Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence Decay Under the Influence of Uniform or Random Magnetic Fields

2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques C. Richard ◽  
Benjamin M. Riley ◽  
Sharath S. Girimaji

We perform direct numerical simulations of decaying magnetohydrodynamic turbulence subject to initially uniform or random magnetic fields. We investigate the following features: (i) kinetic–magnetic energy exchange and velocity field anisotropy, (ii) action of Lorentz force, (iii) enstrophy and helicity behavior, and (iv) internal structure of the small scales. While tendency toward kinetic–magnetic energy equi-partition is observed in both uniform and random magnetic field simulations, the manner of approach to that state is very different in the two cases. Overall, the role of the Lorentz force is merely to bring about the equi-partition. No significant variance anisotropy of velocity fluctuations is observed in any of the simulations. The mechanism of enstrophy generation changes with the strength of the magnetic field, and helicity shows no significant growth in any of the cases. The small-scale structure (orientation between vorticity and strain-rate eigenvectors) does not appear to be influenced by the magnetic field.

Several recent investigations in geophysics and astrophysics have involved a consideration of the hydrodynamics of a fluid which is a good electrical conductor. In this paper one of the problems which seem likely to arise in such investigations is discussed. The fluid is assumed to be incompressible and in homogeneous turbulent motion, and externally imposed electric and magnetic fields are assumed to be absent. The equations governing the interaction of the electromagnetic field and the turbulent motion are set up with the same assumptions as are used to obtain the Maxwell and current flow equations for a metallic conductor. It is shown that the equation for the magnetic field is identical in form with that for the vorticity in a non-conducting fluid; immediate deductions are that lines of magnetic force move with the fluid when the conductivity is infinite, and that the small-scale components of the turbulence have the more powerful effect on the magnetic field. The first question considered is the stability of a purely hydrodynamical system to small disturbing magnetic fields, and it is shown that the magnetic energy of the disturbance will increase provided the conductivity is greater than a critical value determined by the viscosity of the fluid. The rate of growth of magnetic energy is approximately exponential, with a doubling time which can be simply related to the properties of the turbulence. General mechanical considerations suggest that a steady state is reached when the magnetic field has as much energy as is contained in the small-scale components of the turbulence. Estimates of this amount of energy and of the region of the spectrum in which it will lie are given in terms of observable properties of the turbulence.


2016 ◽  
Vol 791 ◽  
pp. 568-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew D. Gilbert ◽  
Joanne Mason ◽  
Steven M. Tobias

In the process of flux expulsion, a magnetic field is expelled from a region of closed streamlines on a $TR_{m}^{1/3}$ time scale, for magnetic Reynolds number $R_{m}\gg 1$ ($T$ being the turnover time of the flow). This classic result applies in the kinematic regime where the flow field is specified independently of the magnetic field. A weak magnetic ‘core’ is left at the centre of a closed region of streamlines, and this decays exponentially on the $TR_{m}^{1/2}$ time scale. The present paper extends these results to the dynamical regime, where there is competition between the process of flux expulsion and the Lorentz force, which suppresses the differential rotation. This competition is studied using a quasi-linear model in which the flow is constrained to be axisymmetric. The magnetic Prandtl number $R_{m}/R_{e}$ is taken to be small, with $R_{m}$ large, and a range of initial field strengths $b_{0}$ is considered. Two scaling laws are proposed and confirmed numerically. For initial magnetic fields below the threshold $b_{core}=O(UR_{m}^{-1/3})$, flux expulsion operates despite the Lorentz force, cutting through field lines to result in the formation of a central core of magnetic field. Here $U$ is a velocity scale of the flow and magnetic fields are measured in Alfvén units. For larger initial fields the Lorentz force is dominant and the flow creates Alfvén waves that propagate away. The second threshold is $b_{dynam}=O(UR_{m}^{-3/4})$, below which the field follows the kinematic evolution and decays rapidly. Between these two thresholds the magnetic field is strong enough to suppress differential rotation, leaving a magnetically controlled core spinning in solid body motion, which then decays slowly on a time scale of order $TR_{m}$.


1993 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.M. Wright ◽  
D.K. Aitken ◽  
C.H. Smith ◽  
P.F. Roche

AbstractThe star-formation process is an outstanding and largely unsolved problem in astrophysics. The role of magnetic fields is unclear but is widely considered to be important at all stages of protostellar evolution, from cloud collapse to ZAMS. For example, in some hydromagnetic models, the field may assist in removing angular momentum, thereby driving accretion and perhaps bipolar outflows.Spectropolarimetry between 8 and 13μm provides information on the direction of the transverse component of a magnetic field through the alignment of dust grains. We present results of 8–13μm spectropolarimetric observations of a number of bipolar molecular outflow sources, and compare the field directions observed with the axes of the outflows and putative disk-like structures observed to be associated with some of the objects. There is a strong correlation, though so far with limited statistics, between the magnetic field and disk orientations. We compare our results with magnetic field configurations predicted by current models for hydromagnetically driven winds from the disks around Young Stellar Objects (YSOs). Our results appear to argue against the Pudritz and Norman model and instead seem to support the Uchida and Shibata model.


1968 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 127-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. I. Syrovatsky ◽  
Y. D. Zhugzhda

The convection in a compressible inhomogeneous conducting fluid in the presence of a vertical uniform magnetic field has been studied. It is shown that a new mode of oscillatory convection occurs, which exists in arbitrarily strong magnetic fields. The convective cells are stretched along the magnetic field, their horizontal dimensions are determined by radiative cooling. Criteria for convective instability in a polytropic atmosphere are obtained for various boundary conditions in the case when the Alfvén velocity is higher compared with the velocity of sound.The role of oscillatory convection in the origin of sunspots and active regions is discussed.


Metals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1653
Author(s):  
Huaijiu Deng ◽  
Jian Dong ◽  
Filippo Boi ◽  
Theo Saunders ◽  
Chunfeng Hu ◽  
...  

In the past decade, a renewed interest on electromagnetic processing of materials has motivated several investigations on the interaction between matter, electric and magnetic fields. These effects are primarily reconducted to the Joule heating and very little attention has been dedicated to the magnetic field contributions. The magnetic field generated during electric current-assisted sintering has not been widely investigated. Magnetism could have significant effects on sintering as it generates significant magnetic forces, resulting in inductive electrical loads and preferential heating induced by overlapping magnetic fields (i.e., proximity effect). This work summarizes the magnetic field effects in electric current-assisted processing; it focuses on health and safety issues associated with large currents (up to 0.4 MA); using FEM simulations, it computes the self-generated magnetic field during spark plasma sintering (SPS) to consolidate materials with variable magnetic permeability; and it quantifies the Lorentz force acting at interparticle contact points. The results encourage one to pay more attention to magnetic field-related effects in order to engineer and exploit their potentials.


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (01) ◽  
pp. 1750184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxim Dvornikov

We analyze the magnetic field evolution in dense quark matter with unbroken chiral symmetry, which can be found inside quark and hybrid stars. The magnetic field evolves owing to the chiral magnetic effect in the presence of the electroweak interaction between quarks. In our study, we also take into account the magnetohydrodynamic turbulence effects in dense quark matter. We derive the kinetic equations for the spectra of the magnetic helicity density and the magnetic energy density as well as for the chiral imbalances. On the basis of the numerical solution of these equations, we find that turbulence effects are important for the behavior of small scale magnetic fields. It is revealed that, under certain initial conditions, these magnetic fields behave similarly to the electromagnetic flashes of some magnetars. We suggest that fluctuations of magnetic fields, described in frames of our model, which are created in the central regions of a magnetized compact star, can initiate magnetar bursts.


Author(s):  
Robert Cameron

The solar dynamo is the action of flows inside the Sun to maintain its magnetic field against Ohmic decay. On small scales the magnetic field is seen at the solar surface as a ubiquitous “salt-and-pepper” disorganized field that may be generated directly by the turbulent convection. On large scales, the magnetic field is remarkably organized, with an 11-year activity cycle. During each cycle the field emerging in each hemisphere has a specific East–West alignment (known as Hale’s law) that alternates from cycle to cycle, and a statistical tendency for a North-South alignment (Joy’s law). The polar fields reverse sign during the period of maximum activity of each cycle. The relevant flows for the large-scale dynamo are those of convection, the bulk rotation of the Sun, and motions driven by magnetic fields, as well as flows produced by the interaction of these. Particularly important are the Sun’s large-scale differential rotation (for example, the equator rotates faster than the poles), and small-scale helical motions resulting from the Coriolis force acting on convective motions or on the motions associated with buoyantly rising magnetic flux. These two types of motions result in a magnetic cycle. In one phase of the cycle, differential rotation winds up a poloidal magnetic field to produce a toroidal field. Subsequently, helical motions are thought to bend the toroidal field to create new poloidal magnetic flux that reverses and replaces the poloidal field that was present at the start of the cycle. It is now clear that both small- and large-scale dynamo action are in principle possible, and the challenge is to understand which combination of flows and driving mechanisms are responsible for the time-dependent magnetic fields seen on the Sun.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (S336) ◽  
pp. 285-286
Author(s):  
Daria Dall’Olio ◽  
W. H. T. Vlemmings ◽  
G. Surcis ◽  
H. Beuther ◽  
B. Lankhaar ◽  
...  

AbstractTheoretical simulations have shown that magnetic fields play an important role in massive star formation: they can suppress fragmentation in the star forming cloud, enhance accretion via disc and regulate outflows and jets. However, models require specific magnetic configurations and need more observational constraints to properly test the impact of magnetic fields. We investigate the magnetic field structure of the massive protostar IRAS18089-1732, analysing 6.7 GHz CH3OH maser MERLIN observations. IRAS18089-1732 is a well studied high mass protostar, showing a hot core chemistry, an accretion disc and a bipolar outflow. An ordered magnetic field oriented around its disc has been detected from previous observations of polarised dust. This gives us the chance to investigate how the magnetic field at the small scale probed by masers relates to the large scale field probed by the dust.


Author(s):  
Robert E. Newnham

The Lorentz force that a magnetic field exerts on a moving charge carrier is perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the magnetic field. Since both electric and thermal currents are carried by mobile electrons and ions, a wide range of galvanomagnetic and thermomagnetic effects result. The effects that occur in an isotropic polycrystalline metal are illustrated in Fig. 20.1. As to be expected, many more cross-coupled effects occur in less symmetric solids. The galvanomagnetic experiments involve electric field, electric current, and magnetic field as variables. The Hall Effect, transverse magnetoresistance, and longitudinal magnetoresistance all describe the effects of magnetic fields on electrical resistance. Analogous experiments on thermal conductivity are referred to as thermomagnetic effects. In this case the variables are heat flow, temperature gradient, and magnetic field. The Righi–Leduc Effect is the thermal Hall Effect in which magnetic fields deflect heat flow rather than electric current. The transverse thermal magnetoresistance (the Maggi–Righi–Leduc Effect) and the longitudinal thermal magnetoresistance are analogous to the two galvanomagnetic magnetoresistance effects. Additional interaction phenomena related to the thermoelectric and piezoresistance effects will be discussed in the next two chapters. In tensor form Ohm’s Law is . . .Ei = ρijJj , . . . where Ei is electrical field, Jj electric current density, and ρij the electrical resistivity in Ωm. In describing the effect of magnetic field on electrical resistance, we expand the resistivity in a power series in magnetic flux density B. B is used rather than the magnetic field H because the Lorentz force acting on the charge carriers depends on B not H.


2020 ◽  
Vol 495 (4) ◽  
pp. 4297-4305
Author(s):  
L Sabin ◽  
R Sahai ◽  
W H T Vlemmings ◽  
Q Zhang ◽  
A A Zijlstra ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In a continuing effort to investigate the role of magnetic fields in evolved low- and intermediate-mass stars (principally regarding the shaping of their envelopes), we present new Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) high-resolution polarization data obtained for the nebula OH 231.8+4.2. We found that the polarized emission likely arises from aligned grains in the presence of magnetic fields rather than radiative alignment and self-scattering. The ALMA data show well organized electric field orientations in most of the nebula and the inferred magnetic field vectors (rotated by 90°) trace an hourglass morphology centred on the central system of the nebula. One region in the southern part of OH 231.8+4.2 shows a less organized distribution probably due to the shocked environment. These findings, in conjunction with earlier investigations (maser studies and dust emission analysis at other scales and wavelengths) suggest an overall magnetic hourglass located inside a toroidal field. We propose the idea that the magnetic field structure is closely related to the architecture of a magnetic tower and that the outflows were therefore magnetically launched. While the current dynamical effect of the fields might be weak in the equatorial plane principally due to the evolution of the envelope, it would still be affecting the outflows. In that regard, the measurement of the magnetic field at the stellar surface, which is still missing, combined with a full magnetohydrodynamic treatment are required to better understand and constrain the events occurring in OH 231.8+4.2.


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