1,909 research outputs found
A New Godunov Scheme for MHD, with Application to the MRI in disks
We describe a new numerical scheme for MHD which combines a higher order
Godunov method (PPM) with Constrained Transport. The results from a selection
of multidimensional test problems are presented. The complete test suite used
to validate the method, as well as implementations of the algorithm in both F90
and C, are available from the web. A fully three-dimensional version of the
algorithm has been developed, and is being applied to a variety of
astrophysical problems including the decay of supersonic MHD turbulence, the
nonlinear evolution of the MHD Rayleigh-Taylor instability, and the saturation
of the magnetorotational instability in the shearing box. Our new simulations
of the MRI represent the first time that a higher-order Godunov scheme has been
applied to this problem, providing a quantitative check on the accuracy of
previous results computed with ZEUS; the latter are found to be reliable.Comment: 11 pages, style files included, Conference Proceedings: "Magnetic
Fields in the Universe: from Laboratory and Stars to Primordial Structures",
More information on Athena can be found at
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Nonlinear Evolution of the Magnetohydrodynamic Rayleigh-Taylor Instability
We study the nonlinear evolution of the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability
using three-dimensional MHD simulations. We consider the idealized case of two
inviscid, perfectly conducting fluids of constant density separated by a
contact discontinuity perpendicular to the effective gravity g, with a uniform
magnetic field B parallel to the interface. Modes parallel to the field with
wavelengths smaller than l_c = [B B/(d_h - d_l) g] are suppressed (where d_h
and d_l are the densities of the heavy and light fluids respectively), whereas
modes perpendicular to B are unaffected. We study strong fields with l_c
varying between 0.01 and 0.36 of the horizontal extent of the computational
domain. Even a weak field produces tension forces on small scales that are
significant enough to reduce shear (as measured by the distribution of the
amplitude of vorticity), which in turn reduces the mixing between fluids, and
increases the rate at which bubbles and finger are displaced from the interface
compared to the purely hydrodynamic case. For strong fields, the highly
anisotropic nature of unstable modes produces ropes and filaments. However, at
late time flow along field lines produces large scale bubbles. The kinetic and
magnetic energies transverse to gravity remain in rough equipartition and
increase as t^4 at early times. The growth deviates from this form once the
magnetic energy in the vertical field becomes larger than the energy in the
initial field. We comment on the implications of our results to Z-pinch
experiments, and a variety of astrophysical systems.Comment: 25 pages, accepted by Physics of Fluids, online version of journal
has high resolution figure
The Magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Three Dimensions
We study the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in three dimensions, with
focus on the nonlinear structure and evolution that results from different
initial field configurations. We study strong fields in the sense that the
critical wavelength l_c at which perturbations along the field are stable is a
large fraction of the size of the computational domain. We consider magnetic
fields which are initially parallel to the interface, but have a variety of
configurations, including uniform everywhere, uniform in the light fluid only,
and fields which change direction at the interface. Strong magnetic fields do
not suppress instability, in fact by inhibiting secondary shear instabilities,
they reduce mixing between the heavy and light fluid, and cause the rate of
growth of bubbles and fingers to increase in comparison to hydrodynamics.
Fields parallel to, but whose direction changes at, the interface produce long,
isolated fingers separated by the critical wavelength l_c, which may be
relevant to the morphology of the optical filaments in the Crab nebula.Comment: 14 pages, 9 pages, accepted by Ap
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Fourier's Law for Quasi One--Dimensional Chaotic Quantum Systems
We derive Fourier's law for a completely coherent quasi one--dimensional
chaotic quantum system coupled locally to two heat baths at different
temperatures. We solve the master equation to first order in the temperature
difference. We show that the heat conductance can be expressed as a
thermodynamic equilibrium coefficient taken at some intermediate temperature.
We use that expression to show that for temperatures large compared to the mean
level spacing of the system, the heat conductance is inversely proportional to
the level density and, thus, inversely proportional to the length of the
system
Target search on a dynamic DNA molecule
We study a protein-DNA target search model with explicit DNA dynamics
applicable to in vitro experiments. We show that the DNA dynamics plays a
crucial role for the effectiveness of protein "jumps" between sites distant
along the DNA contour but close in 3D space. A strongly binding protein that
searches by 1D sliding and jumping alone, explores the search space less
redundantly when the DNA dynamics is fast on the timescale of protein jumps
than in the opposite "frozen DNA" limit. We characterize the crossover between
these limits using simulations and scaling theory. We also rationalize the slow
exploration in the frozen limit as a subtle interplay between long jumps and
long trapping times of the protein in "islands" within random DNA
configurations in solution.Comment: manuscript and supplementary material combined into a single documen
An Unsplit Godunov Method for Ideal MHD via Constrained Transport in Three Dimensions
We present a single step, second-order accurate Godunov scheme for ideal MHD
which is an extension of the method described by Gardiner & Stone (2005) to
three dimensions. This algorithm combines the corner transport upwind (CTU)
method of Colella for multidimensional integration, and the constrained
transport (CT) algorithm for preserving the divergence-free constraint on the
magnetic field. We describe the calculation of the PPM interface states for 3D
ideal MHD which must include multidimensional ``MHD source terms'' and
naturally respect the balance implicit in these terms by the condition. We compare two different forms for the CTU integration
algorithm which require either 6- or 12-solutions of the Riemann problem per
cell per time-step, and present a detailed description of the 6-solve
algorithm. Finally, we present solutions for test problems to demonstrate the
accuracy and robustness of the algorithm.Comment: Extended version of the paper accepted for publication in JC
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