Density fluctuation spectrum in whistler turbulence

We develop a nonlinear two-dimensional fluid model of whistler turbulence that includes effect of electron fluid density perturbations. The latter is coupled nonlinearly with wave magnetic field. This coupling leads essentially to finite compressibility effects in whistler turbulence model. We find from our simulations that despite strong compressibility effects, the density fluctuations follow the evolution of the wave magnetic field fluctuations. In a characteristic regime where large scale whistlers are predominant, the coupled density fluctuations are found to follow a Kolmogorov-like phenomenology in the inertial range turbulence. Consequently, the turbulent energy is dominated by the large scale (compared to electron inertial length) eddies and it follows a Kolmogorov-like k−7/3 spectrum, where k is a characteristic wavenumber.     

Far Forward Scattering from Plasma Fluctuations Using a Detector Array and Coherent Signal Processing at 10 ?m

A far forward scattering experiment with a CO2 laser is described which uses a linear array of five photoconductive detector elements allowing the simultaneous measurement of the amplitude and phase of the scattered signals in one single shot. The direction of propagation of fluctuations can be determined from the spatial phase profile of the scattered light. The method described here is equivalent to a time resolved holographic diagnostic of electron density fluctuations. The plasma source used is a traveling wave experiment. Broad frequency and wavenumber spectra of electron density fluctuations associated with the excitation of strong nonlinear compressional Alfvén waves were measured. Two representative regimes of operation with low and high axial magnetic fields were investigated with wavenumber spectra ranging from k = 2 to 60 cm-1. The orientation of the array allowed observation of waves propagating either parallel or perpendicular to the magnetic field.     

On the slow dynamics of density fluctuations near the colloidal glass transition

Slow dynamics of density fluctuations near the colloidal glass transition is discussed from a new viewpoint by numerically solving a nonlinear stochastic diffusion equation for the density fluctuations recently proposed by one of the present authors (MT). The effects of spatial heterogeneities on the dynamics of density fluctuations are then investigated in an equilibrium system. The spatial heterogeneities are generated by the nonlinear density fluctuations, while in a nonequilibrium system they are described by a nonlinear deterministic equation for the average number density. The dynamics of equilibrium density fluctuations is thus shown to be quite different from that of nonequilibrium ones, leading to a logarithmic decay followed by less distinct α- and β-relaxation processes. Received 9 March 2002 and Received in final form 19 September 2002     

Plasma flow in MST: Effects of edge biasing and momentum transport from nonlinear magnetic torques

Edge biasing in MST plasmas decreases electrostatic turbulent particle transport and increases the global particle confinement time. New Langmuir probe measurements in the edge identify decreased electric field fluctuations and increased anti-correlation of density and potential fluctuations to be responsible. Fast loss of momentum in the core of MST during sawtooth crash events can be explained as a result of nonlinear magnetic torques which allow viscous coupling over relatively distant regions of the plasma. Flow modifications resulting from biasing, plus other experiments, help reveal the nonlinear nature of this process, most directly measured by the triple product bispectral correlation between the nonlinearly interacting modes. Presented at the Workshop on the Role of Electric Fields in Plasma Confinement and Exhaust, Budapest, 18–19 June, 2000.     

Nonlinear growth of firehose and mirror fluctuations in astrophysical plasmas

In turbulent high-beta astrophysical plasmas (exemplified by the galaxy cluster plasmas), pressure-anisotropy-driven firehose and mirror fluctuations grow nonlinearly to large amplitudes, deltaB/B approximately 1, on a time scale comparable to the turnover time of the turbulent motions. The principle of their nonlinear evolution is to generate secularly growing small-scale magnetic fluctuations that on average cancel the temporal change in the large-scale magnetic field responsible for the pressure anisotropies. The presence of small-scale magnetic fluctuations may dramatically affect the transport properties and, thereby, the large-scale dynamics of the high-beta astrophysical plasmas.     

Nonlinear propagation of neutrinos in a strongly magnetized medium

The nonlinear propagation of an intense neutrino flux in an electron-positron plasma with equilibrium density and magnetic field inhomogeneities is considered. It is found that the neutrinos are nonlinearly coupled with electrostatic and electromagnetic disturbances due to weak Fermi interaction and ponderomotive forces. The process is governed by a Klein-Gordon equation for the neutrino flux and a wave equation for the plasma oscillations in the presence of the ponderomotive force of the neutrinos. This pair of equations is then used to derive a nonlinear dispersion relation which exhibits that nonthermal electrostatic and electromagnetic fluctuations are created on account of the energy density of the neutrinos. The relevance of our investigation to the anomalous absorption of neutrinos in a nonuniform magnetized medium is pointed out.     

Magnetic Fluctuation Measurement in Sino United Spherical Tokamak Plasma

To investigate the magnetic fluctuations and for further transport study, the poloidal and radial magnetic field t is conducted on the Sino United Spherical Tokamak （SUNIST）. Auto-power spectral density indicares that the magnetic fiuctuation energy mainly concentrates in the frequency region lower than lO kttz. The magnetic field oscillations, which are characterized by harmonic frequencies of 40 kHz, are observed in the scrape- off layer; by contrast, in the plasma core, the magnetic fluctuations are of Gaussian type. The time-frequency profiles show that the poloidal magnetic fluctuations are temporally intermittent. The autocorrelation calculation indicates that the fluctuations in decorrelation time vary between the core and the edge.     

Magnetic dissipation and fluctuations in individual nanomagnets measured by ultrasensitive cantilever magnetometry

Cantilever magnetometry with moment resolution better than 10(4)micro(B) was used to study individual nanomagnets. By using the fluctuation-dissipation theorem to interpret measurements of field-induced cantilever damping, the low frequency spectral density of magnetic fluctuations could be determined with resolution better than 1micro(B) Hz-1/2. Cobalt nanowires exhibited significant magnetic dissipation and the associated magnetic fluctuations were found to have 1/f frequency dependence. In individual submicron rare-earth alloy magnets, the dissipation/fluctuation was very small and not distinguishable from that of a bare silicon cantilever.     

Observation of nonlinear coupling between small-poloidal wave-number potential fluctuations and turbulent potential fluctuations in Ohmically heated plasmas in the JFT-2M tokamak

Two types of electrostatic modes with small-poloidal wave numbers (approximately 1 and 10-15 kHz) are observed in the edge region of Ohmically heated plasmas in the JFT-2M tokamak. The envelope of the higher frequency coherent mode is modulated at the frequency of the lower frequency mode. A bispectral analysis revealed that a significant nonlinear coupling among the two types of fluctuations and the broadband background turbulent potential fluctuations occurs inside the last closed magnetic flux surface, suggesting that a nonlinear process such as the parametric-modulational instability is involved.     

Stabilization of stokes pulse energies in the nonlinear regime of stimulated Raman scattering

An experimental study of quantum mechanical pulse energy fluctuations in stimulated Raman scattering from hydrogen is presented. The probability density function P(W) for Stokes pulse energy W is measured for highly transient scattering in both the linear and nonlinear gain regimes. While large pulse energy fluctuations (100%) occur in the linear gain regime, the fluctuations are reduced to about 20% in the nonlinear regime where the laser pulse is depleted significantly. The results are in excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions of Lewenstein.     

Control of magnetic fluctuations by spin current

We use microfocus Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy to study the interaction of spin current with magnetic fluctuations in a Permalloy microdisk located on top of a Pt strip carrying an electric current. We show that the fluctuations can be efficiently suppressed or enhanced by different directions of the electric current. Additionally, we find that the effect of spin current on magnetic fluctuations is strongly influenced by nonlinear magnon-magnon interactions. The observed phenomena can be used for controllable reduction of thermal noise in spintronic nanodevices.     

On fluctuations in liquids and gases

The Lagrangian formalism is used to derive a system of nonlinear inhomogeneous dissipative differential equations describing the nonlinear dynamics of interrelated fluctuations of density, δρ, and temperature, δT, in a medium. With these equations, the unstable (with respect to initial conditions) phase trajectory describing parameter fluctuations in the ρ-T plane was obtained. By numerically solving the equations, we show that δρ and δT oscillate in time almost periodically, which is typical of fluctuations.     

Instationary Electric Fields,Ion Transport and Strong Density Fluctuations in Tokamaks with Dominant Anomalous Electron Transport

A common explanation is given for ion transport and strong broadband density fluctuations in tokamaks as a result of large anomalous electron transport near dominant magnetic surfaces (resp. in small magnetic islands). The main mechanism is local density flattening connected with an anomalous electron transport induced instationary radial electric field, which forces the ions via polarization drift to follow the electrons. For the density flattening process an exact solution of the time-dependent diffusion equation for a linear initial profile over the island width is used. From this we also derive an expression for a temporal growing radial electric field. This positive field reaches its maximum at the density plateau. Strong viscous diffusion or instability-induced transport between high and low electric field regions may now reverse the density flattening. Therefore relaxation oscillations result which may also explain the observed strong density and potential fluctuations in tokamaks. Several details of recent measurements of impurity ion behaviour and density fluctuations in tokamaks may be better explained with the theory given here.     

Speckle imaging of spin fluctuations in a strongly interacting Fermi gas

Spin fluctuations and density fluctuations are studied for a two-component gas of strongly interacting fermions along the Bose-Einstein condensate-BCS crossover. This is done by in?situ imaging of dispersive speckle patterns. Compressibility and magnetic susceptibility are determined from the measured fluctuations. This new sensitive method easily resolves a tenfold suppression of spin fluctuations below shot noise due to pairing, and can be applied to novel magnetic phases in optical lattices.     

Transport in the plasma edge of a tokamak with high MHD activity

Summary Electrostatic turbulence and various aspects of magnetic fluctuations have been investigated, in the edge region of the TBR-1 tokamak, by using a set of Langmuir and magnetic probes, and a triple probe. Measurements of plasma parameters such as plasma potential, density, temperature and magnetic field were taken in order to elucidate, the effect on transport of the electrostatic and magnetic fluctuations in the edge. The fluctuations levels are found to be higher than in most tokamaks. The particle flux is outward and slightly higher than that calculated from Bohm diffusion, and occurs in the frequency region typical of the macroscopic MHD oscillations. The Mirnov-oscillation frequencies in TBR-1 are higher than those observed in other tokamaks and, consequently, there is an uncommon superposition between the Mirnov and turbulent density fluctuations spectra. This fact and the presence of high MHD activity may contribute to elucidate the possible influence of the magnetic oscillations on the electrostatic transport observed in the plasma edge. Work partially supported by FAPESP and CNPq.     

Spatial fluctuations of the density of states in magnetic fields observed with scanning tunneling spectroscopy

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy images on n-InAs(110) exhibit a strong magnetic field dependent contrast on the 50 nm length scale, indicating fluctuations in the density of states of the sample. The contrast is correlated to previously observed Landau oscillations in dI/dV curves. Its origin is a spatial fluctuation of the Landau level energy of 3-4 meV caused by the inhomogeneous distribution of dopant atoms. Besides inducing large-scale fluctuations in the density of states, dopants preserve their ability to scatter electron waves. The resulting wave pattern is found to depend on the magnetic field. It is suggested that the dependence is guided by the condensation of the electronic states on Landau tubes.     

Reduced aliasing formulations of the convective terms within the Navier–Stokes equations for a compressible fluid

The effect on aliasing errors of different formulations describing the cubically nonlinear convective terms within the discretized Navier–Stokes equations is examined in the presence of a non-trivial density spectrum. Fourier analysis shows that the existing skew-symmetric forms of the convective term result in reduced aliasing errors relative to the conservation form. Several formulations of the convective term, including a new formulation proposed for cubically nonlinear terms, are tested in direct numerical simulation (DNS) of decaying compressible isotropic turbulence both in chemically inert (small density fluctuations) and reactive cases (large density fluctuations) and for different degrees of resolution. In the DNS of reactive turbulent flow, the new cubic skew-symmetric form gives the most accurate results, consistent with the spectral error analysis, and at the lowest cost. In marginally resolved DNS and LES (poorly resolved by definition) the new cubic skew-symmetric form represents a robust convective formulation which minimizes both aliasing and computational cost while also allowing a reduction in the use of computationally expensive high-order dissipative filters.     

The Influence of Stochastic Layers of Magnetic Field Lines on Transport Barrier Formation in a Stellarator System

The results of local measurements of RF discharge plasma parameters in the process of internal transport barriers (ITB) formation in the vicinity of rational magnetic surfaces in the Uragan-3M torsatron are presented. The following phenomena were observed in the process of ITB formation: widening of the radial density distribution, formation of plateaus on radial density and electron temperature distributions, formation of regions with high shear of poloidal plasma rotation velocity and radial electric field in the vicinity of stochastic layers of magnetic field lines, decrease of density fluctuations and their radial correlation length, decorrelation of density fluctuations, and increase of the bootstrap current.After the ITB formation, the transition to the improved plasma confinement regime takes place. The transition moves to the beginning of the discharge with the increase of heating power. The possible mechanism of ITB formation near rational surfaces is discussed.     

Korteweg–de Vries surface solitons at plasma interfaces

We analyse the propagation of nonlinear waves along a slab of magnetized non-homogeneous bounded plasma under gravity. We prove that small Mach number and weakly dispersive Korteweg–de Vries solitons propagate along the magnetic field. These solitons produce negligible vorticity, electrical current and density fluctuations. Conditions are worked out for them to be of the sausage or kink mode, of the dark or bright type and for their speed to be super- and sub-Alfvénic. An example of the sausage, bright, super-Alfvénic soliton is also reproduced by ab initio two-dimensional numerical simulations of the fully compressible MHD equations.