153 research outputs found
Large-scale instability in a sheared nonhelical turbulence: formation of vortical structures
We study a large-scale instability in a sheared nonhelical turbulence that
causes generation of large-scale vorticity. Three types of the background
large-scale flows are considered, i.e., the Couette and Poiseuille flows in a
small-scale homogeneous turbulence, and the "log-linear" velocity shear in an
inhomogeneous turbulence. It is known that laminar plane Couette flow and
antisymmetric mode of laminar plane Poiseuille flow are stable with respect to
small perturbations for any Reynolds numbers. We demonstrate that in a
small-scale turbulence under certain conditions the large-scale Couette and
Poiseuille flows are unstable due to the large-scale instability. This
instability causes formation of large-scale vortical structures stretched along
the mean sheared velocity. The growth rate of the large-scale instability for
the "log-linear" velocity shear is much larger than that for the Couette and
Poiseuille background flows. We have found a turbulent analogue of the
Tollmien-Schlichting waves in a small-scale sheared turbulence. A mechanism of
excitation of turbulent Tollmien-Schlichting waves is associated with a
combined effect of the turbulent Reynolds stress-induced generation of
perturbations of the mean vorticity and the background sheared motions. These
waves can be excited even in a plane Couette flow imposed on a small-scale
turbulence when perturbations of mean velocity depend on three spatial
coordinates. The energy of these waves is supplied by the small-scale sheared
turbulence.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, Phys. Rev. E, in pres
On magnetic field generation in Kolmogorov turbulence
We analyze the initial, kinematic stage of magnetic field evolution in an
isotropic and homogeneous turbulent conducting fluid with a rough velocity
field, v(l) ~ l^alpha, alpha<1. We propose that in the limit of small magnetic
Prandtl number, i.e. when ohmic resistivity is much larger than viscosity, the
smaller the roughness exponent, alpha, the larger the magnetic Reynolds number
that is needed to excite magnetic fluctuations. This implies that numerical or
experimental investigations of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence with small
Prandtl numbers need to achieve extremely high resolution in order to describe
magnetic phenomena adequately.Comment: 4 pages, revised, new material adde
Connection between Caspian sea level variability and ENSO
The problem of the world greatest lake, the Caspian Sea, level changes attracts the increased attention due to its environmental consequences and unique natural characteristics. Despite the huge number of studies aimed to explain the reasons of the sea level variations the underlying mechanism has not yet been clarified. The important question is to what extent the CSL variability is linked to changes in the global climate system and to what extent it can be explained by internal natural variations in the Caspian regional hydrological system. In this study an evidence of a link between the El Nino/Southern Oscillation phenomenon and changes of the Caspian Sea level is presented. This link was also found to be dominating in numerical experiments with the ECHAM4 atmospheric general circulation model on the 20th century climate
Growth rate of small-scale dynamo at low magnetic Prandtl numbers
In this study we discuss two key issues related to a small-scale dynamo
instability at low magnetic Prandtl numbers and large magnetic Reynolds
numbers, namely: (i) the scaling for the growth rate of small-scale dynamo
instability in the vicinity of the dynamo threshold; (ii) the existence of the
Golitsyn spectrum of magnetic fluctuations in small-scale dynamos. There are
two different asymptotics for the small-scale dynamo growth rate: in the
vicinity of the threshold of the excitation of the small-scale dynamo
instability, , and when the
magnetic Reynolds number is much larger than the threshold of the excitation of
the small-scale dynamo instability, , where
is the small-scale dynamo instability threshold in the
magnetic Reynolds number . We demonstrated that the existence of the
Golitsyn spectrum of magnetic fluctuations requires a finite correlation time
of the random velocity field. On the other hand, the influence of the Golitsyn
spectrum on the small-scale dynamo instability is minor. This is the reason why
it is so difficult to observe this spectrum in direct numerical simulations for
the small-scale dynamo with low magnetic Prandtl numbers.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure, revised versio
Weak Wave Turbulence Scaling Theory for Diffusion and Relative Diffusion in Turbulent Surface Waves
We examine the applicability of the weak wave turbulence theory in explaining
experimental scaling results obtained for the diffusion and relative diffusion
of particles moving on turbulent surface waves. For capillary waves our
theoretical results are shown to be in good agreement with experimental
results, where a distinct crossover in diffusive behavior is observed at the
driving frequency. For gravity waves our results are discussed in the light of
ocean wave studies.Comment: 5 pages; for related work visit http://www.imedea.uib.es/~victo
Fluctuation dynamo and turbulent induction at low magnetic Prandtl numbers
This paper is a detailed report on a programme of simulations used to settle
a long-standing issue in the dynamo theory and demonstrate that the fluctuation
dynamo exists in the limit of large magnetic Reynolds number Rm>>1 and small
magnetic Prandtl number Pm<<1. The dependence of the critical Rm_c vs. the
hydrodynamic Reynolds number Re is obtained for 1<Re<6700. In the limit Pm<<1,
Rm_c is ~3 times larger than for Pm>1. The stability curve Rm_c(Re) (and, it is
argued, the nature of the dynamo) is substantially different from the case of
the simulations and liquid-metal experiments with a mean flow. It is not as yet
possible to determine numerically whether the growth rate is ~Rm^{1/2} in the
limit Re>>Rm>>1, as should be the case if the dynamo is driven by the
inertial-range motions. The magnetic-energy spectrum in the low-Pm regime is
qualitatively different from the Pm>1 case and appears to develop a negative
spectral slope, although current resolutions are insufficient to determine its
asymptotic form. At 1<Rm<Rm_c, the magnetic fluctuations induced via the
tangling by turbulence of a weak mean field are investigated and the
possibility of a k^{-1} spectrum above the resistive scale is examined. At low
Rm<1, the induced fluctuations are well described by the quasistatic
approximation; the k^{-11/3} spectrum is confirmed for the first time in direct
numerical simulations.Comment: IoP latex, 27 pages, 25 figures, 3 tables. Accepted by New J. Physic
Implications of Preliminary VEGA Balloon Results for the Venus Atmosphere Dynamics
The typical 1-2 m/sec vertical winds encountered by the Vega balloons probably result from thermal
convection. The consistent 6.5-kelvin differential between the Vega 1 and Vega 2 temperatures is attributable
to disturbances of synoptic or planetary scale. According to the Doppler tracking the winds were stronger
than on earlier missions, perhaps because of solar thermal tides. The motions of Vega 2 may have been
affected by waves from mountainous terrain
Generation of Large-Scale Vorticity in a Homogeneous Turbulence with a Mean Velocity Shear
An effect of a mean velocity shear on a turbulence and on the effective force
which is determined by the gradient of Reynolds stresses is studied. Generation
of a mean vorticity in a homogeneous incompressible turbulent flow with an
imposed mean velocity shear due to an excitation of a large-scale instability
is found. The instability is caused by a combined effect of the large-scale
shear motions (''skew-induced" deflection of equilibrium mean vorticity) and
''Reynolds stress-induced" generation of perturbations of mean vorticity.
Spatial characteristics, such as the minimum size of the growing perturbations
and the size of perturbations with the maximum growth rate, are determined.
This instability and the dynamics of the mean vorticity are associated with the
Prandtl's turbulent secondary flows. This instability is similar to the
mean-field magnetic dynamo instability. Astrophysical applications of the
obtained results are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, REVTEX4, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Current status of turbulent dynamo theory: From large-scale to small-scale dynamos
Several recent advances in turbulent dynamo theory are reviewed. High
resolution simulations of small-scale and large-scale dynamo action in periodic
domains are compared with each other and contrasted with similar results at low
magnetic Prandtl numbers. It is argued that all the different cases show
similarities at intermediate length scales. On the other hand, in the presence
of helicity of the turbulence, power develops on large scales, which is not
present in non-helical small-scale turbulent dynamos. At small length scales,
differences occur in connection with the dissipation cutoff scales associated
with the respective value of the magnetic Prandtl number. These differences are
found to be independent of whether or not there is large-scale dynamo action.
However, large-scale dynamos in homogeneous systems are shown to suffer from
resistive slow-down even at intermediate length scales. The results from
simulations are connected to mean field theory and its applications. Recent
work on helicity fluxes to alleviate large-scale dynamo quenching, shear
dynamos, nonlocal effects and magnetic structures from strong density
stratification are highlighted. Several insights which arise from analytic
considerations of small-scale dynamos are discussed.Comment: 36 pages, 11 figures, Spa. Sci. Rev., submitted to the special issue
"Magnetism in the Universe" (ed. A. Balogh
Dronedarone in high-risk permanent atrial fibrillation
BACKGROUND: Dronedarone restores sinus rhythm and reduces hospitalization or death in intermittent atrial fibrillation. It also lowers heart rate and blood pressure and has antiadrenergic and potential ventricular antiarrhythmic effects. We hypothesized that dronedarone would reduce major vascular events in high-risk permanent atrial fibrillation. METHODS: We assigned patients who were at least 65 years of age with at least a 6-month history of permanent atrial fibrillation and risk factors for major vascular events to receive dronedarone or placebo. The first coprimary outcome was stroke, myocardial infarction, systemic embolism, or death from cardiovascular causes. The second coprimary outcome was unplanned hospitalization for a cardiovascular cause or death. RESULTS: After the enrollment of 3236 patients, the study was stopped for safety reasons. The first coprimary outcome occurred in 43 patients receiving dronedarone and 19 receiving placebo (hazard ratio, 2.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34 to 3.94; P = 0.002). There were 21 deaths from cardiovascular causes in the dronedarone group and 10 in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.00 to 4.49; P = 0.046), including death from arrhythmia in 13 patients and 4 patients, respectively (hazard ratio, 3.26; 95% CI, 1.06 to 10.00; P = 0.03). Stroke occurred in 23 patients in the dronedarone group and 10 in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.11 to 4.88; P = 0.02). Hospitalization for heart failure occurred in 43 patients in the dronedarone group and 24 in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.10 to 2.99; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Dronedarone increased rates of heart failure, stroke, and death from cardiovascular causes in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation who were at risk for major vascular events. Our data show that this drug should not be used in such patients. (Funded by Sanofi-Aventis; PALLAS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01151137.) Copyright © 2011 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.published_or_final_versio
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