Dynamo quenching due to shear flow

We provide a theory of dynamo (alpha effect) and momentum transport in three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics. For the first time, we show that the alpha effect is reduced by the shear even in the absence of magnetic field. The alpha effect is further suppressed by magnetic fields well below equipartition (with the large-scale flow) with different scalings depending on the relative strength of shear and magnetic field. The turbulent viscosity is also found to be significantly reduced by shear and magnetic fields, with positive value. These results suggest a crucial effect of shear and magnetic field on dynamo quenching and momentum transport reduction, with important implications for laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, in particular, for the dynamics of the Sun.     

Gyrokinetic microtearing turbulence

The nonlinear dynamics of microtearing modes in standard tokamak plasmas are investigated by means of ab initio gyrokinetic simulations. The saturation levels of the magnetic field fluctuations can be understood in the framework of a balance between (small poloidal wave number) linear drive and small-scale dissipation. The resulting heat transport is dominated by the electron magnetic component, and the transport levels are found to be experimentally relevant. Microtearing modes thus constitute another candidate for explaining turbulent transport in such toroidal systems.     

Local kinetic effects in two-dimensional plasma turbulence

Using direct numerical simulations of a hybrid Vlasov-Maxwell model, kinetic processes are investigated in a two-dimensional turbulent plasma. In the turbulent regime, kinetic effects manifest through a deformation of the ion distribution function. These patterns of non-Maxwellian features are concentrated in space nearby regions of strong magnetic activity: the distribution function is modulated by the magnetic topology, and can elongate along or across the local magnetic field. These results open a new path on the study of kinetic processes such as heating, particle acceleration, and temperature anisotropy, commonly observed in astrophysical and laboratory plasmas.     

对天体等离子体中铝发射谱的理论研究

超强超短脉冲激光产生的高温、高密、强磁场等离子体与天体等离子体在许多方面都有很强的相似性,这使得某些天体物理过程的实验室模拟成为可能.对天体等离子体中的铝发射谱进行了理论模拟,结果显示,利用激光等离子体的发射光谱,可以在实验室获得天体上难于观测的光谱范围并为天体物理学研究提供丰富的信息. 关键词： 实验室天体物理 激光等离子体 发射谱     

Transition from large-scale to small-scale dynamo

The dynamo equations are solved numerically with a helical forcing corresponding to the Roberts flow. In the fully turbulent regime the flow behaves as a Roberts flow on long time scales, plus turbulent fluctuations at short time scales. The dynamo onset is controlled by the long time scales of the flow, in agreement with the former Karlsruhe experimental results. The dynamo mechanism is governed by a generalized α effect, which includes both the usual α effect and turbulent diffusion, plus all higher order effects. Beyond the onset we find that this generalized α effect scales as O(Rm(-1)), suggesting the takeover of small-scale dynamo action. This is confirmed by simulations in which dynamo occurs even if the large-scale field is artificially suppressed.     

湍流热对流中的若干问题

对流是自然界中的一种常见现象,与人们的日常生产、生活息息相关。作为湍流和非线性系统的一个简单模型,在20世纪90年代以后,人们对热对流进行了系统而深入的研究。然而,直到现在,人们对湍流热对流的规律和本质仍然所知有限。文章主要从湍流传热、相干结构、大尺度环流和湍流中脉动量的小尺度统计等四个方面,简要地介绍了近年来湍流热对流的一些新进展。     

Relativistic laser-matter interaction and relativistic laboratory astrophysics

The paper is devoted to the prospects of using the laser radiation interaction with plasmas in the laboratory relativistic astrophysics context. We discuss the dimensionless parameters characterizing the processes in the laser and astrophysical plasmas and emphisize a similarity between the laser and astrophysical plasmas in the ultrarelativistic energy limit. In particular, we address basic mechanisms of the charged particle acceleration, the collisionless shock wave and magnetic reconnection and vortex dynamics properties relevant to the problem of ultrarelativistic particle acceleration.     

Electromagnetic instabilities in weakly relativistic plasmas

The spin-orbit coupling effects on the velocity space electromagnetic instabilities have been analytically studied. In this order, first, a suitable form of the kinetic theory is introduced and then, results are investigated for real ICF and astrophysical plasmas. For the ICF plasmas, Low intensity magnetic field can not provide a suitable field for effectiveness of the particle’s spin, while transmission to astrophysical subjects is different. For astrophysical applications, the spin-orbit coupling effects can lead to addition free energy so that, it can overcoming the non relativistic effects and leads to increasing the instability growth rate.     

Fluid turbulence in quantum plasmas

Nonlinear fluid simulations are developed by us to investigate the properties of fully developed two-dimensional (2D) electron fluid turbulence in a very dense Fermi (quantum) plasma. We find that a 2D quantum electron plasma exhibits dual cascades, in which the electron number density cascades towards smaller turbulent scales, while the electrostatic potential forms larger scale eddies. The characteristic turbulent spectrum associated with the nonlinear electron plasma oscillations (EPO) is determined critically by a ratio of the energy density of the EPOs and the electron kinetic energy density of quantum plasmas. The turbulent transport corresponding to the large-scale potential distribution is predominant in comparison with the small-scale electron number density variation, a result that is consistent with the classical diffusion theory.     

Two New Solutions of Non-constant-α Force-Free Magnetic Field

Two new solutions for non-constant-α force-free magnetic field are found analytically. Implications of the results to astrophysical solar plasmas as well tokamak plasmas are discussed.     

高比压环流器等离子体位形的稳定性

本文用解析方法表示了高比压环流器的平衡位形,进而计算了局部理想磁流体判据,并着重讨论了低q运行的可能性。结果发现存在一大类具有这些特性的环流器平衡位形,有的位形其中心约束区域有很高的稳定性余度。对p′(ψ)剖面不同的位形以及不同位移函数的位形的稳定性做比较,发现大的位移及平坦的p′(ψ)剖面有更好的稳定性。 关键词：     

Theory for explosive ideal magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in plasmas

Flux tubes confined in tokamaks are observed to erupt explosively in some plasma disruptions and edge localized modes. Similar eruptions occur in astrophysical plasmas, for example, in solar flares and magnetospheric substorms. A single unifying nonlinear evolution equation describing such behavior in both astrophysical and tokamak plasmas is derived. This theory predicts that flux tubes rise explosively, narrow, and twist to pass through overlying magnetic field lines without reconnection.     

Phase-relationships between scales in the perturbed turbulent boundary layer

The phase-relationship between large-scale motions and small-scale fluctuations in a non-equilibrium turbulent boundary layer was investigated. A zero-pressure-gradient flat plate turbulent boundary layer was perturbed by a short array of two-dimensional roughness elements, both statically, and under dynamic actuation. Within the compound, dynamic perturbation, the forcing generated a synthetic very-large-scale motion (VLSM) within the flow. The flow was decomposed by phase-locking the flow measurements to the roughness forcing, and the phase-relationship between the synthetic VLSM and remaining fluctuating scales was explored by correlation techniques. The general relationship between large- and small-scale motions in the perturbed flow, without phase-locking, was also examined. The synthetic large scale cohered with smaller scales in the flow via a phase-relationship that is similar to that of natural large scales in an unperturbed flow, but with a much stronger organizing effect. Cospectral techniques were employed to describe the physical implications of the perturbation on the relative orientation of large- and small-scale structures in the flow. The correlation and cospectral techniques provide tools for designing more efficient control strategies that can indirectly control small-scale motions via the large scales.     

New Approaches and Solutions of Nonlinear Force-Free Magnetic Field

Some new approaches for nonlinear force-free magnetic field are presented and new exact solutions are found analytically. Examples are given and some implications of results to astrophysical solar plasmas as well as tokamak or/and spheromak plasmas are discussed.     

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.     

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.     

Characterization of fluctuating hydroxyl concentrations in?a?turbulent nonpremixed hydrogen–nitrogen jet flame

Two-point OH time-series measurements using a high-speed, laser-induced fluorescence system have been performed in a turbulent nonpremixed jet flame to obtain both radial and axial space–time correlations. Turbulent OH structures in such flames are found to undergo convection both axially and radially, but OH convection does not satisfy the ‘frozen-turbulence’ hypothesis owing to various turbulent interactions and chemical reactions. While axial OH convection occurs at approximately the local mean bulk velocity, radial convection is largely compromised by strong turbulent mixing along the same direction. The hydroxyl integral length scale can be interpreted as the typical dimension of a convective OH structure, which is axially elongated and becomes more isotropic in the post-flame region. The hydroxyl integral time scale can be interpreted as approximately the ratio of an axial integral length scale to a corresponding local mean flow velocity. In general, macroscale fluctuations of OH are dominated by large-scale turbulence, with little contribution from small-scale turbulence and OH chemistry.     

Solution to the inverse scattering problem for strongly fluctuating media using partially coherent light

We investigate the inverse scattering problem for statistically homogeneous, isotropic random media under conditions of strong fluctuations of optical wavefields. We present a method for determining the spectral density of the dielectric constant fluctuations in such media from scattering of partially coherent light. The method may find applications to a wide class of turbulent media such as the turbulent atmosphere and certain turbulent plasmas where backscattering and depolarization effects are negligible.