On Hydrodynamic Motions in Dead Zones

We investigate fluid motions near the midplane of vertically stratified accretion disks with highly resistive midplanes. In such disks, the magnetorotational instability drives turbulence in thin layers surrounding a resistive, stable dead zone. The turbulent layers in turn drive motions in the dead zone. We examine the properties of these motions using three-dimensional, stratified, local, shearing-box, non-ideal, magnetohydrodynamical simulations. Although the turbulence in the active zones provides a source of vorticity to the midplane, no evidence for coherent vortices is found in our simulations. It appears that this is because of strong vertical oscillations in the dead zone. By analyzing time series of azimuthally-averaged flow quantities, we identify an axisymmetric wave mode particular to models with dead zones. This mode is reduced in amplitude, but not suppressed entirely, by changing the equation of state from isothermal to ideal. These waves are too low-frequency to affect sedimentation of dust to the midplane, but may have significance for the gravitational stability of the resulting midplane dust layers.Comment: 36 pages, 19 figures. ApJ accepte

Multiwavelength Observations of a Flux Rope Formation by Series of Magnetic Reconnection in the Chromosphere

Using high-resolution observations from the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope (NST) operating at the Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO), we report direct evidence of merging/reconnection of cool H$\alpha$ loops in the chromosphere during two homologous flares (B- and C-class) caused by a shear motion at the footpoint of two loops. The reconnection between these loops caused the formation of an unstable flux rope which showed counterclockwise rotation. The flux rope could not reach the height of torus instability and failed to form a coronal mass ejection. The HMI magnetograms revealed rotation of the negative/positive (N1/P2) polarity sunspots in the opposite directions, which increased the right and left-handed twist in the magnetic structures rooted at N1/P2. Rapid photospheric flux cancellation (duration$\sim$20-30 min, rate$\approx$3.44$\times$10$^{20}$ Mx h$^{-1}$) was observed during and even after the first B6.0 flare and continued until the end of the second C2.3 flare. The RHESSI X-ray sources were located at the site of the loop's coalescence. To the best of our knowledge, such a clear interaction of chromospheric loops along with rapid flux cancellation has not been reported before. These high-resolution observations suggest the formation of a small flux rope by a series of magnetic reconnection within chromospheric loops associated with very rapid flux cancellation.Comment: A&A, in press, 12 pages, 12 figure

Bending fatigue tests on SiC-Al tapes under alternating stress at room temperature

The development of a testing method for fatigue tests on SiC-Al tapes containing a small amount of SiC filaments under alternating stress is reported. The fatigue strength curves resulting for this composite are discussed. They permit an estimate of its behavior under continuous stress and in combination with various other matrices, especially metal matrices

Universal classification of twisted, strained and sheared graphene moir\'e superlattices

Moir\'e superlattices in graphene supported on various substrates have opened a new avenue to engineer graphene's electronic properties. Yet, the exact crystallographic structure on which their band structure depends remains highly debated. In this scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory study, we have analysed graphene samples grown on multilayer graphene prepared onto SiC and on the close-packed surfaces of Re and Ir with ultra-high precision. We resolve small-angle twists and shears in graphene, and identify large unit cells comprising more than 1,000 carbon atoms and exhibiting non-trivial nanopatterns for moir\'e superlattices, which are commensurate to the graphene lattice. Finally, a general formalism applicable to any hexagonal moir\'e is presented to classify all reported structures.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure

The Initiation Mechanism of the First On-disk X-Class Flare of Solar Cycle 25

In this paper we study the initiation mechanism of the first on-disk X-class eruptive flare in solar cycle 25. Coronal magnetic field reconstructions reveal a magnetic flux rope (MFR) with configuration highly consistent with a filament existing for a long period before the flare, and the eruption of the whole filament indicates that the MFR erupted during the flare. However, quantitative analysis shows that the pre-flare MFR resides in a height too low to trigger a torus instability (TI). The filament experienced a slow rise before the flare onset, for which we estimate evolution of the filament height using a triangulation method by combining the SDO and STEREO observations, and find it is also much lower than the critical height for triggering TI. On the other hand, the pre-flare evolution of the current density shows progressive thinning of a vertical current layer on top of the flare PIL, which suggests that a vertical current sheet forms before the eruption. Meanwhile, there is continuously shearing motion along the PIL under the main branch of the filament, which can drive the coronal field to form such a current sheet. As such, we suggest that the event follows a reconnection-based initiation mechanism as recently established using a high-accuracy MHD simulation, in which an eruption is initiated by reconnection in a current sheet that forms gradually within continuously-sheared magnetic arcade. The eruption should be further driven by TI as the filament quickly rises into the TI domain during the eruption

An evaluation of sea ice deformation and its spatial characteristics from the regional arctic system model

The Regional Arctic System Model (RASM) is used to investigate the process and frequency of extreme sea ice shear deformation events resulting in pycnocline upwelling due to Ekman pumping as described in McPhee et al. (2005). RASM is a fully coupled land, atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean model with high spatial and temporal resolution. Time series analysis of the upper ocean temperature structure, basal melt rate, total deformation rate, and ice-ocean stress curl yield the identification of individual events. Shear deformation events generate an upper ocean response given a positive ice-ocean stress curl, i.e., induced by counterclockwise rotation in the ice velocity field relative to the underlying ocean. Spatial and temporal characterization of the total deformation rate indicates that fine spatial and temporal resolution, on a statistical scale, is important for the energy budget of the Arctic. Results demonstrate a power law relationship between the mean deformation rate and length scale. This is hypothesized as being due to RASMs fully coupled system allowing for naturally occurring high frequency noise and the cascade of energy among model components. Simulated events are infrequent their relative impact on large scale energy exchange remains undetermined, which warrants further research of these phenomena.http://archive.org/details/anevaluationofse1094527872Lieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited