Possible approach to detecting the mysterious Saturnian convective dynamo through gravitational sounding

Context. Planetary dynamo research is mathematically and numerically difficult. Forward calculations are numerically expensive and subject to much uncertainty in key magnetohydrodynamics parameters. For a gaseous planet such as Saturn, even the precise location of its dynamo and typical convective strength are unknown, which further complicates studies. Aims. We test the idea of inversely probing Saturnian convective dynamo through gravitational sounding, based on the principle that the convective fluid motion can distort the internal density distribution and hence induce the gravitational anomaly. Methods. The Cassini Grand Finale mission has reported unprecedentedly accurate measurements of the gravitational field of Saturn. An unexplained nonaxisymmetric component of the gravitational field was detected in the data. By performing precise orbit determination (POD) simulations, we studied the possibility that the Cassini spacecraft might sense the dynamo-related nonaxisymmetric gravitational signature in the Grand Finale phase. In addition, further extensively simulated missions of various orbit configurations were carried out in order to explore promising mission strategies that might fulfill the objective of detecting the Saturnian convective dynamo. Results. Our POD simulations show that the gravity science carried out in the Cassini Grand Finale mission is insufficient to determine weak nonaxisymmetric gravitational moments because good subspacecraft-point coverage is lacking. The origin of the unexplained Saturnian gravity remains a puzzle. However, it is positively indicated by our simulations that future gravitational sounding is probably able to detect dynamo-related gravity when the subspacecraft-point coverage of a mission is sufficient. We suggest that the mission orbits be purposely designed into a near-polar orientation with a height of about 6000 km at periapsis and a moderate eccentricity of 0.5. A total POD tracking time of five months would enable the detection of the secular nonaxisymmetric gravitational moments that are caused by the deep convective dynamo of Saturn. The orbit strategy can facilitate engineering implementation by keeping the spacecraft marginally away from the Saturn radiation belt throughout the mission.

First-principles experimental demonstration of ferroelectricity in a thermotropic nematic liquid crystal: Polar domains and striking electro-optics

We report the experimental determination of the structure and response to applied electric field of the lower-temperature nematic phase of the previously reported calamitic compound 4-[(4-nitrophenoxy)carbonyl]phenyl2,4-dimethoxybenzoate (RM734). We exploit its electro-optics to visualize the appearance, in the absence of applied field, of a permanent electric polarization density, manifested as a spontaneously broken symmetry in distinct domains of opposite polar orientation. Polarization reversal is mediated by field-induced domain wall movement, making this phase ferroelectric, a 3D uniaxial nematic having a spontaneous, reorientable polarization locally parallel to the director. This polarization density saturates at a low temperature value of ∼6 µC/cm2, the largest ever measured for a fluid or glassy material. This polarization is comparable to that of solid state ferroelectrics and is close to the average value obtained by assuming perfect, polar alignment of molecular dipoles in the nematic. We find a host of spectacular optical and hydrodynamic effects driven by ultralow applied field (E ∼ 1 V/cm), produced by the coupling of the large polarization to nematic birefringence and flow. Electrostatic self-interaction of the polarization charge renders the transition from the nematic phase mean field-like and weakly first order and controls the director field structure of the ferroelectric phase. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulation reveals short-range polar molecular interactions that favor ferroelectric ordering, including a tendency for head-to-tail association into polar, chain-like assemblies having polar lateral correlations. These results indicate a significant potential for transformative, new nematic physics, chemistry, and applications based on the enhanced understanding, development, and exploitation of molecular electrostatic interaction.

Adiabatic quantum estimation: A numerical study of the Heisenberg XX model with antisymmetric exchange

In this paper, we address the adiabatic technique for quantum estimation of the azimuthal orientation of a magnetic field. Exactly solving a model consisting of a two-qubit system, where one of which is driven by a static magnetic field while the other is coupled with the magnetic field rotating adiabatically, we obtain the analytical expression of the quantum Fisher information (QFI). We investigate how the two-qubit system can be used to probe the azimuthal direction of the field and analyze the roles of the intensities of the magnetic fields, Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya (DM) interaction, spin–spin coupling coefficient, and the polar orientation of the rotating field on the precision of the estimation. In particular, it is illustrated that the QFI trapping or saturation may occur if the qubit is subjected to a strong rotating field. Moreover, we discuss how the azimuthal direction of the rotating field can be estimated using only the qubit not affected by that field and investigate the conditions under which this strategy is more efficient than use of the qubit locally interacting with the adiabatically rotating field. Interestingly, in the one-qubit scenario, it was found that when the rotating field is weak, the best estimation is achieved by subjecting the probe to a static magnetic field.