Meridional circulation from differential rotation in an adiabatically stratified solar/stellar convection zone

Meridional circulation in stellar convection zones is not generally well observed, but may be critical for the workings of MHD dynamos operating in these domains. Coriolis forces from differential rotation play a large role in determining what the meridional circulation is. Here, we consider the question of whether a stellar differential rotation that is constant on cylinders concentric with the rotation axis can drive a meridional circulation. Conventional wisdom says that it can not. Using two related forms of the governing equations that respectively estimate the longitudinal components of the curl of the meridional mass flux and the vorticity, we show that such differential rotation will drive a meridional flow. This is because to satisfy anelastic mass conservation, non-spherically symmetric pressure contours must be present for all differential rotations, not just ones that depart from constancy on cylinders concentric with the rotation axis. Therefore, the fluid is always baroclinic if differential rotation is present. This is because, in anelastic systems, the perturbation pressure must satisfy a Poisson type equation, as well as an equation of state and a thermodynamic equation. We support our qualitative reasoning with numerical examples, and show that meridional circulation is sensitive to the magnitude and form of departures from rotation constant on cylinders. The effect should be present in 3D global anelastic convection simulations, particularly those for which the differential rotation driven by global convection is nearly cylindrical in profile. For solar-like differential rotation, Coriolis forces generally drive a two-celled circulation in each hemisphere, with a second, reversed flow at high latitudes. For solar like turbulent viscosities, the meridional circulation produced by Coriolis forces is much larger than observed on the Sun. Therefore, there must be at least one additional force, probably a buoyancy force, which opposes the meridional flow to bring its amplitude down to observed values.     

热带扰动在大尺度经圈中的行为

在赤道β平面上经圈流的背景流场内,利用等值浅水模式来分析波动的不稳定性.结果显示,在经圈半地转假设下,扰动信号通过变性的Rossby波来传递.对于大洋西部,由于向极地方向经圈流的引入,赤道对称的扰动模态对所有的波数k都是不稳定的.对于大洋东部的向赤道流,对赤道对称的扰动却是稳定的.由于一般来讲,扰动倾向于对赤道对称,因此西边界的向极流,如黑潮,比东边界的向赤道流,如加尼福尼亚洋流,更易因扰动的不稳定而产生涡旋.     

Nonlinear dynamical modeling of solar cycles using dynamo formulation with turbulent magnetic helicity

Abstract

We describe a sequence of two-dimensional numerical simulations of inflection point instability in a stably stratified shear flow near the ground. The fastest growing Kelvin-Helmholtz modes are studied in detail; in particular we investigate the growth inhibiting effect of the ground which is predicted by linear theory and the Reynolds number dependence of the process of growth to finite amplitude. We consider flows which are both above and below the critical Reynolds number (Re = 300) which has been reported by Woods (1969) to mark the boundary between flows which have turbulent final states and those which do not. A global energy budget reveals a fundamental difference in character of the finite amplitude billows in these two Reynolds number regimes. However, for relatively high Reynolds numbers (Re = 10³) we do not find any explicit evidence for secondary instability. Above the transition Reynolds number the modified mean flow induced by wave growth is characterized by a splitting of the original shear layer and of the in version in which it is embedded.     

Energy requirement for a working dynamo

There has for many years been interest in finding necessary conditions for dynamo action. These are usually expressed in terms of bounds on integrated properties of the flow. The bounds can clearly be improved when the flow structure can be taken into account. Recent research presents techniques for finding optimised dynamos (that is with the lowest dynamo threshold) subject to constraints, (e.g. with fixed mean square vorticity). It is natural to ask if such an optimum solution can exist when the mean square velocity is fixed. The aim of this note is to show that this is not the case and in fact that a steady or periodic dynamo can exist in a bounded conductor with an arbitrarily small value of the kinetic energy.     

The initial temporal evolution of a feedback dynamo for Mercury

Various possibilities are currently under discussion to explain the observed weakness of the intrinsic magnetic field of planet Mercury. One of the possible dynamo scenarios is a dynamo with feedback from the magnetosphere. Due to its weak magnetic field, Mercury exhibits a small magnetosphere whose subsolar magnetopause distance is only about 1.7 Hermean radii. We consider the magnetic field due to magnetopause currents in the dynamo region. Since the external field of magnetospheric origin is antiparallel to the dipole component of the dynamo field, a negative feedback results. For an αΩ-dynamo, two stationary solutions of such a feedback dynamo emerge: one with a weak and the other with a strong magnetic field. The question, however, is how these solutions can be realized. To address this problem, we discuss various scenarios for a simple dynamo model and the conditions under which a steady weak magnetic field can be reached. We find that the feedback mechanism quenches the overall field to a low value of about 100–150 nT if the dynamo is not driven too strongly.     

Reversal sequence in a multiple scale dynamo mechanism

We investigate the temporal evolution of the magnetic dipole field intensity of the Earth through a multiscale dynamo mechanism. On a large range of spatio-temporal scales, the helical motions of the fluid flow are given by a schematic model of a fully developed turbulence. The system construction is symmetric with respect to left-handed and right-handed cyclones. The multiscale cyclonic turbulence coupled with a differential rotation (schematic ω dynamo) or alone (schematic ² dynamo) is the ingredient of the loop through which poloidal and toroidal fields are built from one another. Two kinds of reaction of the magnetic field on the flow are considered: the presence of a magnetic field first favours a larger-scale organization of the flow, and, second, impedes this flow by the effect of growing Lorentz forces. We obtain the general features of the geomagnetic field intensity observed over geological times and describe a general mechanism for reversals, excursions and secular variation. The mechanism happens to keep a memory during the chrons and loose it during the events (excursions and inversions).     

从经向气流看亚澳季风的季节区域特征

利用1979～2003年的NCEP/NCAR再分析资料探讨了亚澳季风区经向气流的季节性分支和结构特征. 结果表明,亚澳季风区经向气流的垂直斜压结构由冬到夏发生季节性转向,即从冬季时的低层北风、高层南风转换为夏季时的低层南风、高层北风. 季节反向的经向气流主体偏向北半球,其区域差异性在对流层中低层更为显著. 以印度半岛和中南半岛为界,亚洲热带季风区中低层经向气流在冬夏季均呈现三通道特征,与此相应,亚澳季风区自西向东存在三支相对独立的经向环流分支,且冬夏季的差异均很显著,如冬季的中心高度自西向东递减、夏季的经向跨度自西向东递增等.     

A fully implicit model for simulating dynamo action in a Cartesian domain

We present a fully implicit numerical method to solve the incompressible MHD equations in a strongly rotating Cartesian domain. The equations are solved in a primitive variable formulation using a finite volume discretization. In order to use massively parallel computers, we applied a domain decomposition approach in space. The performance of this model is compared with an earlier model, which treated the convective terms of the equations in an explicit manner. Our results indicate that although the fully implicit method needs about three times the memory of the implicit–explicit method, it is superior in terms of computational efficiency. As an application of this model, we investigated the influence of the Prandtl number in the range of 0.01–1000 on the dynamics of the dynamo.     

On the inverse dynamo problem in a simplified mean-field model

Inverse dynamo theory seeks to gain information about the motion of a liquid conductor from measurements of the magnetic field in the surrounding vacuum. We consider here a highly simplified model problem, namely a steady α²-dynamo in plane geometry with an α-field varying only in the z-direction normal to the conductor–vacuum interface. Based on perturbation theory about constant-α solutions, we find as many integral conditions on α(z) as modes are present in the vacuum field. This result is corroborated by the complete solution of a special case.     

Kinematic turbulent dynamo in a shear flow

Abstract

We consider the turbulent dynamo action in a differentially rotating flow by making use of a kinematic approach when the effect of a generated magnetic field on turbulent motions is neglected. The mean electromotive force is calculated in a quasilinear approximation. Differential rotation can stretch turbulent magnetic field lines and break the symmetry of turbulence in such a way that turbulent motions become suitable for the generation of a large scale magnetic field. The presence of shear changes the type of an equation governing the mean magnetic field. Due to shear stresses the mean magnetic field can be generated by a turbulent dynamo action even in a uniform turbulence. The growth rate depends on the length scale of the mean field being faster for the field with a smaller length scale.     

Pressure enhancement associated with meridional flow in high-speed solar wind: possible evidence for an interplanetary magnetic flux rope

A sizable total-pressure (magnetic pressure plus kinetic pressure) enhancement was found within the high-speed wind stream observed by Helios 2 in 1976 near 0.3 AU. The proton density and temperature and the magnetic magnitude simultaneously increased for about 6 h. This pressure rise was associated with a comparatively large southward now velocity component (with V_z – 100 km · s^–1) and magnetic-field rotation. The pressure enhancement was associated with unusual features in the electron distribution function. It shows a wide angular distribution of electron counting rates in the low-energy (57.8 eV) channel, while previous to the enhancement it exhibits a wide angular distribution of electron count rate in the high-energy (112, 221 and 309 eV) channels, perhaps indicating the mirroring of electrons in the converging field lines of the background magnetic field. These fluid and kinetic phenomena may be explained as resulting from an interplanetary magnetic flux rope which is not fully convected by the flow but moves against the background wind towards the Sun.     

Time-averaged flow structure in the central region of a stream confluence: a discussion

This paper is a discussion of Rhoads and Kenworthy (1998) ‘Time-averaged flow structure in the central region of a stream confluence’ Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 23 , 171–191, that focuses upon the methods used to identify secondary circulation in river channel confluences. It argues that the Rozovskii method that Rhoads and Kenworthy use to rotate their field data to allow identification of secondary circulation cells is flawed, and can result in misleading conclusions about the nature of flow processes in confluences. It recommends that there is a re-emphasis upon helical as opposed to secondary circulation, and that recent developments in both field monitoring and numerical modelling may help significantly in this respect. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1989年3月特强磁暴期间的电离层暴

用欧亚大陆地面电离层垂测站资料考察1989年3月12～16日磁暴期间的电离层暴形态及其发展变化. 特强磁暴引发的电离层暴是全球性的,但自磁层沉降的高能粒子对热层低部的加热程度及区域分布不同,因而各经度链区域内电离层暴的特征也有所差异. 本文研究表明,与理论推断对照,欧洲地区内F2层最大电子密度NmaxF2(或f0F2)并不出现正暴现象,而负暴自高纬向低纬的发展则与典型的热层环流结果相符. 此外,此磁暴过程期间在中低纬区存在明显的波动过程. 在亚洲高纬地区,磁暴初期13日有约10 h的正暴,而负暴过程则与欧洲地区类似,但不太清晰;且无波动现象. 磁暴期间,同一经度链的中低纬地区,夜间常发生多站同时的h′F突增. 本文再次证实这是一般磁暴期间常出现的普遍现象.     

Stratospheric ozone response to a solar proton event: Hemispheric asymmetries

Ozone depression in the polar stratosphere during the energetic solar proton event on 4 August 1972 was observed by the backscattered ultraviolet (BUV) experiment on the Nimbus 4 satellite. Distinct asymmetries in the columnar ozone content, the amount of ozone depressions and their temporal variations above 4 mb level (38 km) were observed between the two hemispheres. The ozone destroying solar particles precipitate rather symmetrically into the two polar atmospheres due to the geomagnetic dipole field These asymmetries can be therefore ascribed to the differences mainly in dynamics and partly in the solar illumination and the vertical temperature structure between the summer and the winter polar atmospheres. The polar stratosphere is less disturbed and warmer in the summer hemisphere than the winter hemisphere since the propagation of planetary wave from the troposphere is inhibited by the wind system in the upper troposphere, and the air is heated by the prolonged solar insolation. Correspondingly, the temporal variations of stratospheric ozone depletion and its recovery appear to be smooth functions of time in the (northern) summer hemisphere and the undisturbed ozone amount is slighily, less than that of its counterpart. On the other hand, the tempotal variation of the upper stratospheric ozone in the winter polar atmosphere (southern hemisphere) indicates large amplitudes and irregularities due to the disturbances produced by upward propagating waves which prevail in the polar winter atmosphere. These characteristic differences between the two polar atmospheres are also evident in the vertical distributions of temperature and wind observed by balloons and rocker soundings.     

Subtidal variability of transverse flow off a cape

Time series of velocity profiles at two Chesapeake Bay entrance sites were used to characterize the subtidal variability of transverse flows off a cape. A shallow sampling site was located near Cape Henry over 6 m of water and separated from a deep site, 20 m deep, by a distance of 4 km. The velocity profiles showed that wind-induced subtidal variations in general masked curvature effects (centrifugal accelerations) that may produce secondary circulation associated with tidal flow around a cape. Such secondary circulation, consisting of flow away from the cape at surface and toward the cape at depth, was observed only during periods of weak winds. Most of the time, transverse flows were unidirectional throughout the water column and moved in opposite directions at the two sites examined. This caused convergence of transverse flow between the two sites under the influence of northerly winds and divergence of transverse flow with southwesterly winds. In addition to unidirectional and curvature-induced secondary flows, other modes of subtidal variability consisted of (1) two-layered responses with surface flow toward the cape, and (2) three-layered responses. These two- and three-layered structures were observed more frequently at the deep site, where greater stratification is expected, than at the shallow site.Responsible Editor: Iris Grabemann     

An efficient methodology for estimating irrigation return flow coefficients of irrigated crops at watershed and seasonal scale

Irrigation return flow coefficients, i.e. the ratio between the quantity of water returned from the cultivated area to the groundwater system and the amount of abstraction, vary by more than 50% for rice cultivation using standing water irrigation to 0% in the case of drip irrigation technique. This component of the groundwater budget plays an important role, particularly in intensively irrigated areas. Thus, to avoid any inaccurate aquifer budgeting, modelling and consequently any erroneous watershed management, this component needs to be accurately assessed for a particular time‐step (e.g. weekly, seasonally) onto the studied area. The present paper proposes a cost‐effective and useful methodology for assessing irrigation return flow coefficients (C_f = irrigation return flow/pumping flow) based on (i) basic crops field survey and meteorological data and (ii) the use of a simple hydraulic model that combines both water balance technique and unsaturated/saturated flow theory. An attempt to estimate the uncertainty of irrigation return flow coefficient estimates based on the uncertainty introduced by the pumping and the natural spatial variability of the soil characteristics is also proposed. Results have been compared to real field conditions and allow us to (i) estimate the uncertainty and (ii) validate and demonstrate the robustness of the applied methodology. The proposed methodology allows relatively good estimates of the irrigation return flow coefficients at watershed and seasonal scale. The irrigation return flow coefficients are calculated as: 51 ± 8% in rainy season (Kharif) and 48 ± 4% in summer (Rabi) for rice; 26 ± 11% in rainy season and 24 ± 4% in summer for vegetables; 13 ± 8% in rainy season and 11 ± 3% in summer for flowers. These results were found to be consistent with the existing literature. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subtidal flow and its variability at the entrance to a subtropical lagoon

Spatial and temporal variability of the subtidal exchange flow at West Pass, an inlet at the entrance to a subtropical lagoon (St. Andrew Bay, Florida), was studied using moored and towed current velocity profiles and hydrographic data. Towed and hydrographic measurements were captured over one diurnal tidal cycle to determine intratidal and spatial changes in flow. Hydrographic profiles over the tidal cycle showed that tidal straining modified density stratification asymmetrically, thus setting up the observed mean flow within the inlet. During the towed survey, the inlet's mean flow had a two-layer exchange structure that was moderately frictional and weakly influenced by Coriolis accelerations. Moored current profiles revealed the additional contribution to the dynamics from centrifugal accelerations. Along channel residual flows changed between unidirectional and exchange flow, depending on the forcing from the along-estuary wind stress and, to a lesser extent, the spring–neap tidal cycle. Increases in vertical shear in the along channel subtidal flow coincided with neap tides and rain pulses. Lateral subtidal flows showed the influence on the dynamics of centrifugal accelerations through a well-developed two-layer structure modulated in magnitude by the spring–neap tidal cycle.