1,441 research outputs found
The triggering of MHD instabilities through photospheric footpoint motions
The results of 3D numerical simulations modelling the twisting of a coronal loop due to photospheric vortex motions are presented. The simulations are carried out using an initial purely axial field and an initial equilibrium configuration with twist, . The non-linear and resistive evolutions of the instability are followed. The magnetic field is twisted by the boundary motions into a loop which initially has boundary layers near the photospheric boundaries as has been suggested by previous work. The boundary motions increase the twist in the loop until it becomes unstable. For both cases the boundary twisting triggers the kink instability. In both cases a helical current structure wraps itself around the kinked central current. This current scales linearly with grid resolution indicating current sheet formation. For the cases studied 35-40% of the free magnetic energy is released. This is sufficient to explain the energy released in a compact loop flare
Nonlinear wave propagation and reconnection at magnetic X-points in the Hall MHD regime
The highly dynamical, complex nature of the solar atmosphere naturally
implies the presence of waves in a topologically varied magnetic environment.
Here, the interaction of waves with topological features such as null points is
inevitable and potentially important for energetics. The low resistivity of the
solar coronal plasma implies that non-MHD effects should be considered in
studies of magnetic energy release in this environment. This paper investigates
the role of the Hall term in the propagation and dissipation of waves, their
interaction with 2D magnetic X-points and the nature of the resulting
reconnection. A Lagrangian remap shock-capturing code (Lare2d) is used to study
the evolution of an initial fast magnetoacoustic wave annulus for a range of
values of the ion skin depth in resistive Hall MHD. A magnetic null-point
finding algorithm is also used to locate and track the evolution of the
multiple null-points that are formed in the system. Depending on the ratio of
ion skin depth to system size, our model demonstrates that Hall effects can
play a key role in the wave-null interaction. In particular, the initial
fast-wave pulse now consists of whistler and ion-cyclotron components; the
dispersive nature of the whistler wave leads to (i) earlier interaction with
the null, (ii) the creation of multiple additional, transient nulls and, hence,
an increased number of energy release sites. In the Hall regime, the relevant
timescales (such as the onset of reconnection and the period of the oscillatory
relaxation) of the system are reduced significantly, and the reconnection rate
is enhanced.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figure
Numerical simulations of kink instability in line-tied coronal loops
The results from numerical simulations carried out using a new shock-capturing, Lagrangian-remap, 3D MHD code, Lare3d are presented. We study the evolution of the m=1 kink mode instability in a photospherically line-tied coronal loop that has no net axial current. During the non-linear evolution of the kink instability, large current concentrations develop in the neighbourhood of the infinite length mode rational surface. We investigate whether this strong current saturates at a finite value or whether scaling indicates current sheet formation. In particular, we consider the effect of the shear, defined by where is the fieldline twist of the loop, on the current concentration. We also include a non-uniform resistivity in the simulations and observe the amount of free magnetic energy released by magnetic reconnection
Unstable coronal loops : numerical simulations with predicted observational signatures
We present numerical studies of the nonlinear, resistive magnetohydrodynamic
(MHD) evolution of coronal loops. For these simulations we assume that the
loops carry no net current, as might be expected if the loop had evolved due to
vortex flows. Furthermore the initial equilibrium is taken to be a cylindrical
flux tube with line-tied ends. For a given amount of twist in the magnetic
field it is well known that once such a loop exceeds a critical length it
becomes unstableto ideal MHD instabilities. The early evolution of these
instabilities generates large current concentrations. Firstly we show that
these current concentrations are consistent with the formation of a current
sheet. Magnetic reconnection can only occur in the vicinity of these current
concentrations and we therefore couple the resistivity to the local current
density. This has the advantage of avoiding resistive diffusion in regions
where it should be negligible. We demonstrate the importance of this procedure
by comparison with simulations based on a uniform resistivity. From our
numerical experiments we are able to estimate some observational signatures for
unstable coronal loops. These signatures include: the timescale of the loop
brightening; the temperature increase; the energy released and the predicted
observable flow speeds. Finally we discuss to what extent these observational
signatures are consistent with the properties of transient brightening loops.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure
Magnetohydrodynamics dynamical relaxation of coronal magnetic fields. II. 2D magnetic X-points
We provide a valid magnetohydrostatic equilibrium from the collapse of a 2D
X-point in the presence of a finite plasma pressure, in which the current
density is not simply concentrated in an infinitesimally thin, one-dimensional
current sheet, as found in force-free solutions. In particular, we wish to
determine if a finite pressure current sheet will still involve a singular
current, and if so, what is the nature of the singularity. We use a full MHD
code, with the resistivity set to zero, so that reconnection is not allowed, to
run a series of experiments in which an X-point is perturbed and then is
allowed to relax towards an equilibrium, via real, viscous damping forces.
Changes to the magnitude of the perturbation and the initial plasma pressure
are investigated systematically. The final state found in our experiments is a
"quasi-static" equilibrium where the viscous relaxation has completely ended,
but the peak current density at the null increases very slowly following an
asymptotic regime towards an infinite time singularity. Using a high grid
resolution allows us to resolve the current structures in this state both in
width and length. In comparison with the well known pressureless studies, the
system does not evolve towards a thin current sheet, but concentrates the
current at the null and the separatrices. The growth rate of the singularity is
found to be tD, with 0 < D < 1. This rate depends directly on the initial
plasma pressure, and decreases as the pressure is increased. At the end of our
study, we present an analytical description of the system in a quasi-static
non-singular equilibrium at a given time, in which a finite thick current layer
has formed at the null
Epstein–Barr virus-associated inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen: report of two cases and review of the literature
We report two rare examples of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-associated inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen. One patient presented with night sweats, abdominal pain, and weight loss and was found to have a splenic mass on CT scan suspected of lymphoma. The splenic mass in second patient was found incidentally at the time of work up for kidney stones. The pathologic examination of these splenectomy specimens showed similar histologic features. However, the spindle cells were composed of EBV-infected follicular dendritic cells in one case whereas the second case lacked significant follicular dendritic cell proliferation and showed only focal EBV-infected cells suggesting that these proliferations are heterogenous in nature
On Signatures of Twisted Magnetic Flux Tube Emergence
Recent studies of NOAA active region 10953, by Okamoto {\it et al.} ({\it
Astrophys. J. Lett.} {\bf 673}, 215, 2008; {\it Astrophys. J.} {\bf 697}, 913,
2009), have interpreted photospheric observations of changing widths of the
polarities and reversal of the horizontal magnetic field component as
signatures of the emergence of a twisted flux tube within the active region and
along its internal polarity inversion line (PIL). A filament is observed along
the PIL and the active region is assumed to have an arcade structure. To
investigate this scenario, MacTaggart and Hood ({\it Astrophys. J. Lett.} {\bf
716}, 219, 2010) constructed a dynamic flux emergence model of a twisted
cylinder emerging into an overlying arcade. The photospheric signatures
observed by Okamoto {\it et al.} (2008, 2009) are present in the model although
their underlying physical mechanisms differ. The model also produces two
additional signatures that can be verified by the observations. The first is an
increase in the unsigned magnetic flux in the photosphere at either side of the
PIL. The second is the behaviour of characteristic photospheric flow profiles
associated with twisted flux tube emergence. We look for these two signatures
in AR 10953 and find negative results for the emergence of a twisted flux tube
along the PIL. Instead, we interpret the photospheric behaviour along the PIL
to be indicative of photospheric magnetic cancellation driven by flows from the
dominant sunspot. Although we argue against flux emergence within this
particular region, the work demonstrates the important relationship between
theory and observations for the successful discovery and interpretation of
signatures of flux emergence.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Solar Physic
Social inequalities in self-rated health by age: Cross-sectional study of 22 457 middle-aged men and women
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We investigate the association between occupational social class and self-rated health (SRH) at different ages in men and women.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross sectional population study of 22 457 men and women aged 39–79 years living in the general community in Norfolk, United Kingdom, recruited using general practice age-sex registers in 1993–1997. The relationship between self-rated health and social class was examined using logistic regression, with a poor or moderate rating as the outcome.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of poor or moderate (lower) self-rated health increased with increasing age in both men and women. There was a strong social class gradient: in manual classes, men and women under 50 years of age had a prevalence of lower self-rated health similar to that seen in men and women in non-manual social classes over 70 years old. Even after adjustment for age, educational status, and lifestyle factors (body mass index (BMI), smoking, physical activity and alcohol consumption) there was still strong evidence of a social gradient in self-rated health, with unskilled men and women approximately twice as likely to report lower self-rated health as professionals (OR<sub>men </sub>= 2.44 (95%CI 1.69, 3.50); OR<sub>women </sub>= 1.97 (95%CI 1.45, 2.68).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There was a strong gradient of decreased SRH with age in both men and women. We found a strong cross-sectional association between SRH and social class, which was independent of education and major health related behaviors. The social class differential in SRH was similar with age. Prospective studies to confirm this association should explore social and emotional as well as physical pathways to inequalities in self reported health.</p
3D MHD Flux Emergence Experiments: Idealized models and coronal interactions
This paper reviews some of the many 3D numerical experiments of the emergence
of magnetic fields from the solar interior and the subsequent interaction with
the pre-existing coronal magnetic field. The models described here are
idealized, in the sense that the internal energy equation only involves the
adiabatic, Ohmic and viscous shock heating terms. However, provided the main
aim is to investigate the dynamical evolution, this is adequate. Many
interesting observational phenomena are explained by these models in a
self-consistent manner.Comment: Review article, accepted for publication in Solar Physic
The stellar atmosphere simulation code Bifrost
Context: Numerical simulations of stellar convection and photospheres have
been developed to the point where detailed shapes of observed spectral lines
can be explained. Stellar atmospheres are very complex, and very different
physical regimes are present in the convection zone, photosphere, chromosphere,
transition region and corona. To understand the details of the atmosphere it is
necessary to simulate the whole atmosphere since the different layers interact
strongly. These physical regimes are very diverse and it takes a highly
efficient massively parallel numerical code to solve the associated equations.
Aims: The design, implementation and validation of the massively parallel
numerical code Bifrost for simulating stellar atmospheres from the convection
zone to the corona.
Methods: The code is subjected to a number of validation tests, among them
the Sod shock tube test, the Orzag-Tang colliding shock test, boundary
condition tests and tests of how the code treats magnetic field advection,
chromospheric radiation, radiative transfer in an isothermal scattering
atmosphere, hydrogen ionization and thermal conduction.
Results: Bifrost completes the tests with good results and shows near linear
efficiency scaling to thousands of computing cores
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