Hydromagnetic spin-up under conditions of the earth's core-mantle boundary

Summary The disturbances of the velocity and magnetic fields close to the Earth's core-mantle boundary, caused by sudden irregular changes in the Earth's rotation, are investigated. The problem leads to the investigation of the structure of the Ekman-Hartman hydromagnetic boundary layer, the magnetic diffusive region and the currentless region. Precise Laplacean inversions of the images of all disturbances in the Earth's core-mantle system are obtained for the limiting case of a zero magnetic Prandtl number, =0. The disturbance of the velocity in the direction of the axis of rotation (Ekman suction) in the currentless region has the nature of inertial oscillations with a frequency of 2. Additional disturbances (with respect to the case of =0) of the velocity in the azimuthal and radial directions, particularly for the EHL and MDR region, are determined for the case when 0< « 1. The disturbance in the velocity again has the character of inertial oscillations with the frequency 2, being exponentially damped in EHL asexp (–2²t) and in MDR asexp (–²t).     

Phase relations of a high-Mg basalt from the Aleutian Island Arc: Implications for primary island arc basalts and high-Al basalts

Many volcanic centers in the Aleutian Islands have erupted lavas that range in composition from high-Mg basalt (MgO>9 wt%) to more fractionated and voluminous high-Al basalts and basaltic andesites. The petrogenetic relationships between these rock types and the composition of primary magmas has been vigorously debated. The phase relations of a typical high-Mg basalt from the Makushin volcanic field on Unalaska Island provide important constraints on petrogenetic models. Results of one-atmosphere and moderate-to high-pressure (5–20 kb) anhydrous experiments are similar to results obtained from primitive MORB. At low pressures olivine is the liquidus phase joined by plagioclase and clinopyroxene at progressively lower temperatures. Clinopyroxene is the second phase to crystallize at pressures greater than 5 kb and replaces olivine on the liquidus at approximately 10 kb. Above 10 kb the liquidus pyroxene is aluminous augite and orthopyroxene is the second phase to crystallize. Glasses in equilibrium with olivine and clinopyroxene at intermediate-pressure (5 to 10 kb) are similar in composition to high-Al basalt. Plagioclase is not involved and most likely does not become a liquidus phase until the liquid has evolved significantly. Although our studies do not confirm the primary nature of high-Mg basalts they do support a model in which high-Al basalts are generated by moderate amounts of crystal fractionation from more primitive (high Mg/Mg+Fe, lower Al₂O₃) basaltic magmas near the arc crust-mantle boundary.Abbreviations Ol olivine - Cpx Clinopyroxene - Pl plagioclase - L liquid - Sp spinel - Pig pigeonite - Opx Orthopyroxene     

The effect of the electric conductivity of the Earth's mantle on the Ekman-Hartman hydromagnetic boundary layer and on the magnetic diffusion region

Summary The effect of the electrical conductivity of the Earth's mantle on the non-stationary Ekman-Hartman hydromagnetic boundary layer is investigated under the conditions in the Earth's core. It is shown that under an impulsive change of rotation of the mantle Alfvén waves can only be excited if the Ekman-Hartman hydromagnetic boundary layer is in a non-stationary state, i.e. at a time when its structure is developing. The intensity of the Alfvén waves is very small, because the excitation is more of a mechanic nature than magnetic.     

Magnetic torque acting on the mantle in a non-stationary geomagnetic field

Zusammenfassung Das Gesetz der Erhaltung von Drehimpuls eines aus Stoff und elektromagnetischem Feld zusammengesetzten materiellen Systems wird auf die unter den Bedingungen der Dynamik gegenseitiger Bewegungen des Kernes und Mantels gültige Form überführt. Es wird gezeigt, dass die Zeit?nderung des aus mechanischer und elektromagnetischer Komponente bestehenden Gesamtdrehimpulses des Mantels nur von der Feldgr?sse an der Grenze Kern—Mantel abh?ngt. Für das station?re geomagnetische Feld ist aus dem Drehimpulserhaltungsgesetz die Komponente des Drehmoments magnetischen Ursprungs abgeleitet, die in der Drehachse der Erde liegt. Aus der Ausdrückung für die in der Drehachse der Erde liegende Komponente des Drehmoments ergibt sich, dass dieselbe nur vom Felde an der Grenze Kern—Mantel abh?ngt. Wenn die Voraussetzung erfüllt ist, dass der Kern und der unterste leitf?hige Teil des Mantels vom Gesichtspunkt der Dynamik gegenseitiger Bewegungen des Kernes und Mantels ein in bezug auf die ?usseren periodischen elektromagnetischen und mechanischen Einflüsse geschlossenes System bildet, dann erfolgt aus dem Drehimpulserhaltungsgesetz in nichtstation?rem Felde, dass die Zeit?nderung des mechanischen Drehimpulses des Mantels durch die ?nderung des Drehimpulses des elektromagnetischen Feldes im Mantel in entgegengesetztem Sinn des Vorzeichens ausgeglichen werden muss.

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Address: Šafárikovo nám. 12, Bratislava.     

Magnetic torque and convection in the earth's core

Summary The problem of expressing analytically the magnetic torque, acting on the electrically conducting part of the Earth's mantle, is treated as a function of the system of convection on the surface of the core. The changes of velocities in the system of convection are estimated for decadic changes of the Earth's rotation and for the perturbation of the Earth's rotation in 1897. As regards the decadic changes of the Earth's rotation a change of velocity in the system of convection at the surface of the core of the order of 10^–4 m/s corresponds, and as regards the perturbation of the Earth's rotation in 1897 (10^–3 s/year) a change of velocity of 10^–3 m/s reduced to the whole surface of the core corresponds, and 10^–2 m/s corresponds for the region of the focus of the world geomagnetic anomaly (dimension of this region is 10⁶ m).     

Shock compression of deuterium to 900 Kbar

An experimental program to compress liquid deuterium with a two-stage gun is described. A xenon standard was used to check the adequacy of the EOS of the Dural container in the 7000 (1.7 Mbar) to 3000° K (0.0 Mbar) range. The agreement is reasonable. Further work on this standard is in progress to improve the accuracy. The target design parameters were checked with some sound speed measurements which confirm the liquid-like behavior of Dural at the temperatures, pressures, and strain rates of these experiments. The uncertainties of the results are analyzed and tabulated with the data. Comparison between the molecular and the metallic equations of state indicates a small volume change on metallization due to the high compressibility of the molecular phase vis-a-vis the metallic phase.