184 research outputs found
The Magnetic Sun: Reversals and Long-Term Variations
A didactic introduction to current thinking on some aspects of the solar
dynamo is given for geophysicists and planetary scientists.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures; Space Science Rev., in pres
Solar Grand Minima and random fluctuations in dynamo parameters
We consider to what extent the long-term dynamics of cyclic solar activity in
the form of Grand Minima can be associated with random fluctuations of the
parameters governing the solar dynamo. We consider fluctuations of the
alpha-coefficient in the conventional Parker migratory dynamo, and also in
slightly more sophisticated dynamo models, and demonstrate that they can mimic
the gross features of the phenomenon of the occurrence of Grand Minima over a
suitable parameter range. The temporal distribution of these Grand Minima
appears chaotic, with a more or less exponential waiting time distribution,
typical of Poisson processes. In contrast however, the available reconstruction
of Grand Minima statistics based on cosmogenic isotope data demonstrates
substantial deviations from this exponential law. We were unable to reproduce
the non-Poissonic tail of the waiting time distribution either in the framework
of a simple alpha-quenched Parker model, or in its straightforward
generalization, nor in simple models with feedback on the differential
rotation. We suggest that the disagreement may only be apparent and is
plausibly related to the limited observational data, and that the observations
and results of numerical modeling can be consistent and represent physically
similar dynamo regimes.Comment: Solar Physics, in prin
Renormalization Group and Decoupling in Curved Space: II. The Standard Model and Beyond
We continue the study of the renormalization group and decoupling of massive
fields in curved space, started in the previous article and analyse the higher
derivative sector of the vacuum metric-dependent action of the Standard Model.
The QCD sector at low-energies is described in terms of the composite effective
fields. For fermions and scalars the massless limit shows perfect
correspondence with the conformal anomaly, but similar limit in a massive
vector case requires an extra compensating scalar. In all three cases the
decoupling goes smoothly and monotonic. A particularly interesting case is the
renormalization group flow in the theory with broken supersymmetry, where the
sign of one of the beta-functions changes on the way from the UV to IR.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figure
Theory and computation of covariant Lyapunov vectors
Lyapunov exponents are well-known characteristic numbers that describe growth
rates of perturbations applied to a trajectory of a dynamical system in
different state space directions. Covariant (or characteristic) Lyapunov
vectors indicate these directions. Though the concept of these vectors has been
known for a long time, they became practically computable only recently due to
algorithms suggested by Ginelli et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 2007, 130601] and
by Wolfe and Samelson [Tellus 59A, 2007, 355]. In view of the great interest in
covariant Lyapunov vectors and their wide range of potential applications, in
this article we summarize the available information related to Lyapunov vectors
and provide a detailed explanation of both the theoretical basics and numerical
algorithms. We introduce the notion of adjoint covariant Lyapunov vectors. The
angles between these vectors and the original covariant vectors are
norm-independent and can be considered as characteristic numbers. Moreover, we
present and study in detail an improved approach for computing covariant
Lyapunov vectors. Also we describe, how one can test for hyperbolicity of
chaotic dynamics without explicitly computing covariant vectors.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure
Particle interactions with single or multiple 3D solar reconnecting current sheets
The acceleration of charged particles (electrons and protons) in flaring
solar active regions is analyzed by numerical experiments. The acceleration is
modelled as a stochastic process taking place by the interaction of the
particles with local magnetic reconnection sites via multiple steps. Two types
of local reconnecting topologies are studied: the Harris-type and the X-point.
A formula for the maximum kinetic energy gain in a Harris-type current sheet,
found in a previous work of ours, fits well the numerical data for a single
step of the process. A generalization is then given approximating the kinetic
energy gain through an X-point. In the case of the multiple step process, in
both topologies the particles' kinetic energy distribution is found to acquire
a practically invariant form after a small number of steps. This tendency is
interpreted theoretically. Other characteristics of the acceleration process
are given, such as the mean acceleration time and the pitch angle distributions
of the particles.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, Solar Physics, in pres
Quantized bulk fermions in the Randall-Sundrum brane model
The lowest order quantum corrections to the effective action arising from
quantized massive fermion fields in the Randall-Sundrum background spacetime
are computed. The boundary conditions and their relation with gauge invariance
are examined in detail. The possibility of Wilson loop symmetry breaking in
brane models is also analysed. The self-consistency requirements, previously
considered in the case of a quantized bulk scalar field, are extended to
include the contribution from massive fermions. It is shown that in this case
it is possible to stabilize the radius of the extra dimensions but it is not
possible to simultaneously solve the hierarchy problem, unless the brane
tensions are dramatically fine tuned, supporting previous claims.Comment: 25 pages, 1 figure, RevTe
The 22-Year Hale Cycle in cosmic ray flux: evidence for direct heliospheric modulation
The ability to predict times of greater galactic cosmic ray (GCR) fluxes is important for reducing the hazards caused by these particles to satellite communications, aviation, or astronauts. The 11-year solar-cycle variation in cosmic rays is highly correlated with the strength of the heliospheric magnetic field. Differences in GCR flux during alternate solar cycles yield a 22-year cycle, known as the Hale Cycle, which is thought to be due to different particle drift patterns when the northern solar pole has predominantly positive (denoted as qA>0 cycle) or negative (qA0 cycles than for qA0 and more sharply peaked for qA0 solar cycles, when the difference in GCR flux is most apparent. This suggests that particle drifts may not be the sole mechanism responsible for the Hale Cycle in GCR flux at Earth. However, we also demonstrate that these polarity-dependent heliospheric differences are evident during the space-age but are much less clear in earlier data: using geomagnetic reconstructions, we show that for the period of 1905 - 1965, alternate polarities do not give as significant a difference during the declining phase of the solar cycle. Thus we suggest that the 22-year cycle in cosmic-ray flux is at least partly the result of direct modulation by the heliospheric magnetic field and that this effect may be primarily limited to the grand solar maximum of the space-age
A Quantitative Model of Energy Release and Heating by Time-dependent, Localized Reconnection in a Flare with a Thermal Loop-top X-ray Source
We present a quantitative model of the magnetic energy stored and then
released through magnetic reconnection for a flare on 26 Feb 2004. This flare,
well observed by RHESSI and TRACE, shows evidence of non-thermal electrons only
for a brief, early phase. Throughout the main period of energy release there is
a super-hot (T>30 MK) plasma emitting thermal bremsstrahlung atop the flare
loops. Our model describes the heating and compression of such a source by
localized, transient magnetic reconnection. It is a three-dimensional
generalization of the Petschek model whereby Alfven-speed retraction following
reconnection drives supersonic inflows parallel to the field lines, which form
shocks heating, compressing, and confining a loop-top plasma plug. The
confining inflows provide longer life than a freely-expanding or
conductively-cooling plasma of similar size and temperature. Superposition of
successive transient episodes of localized reconnection across a current sheet
produces an apparently persistent, localized source of high-temperature
emission. The temperature of the source decreases smoothly on a time scale
consistent with observations, far longer than the cooling time of a single
plug. Built from a disordered collection of small plugs, the source need not
have the coherent jet-like structure predicted by steady-state reconnection
models. This new model predicts temperatures and emission measure consistent
with the observations of 26 Feb 2004. Furthermore, the total energy released by
the flare is found to be roughly consistent with that predicted by the model.
Only a small fraction of the energy released appears in the super-hot source at
any one time, but roughly a quarter of the flare energy is thermalized by the
reconnection shocks over the course of the flare. All energy is presumed to
ultimately appear in the lower-temperature T<20 MK, post-flare loops
Electric current circuits in astrophysics
Cosmic magnetic structures have in common that they are anchored
in a dynamo, that an external driver converts kinetic energy into internal
magnetic energy, that this magnetic energy is transported as Poynting fl ux across the magnetically dominated structure, and that the magnetic energy
is released in the form of particle acceleration, heating, bulk motion,
MHD waves, and radiation. The investigation of the electric current system is
particularly illuminating as to the course of events and the physics involved.
We demonstrate this for the radio pulsar wind, the solar flare, and terrestrial
magnetic storms
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