenario for a simplified astrosphere in which (1) the star is at rest with respect to the circumstellar medium, (2) radial magnetic field is neglected as compared with azimuthal component and (3) the stellar wind outflow is assumed to be hypersonic (both the Mach number and the Alfvénic Mach number are much greater than unity at the inflow boundary). We have shown that the problem can be formulated in dimensionless form, in which the solution depends only on one dimensionless parameter ɛ that is reciprocal of the Alfvénic Mach number at the inflow boundary. This parameter is proportional to stellar magnetic field. We present the numerical solution of the problem for various values of ɛ. Three first integrals of the governing ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations are presented, and we make use of them in order to get the plasma distribution in the jets. Simple relations between distances to the TS, astropause and the size of the jet are established. These relations allow us to determine the stellar magnetic field from the geometrical pattern of the jet-like astrosphere.

A hot compact dust disk around a massive young stellar object.

PubMed

Kraus, Stefan; Hofmann, Karl-Heinz; Menten, Karl M; Schertl, Dieter; Weigelt, Gerd; Wyrowski, Friedrich; Meilland, Anthony; Perraut, Karine; Petrov, Romain; Robbe-Dubois, Sylvie; Schilke, Peter; Testi, Leonardo

2010-07-15

Circumstellar disks are an essential ingredient of the formation of low-mass stars. It is unclear, however, whether the accretion-disk paradigm can also account for the formation of stars more massive than about 10 solar masses, in which strong radiation pressure might halt mass infall. Massive stars may form by stellar merging, although more recent theoretical investigations suggest that the radiative-pressure limit may be overcome by considering more complex, non-spherical infall geometries. Clear observational evidence, such as the detection of compact dusty disks around massive young stellar objects, is needed to identify unambiguously the formation mode of the most massive stars. Here we report near-infrared interferometric observations that spatially resolve the astronomical-unit-scale distribution of hot material around a high-mass ( approximately 20 solar masses) young stellar object. The image shows an elongated structure with a size of approximately 13 x 19 astronomical units, consistent with a disk seen at an inclination angle of approximately 45 degrees . Using geometric and detailed physical models, we found a radial temperature gradient in the disk, with a dust-free region less than 9.5 astronomical units from the star, qualitatively and quantitatively similar to the disks observed in low-mass star formation. Perpendicular to the disk plane we observed a molecular outflow and two bow shocks, indicating that a bipolar outflow emanates from the inner regions of the system.

Stellar Mass Versus Stellar Velocity Dispersion: Which is Better for Linking Galaxies to Their Dark Matter Halos?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Cheng; Wang, Lixin; Jing, Y. P.

2013-01-01

It was recently suggested that compared to its stellar mass (M *), the central stellar velocity dispersion (σ*) of a galaxy might be a better indicator for its host dark matter halo mass. Here we test this hypothesis by estimating the dark matter halo mass for central galaxies in groups as a function of M * and σ*. For this we have estimated the redshift-space cross-correlation function (CCF) between the central galaxies at given M * and σ* and a reference galaxy sample, from which we determine both the projected CCF, wp (rp ), and the velocity dispersion profile. A halo mass is then obtained from the average velocity dispersion within the virial radius. At fixed M *, we find very weak or no correlation between halo mass and σ*. In contrast, strong mass dependence is clearly seen even when σ* is limited to a narrow range. Our results thus firmly demonstrate that the stellar mass of central galaxies is still a good (if not the best) indicator for dark matter halo mass, better than the stellar velocity dispersion. The dependence of galaxy clustering on σ* at fixed M *, as recently discovered by Wake et al., may be attributed to satellite galaxies, for which the tidal stripping occurring within halos has stronger effect on stellar mass than on central stellar velocity dispersion.

The sagittarius tidal stream and the shape of the galactic stellar halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newby, Matthew T.

The stellar halo that surrounds our Galaxy contains clues to understanding galaxy formation, cosmology, stellar evolution, and the nature of dark matter. Gravitationally disrupted dwarf galaxies form tidal streams, which roughly trace orbits through the Galactic halo. The Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf tidal debris is the most dominant of these streams, and its properties place important constraints on the distribution of mass (including dark matter) in the Galaxy. Stars not associated with substructures form the "smooth" component of the stellar halo, the origin of which is still under investigation. Characterizing halo substructures such as the Sgr stream and the smooth halo provides valuable information on the formation history and evolution of our galaxy, and places constraints on cosmological models. This thesis is primarily concerned with characterizing the 3-dimensional stellar densities of the Sgr tidal debris system and the smooth stellar halo, using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). F turnoff stars are used to infer distances, as they are relatively bright, numerous, and distributed about a single intrinsic brightness (magnitude). The inherent spread in brightnesses of these stars is overcome through the use of the recently-developed technique of statistical photometric parallax, in which the bulk properties of a stellar population are used to create a probability distribution for a given star's distance. This was used to build a spatial density model for the smooth stellar halo and tidal streams. The free parameters in this model are then fit to SDSS data with a maximum likelihood technique, and the parameters are optimized by advanced computational methods. Several computing platforms are used in this study, including the RPI SUR Bluegene and the Milkyway home volunteer computing project. Fits to the Sgr stream in 18 SDSS data stripes were performed, and a continuous density profile is found for the major Sgr stream. The stellar halo is found to

Estimating precise metallicity and stellar mass evolution of galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosby, Gregory

2018-01-01

The evolution of galaxies can be conveniently broken down into the evolution of their contents. The changing dust, gas, and stellar content in addition to the changing dark matter potential and periodic feedback from a super-massive blackhole are some of the key ingredients. We focus on the stellar content that can be observed, as the stars reflect information about the galaxy when they were formed. We approximate the stellar content and star formation histories of unresolved galaxies using stellar population modeling. Though simplistic, this approach allows us to reconstruct the star formation histories of galaxies that can be used to test models of galaxy formation and evolution. These models, however, suffer from degeneracies at large lookback times (t > 1 Gyr) as red, low luminosity stars begin to dominate a galaxy’s spectrum. Additionally, degeneracies between stellar populations at different ages and metallicities often make stellar population modeling less precise. The machine learning technique diffusion k-means has been shown to increase the precision in stellar population modeling using a mono-metallicity basis set. However, as galaxies evolve, we expect the metallicity of stellar populations to vary. We use diffusion k-means to generate a multi-metallicity basis set to estimate the stellar mass and chemical evolution of unresolved galaxies. Two basis sets are formed from the Bruzual & Charlot 2003 and MILES stellar population models. We then compare the accuracy and precision of these models in recovering complete (stellar mass and metallicity) histories of mock data. Similarities in the groupings of stellar population spectra in the diffusion maps for each metallicity hint at fundamental age transitions common to both basis sets that can be used to identify stellar populations in a given age range.

REVIEW ARTICLE: Major results from the stellarator Wendelstein 7-AS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirsch, M.; Baldzuhn, J.; Beidler, C.; Brakel, R.; Burhenn, R.; Dinklage, A.; Ehmler, H.; Endler, M.; Erckmann, V.; Feng, Y.; Geiger, J.; Giannone, L.; Grieger, G.; Grigull, P.; Hartfuß, H.-J.; Hartmann, D.; Jaenicke, R.; König, R.; Laqua, H. P.; Maaßberg, H.; McCormick, K.; Sardei, F.; Speth, E.; Stroth, U.; Wagner, F.; Weller, A.; Werner, A.; Wobig, H.; Zoletnik, S.; W7-AS Team

2008-05-01

Wendelstein 7-AS was the first modular stellarator device to test some basic elements of stellarator optimization: a reduced Shafranov shift and improved stability properties resulted in β-values up to 3.4% (at 0.9 T). This operational limit was determined by power balance and impurity radiation without noticeable degradation of stability or a violent collapse. The partial reduction of neoclassical transport could be verified in agreement with calculations indicating the feasibility of the concept of drift optimization. A full neoclassical optimization, in particular a minimization of the bootstrap current was beyond the scope of this project. A variety of non-ohmic heating and current drive scenarios by ICRH, NBI and in particular, ECRH were tested and compared successfully with their theoretical predictions. Besides, new heating schemes of overdense plasmas were developed such as RF mode conversion heating—Ordinary mode, Extraordinary mode, Bernstein-wave (OXB) heating—or 2nd harmonic O-mode (O2) heating. The energy confinement was about a factor of 2 above ISS95 without degradation near operational boundaries. A number of improved confinement regimes such as core electron-root confinement with central Te <= 7 keV and regimes with strongly sheared radial electric field at the plasma edge resulting in Ti <= 1.7 keV were obtained. As the first non-tokamak device, W7-AS achieved the H-mode and moreover developed a high density H-mode regime (HDH) with strongly reduced impurity confinement that allowed quasi-steady-state operation (τ ≈ 65 · τE) at densities \\bar {n}_{\\rme} \\cong 4 \\times 10^{20}\\,\\mbox{m}^{-3} (at 2.5 T). The first island divertor was tested successfully and operated with stable partial detachment in agreement with numerical simulations. With these results W7-AS laid the physics background for operation of an optimized low-shear steady-state stellarator.

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) analyses of various forms of activity and their propagation through helio spheric space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, S. T.

1987-01-01

Theoretical and numerical modeling of solar activity and its effects on the solar atmosphere within the context of magnetohydrodynamics were examined. Specifically, the scientific objectives were concerned with the physical mechanisms for the flare energy build-up and subsequent release. In addition, transport of this energy to the corona and solar wind was also investigated. Well-posed, physically self-consistent, numerical simulation models that are based upon magnetohydrodynamics were sought. A systematic investigation of the basic processes that determine the macroscopic dynamic behavior of solar and heliospheric phenomena was conducted. A total of twenty-three articles were accepted and published in major journals. The major achievements are summarized.

Formation of the Dayside Magnetopause and Its Boundary Layers Under the Radial IMF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pi, Gilbert; Němeček, Zdeněk.; Å afránková, Jana; Grygorov, Kostiantyn; Shue, Jih-Hong

2018-05-01

The global structure of magnetopause boundary layers under the radial interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions is studied by a comparison of experimental and simulation results. In magnetohydrodynamic simulations, the hemispherical asymmetry of the reconnection locations was found. The draped field adjacent to the magnetopause points northward in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is oriented southward in the Southern Hemisphere at the beginning of the simulation for negative IMF Bx. The magnetopause region affected by the positive IMF Bz component enlarges over time, and the density profile exhibit a north-south asymmetry near the magnetopause. The experimental part of the study uses the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorm data. We analyze profiles of the plasma parameters and magnetic field as well as the ion pitch-angle distributions. The nonsimultaneous appearance of parallel and antiparallel aligned flows suggests two spatially separated sources of these flows. We have identified (1) the inner part of the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) on closed magnetic field lines; (2) the outer LLBL on open field lines; (3) the inner part of the magnetosheath boundary layer (MSBL) formed by dayside reconnection in the Southern Hemisphere; and (4) the outer MSBL resulting from lobe reconnection in the Northern Hemisphere.

STELLAR ENCOUNTER RATE IN GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTERS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bahramian, Arash; Heinke, Craig O.; Sivakoff, Gregory R.

2013-04-01

The high stellar densities in the cores of globular clusters cause significant stellar interactions. These stellar interactions can produce close binary mass-transferring systems involving compact objects and their progeny, such as X-ray binaries and radio millisecond pulsars. Comparing the numbers of these systems and interaction rates in different clusters drives our understanding of how cluster parameters affect the production of close binaries. In this paper we estimate stellar encounter rates ({Gamma}) for 124 Galactic globular clusters based on observational data as opposed to the methods previously employed, which assumed 'King-model' profiles for all clusters. By deprojecting cluster surface brightness profilesmore » to estimate luminosity density profiles, we treat 'King-model' and 'core-collapsed' clusters in the same way. In addition, we use Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the effects of uncertainties in various observational parameters (distance, reddening, surface brightness) on {Gamma}, producing the first catalog of globular cluster stellar encounter rates with estimated errors. Comparing our results with published observations of likely products of stellar interactions (numbers of X-ray binaries, numbers of radio millisecond pulsars, and {gamma}-ray luminosity) we find both clear correlations and some differences with published results.« less

Unbound Young Stellar Systems: Star Formation on the Loose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouliermis, Dimitrios A.

2018-07-01

Unbound young stellar systems, the loose ensembles of physically related young bright stars, trace the typical regions of recent star formation in galaxies. Their morphologies vary from small few pc-size associations of newly formed stars to enormous few kpc-size complexes composed of stars few 100 Myr old. These stellar conglomerations are located within the disks and along the spiral arms and rings of star-forming disk galaxies, and they are the active star-forming centers of dwarf and starburst galaxies. Being associated with star-forming regions of various sizes, these stellar structures trace the regions where stars form at various length- and timescales, from compact clusters to whole galactic disks. Stellar associations, the prototypical unbound young systems, and their larger counterparts, stellar aggregates, and stellar complexes, have been the focus of several studies for quite a few decades, with special interest on their demographics, classification, and structural morphology. The compiled surveys of these loose young stellar systems demonstrate that the clear distinction of these systems into well-defined classes is not as straightforward as for stellar clusters, due to their low densities, asymmetric shapes and variety in structural parameters. These surveys also illustrate that unbound stellar structures follow a clear hierarchical pattern in the clustering of their stars across various scales. Stellar associations are characterized by significant sub-structure with bound stellar clusters being their most compact parts, while associations themselves are the brighter denser parts of larger stellar aggregates and stellar complexes, which are members of larger super-structures up to the scale of a whole star-forming galaxy. This structural pattern, which is usually characterized as self-similar or fractal, appears to be identical to that of star-forming giant molecular clouds and interstellar gas, driven mainly by turbulence cascade. In this short

Oscillations in stellar atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Costa, A.; Ringuelet, A. E.; Fontenla, J. M.

1989-01-01

Atmospheric excitation and propagation of oscillations are analyzed for typical pulsating stars. The linear, plane-parallel approach for the pulsating atmosphere gives a local description of the phenomenon. From the local analysis of oscillations, the minimum frequencies are obtained for radially propagating waves. The comparison of the minimum frequencies obtained for a variety of stellar types is in good agreement with the observed periods of the oscillations. The role of the atmosphere in the globar stellar pulsations is thus emphasized.

CoRoT/ESTA TASK 1 and TASK 3 comparison of the internal structure and seismic properties of representative stellar models. Comparisons between the ASTEC, CESAM, CLES, GARSTEC and STAROX codes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebreton, Yveline; Montalbán, Josefina; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jørgen; Roxburgh, Ian W.; Weiss, Achim

2008-08-01

We compare stellar models produced by different stellar evolution codes for the CoRoT/ESTA project, comparing their global quantities, their physical structure, and their oscillation properties. We discuss the differences between models and identify the underlying reasons for these differences. The stellar models are representative of potential CoRoT targets. Overall we find very good agreement between the five different codes, but with some significant deviations. We find noticeable discrepancies (though still at the per cent level) that result from the handling of the equation of state, of the opacities and of the convective boundaries. The results of our work will be helpful in interpreting future asteroseismology results from CoRoT.

The Dependence of Convective Core Overshooting on Stellar Mass: Additional Binary Systems and Improved Calibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claret, Antonio; Torres, Guillermo

2018-06-01

Many current stellar evolution models assume some dependence of the strength of convective core overshooting on mass for stars more massive than 1.1–1.2 M ⊙, but the adopted shapes for that relation have remained somewhat arbitrary for lack of strong observational constraints. In previous work, we compared stellar evolution models to well-measured eclipsing binaries to show that, when overshooting is implemented as a diffusive process, the fitted free parameter f ov rises sharply up to about 2 M ⊙, and remains largely constant thereafter. Here, we analyze a new sample of eight binaries selected to be in the critical mass range below 2 M ⊙ where f ov is changing the most, nearly doubling the number of individual stars in this regime. This interval is important because the precise way in which f ov changes determines the shape of isochrones in the turnoff region of ∼1–5 Gyr clusters, and can thus affect their inferred ages. It also has a significant influence on estimates of stellar properties for exoplanet hosts, on stellar population synthesis, and on the detailed modeling of interior stellar structures, including the calculation of oscillation frequencies that are observable with asteroseismic techniques. We find that the derived f ov values for our new sample are consistent with the trend defined by our earlier determinations, and strengthen the relation. This provides an opportunity for future series of models to test the new prescription, grounded on observations, against independent observations that may constrain overshooting in a different way.

Magnetohydrodynamics and the National Coal Science, Technology, and Engineering Development Acts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The organization of a national coal science program and the production of electricity from coal using magnetohydrodynamic processes were the topics of a hearing before the subcommittee on energy research and development. The analysis of commercial energy at electric power plants, with an emphasis on the protection of the environment, were the main issues discussed.

Influence of magnetic field configuration on magnetohydrodynamic waves in Earth's core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knezek, Nicholas; Buffett, Bruce

2018-04-01

We develop a numerical model to study magnetohydrodynamic waves in a thin layer of stratified fluid near the surface of Earth's core. Past studies have been limited to using simple background magnetic field configurations. However, the choice of field distribution can dramatically affect the structure and frequency of the waves. To permit a more general treatment of background magnetic field and layer stratification, we combine finite volume and Fourier methods to describe the wave motions. We validate our model by comparisons to previous studies and examine the influence of background magnetic field configuration on two types of magnetohydrodynamic waves. We show that the structure of zonal Magnetic-Archimedes-Coriolis (MAC) waves for a dipole background field is unstable to small perturbations of the field strength in the equatorial region. Modifications to the wave structures are computed for a range of field configurations. In addition, we show that non-zonal MAC waves are trapped near the equator for realistic magnetic field distributions, and that their latitudinal extent depends upon the distribution of magnetic field strength at the CMB.

A self-similar magnetohydrodynamic model for ball lightnings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsui, K. H.

2006-07-15

Ball lightning is modeled by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations in two-dimensional spherical geometry with azimuthal symmetry. Dynamic evolutions in the radial direction are described by the self-similar evolution function y(t). The plasma pressure, mass density, and magnetic fields are solved in terms of the radial label {eta}. This model gives spherical MHD plasmoids with axisymmetric force-free magnetic field, and spherically symmetric plasma pressure and mass density, which self-consistently determine the polytropic index {gamma}. The spatially oscillating nature of the radial and meridional field structures indicate embedded regions of closed field lines. These regions are named secondary plasmoids, whereas the overall self-similarmore » spherical structure is named the primary plasmoid. According to this model, the time evolution function allows the primary plasmoid expand outward in two modes. The corresponding ejection of the embedded secondary plasmoids results in ball lightning offering an answer as how they come into being. The first is an accelerated expanding mode. This mode appears to fit plasmoids ejected from thundercloud tops with acceleration to ionosphere seen in high altitude atmospheric observations of sprites and blue jets. It also appears to account for midair high-speed ball lightning overtaking airplanes, and ground level high-speed energetic ball lightning. The second is a decelerated expanding mode, and it appears to be compatible to slowly moving ball lightning seen near ground level. The inverse of this second mode corresponds to an accelerated inward collapse, which could bring ball lightning to an end sometimes with a cracking sound.« less

Solar and stellar coronal plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golub, L.

1985-01-01

Progress made in describing and interpreting coronal plasma processes and the relationship between the solar corona and its stellar counterparts is reported. Topics covered include: stellar X-ray emission, HEAO 2 X-ray survey of the Pleiades, closed coronal structures, X-ray survey of main-sequence stars with shallow convection zones, implications of the 1400 MHz flare emission, and magnetic field stochasticity.

Numerical Hydrodynamics and Magnetohydrodynamics in General Relativity.

PubMed

Font, José A

2008-01-01

This article presents a comprehensive overview of numerical hydrodynamics and magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) in general relativity. Some significant additions have been incorporated with respect to the previous two versions of this review (2000, 2003), most notably the coverage of general-relativistic MHD, a field in which remarkable activity and progress has occurred in the last few years. Correspondingly, the discussion of astrophysical simulations in general-relativistic hydrodynamics is enlarged to account for recent relevant advances, while those dealing with general-relativistic MHD are amply covered in this review for the first time. The basic outline of this article is nevertheless similar to its earlier versions, save for the addition of MHD-related issues throughout. Hence, different formulations of both the hydrodynamics and MHD equations are presented, with special mention of conservative and hyperbolic formulations well adapted to advanced numerical methods. A large sample of numerical approaches for solving such hyperbolic systems of equations is discussed, paying particular attention to solution procedures based on schemes exploiting the characteristic structure of the equations through linearized Riemann solvers. As previously stated, a comprehensive summary of astrophysical simulations in strong gravitational fields is also presented. These are detailed in three basic sections, namely gravitational collapse, black-hole accretion, and neutron-star evolutions; despite the boundaries, these sections may (and in fact do) overlap throughout the discussion. The material contained in these sections highlights the numerical challenges of various representative simulations. It also follows, to some extent, the chronological development of the field, concerning advances in the formulation of the gravitational field, hydrodynamics and MHD equations and the numerical methodology designed to solve them. To keep the length of this article reasonable, an effort has

Dynamical Effects of Stellar Companions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naoz, Smadar

2016-10-01

The fraction of stellar binaries in the field is extremely high (about 40% - 70% forM > 1M⊙ stars), and thus, given this frequency, a high fraction of all exoplanetary systems may reside in binaries. While close-in giant planets tend to be found preferentially in binary stellar systems it seems that the frequency of giant planets in close binaries (>100-1000 AU) is significantly lower than in the overall population. Stellar companions gravitational perturbations may significantly alter the planetary orbits around their partner on secular timescales. They can drive planets to large eccentric orbits which can either result in plunging these planets into the star or shrinking their orbits and forming short period planets. These planets typically are misaligned with the parent star.

Magnetohydrodynamic thermochemotherapy and MRI of mouse tumors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brusentsov, Nikolay A.; Brusentsova, Tatiana N.; Filinova, Elena Yu.; Jurchenko, Nikolay Y.; Kupriyanov, Dmitry A.; Pirogov, Yuri A.; Dubina, Andry I.; Shumskikh, Maxim N.; Shumakov, Leonid I.; Anashkina, Ekaterina N.; Shevelev, Alexandr A.; Uchevatkin, Andry A.

2007-04-01

A dextran-ferrite magnetic fluid was successfully tested as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent. The same magnetic fluid was then combined with Melphalan, a chemotherapeutic drug, and used for magnetohydrodynamic thermochemotherapy of different tumors. The placement of the tumors in an AC magnetic field led to hyperthermia at 46 °C for 30 min. In combination with tumor slime aspiration, a 30% regression of ˜130 mm 3 non-metastatic P388 tumors in BDF 1 mice was reached, together with a life span increase of 290%. The same procedure associated with cyclophosphamide treatment of ˜500 mm 3 metastases tumor increased the animal's life span by 180%.

The Effects of Stellar Dynamics on the Evolution of Young, Dense Stellar Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belkus, H.; van Bever, J.; Vanbeveren, D.

In this paper, we report on first results of a project in Brussels in which we study the effects of stellar dynamics on the evolution of young dense stellar systems using 3 decades of expertise in massive-star evolution and our population (number and spectral) synthesis code. We highlight an unconventionally formed object scenario (UFO-scenario) for Wolf Rayet binaries and study the effects of a luminous blue variable-type instability wind mass-loss formalism on the formation of intermediate-mass black holes.

Scaling Stellar Mass Estimates of Dwarf Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Brandon Michael; McQuinn, Kristen B.; Cannon, John M.; Dalcanton, Julianne; Dolphin, Andrew E.; Skillman, Evan D.; Williams, Benjamin F.; van Zee, Liese

2017-01-01

Hubble Space Telescope (HST) optical imaging of resolved stellar populations has been used to constrain the star formation history (SFH) and chemical evolution of many nearby dwarf galaxies. However, even for dwarf galaxies, the angle subtended by nearby systems can be greater than the HST field of view. Thus, estimates of stellar mass from the HST footprint do not accurately represent the total mass of the system, impacting how SFH results can be used in holistic comparisons of galaxy properties. Here, we use the SFHs of dwarfs combined with stellar population synthesis models to determine mass-to-light ratios for individual galaxies, and compare these values with measured infrared luminosities from Spitzer IRAC data. In this way, we determine what fraction of mass is not included in the HST field of view. To test our methodology, we focus on dwarfs whose stellar disks are contained within the HST observations. Then, we also apply this method to galaxies with larger angular sizes to scale the stellar masses accordingly.

A Study of The Binary and Anomalous Stellar Populations in Two Intermediate-Aged Open Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathieu, Robert D.; Milliman, Katelyn; Geller, Aaron M.; Gosnell, Natalie

2010-08-01

``Anomalous'' stars, such as blue stragglers and more recently sub- subgiants, have been an enduring challenge for stellar evolution theory. It is now clear that in star clusters these systems are closely linked to the binary star populations. Furthermore, sophisticated N-body models show that stellar dynamical processes play a central role in the formation of such anomalous stars. These stars trace the interface between the classical fields of stellar evolution and stellar dynamics. We propose to expand our highly successful radial-velocity survey to include two new rich open clusters NGC 7789 (1.8 Gyr, -0.1 dex) and NGC 2506 (2.1 Gyr, -0.4 dex) as part of the WIYN Open Cluster Study (WOCS). Though these two clusters are both of intermediate age and of similar richness, they have quite different blue straggler populations. NGC 2506 has only 10 known blue stragglers, while NGC 7789 has at least 27, among the largest known populations of blue stragglers in an open cluster. Defining the hard-binary populations in these two clusters is critical for understanding the factors that determine blue straggler production rates. Our proposed observations will establish the hard- binary fraction and frequency distributions of orbital parameters (periods, eccentricities, mass-ratios, etc.) for orbital periods approaching the hard-soft boundary, and will provide a comprehensive survey of the blue stragglers and other anomalous stars, including secure cluster memberships and binary properties. These data will then form direct constraints for detailed N-body open cluster simulations from which we will study the impact of the hard-binary population on the production rates and mechanisms of blue stragglers.

Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence and the Geodynamo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shebalin, John V.

2016-01-01

Recent research results concerning forced, dissipative, rotating magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence will be discussed. In particular, we present new results from long-time Fourier method (periodic box) simulations in which forcing contains varying amounts of magnetic and kinetic helicity. Numerical results indicate that if MHD turbulence is forced so as to produce a state of relatively constant energy, then the largest-scale components are dominant and quasistationary, and in fact, have an effective dipole moment vector that aligns closely with the rotation axis. The relationship of this work to established results in ideal MHD turbulence, as well as to models of MHD turbulence in a spherical shell will also be presented. These results appear to be very pertinent to understanding the Geodynamo and the origin of its dominant dipole component. Our conclusion is that MHD turbulence, per se, may well contain the origin of the Earth's dipole magnetic field.

Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence and the Geodynamo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shebalin, John V.

2014-01-01

The ARES Directorate at JSC has researched the physical processes that create planetary magnetic fields through dynamo action since 2007. The "dynamo problem" has existed since 1600, when William Gilbert, physician to Queen Elizabeth I, recognized that the Earth was a giant magnet. In 1919, Joseph Larmor proposed that solar (and by implication, planetary) magnetism was due to magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), but full acceptance did not occur until Glatzmaier and Roberts solved the MHD equations numerically and simulated a geomagnetic reversal in 1995. JSC research produced a unique theoretical model in 2012 that provided a novel explanation of these physical observations and computational results as an essential manifestation of broken ergodicity in MHD turbulence. Research is ongoing, and future work is aimed at understanding quantitative details of magnetic dipole alignment in the Earth as well as in Mercury, Jupiter and its moon Ganymede, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the Sun and other stars.

Heat transfer at microscopic level in a MHD fractional inertial flow confined between non-isothermal boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoaib Anwar, Muhammad; Rasheed, Amer

2017-07-01

Heat transfer through a Forchheimer medium in an unsteady magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) developed differential-type fluid flow is analyzed numerically in this study. The boundary layer flow is modeled with the help of the fractional calculus approach. The fluid is confined between infinite parallel plates and flows by motion of the plates in their own plane. Both the plates have variable surface temperature. Governing partial differential equations with appropriate initial and boundary conditions are solved by employing a finite-difference scheme to discretize the fractional time derivative and finite-element discretization for spatial variables. Coefficients of skin friction and local Nusselt numbers are computed for the fractional model. The flow behavior is presented for various values of the involved parameters. The influence of different dimensionless numbers on skin friction and Nusselt number is discussed by tabular results. Forchheimer medium flows that involve catalytic converters and gas turbines can be modeled in a similar manner.

Science with Synthetic Stellar Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanderson, Robyn Ellyn

2018-04-01

A new generation of observational projects is poised to revolutionize our understanding of the resolved stellar populations of Milky-Way-like galaxies at an unprecedented level of detail, ushering in an era of precision studies of galaxy formation. In the Milky Way itself, astrometric, spectroscopic and photometric surveys will measure three-dimensional positions and velocities and numerous chemical abundances for stars from the disk to the halo, as well as for many satellite dwarf galaxies. In the Local Group and beyond, HST, JWST and eventually WFIRST will deliver pristine views of resolved stars. The groundbreaking scale and dimensionality of this new view of resolved stellar populations in galaxies challenge us to develop new theoretical tools to robustly compare these surveys to simulated galaxies, in order to take full advantage of our new ability to make detailed predictions for stellar populations within a cosmological context. I will describe a framework for generating realistic synthetic star catalogs and mock surveys from state-of-the-art cosmological-hydrodynamical simulations, and present several early scientific results from, and predictions for, resolved stellar surveys of our Galaxy and its neighbors.

Hybrid DG/FV schemes for magnetohydrodynamics and relativistic hydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Núñez-de la Rosa, Jonatan; Munz, Claus-Dieter

2018-01-01

This paper presents a high order hybrid discontinuous Galerkin/finite volume scheme for solving the equations of the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and of the relativistic hydrodynamics (SRHD) on quadrilateral meshes. In this approach, for the spatial discretization, an arbitrary high order discontinuous Galerkin spectral element (DG) method is combined with a finite volume (FV) scheme in order to simulate complex flow problems involving strong shocks. Regarding the time discretization, a fourth order strong stability preserving Runge-Kutta method is used. In the proposed hybrid scheme, a shock indicator is computed at the beginning of each Runge-Kutta stage in order to flag those elements containing shock waves or discontinuities. Subsequently, the DG solution in these troubled elements and in the current time step is projected onto a subdomain composed of finite volume subcells. Right after, the DG operator is applied to those unflagged elements, which, in principle, are oscillation-free, meanwhile the troubled elements are evolved with a robust second/third order FV operator. With this approach we are able to numerically simulate very challenging problems in the context of MHD and SRHD in one, and two space dimensions and with very high order polynomials. We make convergence tests and show a comprehensive one- and two dimensional testbench for both equation systems, focusing in problems with strong shocks. The presented hybrid approach shows that numerical schemes of very high order of accuracy are able to simulate these complex flow problems in an efficient and robust manner.

Transitional Boundary Layers Under the Influence of High Free Stream Turbulence, Intensive Wall Cooling and High Pressure Gradients in Hot Gas Circulation. Ph.D. Thesis - Technische Hochschule, Karlsruhe, 1985

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rued, Klaus

1987-01-01

The requirements for fundamental experimental studies of the influence of free stream turbulence, pressure gradients and wall cooling are discussed. Under turbine-like free stream conditions, comprehensive tests of transitional boundary layers with laminar, reversing and turbulent flow increments were performed to decouple the effects of the parameters and to determine the effects during mutual interaction.

The Universal Stellar Mass-Stellar Metallicity Relation for Dwarf Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirby, Evan N.; Cohen, Judith G.; Guhathakurta, Puragra; Cheng, Lucy; Bullock, James S.; Gallazzi, Anna

2013-12-01

We present spectroscopic metallicities of individual stars in seven gas-rich dwarf irregular galaxies (dIrrs), and we show that dIrrs obey the same mass-metallicity relation as the dwarf spheroidal (dSph) satellites of both the Milky Way and M31: Z_* \\propto M_*^{0.30+/- 0.02}. The uniformity of the relation is in contradiction to previous estimates of metallicity based on photometry. This relationship is roughly continuous with the stellar mass-stellar metallicity relation for galaxies as massive as M * = 1012 M ⊙. Although the average metallicities of dwarf galaxies depend only on stellar mass, the shapes of their metallicity distributions depend on galaxy type. The metallicity distributions of dIrrs resemble simple, leaky box chemical evolution models, whereas dSphs require an additional parameter, such as gas accretion, to explain the shapes of their metallicity distributions. Furthermore, the metallicity distributions of the more luminous dSphs have sharp, metal-rich cut-offs that are consistent with the sudden truncation of star formation due to ram pressure stripping. The data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

The unsteady laminar boundary layer on an axisymmetric body subject to small-amplitude fluctuations in the free-stream velocity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duck, Peter W.

1991-01-01

The effect of small-amplitude, time-periodic, free-stream disturbances on an otherwise steady axisymmetric boundary layer on a circular cylinder is considered. Numerical solutions to the problem are presented, and an asymptotic solution to the flow, valid far downstream along the axis of the cylinder is detailed. Particular emphasis is placed on the unsteady eigensolutions that occur far downstream, which turn out to be very different from the analogous planar eigensolutions. These axisymmetric eigensolutions are computed numerically and also are described by asymptotic analyses valid for low and high frequencies of oscillation.

SPITZER OBSERVATIONS OF LONG-TERM INFRARED VARIABILITY AMONG YOUNG STELLAR OBJECTS IN CHAMAELEON I

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flaherty, Kevin M.; Herbst, William; DeMarchi, Lindsay

Infrared variability is common among young stellar objects, with surveys finding daily to weekly fluctuations of a few tenths of a magnitude. Space-based observations can produce highly sampled infrared light curves, but are often limited to total baselines of about 1 month due to the orientation of the spacecraft. Here we present observations of the Chameleon I cluster, whose low declination makes it observable by the Spitzer Space Telescope over a 200-day period. We observe 30 young stellar objects with a daily cadence to better sample variability on timescales of months. We find that such variability is common, occurring inmore » ∼80% of the detected cluster members. The change in [3.6]–[4.5] color over 200 days for many of the sources falls between that expected for extinction and fluctuations in disk emission. With our high cadence and long baseline we can derive power spectral density curves covering two orders of magnitude in frequency and find significant power at low frequencies, up to the boundaries of our 200-day survey. Such long timescales are difficult to explain with variations driven by the interaction between the disk and stellar magnetic field, which has a dynamical timescale of days to weeks. The most likely explanation is either structural or temperature fluctuations spread throughout the inner ∼0.5 au of the disk, suggesting that the intrinsic dust structure is highly dynamic.« less

Formation flying design and applications in weak stability boundary regions.

PubMed

Folta, David

2004-05-01

Weak stability regions serve as superior locations for interferomertric scientific investigations. These regions are often selected to minimize environmental disturbances and maximize observation efficiency. Designs of formations in these regions are becoming ever more challenging as more complex missions are envisioned. The development of algorithms to enable the capability for formation design must be further enabled to incorporate better understanding of weak stability boundary solution space. This development will improve the efficiency and expand the capabilities of current approaches. The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is currently supporting multiple formation missions in weak stability boundary regions. This end-to-end support consists of mission operations, trajectory design, and control. It also includes both algorithm and software development. The Constellation-X, Maxim, and Stellar Imager missions are examples of the use of improved numeric methods to attain constrained formation geometries and control their dynamical evolution. This paper presents a survey of formation missions in the weak stability boundary regions and a brief description of formation design using numerical and dynamical techniques.

Drag characteristics of circular cylinders in a laminar boundary layer at supersonic free-stream velocities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stallings, R. L., Jr.; Lamb, M.; Howell, D. T.

1973-01-01

Drag measurements were obtained with circular cylinders attached to a flat-plate surface with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the plate surface. When more than one cylinder was tested, they were alined in a spanwise row perpendicular to the free-stream velocity vector. The drag measurements were obtained through a range of Mach numbers from 2.3 to 4.6, cylinder heights ranging from approximately 0.4 to 3 times the undisturbed laminar boundary-layer thickness, and cylinder height-to-diameter ratios of 1.0 and approximately 2. Included in the paper is a complete presentation in figure form of the experimental results and a discussion of the more significant findings. An attempt is made to select the most appropriate parameters for correlating the experimental results and, where possible, these results are compared with theoretical calculations.

Polarization signatures of relativistic magnetohydrodynamic shocks in the blazar emission region. I. Force-free helical magnetic fields

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Haocheng; Deng, Wei; Li, Hui; ...

2016-01-20

The optical radiation and polarization signatures in blazars are known to be highly variable during flaring activities. It is frequently argued that shocks are the main driver of the flaring events. However, the spectral variability modelings generally lack detailed considerations of the self-consistent magnetic field evolution modeling; thus, so far the associated optical polarization signatures are poorly understood. We present the first simultaneous modeling of the optical radiation and polarization signatures based on 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations of relativistic shocks in the blazar emission environment, with the simplest physical assumptions. By comparing the results with observations, we find that shocks inmore » a weakly magnetized environment will largely lead to significant changes in the optical polarization signatures, which are seldom seen in observations. Hence an emission region with relatively strong magnetization is preferred. In such an environment, slow shocks may produce minor flares with either erratic polarization fluctuations or considerable polarization variations, depending on the parameters; fast shocks can produce major flares with smooth polarization angle rotations. In addition, the magnetic fields in both cases are observed to actively revert to the original topology after the shocks. In addition, all these features are consistent with observations. Future observations of the radiation and polarization signatures will further constrain the flaring mechanism and the blazar emission environment.« less

Experimental study on the effects of fixed boundaries in channelized free surface dry granular flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarno, Luca; Carleo, Luigi; Nicolina Papa, Maria

2017-04-01

The dynamics of granular mixtures, involved in geophysical flows like avalanches and debris flows, is far from being completely understood. Several features of their motion, such as rheological stratification, non-local and boundary effects, still represent open problems. Experimental investigations at laboratory scale are an important tool that can provide insights about the dynamics of gravity driven granular flows. The measuring techniques should be non-invasive in order to measure undisturbed flows. In this work we present an experimental campaign devoted to the measurement of the velocity profiles of free surface steady granular flows in an open channel. To achieve this goal the flows were recorded by two cameras and velocity profiles were obtained by image analysis. The employed granular medium consists of acetal-polymeric beads with a mean diameter of 3mm and an estimated internal friction angle of 27°. All the experiments have been performed in a 2m-long plexiglas flume with a rectangular cross-section and a slope angle of 30°. The upper part of the channel was used as a reservoir where the material was loaded before each run and then let flow down through an adjustable gate. Several mass flow rates were investigated. Three different basal surfaces were employed so as to observe slip and non-slip boundary conditions: a smooth Bakelite surface, a roughened surface, obtained by gluing a layer of grains on the bed surface and a sandpaper surface with characteristic length of the roughness equal to 425 µm. The flume is equipped with two high-speed cameras, one placed aside the channel and the other one perpendicular to the channel bed, as to get both side-wall and free surface velocity profiles. The particle image velocimetry open-source code, PIVlab, is employed for estimating the flow velocities. All the free surface velocity profiles show an approximately parabolic shape with a maximum at the cross-section midpoint and a minimum at the side-walls, due to

Testing stellar evolution models with detached eclipsing binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higl, J.; Weiss, A.

2017-12-01

Stellar evolution codes, as all other numerical tools, need to be verified. One of the standard stellar objects that allow stringent tests of stellar evolution theory and models, are detached eclipsing binaries. We have used 19 such objects to test our stellar evolution code, in order to see whether standard methods and assumptions suffice to reproduce the observed global properties. In this paper we concentrate on three effects that contain a specific uncertainty: atomic diffusion as used for standard solar model calculations, overshooting from convective regions, and a simple model for the effect of stellar spots on stellar radius, which is one of the possible solutions for the radius problem of M dwarfs. We find that in general old systems need diffusion to allow for, or at least improve, an acceptable fit, and that systems with convective cores indeed need overshooting. Only one system (AI Phe) requires the absence of it for a successful fit. To match stellar radii for very low-mass stars, the spot model proved to be an effective approach, but depending on model details, requires a high percentage of the surface being covered by spots. We briefly discuss improvements needed to further reduce the freedom in modelling and to allow an even more restrictive test by using these objects.

Magnetohydrodynamic Augmented Propulsion Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litchford, Ron J.; Cole, John; Lineberry, John; Chapman, Jim; Schmidt, Harold; Cook, Stephen (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A fundamental obstacle to routine space access is the specific energy limitations associated with chemical fuels. In the case of vertical take-off, the high thrust needed for vertical liftoff and acceleration to orbit translates into power levels in the 10 GW range. Furthermore, useful payload mass fractions are possible only if the exhaust particle energy (i.e., exhaust velocity) is much greater than that available with traditional chemical propulsion. The electronic binding energy released by the best chemical reactions (e.g., LOX/LH2 for example, is less than 2 eV per product molecule (approx. 1.8 eV per H2O molecule), which translates into particle velocities less than 5 km/s. Useful payload fractions, however, will require exhaust velocities exceeding 15 km/s (i.e., particle energies greater than 20 eV). As an added challenge, the envisioned hypothetical RLV (reusable launch vehicle) should accomplish these amazing performance feats while providing relatively low acceleration levels to orbit (2-3g maximum). From such fundamental considerations, it is painfully obvious that planned and current RLV solutions based on chemical fuels alone represent only a temporary solution and can only result in minor gains, at best. What is truly needed is a revolutionary approach that will dramatically reduce the amount of fuel and size of the launch vehicle. This implies the need for new compact high-power energy sources as well as advanced accelerator technologies for increasing engine exhaust velocity. Electromagnetic acceleration techniques are of immense interest since they can be used to circumvent the thermal limits associated with conventional propulsion systems. This paper describes the Magnetohydrodynamic Augmented Propulsion Experiment (MAPX) being undertaken at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). In this experiment, a 1-MW arc heater is being used as a feeder for a 1-MW magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) accelerator. The purpose of the experiment is to demonstrate

Comparing Free-Free and Shaker Table Model Correlation Methods Using Jim Beam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ristow, James; Smith, Kenneth Wayne, Jr.; Johnson, Nathaniel; Kinney, Jackson

2018-01-01

Finite element model correlation as part of a spacecraft program has always been a challenge. For any NASA mission, the coupled system response of the spacecraft and launch vehicle can be determined analytically through a Coupled Loads Analysis (CLA), as it is not possible to test the spacecraft and launch vehicle coupled system before launch. The value of the CLA is highly dependent on the accuracy of the frequencies and mode shapes extracted from the spacecraft model. NASA standards require the spacecraft model used in the final Verification Loads Cycle to be correlated by either a modal test or by comparison of the model with Frequency Response Functions (FRFs) obtained during the environmental qualification test. Due to budgetary and time constraints, most programs opt to correlate the spacecraft dynamic model during the environmental qualification test, conducted on a large shaker table. For any model correlation effort, the key has always been finding a proper definition of the boundary conditions. This paper is a correlation case study to investigate the difference in responses of a simple structure using a free-free boundary, a fixed boundary on the shaker table, and a base-drive vibration test, all using identical instrumentation. The NAVCON Jim Beam test structure, featured in the IMAC round robin modal test of 2009, was selected as a simple, well recognized and well characterized structure to conduct this investigation. First, a free-free impact modal test of the Jim Beam was done as an experimental control. Second, the Jim Beam was mounted to a large 20,000 lbf shaker, and an impact modal test in this fixed configuration was conducted. Lastly, a vibration test of the Jim Beam was conducted on the shaker table. The free-free impact test, the fixed impact test, and the base-drive test were used to assess the effect of the shaker modes, evaluate the validity of fixed-base modeling assumptions, and compare final model correlation results between these

Boundary-field-driven control of discontinuous phase transitions on hyperbolic lattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Yoju; Verstraete, Frank; Gendiar, Andrej

2016-08-01

The multistate Potts models on two-dimensional hyperbolic lattices are studied with respect to various boundary effects. The free energy is numerically calculated using the corner transfer matrix renormalization group method. We analyze phase transitions of the Potts models in the thermodynamic limit with respect to contracted boundary layers. A false phase transition is present even if a couple of the boundary layers are contracted. Its significance weakens, as the number of the contracted boundary layers increases, until the correct phase transition (deep inside the bulk) prevails over the false one. For this purpose, we derive a thermodynamic quantity, the so-called bulk excess free energy, which depends on the contracted boundary layers and memorizes additional boundary effects. In particular, the magnetic field is imposed on the outermost boundary layer. While the boundary magnetic field does not affect the second-order phase transition in the bulk if suppressing all the boundary effects on the hyperbolic lattices, the first-order (discontinuous) phase transition is significantly sensitive to the boundary magnetic field. Contrary to the phase transition on the Euclidean lattices, the discontinuous phase transition on the hyperbolic lattices can be continuously controlled (within a certain temperature coexistence region) by varying the boundary magnetic field.

Stellar Populations. A User Guide from Low to High Redshift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greggio, Laura; Renzini, Alvio

2011-09-01

This textbook is meant to illustrate the specific role played by stellar population diagnostics in our attempt to understand galaxy formation and evolution. The book starts with a rather unconventional summary of the results of stellar evolution theory (Chapter 1), as they provide the basis for the construction of synthetic stellar populations. Current limitations of stellar models are highlighted, which arise from the necessity to parametrize all those physical processes that involve bulk mass motions, such as convection, mixing, mass loss, etc. Chapter 2 deals with the foundations of the theory of synthetic stellar populations, and illustrates their energetics and metabolic functions, providing basic tools that will be used in subsequent chapters. Chapters 3 and 4 deal with resolved stellar populations, first addressing some general problems encountered in photometric studies of stellar fields. Then some highlights are presented illustrating our current capacity of measuring stellar ages in Galactic globular clusters, in the Galactic bulge and in nearby galaxies. Chapter 5 is dedicated to the exemplification of synthetic spectra of simple as well as composite stellar populations, drawing attention to those spectral features that may depend on less secure results of stellar evolution models. Chapter 6 illustrates how synthetic stellar populations are used to derive basic galaxy properties, such as star formation rates, stellar masses, ages and metallicities, and does so for galaxies at low as well as at high redshifts. Chapter 7 is dedicated to supernovae, distinguishing them in core collapse and thermonuclear cases, describing the evolution of their rates for various star formation histories, and estimating the supernova productivity of stellar populations and their chemical yields. In Chapter 8 the stellar initial mass function (IMF) is discussed, first showing how even apparently small IMF variations may have large effects on the demo! graphy of stellar

Exploring stellar evolution with gravitational-wave observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvorkin, Irina; Uzan, Jean-Philippe; Vangioni, Elisabeth; Silk, Joseph

2018-05-01

Recent detections of gravitational waves from merging binary black holes opened new possibilities to study the evolution of massive stars and black hole formation. In particular, stellar evolution models may be constrained on the basis of the differences in the predicted distribution of black hole masses and redshifts. In this work we propose a framework that combines galaxy and stellar evolution models and use it to predict the detection rates of merging binary black holes for various stellar evolution models. We discuss the prospects of constraining the shape of the time delay distribution of merging binaries using just the observed distribution of chirp masses. Finally, we consider a generic model of primordial black hole formation and discuss the possibility of distinguishing it from stellar-origin black holes.

Stellar Rotation: New Insight from CoRoT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catala, C.; Goupil, M. J.; Michel, E.; Baglin, A.; de Medeiros, J. Renan; Gondoin, Ph.

2009-02-01

We present an overview of the new insight provided by the CoRoT satellite on stellar rotation. Thanks to its ultra-high precision, high duty cycle, long photometric monitoring of thousands of stars, CoRoT gives us a powerful tool to study stellar rotational modulation, and therefore to measure stellar rotational periods and to study active structures at the surface of stars. This paper presents preliminary results concerning this type of study. CoRoT will also provide us with an insight of internal stellar rotation via the measurement and exploitation of rotational splittings of oscillation modes. This approach to stellar rotation with CoRoT will require a careful analysis of the oscillation power spectra, which is in progress, but prospects for such measurements are presented.

When the Jeans Do Not Fit: How Stellar Feedback Drives Stellar Kinematics and Complicates Dynamical Modeling in Low-mass Galaxies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

El-Badry, Kareem; Quataert, Eliot; Wetzel, Andrew R.

In low-mass galaxies, stellar feedback can drive gas outflows that generate non-equilibrium fluctuations in the gravitational potential. Using cosmological zoom-in baryonic simulations from the Feedback in Realistic Environments project, we investigate how these fluctuations affect stellar kinematics and the reliability of Jeans dynamical modeling in low-mass galaxies. We find that stellar velocity dispersion and anisotropy profiles fluctuate significantly over the course of galaxies’ starburst cycles. We therefore predict an observable correlation between star formation rate and stellar kinematics: dwarf galaxies with higher recent star formation rates should have systemically higher stellar velocity dispersions. This prediction provides an observational test ofmore » the role of stellar feedback in regulating both stellar and dark-matter densities in dwarf galaxies. We find that Jeans modeling, which treats galaxies as virialized systems in dynamical equilibrium, overestimates a galaxy’s dynamical mass during periods of post-starburst gas outflow and underestimates it during periods of net inflow. Short-timescale potential fluctuations lead to typical errors of ∼20% in dynamical mass estimates, even if full three-dimensional stellar kinematics—including the orbital anisotropy—are known exactly. When orbital anisotropy is not known a priori, typical mass errors arising from non-equilibrium fluctuations in the potential are larger than those arising from the mass-anisotropy degeneracy. However, Jeans modeling alone cannot reliably constrain the orbital anisotropy, and problematically, it often favors anisotropy models that do not reflect the true profile. If galaxies completely lose their gas and cease forming stars, fluctuations in the potential subside, and Jeans modeling becomes much more reliable.« less

Time-Domain Impedance Boundary Conditions for Computational Aeroacoustics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tam, Christopher K. W.; Auriault, Laurent

1996-01-01

It is an accepted practice in aeroacoustics to characterize the properties of an acoustically treated surface by a quantity known as impedance. Impedance is a complex quantity. As such, it is designed primarily for frequency-domain analysis. Time-domain boundary conditions that are the equivalent of the frequency-domain impedance boundary condition are proposed. Both single frequency and model broadband time-domain impedance boundary conditions are provided. It is shown that the proposed boundary conditions, together with the linearized Euler equations, form well-posed initial boundary value problems. Unlike ill-posed problems, they are free from spurious instabilities that would render time-marching computational solutions impossible.

Grain-Boundary Roughening in Colloidal Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Maijia; Xiao, Xiao; Chui, Siu Tat; Han, Yilong

2018-04-01

In polycrystals, faceted grains may become round and rough at high temperatures. Such a roughening phenomenon remains poorly understood, partly because of the lack of experimental observations. Here, we directly visualize the roughening dynamics of grain boundaries inside thin-film colloidal crystals at the single-particle level using video microscopy. The thermal fluctuations of grain boundaries appear to exhibit both static and dynamic critical-like behaviors, in contrast to the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in typical free surface roughening. The roughening point shifts towards the melting point as the grain boundary's mismatch angle θ decreases and is preempted by melting when θ <18 ° . Counterintuitively, the amplitude of grain-boundary fluctuations decreases above the roughening point. This could be attributed to the observed widening of the grain boundary. The roughening strongly affects the mobility of the grain boundary but not the stiffness. These results provide new guidance for the control of microstructures in polycrystals and further development of roughening theory.

Magnetohydrodynamic Heat Transfer Research Related to the Design of Fusion Blankets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barleon, Leopold; Burr, Ulrich; Mack, Klaus Juergen

2001-03-15

Lithium or any lithium alloy like the lithium lead alloy Pb-17Li is an attractive breeder material used in blankets of fusion power reactors because it allows the breeding of tritium and, in the case of self-cooled blankets, the transfer of the heat generated within the liquid metal and the walls of the cooling ducts to an external heat exchanger. Nevertheless, this type of liquid-metal-cooled blanket, called a self-cooled blanket, requires specific design of the coolant ducts, because the interaction of the circulating fluid and the plasma-confining magnetic fields causes magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects, yielding completely different flow patterns compared to ordinarymore » hydrodynamics (OHD) and pressure drops significantly higher than there. In contrast to OHD, MHD flows depend strongly on the electrical properties of the wall. Also, MHD flows reveal anisotropic turbulence behavior and are quite sensitive to obstacles exposed to the fluid flow.A comprehensive study of the heat transfer characteristics of free and forced convective MHD flows at fusion-relevant conditions is conducted. The general ideas of the analytical and numerical models to describe MHD heat transfer phenomena in this parameter regime are discussed. The MHD laboratory being installed, the experimental program established, and the experiments on heat transfer of free and forced convective flow being conducted are described. The theoretical results are compared to the results of a series of experiments in forced and free convective MHD flows with different wall properties, such as electrically insulating as well as electric conducting ducts. Based on this knowledge, methods to improve the heat transfer by means of electromagnetic/mechanic turbulence promoters (TPs) or sophisticated, arranged electrically conducting walls are discussed, experimental results are shown, and a cost-benefit analysis related to these methods is performed. Nevertheless, a few experimental results obtained should

Structures in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence: Detection and scaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uritsky, V. M.; Pouquet, A.; Rosenberg, D.; Mininni, P. D.; Donovan, E. F.

2010-11-01

We present a systematic analysis of statistical properties of turbulent current and vorticity structures at a given time using cluster analysis. The data stem from numerical simulations of decaying three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the absence of an imposed uniform magnetic field; the magnetic Prandtl number is taken equal to unity, and we use a periodic box with grids of up to 15363 points and with Taylor Reynolds numbers up to 1100. The initial conditions are either an X -point configuration embedded in three dimensions, the so-called Orszag-Tang vortex, or an Arn’old-Beltrami-Childress configuration with a fully helical velocity and magnetic field. In each case two snapshots are analyzed, separated by one turn-over time, starting just after the peak of dissipation. We show that the algorithm is able to select a large number of structures (in excess of 8000) for each snapshot and that the statistical properties of these clusters are remarkably similar for the two snapshots as well as for the two flows under study in terms of scaling laws for the cluster characteristics, with the structures in the vorticity and in the current behaving in the same way. We also study the effect of Reynolds number on cluster statistics, and we finally analyze the properties of these clusters in terms of their velocity-magnetic-field correlation. Self-organized criticality features have been identified in the dissipative range of scales. A different scaling arises in the inertial range, which cannot be identified for the moment with a known self-organized criticality class consistent with magnetohydrodynamics. We suggest that this range can be governed by turbulence dynamics as opposed to criticality and propose an interpretation of intermittency in terms of propagation of local instabilities.

UV stellar occultation measurements of nighttime equatorial ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riegler, G. R.; Liu, S. C.; Wasser, B.; Atreya, S. K.; Donahue, T. M.; Drake, J. F.

1977-01-01

The ultraviolet spectrometer-telescope on Copernicus was used for stellar occultation measurements of atmospheric ozone. Two sets of observations of the target star Beta-Cen were carried out on 26 July 1975 and 13-14 June 1976 at wavelengths from 2550 A to 3100 A. After unfolding of the data, ozone density profiles near the equator within 3 hours of local midnight were obtained at altitudes from 47 to 114 km. A secondary maximum at 97 km has been observed in both sets of data. The ozone density between 47 and 75 km is a factor of 2 to 3 times as large as current models predict. At the lower boundary, about half the ozone destruction should be caused by NOx and ClOx. Above 55 km, virtually all loss is due to HOx. These results suggest an overestimate of HOx and ClOx loss processes or a serious underestimate of the Ox production rate.

Minimizing stellarator turbulent transport by geometric optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mynick, H. E.

2010-11-01

Up to now, a transport optimized stellarator has meant one optimized to minimize neoclassical transport,ootnotetextH.E. Mynick, Phys. Plasmas 13, 058102 (2006). while the task of also mitigating turbulent transport, usually the dominant transport channel in such designs, has not been addressed, due to the complexity of plasma turbulence in stellarators. However, with the advent of gyrokinetic codes valid for 3D geometries such as GENE,ootnotetextF. Jenko, W. Dorland, M. Kotschenreuther, B.N. Rogers, Phys. Plasmas 7, 1904 (2000). and stellarator optimization codes such as STELLOPT,ootnotetextA. Reiman, G. Fu, S. Hirshman, L. Ku, et al, Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 41 B273 (1999). designing stellarators to also reduce turbulent transport has become a realistic possibility. We have been using GENE to characterize the dependence of turbulent transport on stellarator geometry,ootnotetextH.E Mynick, P.A. Xanthopoulos, A.H. Boozer, Phys.Plasmas 16 110702 (2009). and to identify key geometric quantities which control the transport level. From the information obtained from these GENE studies, we are developing proxy functions which approximate the level of turbulent transport one may expect in a machine of a given geometry, and have extended STELLOPT to use these in its cost function, obtaining stellarator configurations with turbulent transport levels substantially lower than those in the original designs.

Magnetohydrodynamic Propulsion for the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Font, Gabriel I.; Dudley, Scott C.

2004-10-01

The cinema industry can sometimes prove to be an ally when searching for material with which to motivate students to learn physics. Consider, for example, the electromagnetic force on a current in the presence of a magnetic field. This phenomenon is at the heart of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) propulsion systems. A submarine employing this type of propulsion was immortalized in the movie Hunt for Red October. While mentioning this to students certainly gets their attention, it often elicits comments that it is only fiction and not physically possible. Imagine their surprise when a working system is demonstrated! It is neither difficult nor expensive to construct a working system that can be demonstrated in the front of a classroom.2 In addition, all aspects of the engineering hurdles that must be surmounted and myths concerning this "silent propulsion" system are borne out in a simple apparatus. This paper details how to construct an inexpensive MHD propulsion boat that can be demonstrated for students in the classroom.

Probing Pluto's Atmosphere Using Ground-Based Stellar Occultations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sicardy, Bruno; Rio de Janeiro Occultation Team, Granada Team, International Occultation and Timing Association, Royal Astronomical Society New Zealand Occultation Section, Lucky Star associated Teams

2016-10-01

Over the last three decades, some twenty stellar occultations by Pluto have been monitored from Earth. They occur when the dwarf planet blocks the light from a star for a few minutes as it moves on the sky. Such events led to the hint of a Pluto's atmosphere in 1985, that was fully confirmed during another occultation in 1988, but it was only in 2002 that a new occultation could be recorded. From then on, the dwarf planet started to move in front of the galactic center, which amplified by a large factor the number of events observable per year.Pluto occultations are essentially refractive events during which the stellar rays are bent by the tenuous atmosphere, causing a gradual dimming of the star. This provides the density, pressure and temperature profiles of the atmosphere from a few kilometers above the surface up to about 250 km altitude, corresponding respectively to pressure levels of about 10 and 0.1 μbar. Moreover, the extremely fine spatial resolution (a few km) obtained through this technique allows the detection of atmospheric gravity waves, and permits in principle the detection of hazes, if present.Several aspects make Pluto stellar occultations quite special: first, they are the only way to probe Pluto's atmosphere in detail, as the dwarf planet is far too small on the sky and the atmosphere is far too tenuous to be directly imaged from Earth. Second, they are an excellent example of participative science, as many amateurs have been able to record those events worldwide with valuable scientific returns, in collaboration with professional astronomers. Third, they reveal Pluto's climatic changes on decade-scales and constrain the various seasonal models currently explored.Finally, those observations are fully complementary to space exploration, in particular with the New Horizons (NH) mission. I will show how ground-based occultations helped to better calibrate some NH profiles, and conversely, how NH results provide some key boundary conditions

Stellar Feedback Up and Close

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gadotti, Dimitri; Timer Team

2017-07-01

We report the serendipitous discovery of ongoing stellar feedback in the star-bursting nuclear ring of a nearby spiral galaxy, as part of the TIMER survey with MUSE. Combining MUSE and ALMA data we show bubbles of ionised gas expanding from the ring and shocking with the cold ISM. We demonstrate how much energy is being released into the ISM corresponding to the star formation observed, how fast the heated ISM is expanding from the centre, and provide a physical description of the shocks happening at the interface between the heated and cold phases of the ISM. Further, we quantitatively show how the exchange of energy between the two phases impacts the dynamics of the cold ISM. Finally, applying a model to the spatially-resolved spectral properties of this system, we find that about 60% of the energy input into the ISM is produced via the direct transfer of momentum from photons scattering onto dust grains, and 27% produced by mass loss in supernova explosions. The remaining energy input is produced via photoionisation heating ( 12%) and stellar winds ( 1%). These analyses provide invaluable measurements against which our theoretical understanding of stellar feedback can be compared, particularly state-of-the-art simulations that aim at reproducing star formation and stellar feedback in galaxies.

Hall current effects in the Lewis magnetohydrodynamic generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nichols, L. D.; Sovie, R. J.

1972-01-01

Data obtained in a magnetohydrodynamic generator are compared with theoretical values calculated by using the Dzung theory. The generator was operated with cesium-seeded argon as the working fluid. The gas temperature varied from 1800 to 2100 K, the gas pressure from 19 to 22 N/sq cm, the Mach number from 0.3 to 0.5, and the magnetic field strength from 0.2 to 1.6 T. The analysis indicates that there is incomplete seed vaporization and that Hall current shorting paths (through the working fluid to ground at both the entrance and exit of the channel) limit generator performance.

The Stellar Imager (SI)"Vision Mission"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Ken; Danchi, W.; Leitner, J.; Liu, A.; Lyon, R.; Mazzuca, L.; Moe, R.; Chenette, D.; Karovska, M.; Allen, R.

2004-01-01

The Stellar Imager (SI) is a "Vision" mission in the Sun-Earth Connection (SEC) Roadmap, conceived for the purpose of understanding the effects of stellar magnetic fields, the dynamos that generate them, and the internal structure and dynamics of the stars in which they exist. The ultimate goal is to achieve the best possible forecasting of solar/stellar magnetic activity and its impact on life in the Universe. The science goals of SI require an ultra-high angular resolution, at ultraviolet wavelengths, on the order of 100 micro-arcsec and thus baselines on the order of 0.5 km. These requirements call for a large, multi-spacecraft (less than 20) imaging interferometer, utilizing precision formation flying in a stable environment, such as in a Lissajous orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 point. SI's resolution will make it an invaluable resource for many other areas of astrophysics, including studies of AGN s, supernovae, cataclysmic variables, young stellar objects, QSO's, and stellar black holes. ongoing mission concept and technology development studies for SI. These studies are designed to refine the mission requirements for the science goals, define a Design Reference Mission, perform trade studies of selected major technical and architectural issues, improve the existing technology roadmap, and explore the details of deployment and operations, as well as the possible roles of astronauts and/or robots in construction and servicing of the facility.