A multi-fluid model of the magnetopause

Observation of the solar wind–magnetosphere boundary provides a unique opportunity to investigate the physics underlying the interaction between two collisionless magnetized plasmas with different temperature, density and magnetic field topology. Their mixing across the interface as well as the boundary dynamics are affected by the development of fluid (and kinetic) instabilities driven by large-scale inhomogeneities in particle and electromagnetic fields. Building up a realistic initial equilibrium state of the magnetopause according to observations is still a challenge nowadays. In this paper, we address the modeling of the particles and electromagnetic field configuration across the Earth's magnetopause by means of a three-fluid analytic model. The model relies on one hot and one cold ion population as well as a neutralizing electron population. The goal is to create an analytic model that is able to reproduce the observations as closely as possible. Some parameters of the model are set using a fitting procedure that aims to minimize their difference with respect to experimental data provided by the Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission. All of the other profiles, concerning the electron pressure and the relative densities of the cold and hot ion populations, are calculated in order to satisfy the fluid equilibrium equations. Finally, using a new tri-fluid code, we check the stability of the large-scale equilibrium model for a given experimental case and provide proof that the system is unstable to reconnection. This model could be of interest for the interpretation of satellite results and for the study of the dynamics at the magnetosphere–solar wind boundary.

Stability of a rock mass using the key block theory: a case study

In underground mines, excavating disturb the initial equilibrium state of the rock mass, and therefore require selection of a support in order to control the movement of rocks, avoid landslide and work safely. Thus, the progress of mining operations in the ST2 mineralization, in the eastern zone of the Bouazzer mine, is disrupted because of stability problems. On the basis of field observations and analyzes of core drill, the geological and structural study, carried out in this area, has shown the existence of three types of facies: altered and cracked diorite, cobaltiferous mineralization which is in contact with serpentinites. In fact, the empirical methods such as Barton, Bieniawski and the recommendations of the AFTES have qualified the rock mass as poor, furthermore they proposed as kind of supports: steel arches, shotcrete and rock-bolts. Numerical simulation by the finite element method proved to be very complex due to existence of several types of discontinuities (faults, shistosities and joints).These discontinuities are natural fractures that delimit various shapes and sizes of wedges, which can become detached from the roof or siding of the excavation and collapse under their own weight. Although the empirical methods cited above provide supports for each facies, however, this support is expensive and difficult to implement in practice because it must cover the entire surface of the excavation and thus not allowing to detect stable blocks that do not require a support. For this it was essential to carry out an analysis of wedges to better locate unstable blocks. The treatment of fracturing data has highlighted the presence of five sets of discontinuities of which three sets are principals and the other two are minor joints. Then, while taking into account the geometrical, mechanical data of the discontinuities as well as the geometrical data of the excavation, we were able to detect the shape and the size of the unstable blocks and the sets of discontinuities delimiting them and which favor their sliding and tilting. Thus, we calculated the number of anchor bolts needed to stabilize these blocks in order to ensure an acceptable safety factor. This study shows clearly how a wedge analysis of the rock mass can guide and optimize the support work.

Evolution of Critical Correlations at the QCD Phase Transition

We investigate the evolution of the density-density correlations in the isoscalar critical condensate formed at the QCD critical point. The initial equilibrium state of the system is characterized by a fractal measure determining the distribution of isoscalar particles (sigmas) in configuration space. Non-equilibrium dynamics is induced through a sudden symmetry breaking leading gradually to the deformation of the initial fractal geometry. After constructing an ensemble of configurations describing the initial state of the isoscalar field we solve the equations of motion and show that remnants of the critical state and the associated fractal geometry survive for time scales larger than the time needed for the mass of the isoscalar particles to reach the two-pion threshold. This result is more transparent in an event-by-event analysis of the phenomenon. Thus, we conclude that the initial fractal properties can eventually be transferred to the observable pion-sector through the decay of the sigmas even in the case of a quench.

A multi-fluid model of the magnetopause

Observation of the solar wind – magnetosphere boundary provides a unique opportunity to investigate the physics underlying the interaction between two collisionless magnetized plasmas with different temperature, density and magnetic field topology. Their mixing across the interface as well as the boundary dynamics are affected by the development of fluid (and kinetic) instabilities driven by large scale inhomogeneities in particle and electromagnetic fields. Building up a realistic initial equilibrium state of the magnetopause according to observations is still a challenge nowadays. In this paper we address the modeling of the particles and electromagnetic fields configuration across the Earth's magnetopause by means of a three-fluid analytic model. The model relies on one hot and one cold ion population and on a neutralizing electron population. The goal is to build up an analytic model able to reproduce as closely as possible the observations. Some parameters of the model are set by using a fit procedure aiming at minimizing their difference with respect to experimental data provided by the Magnetospheric MultiScale mission. All the other profiles, concerning the electron pressure and the relative densities of the cold and hot ion populations, are calculated in order to satisfy the fluid equilibrium equations. Finally, by means of a new tri-fluid code, we have checked the stability of the large-scale equilibrium model for a given experimental case and given the proof that the system is unstable to reconnection. This model could be of interest for the interpretation of satellite results and for the study of the dynamics at the boundary between the Magnetosphere and the solar wind.

Dynamic Analysis of a Coupled System of High-Speed Maglev Train and Curved Viaduct

This study presents a framework for dynamic analysis of a coupled system of high-speed maglev train and curved viaduct. A series of trajectory coordinates are used to define the motion of maglev vehicles moving over a horizontally curved track, the stiffness and damping matrices of the equations can be thus reduced into those of the straight track. The curved viaduct system is modeled in the global coordinate system using the finite element method, in which the inner and outer rails in the different horizontal planes are duly included. The electromagnet force-air gap model is adopted for the maglev vehicle via its electromagnets and rails on the viaduct, by appropriate transformation of coordinates. By applying the proposed framework to the Shanghai maglev line, curved path-induced dynamic responses and characteristics of the vehicle are explored, which agree well with the measurement ones. The dynamic responses of the curved viaduct are also examined in the vertical, lateral and rotational directions by comparison with the straight viaduct. Moreover, the effect of various curve radii and cant deficiencies on the coupled system are investigated. The results show that for a maglev vehicle moving with an initial equilibrium state, its lateral and rotational response are mainly excited by track roughness. In addition to the track radius, cant deficiencies significantly affect the operational safety of the viaduct.

Initial Equilibrium State Analysis for Concrete Self-Anchored Suspension Bridge under Dead Load

Based on the limited displacement theory and iteration method, took into account characteristics of concrete self-anchored suspension bridge, converted effects of prestress, shrinkage and creep in concrete into equivalent loads, made use of the finite element software ANSYS, and took a concrete self-anchored suspension bridge in China as an example, the initial equilibrium state analysis for this type of bridge under static load was carried out in this paper in order to obtain main cable curve and reasonable internal force of the girder and hangers under dead load. The results showed that, the main cable curve was smooth, the distribution of the hangers axial force was uniform, and the concrete girder had certain amount of compressive stress reserves.