Homoclinic bifurcations in low-Prandtl-number Rayleigh-B\'{e}nard convection with uniform rotation

We present results of direct numerical simulations on homoclinic gluing and ungluing bifurcations in low-Prandtl-number ($0 \leq Pr \leq 0.025$) Rayleigh-B\'{e}nard system rotating slowly and uniformly about a vertical axis. We have performed simulations with \textit{stress-free} top and bottom boundaries for several values of Taylor number ($5 \leq Ta \leq 50$) near the instability onset. We observe a single homoclinic ungluing bifurcation, marked by the spontaneous breaking of a larger limit cycle into two limit cycles with the variation of the reduced Rayleigh number $r$ for smaller values of $Ta (< 25)$. A pair of homoclinic bifurcations, instead of one bifurcation, is observed with variation of $r$ for slightly higher values of $Ta$ ($25 \leq Ta \leq 50$) in the same fluid dynamical system. The variation of the bifurcation threshold with $Ta$ is also investigated. We have also constructed a low-dimensional model which qualitatively captures the dynamics of the system near the homoclinic bifurcations for low rotation rates. The model is used to study the unfolding of bifurcations and the variation of the homoclinic bifurcation threshold with $Pr$.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl

Eruption of a plasma blob, associated M-class flare, and large-scale EUV wave observed by SDO

We present a multiwavelength study of the formation and ejection of a plasma blob and associated EUV waves in AR NOAA 11176, observed by SDO/AIA and STEREO on 25 March 2011. SDO/AIA images clearly show the formation and ejection of a plasma blob from the lower solar atmosphere at ~9 min prior to the onset of the M1.0 flare. This onset of the M-class flare happened at the site of the blob formation, while the blob was rising in a parabolic path with an average speed of ~300 km/s. The blob also showed twisting and de-twisting motion in the lower corona, and the blob speed varied from ~10-540 km/s. The faster and slower EUV wavefronts were observed in front of the plasma blob during its impulsive acceleration phase. The faster EUV wave propagated with a speed of ~785 to 1020 km/s, whereas the slower wavefront speed varied in between ~245 and 465 km/s. The timing and speed of the faster wave match the shock speed estimated from the drift rate of the associated type II radio burst. The faster wave experiences a reflection by the nearby AR NOAA 11177. In addition, secondary waves were observed (only in the 171 \AA channel), when the primary fast wave and plasma blob impacted the funnel-shaped coronal loops. The HMI magnetograms revealed the continuous emergence of new magnetic flux along with shear flows at the site of the blob formation. It is inferred that the emergence of twisted magnetic fields in the form of arch-filaments/"anemone-type" loops is the likely cause for the plasma blob formation and associated eruption along with the triggering of M-class flare. Furthermore, the faster EUV wave formed ahead of the blob shows the signature of fast-mode MHD wave, whereas the slower wave seems to be generated by the field line compression by the plasma blob. The secondary wave trains originated from the funnel-shaped loops are probably the fast magnetoacoustic waves.Comment: A&A (in press), 22 pages, 13 figure