Electric fields in plasmas under pulsed currents

Electric fields in a plasma that conducts a high-current pulse are measured as a function of time and space. The experiment is performed using a coaxial configuration, in which a current rising to 160 kA in 100 ns is conducted through a plasma that prefills the region between two coaxial electrodes. The electric field is determined using laser spectroscopy and line-shape analysis. Plasma doping allows for 3D spatially resolved measurements. The measured peak magnitude and propagation velocity of the electric field is found to match those of the Hall electric field, inferred from the magnetic-field front propagation measured previously.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures, submitted to PR

Parametric Generation of Subharmonics in a Composite Multiferroic Resonator

Parametric generation of subharmonics in a composite multiferroic resonator is observed and investigated. The resonator has the form of a disk and contains two mechanically coupled layers, one of which is amorphous ferromagnet Fe-B-Si-C and the other piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate. The resonator is placed inside two planar electromagnetic coils with orthogonal axes. A static magnetic field of 0-100 Oe is applied parallel to the plane of the resonator. The resonator is excited in the frequency range f = 9-10 kHz by either a harmonic magnetic field with an amplitude of up to 5 Oe generated by one of the coils, or a harmonic electric field with an amplitude of up to 500 V/cm applied to the piezoelectric layer. When the pump field is above a certain threshold, generation of a subharmonic of half-frequency (f/2) is observed for three different excitation methods. The first two employed either the direct magnetoelectric effect or the converse magnetoelectric effect, while in the third a transformer system is utilized. The subharmonic is generated in a limited range of pump frequencies and its amplitude is a nonlinear function of both the pump-field amplitude and the strength of static magnetic field. A theory of parametric generation of the subharmonic in a multiferroic resonator is developed, taking into account the magnetoacoustic nonlinearity of the ferromagnetic layer of the structure and excitation of acoustic resonances near the pump and subharmonic frequencies. The theory qualitatively describes the main characteristics of the subharmonic generation.</p

Parametric Generation of Subharmonics in a Composite Multiferroic Resonator

Parametric generation of subharmonics in a composite multiferroic resonator is observed and investigated. The resonator has the form of a disk and contains two mechanically coupled layers, one of which is amorphous ferromagnet Fe-B-Si-C and the other piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate. The resonator is placed inside two planar electromagnetic coils with orthogonal axes. A static magnetic field of 0-100 Oe is applied parallel to the plane of the resonator. The resonator is excited in the frequency range f = 9-10 kHz by either a harmonic magnetic field with an amplitude of up to 5 Oe generated by one of the coils, or a harmonic electric field with an amplitude of up to 500 V/cm applied to the piezoelectric layer. When the pump field is above a certain threshold, generation of a subharmonic of half-frequency (f/2) is observed for three different excitation methods. The first two employed either the direct magnetoelectric effect or the converse magnetoelectric effect, while in the third a transformer system is utilized. The subharmonic is generated in a limited range of pump frequencies and its amplitude is a nonlinear function of both the pump-field amplitude and the strength of static magnetic field. A theory of parametric generation of the subharmonic in a multiferroic resonator is developed, taking into account the magnetoacoustic nonlinearity of the ferromagnetic layer of the structure and excitation of acoustic resonances near the pump and subharmonic frequencies. The theory qualitatively describes the main characteristics of the subharmonic generation.</p

Near-seismic effects in ULF fields and seismo-acoustic emission: statistics and explanation

International audiencePreseismic intensification of fracturing has been investigated from occurrence analysis of seismo-acoustic pulses (SA foreshocks) and ULF magnetic pulses (ULF foreshocks) observed in Karimshino station in addition to seismic foreshocks. Such analysis is produced for about 40 rather strong and nearby isolated earthquakes during 2 years of recording. It is found that occurrence rate of SA foreshocks increases in the interval (-12, 0 h) before main shock with 3-times exceeding of background level in the interval (-6, -3 h), and occurrence probability of SA foreshocks (pA~75%) is higher than probability of seismic foreshocks (ps~30%) in the same time interval.ULF foreshocks are masked by regular ULF activity at local morning and daytime, nevertheless we have discovered an essential ULF intensity increase in the interval (-3, +1 h) at the frequency range 0.05-0.3 Hz. Estimated occurrence probability of ULF foreshocks is about 40%. After theoretical consideration we conclude: 1) Taking into account the number rate of SA foreshocks, their amplitude and frequency range, they emit due to opening of fractures with size of L=70-200 m (M=1-2); 2) The electro-kinetic effect is the most promising mechanism of ULF foreshocks, but it is efficient only if two special conditions are fulfilled: a) origin of fractures near fluid-saturated places or liquid reservoirs (aquifers); b) appearance of open porosity or initiation of percolation instability; 3) Both SA and ULF magnetic field pulses are related to near-distant fractures (r<20-30 km); 4) Taking into account number rate and activation period of seismic, SA and ULF foreshocks, it is rather probable that opening of fractures and rupture of fluid reservoirs occur in the large preparation area with horizontal size about 100-200km

Mass Transfer Mechanism in Real Crystals by Pulsed Laser Irradiation

The dynamic processes in the surface layers of metals subjected activity of a pulsing laser irradiation, which destroyed not the crystalline structure in details surveyed. The procedure of calculation of a dislocation density generated in bulk of metal during the relaxation processes and at repeated pulse laser action is presented. The results of evaluations coincide with high accuracy with transmission electron microscopy dates. The dislocation-interstitial mechanism of laser-stimulated mass-transfer in real crystals is presented on the basis of the ideas of the interaction of structure defects in dynamically deforming medium. The good compliance of theoretical and experimental results approves a defining role of the presented mechanism of mass transfer at pulse laser action on metals. The possible implementation this dislocation-interstitial mechanism of mass transfer in metals to other cases of pulsing influences is justifiedComment: 10 pages, 2 figures, Late

Rapid dissipation of magnetic fields due to Hall current

We propose a mechanism for the fast dissipation of magnetic fields which is effective in a stratified medium where ion motions can be neglected. In such a medium, the field is frozen into the electrons and Hall currents prevail. Although Hall currents conserve magnetic energy, in the presence of density gradients, they are able to create current sheets which can be the sites for efficient dissipation of magnetic fields. We recover the frequency, $\omega_{MH}$, for Hall oscillations modified by the presence of density gradients. We show that these oscillations can lead to the exchange of energy between different components of the field. We calculate the time evolution and show that magnetic fields can dissipate on a timescale of order $1/\omega_{MH}$. This mechanism can play an important role for magnetic dissipation in systems with very steep density gradients where the ions are static such as those found in the solid crust of neutron stars.Comment: 9 pages, changed fig.

Geophysical Observatory in Kamchatka region for monitoring of phenomena connected with seismic activity

Regular monitoring of some geophysical parameters in association with seismicity has been carried out since last year at the Japan-Russian Complex Geophysical Observatory in the Kamchatka region. This observatory was organized in connection with the ISTC project in Russia and was motivated by the results of the FRONTIER/RIKEN and FRONTIER/NASDA research projects in Japan. The main purpose of the observations is to investigate the electromagnetic and acoustic phenomena induced by the lithosphere processes (especially by seismic activity). The seismicity of the Kamchatka area is analyzed and a description of the observatory equipment is presented. At present, the activity of the observatory includes the seismic (frequency range &#x2206;F = 0.5 – 40 Hz) and meteorological recordings, together with seismo-acoustic (&#x2206;F = 30 – 1000 Hz) and electromagnetic observations: three-component magnetic ULF variations ( &#x2206;F = 0.003 – 30 Hz), three-component electric potential variations ( &#x2206;F <u><</u> 1.0 Hz), and VLF transmitter’s signal perturbations ( &#x2206;F ~ 10 – 40 kHz)