A new parameter to define interplanetary coronal mass ejections

The interplanetary manifestations of coronal mass ejections, ICMEs, have many signatures in the solar wind but none of these signatures in the velocity, density, temperature, magnetic field, plasma composition or energetic particles uniquely and unambiguously identifies the occurrence of an ICME. Different investigators identify different events when confronted with the same data. Herein, we present a single physical parameter that combines information from multiple plasma components and that holds the promise of defining a beginning and an end of the region of influence ICME and an indication of the location of the encounter with the ICME relative to its central meridian. This parameter is the total plasma pressure perpendicular to the magnetic field, consisting of the sum of the magnetic pressure and plasma kinetic or thermal pressure. It provides a vehicle for classifying the nature of the ICME encounter and, in many cases, provides an unambiguous start and stop time of the event. However, it does not provide a start and stop time for any embedded flux rope. This identification depends on examination of the magnetic field.     

利用PIV方法测量半浮区液桥热毛细对流的速度场

利用PIV法对硅油液桥热毛细对流的定常速度场进行了实时测量。为了便于测量,液桥上桥端面采取了铜环中嵌透明材料的方法,从液桥的顶部进行观测。当液桥上下桥有温差时,热毛细对流出现;本实验对于不同上下桥的温差,对液桥横剖面内的速度场分别进行了测量,研究外加温差对于流场速度分布的影响;并且在液桥中取了几个典型横截面进行测量,以期对大Pr数液桥的定常速度场有比较全面的定量测量。此外,实验结果也可作为数值模拟计算结果的验证。