550 research outputs found
Evidence for topological nonequilibrium in magnetic configurations
We use direct numerical simulations to study the evolution, or relaxation, of
magnetic configurations to an equilibrium state. We use the full single-fluid
equations of motion for a magnetized, non-resistive, but viscous fluid; and a
Lagrangian approach is used to obtain exact solutions for the magnetic field.
As a result, the topology of the magnetic field remains unchanged, which makes
it possible to study the case of topological nonequilibrium. We find two cases
for which such nonequilibrium appears, indicating that these configurations may
develop singular current sheets.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
Alfven node-free vibrations of white dwarf in the model of solid star with toroidal magnetic field
In the context of the white dwarf asteroseismology, we investigate
vibrational properties of a non-convective solid star with an axisymmetric
purely toroidal intrinsic magnetic field of two different shapes. Focus is laid
on regime of node-free global Lorentz-force-driven vibrations about symmetry
axis at which material displacements have one and the same form as those for
nodeless spheroidal and torsional vibrations restored by Hooke's force of
elastic shear stresses. Particular attention is given to the even-parity
poloidal Alfven modes whose frequency spectra are computed in analytic form
showing how the purely toroidal magnetic fields completely buried beneath the
star surface can manifest itself in seismic vibrations of non-magnetic white
dwarfs. The obtained spectral formulae are discussed in juxtaposition with
those for Alfven modes in the solid star model with the poloidal, homogeneous
internal and dipolar external, magnetic field whose inferences are relevant to
Alfven vibrations in magnetic white dwarfs.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysics & Space Scienc
The alpha-effect and current helicity for fast sheared rotators
We explore the alpha-effect and the small-scale current helicity, for the
case of weakly compressible magnetically driven turbulence that is subjected to
the differential rotation. No restriction is applied to the amplitude of
angular velocity, i.e., the derivations presented are valid for an arbitrary
Coriolis number, though the differential rotation itself is assumed to be weak.
The expressions obtained are used to explore the possible distributions of
alpha-effect and current helicity in convection zones (CZ) of the solar-type
stars. The implications of the obtained results to the mean-field dynamo models
are discussed.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure
Decay of quantised vorticity by sound emission
It is thought that in a quantum fluid sound generation is the ultimate sink
of turbulent kinetic energy in the absence of any other dissipation mechanism
near absolute zero. We show that a suitably trapped Bose-Einstein condensate
provides a model system to study the sound emitted by accelerating vortices in
a controlled way.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
Turbulent diffusion and drift in galactic magnetic fields and the explanation of the knee in the cosmic ray spectrum
We reconsider the scenario in which the knee in the cosmic ray spectrum is
explained as due to a change in the escape mechanism of cosmic rays from the
Galaxy from one dominated by transverse diffusion to one dominated by drifts.
We solve the diffusion equations adopting realistic galactic field models and
using diffusion coefficients appropriate for strong turbulence (with a
Kolmogorov spectrum of fluctuations) and consistent with the assumed magnetic
fields. We show that properly taking into account these effects leads to a
natural explanation of the knee in the spectrum, and a transition towards a
heavier composition above the knee is predicted.Comment: 17 pp., 6 figures; revised version with minor changes. To appear in
JHE
The Relationship Between Plasma Flow Doppler Velocities and Magnetic Field Parameters During the Emergence of Active Regions at the Solar Photospheric Level
A statistical study has been carried out of the relationship between plasma
flow Doppler velocities and magnetic field parameters during the emergence of
active regions at the solar photospheric level with data acquired by the
Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
(SOHO). We have investigated 224 emerging active regions with different spatial
scales and positions on the solar disc. The following relationships for the
first hours of the emergence of active regions have been analysed: i) of peak
negative Doppler velocities with the position of the emerging active regions on
the solar disc; ii) of peak plasma upflow and downflow Doppler velocities with
the magnetic flux growth rate and magnetic field strength for the active
regions emerging near the solar disc centre (the vertical component of plasma
flows); iii) of peak positive and negative Doppler velocities with the magnetic
flux growth rate and magnetic field strength for the active regions emerging
near the limb (the horizontal component of plasma flows); iv) of the magnetic
flux growth rate with the density of emerging magnetic flux; v) of the Doppler
velocities and magnetic field parameters for the first hours of the appearance
of active regions with the total unsigned magnetic flux at the maximum of their
development.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures. The results of article were presented at the
ESPM-13 (12-16 September 2011, Rhodes, Greece, Abstract Book p. 102-103,
P.4.13,
http://astro.academyofathens.gr/espm13/documents/ESPM13_abstract_programme_book.pdf
Decoherence of molecular wave packets in an anharmonic potential
The time evolution of anharmonic molecular wave packets is investigated under
the influence of the environment consisting of harmonic oscillators. These
oscillators represent photon or phonon modes and assumed to be in thermal
equilibrium. Our model explicitly incorporates the fact that in the case of a
nonequidistant spectrum the rates of the environment induced transitions are
different for each transition. The nonunitary time evolution is visualized by
the aid of the Wigner function related to the vibrational state of the
molecule. The time scale of decoherence is much shorter than that of
dissipation, and gives rise to states which are mixtures of localized states
along the phase space orbit of the corresponding classical particle. This
behavior is to a large extent independent of the coupling strength, the
temperature of the environment and also of the initial state.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
Simulations of galactic dynamos
We review our current understanding of galactic dynamo theory, paying
particular attention to numerical simulations both of the mean-field equations
and the original three-dimensional equations relevant to describing the
magnetic field evolution for a turbulent flow. We emphasize the theoretical
difficulties in explaining non-axisymmetric magnetic fields in galaxies and
discuss the observational basis for such results in terms of rotation measure
analysis. Next, we discuss nonlinear theory, the role of magnetic helicity
conservation and magnetic helicity fluxes. This leads to the possibility that
galactic magnetic fields may be bi-helical, with opposite signs of helicity and
large and small length scales. We discuss their observational signatures and
close by discussing the possibilities of explaining the origin of primordial
magnetic fields.Comment: 28 pages, 15 figure, to appear in Lecture Notes in Physics "Magnetic
fields in diffuse media", Eds. E. de Gouveia Dal Pino and A. Lazaria
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
Magnetoluminescence
Pulsar Wind Nebulae, Blazars, Gamma Ray Bursts and Magnetars all contain
regions where the electromagnetic energy density greatly exceeds the plasma
energy density. These sources exhibit dramatic flaring activity where the
electromagnetic energy distributed over large volumes, appears to be converted
efficiently into high energy particles and gamma-rays. We call this general
process magnetoluminescence. Global requirements on the underlying, extreme
particle acceleration processes are described and the likely importance of
relativistic beaming in enhancing the observed radiation from a flare is
emphasized. Recent research on fluid descriptions of unstable electromagnetic
configurations are summarized and progress on the associated kinetic
simulations that are needed to account for the acceleration and radiation is
discussed. Future observational, simulation and experimental opportunities are
briefly summarized.Comment: To appear in "Jets and Winds in Pulsar Wind Nebulae, Gamma-ray Bursts
and Blazars: Physics of Extreme Energy Release" of the Space Science Reviews
serie
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