MHD Spectroscopy of Transonic Flows

In previous publications (Keppens et al.: 2002, Astrophys. J. 569, L121; Goedbloed et al.: 2004a, Phys. Plasmas 11, 28), we have demonstrated that stationary rotation of magnetized plasma about a compact central object permits an enormous number of different MHD instabilities, with the well-known magneto-rotational instability (Velikhov, E. P.: 1959, Soviet Phys.–JETP Lett. 36, 995; Chandrasekhar, S.: 1960, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 46, 253; Balbus, S. A. and Hawley, J. F.: 1991, Astrophys. J. 376, 214) as just one of them. We here concentrate on the new instabilities found that are driven by transonic transitions of the poloidal flow. A particularly promising class of instabilities, from the point of view of MHD turbulence in accretion disks, is the class of trans-slow Alfv’en continuum modes, that occur when the poloidal flow exceeds a critical value of the slow magnetosonic speed. When this happens, virtually every magnetic/flow surface of the disk becomes unstable with respect to highly localized modes of the continuous spectrum. The mode structures rotate, in turn, about the rotating disk. These structures lock and become explosively unstable when the mass of the central object is increased beyond a certain critical value. Their growth rates then become huge, of the order of the Alfv’en transit time. These instabilities appear to have all requisite properties to facilitate accretion flows across magnetic surfaces and jet formation.     

Transverse Oscillations of Coronal Loops

On 14 July 1998 TRACE observed transverse oscillations of a coronal loop generated by an external disturbance most probably caused by a solar flare. These oscillations were interpreted as standing fast kink waves in a magnetic flux tube. Firstly, in this review we embark on the discussion of the theory of waves and oscillations in a homogeneous straight magnetic cylinder with the particular emphasis on fast kink waves. Next, we consider the effects of stratification, loop expansion, loop curvature, non-circular cross-section, loop shape and magnetic twist. An important property of observed transverse coronal loop oscillations is their fast damping. We briefly review the different mechanisms suggested for explaining the rapid damping phenomenon. After that we concentrate on damping due to resonant absorption. We describe the latest analytical results obtained with the use of thin transition layer approximation, and then compare these results with numerical findings obtained for arbitrary density variation inside the flux tube. Very often collective oscillations of an array of coronal magnetic loops are observed. It is natural to start studying this phenomenon from the system of two coronal loops. We describe very recent analytical and numerical results of studying collective oscillations of two parallel homogeneous coronal loops. The implication of the theoretical results for coronal seismology is briefly discussed. We describe the estimates of magnetic field magnitude obtained from the observed fundamental frequency of oscillations, and the estimates of the coronal scale height obtained using the simultaneous observations of the fundamental frequency and the frequency of the first overtone of kink oscillations. In the last part of the review we summarise the most outstanding and acute problems in the theory of the coronal loop transverse oscillations.     

液氧/甲烷火焰和燃烧不稳定性试验

为了解液氧/甲烷火焰在外界扰动作用下的表现,增进对燃烧不稳定性的理解,分别对两种喷剪切同轴式喷嘴结构进行了试验,试验采用单喷嘴矩形模型燃烧室,液氧以液态从中心喷嘴喷注,甲烷以气态从同轴的环形腔喷注。试验中,压力调节装置上的齿轮间断性地堵住和打开安装在燃烧室底部和主喷管旁边的辅助喷管出口,分别向燃烧室输入高频扰动。采用高速照相机记录火焰的OH辐射量,并采用阴影和纹影技术记录液氧的喷雾过程。试验成功激发起了燃烧室一阶横向和一阶纵向振型,在高频扰动作用下,还产生了两次强低频振荡。讨论了分离火焰的特征及其液氧射流在外界扰动作用下的表现和影响参数。     

Large-eddy simulation and linear acoustic modeling of entropy mode oscillations in a model combustor with coolant injection

Lean-burn combustor is particularly susceptible to combustion instability and the unsteady heat release is usually considered as the excitation of the self-maintained thermo-acoustic oscillations. The transverse coolant injection is widely used to reduce the temperature of burnt gas, but on the other hand, it will introduce temperature fluctuation inside the combustor. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the influence of the coolant injection on combustion instability, and evaluate its dynamic feature. In this paper, Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) of the self-excited pressure oscillations in a model combustor with coolant injection is carried out. The analysis of transient flow characteristics and the identification of the pressure modes confirm that one of the low frequency pressure oscillations is related to entropy fluctuations, which is known as rumble combustion instability. The LES results show that transient coolant injection is another excitation of temperature fluctuation other than unsteady combustion. The amplitude of the entropy mode oscillation increases with increasing coolant air mass whereas the change of its frequency is insignificant. According to the major feature of entropy wave oscillation caused by coolant injection, a compact coolant injection model is proposed and applied in the One Dimensional (1D) Acoustic Network Method (ANM). Key correlations used in the model match well with LES data in low frequency range. This means that the coolant injection model is a complex one reflecting the interaction of the fluctuating coolant mass, pressure and temperature. Finally, the combustion instability frequencies and modes predicted by acoustic network method are also in good agreement with LES results.     

基于PSE的单股剪切混合流稳定性分析

将抛物化稳定性方程(PSE)方法应用到可压缩单股剪切混合流的稳定性研究中.采用并发展了适用于自由剪切流的高精度数值方法,包括六阶紧致格式、坐标变换以及渐近边界条件等,对PSE进行有效求解.通过求解相似边界层方程得到更准确的剪切层内基本流;求解线性稳定性理论(LST)控制方程得到扰动的初始条件,并通过流向空间推进方法对扰...     

Nonthermal Radiation Mechanisms

In this paper we review the possible radiation mechanisms for the observed non-thermal emission in clusters of galaxies, with a primary focus on the radio and hard X-ray emission. We show that the difficulty with the non-thermal, non-relativistic Bremsstrahlung model for the hard X-ray emission, first pointed out by Petrosian (Astrophys. J. 557, 560, 2001) using a cold target approximation, is somewhat alleviated when one treats the problem more exactly by including the fact that the background plasma particle energies are on average a factor of 10 below the energy of the non-thermal particles. This increases the lifetime of the non-thermal particles, and as a result decreases the extreme energy requirement, but at most by a factor of three. We then review the synchrotron and so-called inverse Compton emission by relativistic electrons, which when compared with observations can constrain the value of the magnetic field and energy of relativistic electrons. This model requires a low value of the magnetic field which is far from the equipartition value. We briefly review the possibilities of gamma-ray emission and prospects for GLAST observations. We also present a toy model of the non-thermal electron spectra that are produced by the acceleration mechanisms discussed in an accompanying paper Petrosian and Bykov (Space Sci. Rev., 2008, this issue, Chap. 11).     

Near Earth Current Meander (Necm) Model of Substorms

We propose that the appropriate instability to trigger a substorm is a tailward meander (in the equatorial plane) of the strong current filament that develops during the growth phase. From this single assumption follows the entire sequence of events for a substorm. The main particle acceleration mechanism in the plasma sheet is curvature drift with a dawn-dusk electric field, leading to the production of auroral arcs. Eventually the curvature becomes so high that the ions cannot negotiate the sharp turn at the field-reversal region, locally, at a certain time. The particle motion becomes chaotic, causing a local outward meander of the cross-tail current. An induction electric field is produced by Lenz's law, E ^ind=–A/t. An outward meander with B _z>0 will cause E×B flow everywhere out from the disturbance; this reaction is a macroscopic instability which we designate the electromotive instability. The response of the plasma is through charge separation and a scalar potential, E ^es=–. Both types of electric fields have components parallel to B in a realistic magnetic field. For MHD theory to hold the net E must be small; this usually seems to happen (because MHD often does hold), but not always. Part of the response is the formation of field-aligned currents producing the well-known substorm current diversion. This is a direct result of a strong E ^ind (the cause) needed to overcome the mirror force of the current carriers; this enables charge separation to produce an opposing electrostatic field E ^es (the effect). Satellite data confirm the reality of a strong E in the plasma sheet by counter-streaming of electrons and ions, and by the inverse ion time dispersion, up to several 100 keV. The electron precipitation is associated with the westward traveling surge (WTS) and the ion with omega () bands, respectively. However, with zero curl, E ^es cannot modify the emf =Edl=–d^M/dt of the inductive electric field E ^ind (a property of vector fields); the charge separation that produces a reduction of E must enhance the transverse component E . The new plasma flow becomes a switch for access to the free energy of the stressed magnetotail. On the tailward side the dusk-dawn electric field with EJ<0 will cause tailward motion of the plasma and a plasmoid may be created; it will move in the direction of least magnetic pressure, tailward. On the earthward side the enhanced dawn-dusk induction electric field with EJ>0 will cause injection into the inner plasma sheet, repeatedly observed at moderate energies of 1–50 keV. This same electric field near the emerging X-line will accelerate particles non-adiabatically to moderate energies. With high magnetic moments in a weak magnetic field, electrons (ions) can benefit from gradient and curvature drift to attain high energies (by the ratio of the magnetic field magnitude) in seconds (minutes).     

剪切气流中无黏液体横向射流破碎机理

航空发动机燃烧室中,液体燃料的雾化过程、特别是初始雾化过程非常复杂,至今无法建立准确的初始雾化模型。忽略液体射流黏性,采用线性不稳定性分析法对无黏液体（工质为水）在二维剪切横向气流中的破碎机理进行研究。通过建立射流的色散方程,根据其表面波的增长率及波数的发展情况对射流破碎进行预测。当气体韦伯数或液体韦伯数增大时,射流表面波增长率显著增加,最佳波长明显减小。液气动量比大于临界值时,Kelvin-Helmholtz （K-H）不稳定性占主导作用;反之,Rayleigh-Taylor （R-T）不稳定性占主导作用。二维剪切气流在射流方向上具有速度梯度,只改变横向气动力对射流表面波的作用。气体韦伯数与液体韦伯数对射流破碎的作用与均匀气流相似;保持气流流量相同时,负梯度剪切气流可以加速射流的破碎。     

The Theory of Gamma-Ray Bursts

This chapter gives a brief review on the theory of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), including the models of multi-messengers (e.g., prompt multiwavelength electromagnetic emissions, high-energy neutrinos, ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, and gravitational waves) and central engines (in particular, mergers of binary neutron stars for short GRBs). For detailed reviews, please see (Piran in Phys. Rep. 314:575, 1999; Rev. Mod. Phys. 76:1143, 2004; Mészáros in Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 40:137, 2002; Rep. Prog. Phys. 69:2259, 2006; Zhang and Mészáros in Int. J. Mod. Phys. A 19:2385, 2004; Zhang in Chin. J. Astron. Astrophys. 7:1, 2007; Nakar in Phys. Rep. 442:166, 2007; Kumar and Zhang in Phys. Rep. 561:1, 2015).     

Forced aeroelastic oscillations of a rotating anisotropic helicopter main rotor blade at hovering

Aeroelastic oscillations of a rotating blade as a thin-walled beam with restrained strains of bending, transverse shear, and torsion are considered. Aerodynamic loads on the blade performing the forced harmonic oscillations at helicopter hovering are determined according to the nonstationary theory of a two-dimensional flow past blade cross-sections without taking into account the vortex wake of other main rotor blades. The influence of blade anisotropy on its dynamic and propulsive characteristics is estimated in the case of prescribed variation of the root section angle of twist.     

Linear stability analysis of interactions between mixing layer and boundary layer flows

The linear instabilities of incompressible confluent mixing layer and boundary layer were analyzed.The mixing layers include wake,shear layer and their combination.The mean velocity profile of confluent flow is taken as a superposition of a hyperbolic and exponential function to model a mixing layer and the Blasius similarity solution for a flat plate boundary layer.The stability equation of confluent flow was solved by using the global numerical method.The unstable modes associated with both the mixing and boundary layers were identified.They are the boundary layer mode,mixing layer mode 1 (nearly symmetrical mode) and mode 2 (nearly anti-symmetrical mode).The interactions between the mixing layer stability and the boundary layer stability were examined.As the mixing layer approaches the boundary layer,the neutral curves of the boundary layer mode move to the upper left,the resulting critical Reynolds number decreases,and the growth rate of the most unstable mode increases.The wall tends to stabilize the mixing layer modes at low frequency.In addition,the mode switching behavior of the relative level of the spatial growth rate between the mixing layer mode 1 and mode 2 with the velocity ratio is found to occur at low frequency.     

Non-linear resonant excitation of whistler mode waves in the Earth's ionosphere

We examine the resonant non-linear interaction in the Earth's ionosphere of two powerful high frequency radio beams with frequencies f ₁ and f ₂ (both larger than the plasma frequency at F2_max) and wave numbers k ₁ and k ₂ such that a whistler mode wave can be excited with a frequency f ₃ = f ₁ — f ₂ and a wave number k ₃ = k ₁ – k ₂. The feasibility of an effective ground based installation, sited at low latitudes, is discussed and the field strength of the wave emerging from a 10 km wide ionospheric region illuminated by the beams is evaluated for a range of transmitted frequencies, beam orientations and plasma frequencies in the interaction region. It is suggested that the longitude dependence of the enhancement of VLF noise bands detected by the Ariel 3 satellite may be due to a non-linear interaction of this type between any two or more medium wavelength signals from areas where there is a high concentration of commercial broadcasting stations, such as the NE region of the U.S.A.     

Observations of the Martian Subsolar ENA Jet Oscillations

The Neutral Particle Detector (NPD) of the ASPERA-3 experiment (Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms) on board the Mars Express (MEX) spacecraft observed an intense flux of H ENAs (energetic neutral atoms) with average energy of about 1.5 keV emitted anisotropically from the subsolar region of Mars. The NPD detected the ENA jet near the bow shock at radial distances of about 1 R _M from the Martian surface as the spacecraft moved outbound, while the NPD continuously pointed towards the subsolar region. The jet intensity shows oscillative behavior. These intensity variations occur on two clearly distinguishable time scales. The majority of the identified events have an average oscillation period of about 50 sec. The second group consists of events with long-scale variations with a time scale of approximately 300 sec. The fast oscillations of the first group exhibit a periodic structure and are detected in every orbit, while the slow variations of the second group are identified in ∼40% of orbits. The intensity of the fast oscillations have a peak-to-valley ratio about 20 to 30% of the peak intensity. One of the possible mechanisms to explain fast oscillations is the formation of the low frequency ion waves at the subsolar region of Mars. Slow variations may be explained by either temporal variations in the ENA generation source or by a specific structure of the ENA generation source, in which hair-like ENA subjets can be present.     

Electric currents and voltage drops along auroral field lines

The current state of knowledge concerning Birkeland currents (j _∥) and parallel electric field (E _∥) is briefly reviewed. Four types of j _∥ are discussed-the primary ‘region 1’ sheets, the ‘region 2’ sheets which parallel them and which seem to close in the partial ring current, the cusp currents which appear to correlate with interplanetary B _y, and the ‘Harang filament’. The energy required by E _∥ and by the associated particle acceleration processes seems to be derived from j _∥. Much of the evidence for e _∥ comes from particles, from ‘inverted V’ spectra, rising ion beams and expanded loss cones, while ‘conies’ may signify acceleration by Electrostatic Ion Cyclotron (EIC) waves, associated with beams accelerated by E _∥. Different theoretical studies predict for E _∥ a smooth, disordered or abrupt structure, and evidence for all 3 types can be deduced from S3-3 electric field probe observations.

     

Collective radio-emission from plasmas

Collective radiation processes operating in laboratory and space plasmas are reviewed with an emphasis towards astrophysical applications. Particular stress is placed on the physics involved in the various processes rather than in the detailed derivation of the formulas. Radiation processes from stable non-thermal, weakly turbulent and strongly turbulent magnetized and unmagnetized plasmas are discussed. The general theoretical ideas involved in amplification processes such as stimulated scattering are presented along with their application to free electron and plasma lasers. Direct radio-emission of electromagnetic waves by linear instabilities driven by beams or velocity anisotropies are shown to be of relevance in space applications. Finally, as an example of the computational state of the art pertaining to plasma radiation, a study of the type III solar radio bursts is presented.

Frequently used Symbols

Latin Symbols teB ₀ ambient magnetic field - B ₁ perturbed magnetic field - c speed of light - E ₁ perturbed electric field - H Heaviside function - I unit dyadic - k wavevector of radiation fields - K _D inverse Debye length - m, M electron and ion mass - T _e , T _i electron and ion temperature - u relativistic velocity - V _e , V _i electron and ion thermal speeds - V _P , V _g wave phase and group velocities - W wave spectral energy density Greek Symbols relativistic factor - plasma dielectric tensor - _L , _T longitudinal and transverse components of in isotropic media (i.e., =kk _L /k ²+(l–kk/k ²) _T ) - index of refraction - angle between k and B ₀ - plasma dispersion tensor (i.e. =(c ²/ ²)(kk–k ² l)+) - determinant of - _D Debye length - _e electron cyclotron frequency - _u upper hybrid frequency - wave frequency - _e electron plasma frequency Proceedings of the NASA/JPL Workshop on the Physics of Planetary and Astrophysical Magnetospheres.National Research Council/Naval Research Laboratory Research Associate.     

剪切层与边界层组合流动的线性不稳定性分析

对不可压缩剪切层与边界层的组合流动完成了线性稳定性研究.组合流动的数学模型为Blasius边界层相似解与双曲正切函数的叠加,采用整体数值方法求解组合流动的稳定性方程,并验证了程序的准确性及网格无关性.研究给出组合流动的不稳定模态的辨识,即边界层模态和剪切层模态.在此基础上研究了剪切层对边界层模态不稳定性的影响以及壁面对剪切层模态的影响.由于剪切层的存在,使边界层模态中性曲线向左上方平移,临界雷诺数减小.此外,边界层模态不稳定性得到增强或抑制的影响,取决于扰动频率以及剪切层速度比的变化.组合流动中壁面边界层促使剪切层不稳定性减弱,主要表现在低频区域;而在高频区域,剪切层不稳定性几乎不受壁面边界层的影响.      

The Role of Magnetic Reconnection in CME Acceleration

Observations carried out from the coronagraphs on board space missions (LASCO/SOHO, Solar Maximum and Skylab) and ground-based facilities (HAO/Mauna Loa Observatory) show that coronal mass ejections (CMEs) can be classified into two classes based on their kinematics evolution. These two classes of CMEs are so-called fast and slow CMEs. The fast CME starts with a high initial speed that remains more or less constant; it is also called the constant-speed CME. On the other hand, the slow CME starts with a low initial speed, but shows a gradual acceleration; it is also called the accelerated and slow CME. Low and Zhang [Astrophys. J. 564, L53–L56, 2002] suggested that these two classes of CMEs could be a result of a difference in the initial topology of the magnetic fields associated with the underlying quiescent prominences. A normal prominence magnetic field topology will lead to a fast CME, while an inverse quiescent prominence results in a slow CME, because of the nature of the magnetic reconnection processes. In a recent study given by Wu et al. [Solar Phys. 225, 157–175, 2004], it was shown that an inverse quiescent prominence magnetic topology also could produce a fast CME. In this study, we perform a numerical MHD simulation for CMEs occurring in both normal and inverse quiescent prominence magnetic topology. This study demonstrates three major physical processes responsible for destabilization of these two types of prominence magnetic field topologies that can launch CMEs. These three initiation processes are identical to those used by Wu et al. [Solar Phys. 225, 157–175, 2004]. The simulations show that both fast and slow CMEs can be initiated from these two different types of magnetic topologies. However, the normal quiescent prominence magnetic topology does show the possibility for launching a reconnection island (or secondary O-line) that might be thought of as a “CME’’.     

超声速平面剪切层多模态混合扰动数值分析

对Ma_c=1.2二维空间发展超声速平面自由剪切层进行扰动模态及流动结构数值分析.使用线性稳定理论和扰动直接数值模拟方法对超声速剪切层中不同流向站位的流动剖面进行扰动参数分析和局部扰动直接数值模拟,获得了剪切层不同站位处的扰动特性.通过特定单频扰动下的直接数值模拟,在剪切层的不同区域内,无相差地促发了慢模态、混合模态和快模态等多种声涡模态,得到了特定单频扰动促发的多模态无相差不稳定波.      

冲压发动机突扩型燃烧室压力振荡问题(综述)

本文综述了近年来在控制冲压发动机突扩型燃烧室高振幅、低频压力振荡方面所取得的最新技术进展.介绍了用于抑制压力振荡的被动和主动控制技术.详细地讨论了燃烧室内声波动特性、剪切层流动不稳定性和热释放过程之间的相互作用以及对高振幅、低频压力振荡的影响,并根据当前在该领域的研究结果提出了几点建议.     

Study of magnetospheric dynamics using energetic solar particles

Information can be obtained from energetic particle measurements through the chemical composition, energy spectrum, directional anisotropy, temporal and spatial intensity variations. This is equivalent to saying that there is a distribution functionf _k(p,r,t) wherek corresponds to thekth particle species of momentump at positionr and timet.Particle transport is described by the Boltzmann equation, and because the densities are generally low in the case of cosmic rays or energetic solar flare particles, collective transport effects can be neglected. In the absence of magnetospheric motion it is relatively easy to treat the problems of particle transport as simple propagation of charged particles in a stationary magnetic field configuration using, for instance, trajectory calculations in model fields. The method here is to use correlated measurements of the particle distribution at two points along a dynamic trajectory, and in this way to learn something about the geomagnetic field. This approach provides a good basis from which to study magnetospheric dynamics. If the magnetosphere moves, large scale electric fields, turbulent electromagnetic fields and sources and sinks affect the propagation of energetic particles considerably. These effects change the distribution functionf _k(p,r,t) and can thus be detected.In this paper, we shall show the importance of the single particle approximation (trajectories in a reference field) in forming the basis of our understanding of the quiet-time penetration of cosmic rays into the magnetosphere, we shall consider the steady dynamics such as wave-particle inter-action and field line reconnection, which is believed to exist nearly all the time, and finally we shall review the work which has been done in the much more complex and less well-understood field of impulsive dynamics such as geomagnetic storms and substorms. This last topic is only just beginning to be investigated in detail, and it is hoped that the study of impulsive dynamics, using energetic particles, may be as successful as the study of the quiet magnetosphere and the steady dynamics.