New energy and helicity bounds for knotted and braided magnetic fields

In this article we present a review of some of the author's most recent results in topological magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), with an eye to possible applications to astrophysical flows and solar coronal structures. First, we briefly review basic work on magnetic helicity and linking numbers, and fundamental relations with magnetic energy and average crossing numbers of magnetic systems in ideal conditions. In the case of magnetic knots, we focus on the relation between their groundstate energy and topology, discussing the energy spectrum of tight knots in terms of ropelength. We compare this spectrum with the one given by considering the bending energy of such idealized knots, showing that curvature information provides a rather good indicator of magnetic energy contents. For loose knots far from equilibrium we show that inflexional states determine the transition to braid form. New lower bounds for tight knots and braids are then established. We conclude with results on energy-complexity relations for systems in presence of dissipation.     

Kinematic reconnection at a magnetic null point: spine-aligned current

Magnetic reconnection at a three-dimensional null point is the natural extension of the familiar two-dimensional X-point reconnection. A model is set up here for reconnection at a spiral null point, by solving the kinematic, steady, resistive magnetohydrodynamic equations in its vicinity. A steady magnetic field is assumed, as well as the existence of a localised diffusion region surrounding the null point. Outside the diffusion region the plasma and magnetic field move ideally. Particular attention is focussed on the way that the magnetic flux changes its connections as a result of the reconnection. The resultant plasma flows are found to be rotational in nature, as is the change in connections of the magnetic field lines.     

Kinematic reconnection at a magnetic null point: fan-aligned current

Magnetic reconnection at a three-dimensional null point is a natural extension of the familiar two-dimensional X-point reconnection. A model is set up here for reconnection at a null point with current directed parallel to the fan plane, by solving the kinematic, steady, resistive magnetohydrodynamic equations in its vicinity. The magnetic field is assumed to be steady, and a localised diffusion region surrounding the null point is also assumed, outside which the plasma is ideal. Particular attention is focussed on the way that the magnetic flux changes its connections as a result of the reconnection. The resultant plasma flow is found to cross the spine and fan of the null, and thus transfer magnetic flux between topologically distinct regions. Solutions are also found in which the flow crosses either the spine or fan only.     

On the theory of translationally invariant magnetohydrodynamic equilibria with anisotropic pressure and magnetic shear

We present an improved formalism for translationally invariant magnetohydrodynamic equilibria with anisotropic pressure and currents with a field aligned component. The derivation of a Grad-Shafranov type equation is given along with a constraint which links the shear field to the parallel pressure. The difficulties of the formalism are discussed and various methods of circumventing these difficulties are given. A simple example is then used to highlight the methods and difficulties involved.     

The statistics of a passive scalar in field-guided magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

A variety of studies of magnetised plasma turbulence invoke theories for the advection of a passive scalar by turbulent fluctuations. Examples include modelling the electron density fluctuations in the interstellar medium, understanding the chemical composition of galaxy clusters and the intergalactic medium, and testing the prevailing phenomenological theories of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence. While passive scalar turbulence has been extensively studied in the hydrodynamic case, its counterpart in MHD turbulence is significantly less well understood. Herein we conduct a series of high-resolution direct numerical simulations of incompressible, field-guided, MHD turbulence in order to establish the fundamental properties of passive scalar evolution. We study the scalar anisotropy, establish the scaling relation analogous to Yaglom’s law, and measure the intermittency of the passive scalar statistics. We also assess to what extent the pseudo Alfvén fluctuations in strong MHD turbulence can be modelled as a passive scalar. The results suggest that the dynamics of a passive scalar in MHD turbulence is considerably more complicated than in the hydrodynamic case.     

The generation and decay of vorticity

Abstract

Vorticity, although not the primary variable of fluid dynamics, is an important derived variable playing both mathematical and physical roles in the solution and understanding of problems. The following treatment discusses the generation of vorticity at rigid boundaries and its subsequent decay. It is intended to provide a consistent and very broadly applicable framework within which a wide range of questions can be answered explicitly. The rate of generation of vorticity is shown to be the relative tangential acceleration of fluid and boundary without taking viscosity into account and the generating mechanism therefore involves the tangential pressure gradient within the fluid and the external acceleration of the boundary only. The mechanism is inviscid in nature and independent of the no-slip condition at the boundary, although viscous diffusion acts immediately after generation to spread vorticity outward from boundaries. Vorticity diffuses neither out of boundaries nor into them, and the only means of decay is by cross-diffusive annihilation within the fluid.     

Exact Solutions for Spine Reconnective Magnetic Annihilation

Solutions for spine reconnective annihilation are presented which satisfy exactly the three-dimensional equations of steady-state resistive incompressible magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The magnetic flux function ( A ) and stream function have the form $$A = A_{0}(R) \sin \phi + A_{1}(R)z, \qquad \Psi = \Psi _{0}(R) \sin \phi + \Psi _{1}(R)z,$$ in terms of cylindrical polar coordinates ( R , { , z ). First of all, two non-linear fourth-order equations for A 1 and 1 are solved by the method of matched asymptotic expansions when the magnetic Reynolds number is much larger than unity. The solution, for which a composite asymptotic expansion is given in closed form, possesses a weak boundary layer near the spine ( R = 0). These solutions are used to solve the remaining two equations for A 0 and 0 . Physically, the magnetic field is advected across the fan separatrix surface and diffuses across the spine curve. Different members of a family of solutions are determined by values of a free parameter n and the components ( B Re , B ze ) and ( v Re , v ze ) of the magnetic field and plasma velocity at a fixed external point ( R , { , z ) = (1, ~ /2,0), say.     

Magnetic diffusion and the motion of field lines

Diffusion of a magnetic field through a plasma is discussed in one-, two- and three-dimensional configurations, together with the possibility of describing such diffusion in terms of a magnetic flux velocity, which, when it exists, is in general non-unique. Physically useful definitions of such a velocity include doing so in terms of the energy flow or in such a way that it vanishes in a steady state. Straight field lines (or plane flux surfaces) diffuse as if flux is disappearing at a neutral sheet, whereas circular field lines (or cylindrical flux surfaces) do so as if flux is disappearing at an 0-type neutral line. In three dimensions it is not always possible to define a flux velocity, for example when the magnetic flux through a closed field line is changing in time. However, in at least some such cases it is possible to describe the behaviour of the magnetic field in terms of a pair of quasi-flux-velocities.     

Local analysis of the magnetic instability in rotating magnetohydrodynamics with the short-wavelength approximation

We investigate analytically the magnetic instability in a rotating and electrically conducting fluid induced by an imposed magnetic field with its associated electric current. The short-wavelength approximation is used in the linear stability analysis, i.e. the length scale of the imposed field is much larger than the wavelength of perturbations. The dispersion relationship is derived and then simplified to give the criteria for the onset of the magnetic instability in three cases of imposed field, namely, the axial dependence, the radial dependence and the mixed case. The orientation of rotation, imposed field and imposed current is important for this instability.     

Numerical simulations of MHD dynamos

The generation of magnetic fields in space plasmas and in astrophysics is usually described within the framework of magnetohydrodynamics. Turbulent helical flows produce magnetic fields very efficiently, with correlation length scales larger than those characterizing the flow. Within the context of the solar magnetic cycle, a turbulent dynamo is responsible for the so-called alpha effect, while the Omega effect is associated to the differential rotation of the Sun.We present direct numerical simulations of turbulent magnetohydrodynamic dynamos including two-fluid effects such as the Hall current. More specifically, we study the evolution of an initially weak and small-scale magnetic field in a system maintained in a stationary regime of hydrodynamic turbulence, and explore the conditions for exponential growth of the magnetic energy. In all the cases considered, we find that the dynamo saturates at the equipartition level between kinetic and magnetic energy, and the total energy reaches a Kolmogorov power spectrum.     

Dynamic non-null magnetic reconnection in three dimensions–II: composite solutions

In this series of papers we examine magnetic reconnection in a domain where the magnetic field does not vanish and the non-ideal region is localised in space so that the reconnection is fully three dimensional. In a previous paper we presented a technique for obtaining analytical solutions to the full set of stationary resistive MHD equations and examined specific examples of non-ideal reconnective solutions. Here we further develop the model, noting that certain ideal solutions may be superimposed onto the fundamental non-ideal solutions. This provides the first analytical demonstration of a lack of coupling between reconnective and non-reconnective flows. We examine the effect of imposing various such ideal flows. Significant implications are found for the evolution of magnetic flux in the reconnection process so that several reconnection solutions may have the same reconnection rate, as defined by the integral of the parallel electric field along the reconnection line, but each appear quite different in terms of their global effect. It is shown that, in contrast to the two-dimensional case, in three dimensions there is a very wide variety of physically different steady reconnection solutions.     

Sunspots

Abstract

Some examples of research on structure and formation of sunspots are briefly recollected in historical sequence. They relate to many facets of sunspots, first: magnetic inhibition of convection, the conjecture of a fiat penumbra, the stratification beneath the umbra, the observable magnetic profile, the Evershed effect as syphon flow, the concept of a magnetopause; next: cooling by Alfven waves, evolution and stability, the “bright ring”, the observed change of umbra brightness with the phase of the sunspot cycle, the hypothetical cluster of separate flux strands underneath the umbra, the profile of the magnetopause, the structure of the penumbra and the inclination of its field and finally: the concept of a deep penumbra with volume currents, exchange convection and the concept of a second current sheet separating umbra and penumbra.

Of course, the rigorous theoretical modeling of local magnetoconvection is an essential tool for our understanding of all these processes. I do not deal with it here, but the reader has a fascinating review of magnetoconvection already in his hands (Weiss, 1991).     

几次大震前的地面和空间电磁场变化

本文应用非线性谱估计方法(MEM方法)、电/磁场脉冲能量统计方法,处理了四川汶川MS8.0 (2008)、新疆于田MS7.3 (2008)和青海玉树MS7.1 (2010) 地震及强余震附近的地面电/磁场和Demeter卫星电离层磁场观测数据,研究了地震电/磁场变化,得到:在震中附近及周围出现了震前地电/地磁场极低频成...     

An integral equation approach to two-dimensional incompressible resistive magnetohydrodynamics

In the present work, an integral equation approach is developed to solve two-dimensional incompressible resistive magnetohydrodynamic equations. This approach is examined by simulating the magnetic reconnection driven by the Orszag–Tang vortex and the doubly periodic coalescence instability. The results show that when the viscosity and magnetic resistivity of the plasma are reduced, the current sheet forming in the magnetic reconnection driven by the Orszag–Tang vortex becomes thinner. In comparison with the spectral method, the integral equation approach has much better accuracy and convergence.     

水介质对水下目标体磁场的影响

根据扬子江航道上一系列磁测及验证结果,指出在不同介质中的相似磁性物体所引起的磁场强度会产生一定的变化,实例说明：这一现象可能对磁法勘查带来的影响.文章没有对不同介质中磁性体磁场的变化机制进行讨论.     

磁岛合并研究

本文采用二维全粒子模拟来研究无碰撞等离子体中的磁岛合并过程.结果表明,磁岛合并分为两个阶段,在第一个阶段,两个磁岛因同向电流丝之间的吸引力而缓慢地相互靠近,在这个过程中,合并线附近的电子被面外电场加速,形成薄电流片,同时电流片两侧形成磁场堆积.第二个阶段为快速重联阶段,合并线附近的电磁场结构和以Harris电流片为初态的重联扩散区的电磁场结构很相似,其中最显著的特点为面外磁场的四极型结构.     

Evolution of Magnetic Fields in Galaxies with Spiral Structure

We present simulations of the 3D nonlinear induction equation in order to investigate the temporal evolution of large-scale magnetic fields in spiral galaxies. Our model includes differential rotation, ambipolar diffusion and, based on small-scale turbulence, eddy diffusivity and the tensorial -effect with magnetic feedback. The nonaxisymmetric spiral pattern and – if considered – the vertical stratification of the galaxy are represented in its density and turbulence profile. Neglecting vertical stratification the lifetime and geometry of an initial magnetic field depend on the correlation time of interstellar turbulence _corr . Short correlation times increase the lifetime of the initial magnetic field, but the field is rapidly wound up. Its pitch-angles develop to zero. The magnetic field has disappeared after at most 1 to 1.5 Gyr. A resonance like phenomenon is found by tuning the pattern velocity of the galactic spiral. The simulations then show an exceptional amplification of the magnetic field in the case that the pattern speed and a magnetic drift velocity have similar values. Considering a vertical stratification we achieve sufficiently long living grand-designed magnetic fields excited by dynamo action. The behaviour and geometry of the resulting field is again significantly influenced by the correlation time _corr . Small values of _corr lead to axisymmetric fields with small pitch-angles and field-concentration between the spiral arms. Increasing the correlation time the solutions show larger pitch-angles; and depending on very large correlation times the galactic dynamo rather generates fields clearly within the spiral arms and having a bisymmetric structure.