OBSERVATIONAL SIGNATURES OF SUB-PHOTOSPHERIC RADIATION-MEDIATED SHOCKS IN THE PROMPT PHASE OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levinson, Amir

2012-01-01

A shock that forms below the photosphere of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) outflow is mediated by Compton scattering of radiation advected into the shock by the upstream fluid. The characteristic scale of such a shock, a few Thomson depths, is larger than any kinetic scale involved by several orders of magnitude. Hence, unlike collisionless shocks, radiation-mediated shocks cannot accelerate particles to nonthermal energies. The spectrum emitted by a shock that emerges from the photosphere of a GRB jet reflects the temperature profile downstream of the shock, with a possible contribution at the highest energies from the shock transition layer itself. We study the properties of radiation-mediated shocks that form during the prompt phase of GRBs and compute the time-integrated spectrum emitted by the shocked fluid following shock breakout. We show that the time-integrated emission from a single shock exhibits a prominent thermal peak, with the location of the peak depending on the shock velocity profile. We also point out that multiple shock emission can produce a spectrum that mimics a Band spectrum.

Hot mantles, moderate photospheres for Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Underhill, A.B.

1982-01-01

The amount of continuous energy from Wolf-Rayet stars and the shape of the continuous spectrum from the ultraviolet to the near infrared correspond to effective temperatures in the range 25000 to 30000 K. The value of log g is of the order of 4.0 +- 0.5. Thus the photospheres of Wolf-Rayet stars correspond to those of moderately hot stars. The line spectra of Wolf-Rayet stars, however, indicate that electron temperatures greater than 30000 K occur in the outer atmospheres or mantles of these stars. Here outflow is important. (Auth.)

On the Reconstruction of the Convection Pattern Below an Active Region of Solar Corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pirot, Dorian; Gaudet, Jonathan; Vincent, Alain

2012-01-01

In order to better understand magneto-convective patterns and flux emergence, we use the Nudging Back and Forth, a data assimilation method with an anelastic convection model to reconstruct the convection zone below a solar active region from observed solar surface magnetograms. To mimic photosphere, vector magnetograms are computed using force free hypothesis. We find that the observed arcade system of AR9077-20000714 ( t he slinky ) of magnetic lines is actually formed by Ω and U loops generated in the convection zone. We generate temperature maps at top of the convective zone and find that high magnetic fields on either sides of the neutral line produce a local cooling by impeding the overturning motions.

Observations of photospheric magnetic fields and shear flows in flaring active regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarbell, T.; Ferguson, S.; Frank, Z.; Title, A.; Topka, K.

1988-01-01

Horizontal flows in the photosphere and subsurface convection zone move the footpoints of coronal magnetic field lines. Magnetic energy to power flares can be stored in the corona if the flows drive the fields far from the potential configuration. Videodisk movies were shown with 0.5 to 1 arcsecond resolution of the following simultaneous observations: green continuum, longitudinal magnetogram, Fe I 5576 A line center (mid-photosphere), H alpha wings, and H alpha line center. The movies show a 90 x 90 arcsecond field of view of an active region at S29, W11. When viewed at speeds of a few thousand times real-time, the photospheric movies clearly show the active region fields being distorted by a remarkable combination of systematic flows and small eruptions of new flux. Magnetic bipoles are emerging over a large area, and the polarities are systematically flowing apart. The horizontal flows were mapped in detail from the continuum movies, and these may be used to predict the future evolution of the region. The horizontal flows are not discernable in H alpha. The H alpha movies strongly suggest reconnection processes in the fibrils joining opposite polarities. When viewed in combination with the magnetic movies, the cause for this evolution is apparent: opposite polarity fields collide and partially cancel, and the fibrils reconnect above the surface. This type of reconnection, driven by subphotospheric flows, complicates the chromospheric and coronal fields, causing visible braiding and twisting of the fibrils. Some of the transient emission events in the fibrils and adjacent plage may also be related

The amplitude of the deep solar convection and the origin of the solar supergranulation

Science.gov (United States)

Rast, Mark

2017-11-01

Recent observations and models have raised questions about our understanding of the dynamics of the deep solar convection. In particular, the amplitude of low wavenumber convective motions appears to be too high in both local area radiative magnetohydrodynamic and global spherical shell magnetohydrodynamic simulations. In global simulations this results in weaker than needed rotational constraints and consequent non solar-like differential rotation profiles. In deep local area simulations it yields strong horizontal flows in the photosphere on scales much larger than the observed supergranulation. We have undertaken numerical studies that suggest that solution to this problem is closely related to the long standing question of the origin of the solar supergranulation. Two possibilities have emerged. One suggests that small scale photospherically driven motions dominate convecive transport even at depth, descending through a very nearly adiabatic interior (more more nearly adiabatic than current convection models achieve). Convection of this form can meet Rossby number constraints set by global scale motions and implies that the solar supergranulation is the largest buoyantly driven scale of motion in the Sun. The other possibility is that large scale convection driven deeep in the Sun dynamically couples to the near surface shear layer, perhaps as its origin. In this case supergranulation would be the largest non-coupled convective mode, or only weakly coupled and thus potentially explaining the observed excess power in the prograde direction. Recent helioseismic results lend some support to this. We examind both of these possibilities using carefully designed numerical experiments, and weigh thier plausibilities in light of recent observations.

MONTE CARLO RADIATION TRANSFER SIMULATIONS OF PHOTOSPHERIC EMISSION IN LONG-DURATION GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lazzati, Davide [Department of Physics, Oregon State University, 301 Weniger Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States)

2016-10-01

We present MCRaT, a Monte Carlo Radiation Transfer code for self-consistently computing the light curves and spectra of the photospheric emission from relativistic, unmagnetized jets. We apply MCRaT to a relativistic hydrodynamic simulation of a long-duration gamma-ray burst jet, and present the resulting light curves and time-dependent spectra for observers at various angles from the jet axis. We compare our results to observational results and find that photospheric emission is a viable model to explain the prompt phase of long-duration gamma-ray bursts at the peak frequency and above, but faces challenges when reproducing the flat spectrum below the peak frequency. We finally discuss possible limitations of these results both in terms of the hydrodynamics and the radiation transfer and how these limitations could affect the conclusions that we present.

Magnetic Fields in the Solar Convection Zone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Yuhong

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Recent studies of the dynamic evolution of magnetic flux tubes in the solar convection zone are reviewed with focus on emerging flux tubes responsible for the formation of solar active regions. The current prevailing picture is that active regions on the solar surface originate from strong toroidal magnetic fields generated by the solar dynamo mechanism at the thin tachocline layer at the base of the solar convection zone. Thus the magnetic fields need to traverse the entire convection zone before they reach the photosphere to form the observed solar active regions. This review discusses results with regard to the following major topics: 1. the equilibrium properties of the toroidal magnetic fields stored in the stable overshoot region at the base of the convection zone, 2. the buoyancy instability associated with the toroidal magnetic fields and the formation of buoyant magnetic flux tubes, 3. the rise of emerging flux loops through the solar convective envelope as modeled by the thin flux tube calculations which infer that the field strength of the toroidal magnetic fields at the base of the solar convection zone is significantly higher than the value in equipartition with convection, 4. the minimum twist needed for maintaining cohesion of the rising flux tubes, 5. the rise of highly twisted kink unstable flux tubes as a possible origin of d -sunspots, 6. the evolution of buoyant magnetic flux tubes in 3D stratified convection, 7. turbulent pumping of magnetic flux by penetrative compressible convection, 8. an alternative mechanism for intensifying toroidal magnetic fields to significantly super-equipartition field strengths by conversion of the potential energy associated with the superadiabatic stratification of the solar convection zone, and finally 9. a brief overview of our current understanding of flux emergence at the surface and post-emergence evolution of the subsurface magnetic fields.

Determining the solar-flare photospheric scale height from SMM gamma-ray measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Lingenfelter, Richard E.

1991-01-01

A connected series of Monte Carlo programs was developed to make systematic calculations of the energy, temporal and angular dependences of the gamma-ray line and neutron emission resulting from such accelerated ion interactions. Comparing the results of these calculations with the Solar Maximum Mission/Gamma Ray Spectrometer (SMM/GRS) measurements of gamma-ray line and neutron fluxes, the total number and energy spectrum of the flare-accelerated ions trapped on magnetic loops at the Sun were determined and the angular distribution, pitch angle scattering, and mirroring of the ions on loop fields were constrained. Comparing the calculations with measurements of the time dependence of the neutron capture line emission, a determination of the He-3/H ratio in the photosphere was also made. The diagnostic capabilities of the SMM/GRS measurements were extended by developing a new technique to directly determine the effective photospheric scale height in solar flares from the neutron capture gamma-ray line measurements, and critically test current atmospheric models in the flare region.

Convection in Slab and Spheroidal Geometries

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, David H.; Woodward, Paul R.; Jacobs, Michael L.

2000-01-01

Three-dimensional numerical simulations of compressible turbulent thermally driven convection, in both slab and spheroidal geometries, are reviewed and analyzed in terms of velocity spectra and mixing-length theory. The same ideal gas model is used in both geometries, and resulting flows are compared. The piecewise-parabolic method (PPM), with either thermal conductivity or photospheric boundary conditions, is used to solve the fluid equations of motion. Fluid motions in both geometries exhibit a Kolmogorov-like k(sup -5/3) range in their velocity spectra. The longest wavelength modes are energetically dominant in both geometries, typically leading to one convection cell dominating the flow. In spheroidal geometry, a dipolar flow dominates the largest scale convective motions. Downflows are intensely turbulent and up drafts are relatively laminar in both geometries. In slab geometry, correlations between temperature and velocity fluctuations, which lead to the enthalpy flux, are fairly independent of depth. In spheroidal geometry this same correlation increases linearly with radius over the inner 70 percent by radius, in which the local pressure scale heights are a sizable fraction of the radius. The effects from the impenetrable boundary conditions in the slab geometry models are confused with the effects from non-local convection. In spheroidal geometry nonlocal effects, due to coherent plumes, are seen as far as several pressure scale heights from the lower boundary and are clearly distinguishable from boundary effects.

IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL MARKERS OF THE SUN'S GIANT CONVECTIVE SCALE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McIntosh, Scott W.; Wang, Xin [High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307 (United States); Leamon, Robert J. [Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717 (United States); Scherrer, Philip H. [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States)

2014-04-01

Line-of-sight magnetograms from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) are analyzed using a diagnostic known as the magnetic range of influence (MRoI). The MRoI is a measure of the length over which a photospheric magnetogram is balanced and so its application gives the user a sense of the connective length scales in the outer solar atmosphere. The MRoI maps and histograms inferred from the SDO/HMI magnetograms primarily exhibit four scales: a scale of a few megameters that can be associated with granulation, a scale of a few tens of megameters that can be associated with super-granulation, a scale of many hundreds to thousands of megameters that can be associated with coronal holes and active regions, and a hitherto unnoticed scale that ranges from 100 to 250 Mm. We infer that this final scale is an imprint of the (rotationally driven) giant convective scale on photospheric magnetism. This scale appears in MRoI maps as well-defined, spatially distributed concentrations that we have dubbed ''g-nodes''. Furthermore, using coronal observations from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on SDO, we see that the vicinity of these g-nodes appears to be a preferred location for the formation of extreme-ultraviolet (and likely X-Ray) brightpoints. These observations and straightforward diagnostics offer the potential of a near real-time mapping of the Sun's largest convective scale, a scale that possibly reaches to the very bottom of the convective zone.

Photospheric, circumstellar, and interstellar features of HE, C, N. O, and Si in the HST spectra of four hot white dwarf stars

Science.gov (United States)

Shipman, Harry L.; Provencal, Judi; Roby, Scott W.; Barstow, Martin; Bond, Howard; Bruhweiler, Fred; Finley, David; Fontaine, Gilles; Holberg, Jay; Nousek, John

1995-01-01

This paper reports on the observations of four hot white dwarf stars with the spectrographs on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The higher resolving power and higher signal/noise, in comparison with IUE, reveals a very rich phenomomenology, including photospheric features from heavy elements, circumstellar features, and the first direct detection of accretion onto the white dwarf component of a binary system. Specific results include the following: Our observations of the ultrahot degenerate H1504+65 confirm that it has a photosphere which is depleted in both H and He, and reveals features of C IV and O VI. The spectrum fits previously published models extremely well. The intermediate-temperature DO star PG 1034+001 has an ultraviolet spectrum showing complex profiles of the well-known resonance doublets of C IV, N v, and Si IV. The O V 1371 line shows a clear separation into a photospheric and a circumstellar component, and it is likely that the same two components can explain the other lines as well. The cooler DA star GD 394 has an extensive system of heavy-element features, but their radial velocity is such that it is highly unlikely that they are formed in the stellar photosphere. Time-resolved spectra of the accreting white dwarf in the V 471 Tau binary system are briefly presented here; they do show the presence of C IV, Si IV, and He II. However, the C IV and He II lines are in emission, rather than in aborption as had been expected.

Monte Carlo Simulations of Photospheric Emission in Relativistic Outflows

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Mukul; Lu, Wenbin; Kumar, Pawan; Santana, Rodolfo

2018-01-01

We study the spectra of photospheric emission from highly relativistic gamma-ray burst outflows using a Monte Carlo code. We consider the Comptonization of photons with a fast-cooled synchrotron spectrum in a relativistic jet with a realistic photon-to-electron number ratio {N}γ /{N}{{e}}={10}5, using mono-energetic protons that interact with thermalized electrons through Coulomb interaction. The photons, electrons, and protons are cooled adiabatically as the jet expands outward. We find that the initial energy distributions of the protons and electrons do not have any appreciable effect on the photon peak energy {E}γ ,{peak} and the power-law spectrum above {E}γ ,{peak}. The Coulomb interaction between the electrons and the protons does not affect the output photon spectrum significantly as the energy of the electrons is elevated only marginally. {E}γ ,{peak} and the spectral indices for the low- and high-energy power-law tails of the photon spectrum remain practically unchanged even with electron-proton coupling. Increasing the initial optical depth {τ }{in} results in a slightly shallower photon spectrum below {E}γ ,{peak} and fewer photons at the high-energy tail, although {f}ν \\propto {ν }-0.5 above {E}γ ,{peak} and up to ∼1 MeV, independent of {τ }{in}. We find that {E}γ ,{peak} determines the peak energy and the shape of the output photon spectrum. Finally, we find that our simulation results are quite sensitive to {N}γ /{N}{{e}}, for {N}{{e}}=3× {10}3. For almost all our simulations, we obtain an output photon spectrum with a power-law tail above {E}γ ,{peak} extending up to ∼1 MeV.

ALFVÉN WAVES IN SIMULATIONS OF SOLAR PHOTOSPHERIC VORTICES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shelyag, S.; Cally, P. S. [Monash Centre for Astrophysics, School of Mathematical Sciences, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Reid, A.; Mathioudakis, M. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom)

2013-10-10

Using advanced numerical magneto-hydrodynamic simulations of the magnetized solar photosphere, including non-gray radiative transport and a non-ideal equation of state, we analyze plasma motions in photospheric magnetic vortices. We demonstrate that apparent vortex-like motions in photospheric magnetic field concentrations do not exhibit 'tornado'-like behavior or a 'bath-tub' effect. While at each time instance the velocity field lines in the upper layers of the solar photosphere show swirls, the test particles moving with the time-dependent velocity field do not demonstrate such structures. Instead, they move in a wave-like fashion with rapidly changing and oscillating velocity field, determined mainly by magnetic tension in the magnetized intergranular downflows. Using time-distance diagrams, we identify horizontal motions in the magnetic flux tubes as torsional Alfvén perturbations propagating along the nearly vertical magnetic field lines with local Alfvén speed.

Effect of perturbation of convective energy transport on the luminosity and radius of the sun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endal, A.S.; Twigg, L.W.

1982-01-01

The response of solar models to perturbations of the efficiency of convective energy transport is studied for a number of cases. Such perturbations primarily affect the shallow superadiabatic layer of the convective envelope (at depths 3 km below the photosphere). Independent of the details of the perturbation scheme, the resulting change in the solar radius (ΔR/R) is always very small compared to the change in luminosity (ΔL/L). This appears to be true for any physical mechanism of solar variability which operates in the outer layers of the convection zone. Changes of the solar radius have been inferred by Dunham et al. from historical observations of solar eclipses in 1715 and 1925. Considering the constraints on concurrent luminosity changes, this type of solar variability must be indicative of changes in the solar structure at substantial depths below the superadiabatic layer of the convective envelope

Do evaporating black holes form photospheres?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacGibbon, Jane H.; Carr, B. J.; Page, Don N.

2008-01-01

Several authors, most notably Heckler, have claimed that the observable Hawking emission from a microscopic black hole is significantly modified by the formation of a photosphere around the black hole due to QED or QCD interactions between the emitted particles. In this paper we analyze these claims and identify a number of physical and geometrical effects which invalidate these scenarios. We point out two key problems. First, the interacting particles must be causally connected to interact, and this condition is satisfied by only a small fraction of the emitted particles close to the black hole. Second, a scattered particle requires a distance ∼E/m e 2 for completing each bremsstrahlung interaction, with the consequence that it is improbable for there to be more than one complete bremsstrahlung interaction per particle near the black hole. These two effects have not been included in previous analyses. We conclude that the emitted particles do not interact sufficiently to form a QED photosphere. Similar arguments apply in the QCD case and prevent a QCD photosphere (chromosphere) from developing when the black hole temperature is much greater than Λ QCD , the threshold for QCD particle emission. Additional QCD phenomenological arguments rule out the development of a chromosphere around black hole temperatures of order Λ QCD . In all cases, the observational signatures of a cosmic or Galactic halo background of primordial black holes or an individual black hole remain essentially those of the standard Hawking model, with little change to the detection probability. We also consider the possibility, as proposed by Belyanin et al. and D. Cline et al., that plasma interactions between the emitted particles form a photosphere, and we conclude that this scenario too is not supported.

Photospheric Driving of Non-Potential Coronal Magnetic Field Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-19

synthesize observable emission . In future, the computational speed of the MF model makes it a potential avenue for near- real time and/or ensemble...AFRL-AFOSR-UK-TR-2016-0030 PHOTOSPHERIC DRIVING OF NON-POTENTIAL CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELD SIMULATIONS Anthony Yeates UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM Final Report...Final 3. DATES COVERED (From - To)  15 Sep 2014 to 14 Sep 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE PHOTOSPHERIC DRIVING OF NON-POTENTIAL CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELD

The high-resolution spectrum of the pulsating, pre-white dwarf star PG 1159-035 (GW VIR)

Science.gov (United States)

Liebert, James; Wesemael, F.; Husfeld, D.; Wehrse, R.; Starrfield, S. G.

1989-01-01

High-resolution and low-resolution UV spectra and a high-resolution optical spectrum were obtained for PG 1159-035, revealing apparent photospheric absorption features with defined cores from N V 1240 A, N IV 1270 A, O V 1371 A, and C IV 1550 A. The photospheric velocity derived using all of these lines except for C IV is about +35 km/s. Equivalent-width measurements determined for all of the features may provide a tighter constraint on the photospheric temperature in a detailed model atmosphere analysis treating the CNO ions.

The photospheric vector magnetic field of a sunspot and its vertical gradient

Science.gov (United States)

Hagyard, M. J.; West, E. A.; Tandberg-Hanssen, E.; Smith, J. E.; Henze, W., Jr.; Beckers, J. M.; Bruner, E. C.; Hyder, C. L.; Gurman, J. B.; Shine, R. A.

1981-01-01

The results of direct comparisons of photospheric and transition region line-of-sight field observations of sunspots using the SMM UV spectrometer and polarimeter are reported. The analysis accompanying the data is concentrated on demonstrating that the sunspot concentrated magnetic field extends into the transition region. An observation of a sunspot on Oct. 23, 1980 at the S 18 E 03 location is used as an example. Maximum field strengths ranged from 2030-2240 gauss for large and small umbrae viewed and inclination of the field to the line-of-sight was determined for the photosphere and transition region. The distribution of the magnetic field over the sunspot and variation of the line-of-sight gradient are discussed, as are the magnitudes and gradients of the photospheric field across the penumbral-photospheric boundaries.

The correlation of fractal structures in the photospheric and the coronal magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Dimitropoulou, M.; Georgoulis, M.; Isliker, H.; Vlahos, L.; Anastasiadis, A.; Strintzi, D.; Moussas, X.

2009-10-01

Context: This work examines the relation between the fractal properties of the photospheric magnetic patterns and those of the coronal magnetic fields in solar active regions. Aims: We investigate whether there is any correlation between the fractal dimensions of the photospheric structures and the magnetic discontinuities formed in the corona. Methods: To investigate the connection between the photospheric and coronal complexity, we used a nonlinear force-free extrapolation method that reconstructs the 3d magnetic fields using 2d observed vector magnetograms as boundary conditions. We then located the magnetic discontinuities, which are considered as spatial proxies of reconnection-related instabilities. These discontinuities form well-defined volumes, called here unstable volumes. We calculated the fractal dimensions of these unstable volumes and compared them to the fractal dimensions of the boundary vector magnetograms. Results: Our results show no correlation between the fractal dimensions of the observed 2d photospheric structures and the extrapolated unstable volumes in the corona, when nonlinear force-free extrapolation is used. This result is independent of efforts to (1) bring the photospheric magnetic fields closer to a nonlinear force-free equilibrium and (2) omit the lower part of the modeled magnetic field volume that is almost completely filled by unstable volumes. A significant correlation between the fractal dimensions of the photospheric and coronal magnetic features is only observed at the zero level (lower limit) of approximation of a current-free (potential) magnetic field extrapolation. Conclusions: We conclude that the complicated transition from photospheric non-force-free fields to coronal force-free ones hampers any direct correlation between the fractal dimensions of the 2d photospheric patterns and their 3d counterparts in the corona at the nonlinear force-free limit, which can be considered as a second level of approximation in this

BRITE-Constellation high-precision time-dependent photometry of the early O-type supergiant ζ Puppis unveils the photospheric drivers of its small- and large-scale wind structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ramiaramanantsoa, Tahina; Moffat, Anthony F. J.; Harmon, Robert; Ignace, Richard; St-Louis, Nicole; Vanbeveren, Dany; Shenar, Tomer; Pablo, Herbert; Richardson, Noel D.; Howarth, Ian D.; Stevens, Ian R.; Piaulet, Caroline; St-Jean, Lucas; Eversberg, Thomas; Pigulski, Andrzej; Popowicz, Adam; Kuschnig, Rainer; Zocłońska, Elżbieta; Buysschaert, Bram; Handler, Gerald; Weiss, Werner W.; Wade, Gregg A.; Rucinski, Slavek M.; Zwintz, Konstanze; Luckas, Paul; Heathcote, Bernard; Cacella, Paulo; Powles, Jonathan; Locke, Malcolm; Bohlsen, Terry; Chené, André-Nicolas; Miszalski, Brent; Waldron, Wayne L.; Kotze, Marissa M.; Kotze, Enrico J.; Böhm, Torsten

2018-02-01

From 5.5 months of dual-band optical photometric monitoring at the 1 mmag level, BRITE-Constellation has revealed two simultaneous types of variability in the O4I(n)fp star ζ Puppis: one single periodic non-sinusoidal component superimposed on a stochastic component. The monoperiodic component is the 1.78-d signal previously detected by Coriolis/Solar Mass Ejection Imager, but this time along with a prominent first harmonic. The shape of this signal changes over time, a behaviour that is incompatible with stellar oscillations but consistent with rotational modulation arising from evolving bright surface inhomogeneities. By means of a constrained non-linear light-curve inversion algorithm, we mapped the locations of the bright surface spots and traced their evolution. Our simultaneous ground-based multisite spectroscopic monitoring of the star unveiled cyclical modulation of its He II λ4686 wind emission line with the 1.78-d rotation period, showing signatures of corotating interaction regions that turn out to be driven by the bright photospheric spots observed by BRITE. Traces of wind clumps are also observed in the He II λ4686 line and are correlated with the amplitudes of the stochastic component of the light variations probed by BRITE at the photosphere, suggesting that the BRITE observations additionally unveiled the photospheric drivers of wind clumps in ζ Pup and that the clumping phenomenon starts at the very base of the wind. The origins of both the bright surface inhomogeneities and the stochastic light variations remain unknown, but a subsurface convective zone might play an important role in the generation of these two types of photospheric variability.

Brightness of the photosphere and faculae at the limb according to eclipse observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akimov, L.A.; Belkina, I.L.; Dyatel, N.P. (Khar' kovskij Gosudarstvennyj Univ. (Ukrainian SSR). Astronomicheskaya Observatoriya)

The absolute integrated and surface brightness distributions of the photospheric continuum (lambda approximately 5870 A) and faculae at the extreme limb are obtained from July 10, 1972 solar eclipse slitless spectrograms. Some possible reasons of the limb brightening in the surface brightness distributions of the photosphere are discussed. It is detected that facular contrasts have the high values, up to 1.76 for the height about 200 km. This fact shows that radiation and matter density changes depending on height in the upper atmosphere in a facula more quickly than outside the facula. The comparison of the observed moments of local contacts with the theoretical ones, based on the lunar limb relief data, has shown that the active regions are approximately 300 km higher than the photosphere. The schematic model of the photospheric faculae is given.

Brightness of the photosphere and faculae at the limb according to eclipse observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimov, L.A.; Belkina, I.L.; Dyatel, N.P.

1982-01-01

The absolute integrated and surface brightness distributions of the photospheric continuum (lambda approximately 5870 A) and faculae at the extreme limb are obtained from July 10, 1972 solar eclipse slitless spectrograms. Some possible reasons of the limb brightening in the surface brightness distributions of the photosphere are discussed. It is detected that facular contrasts have the high values, up to 1.76 for the height about 200 km. This fact shows that radiation and matter density changes depending on height in the upper atmosphere in a facula more quickly than outside the facula. The comparison of the observed moments of local contacts with the theoretical ones, based on the lunar limb relief data, has shown that the active regions are approximately 300 km higher than the photosphere. The schematic model of the photospheric faculae is given

Thermal bifurcation in the upper photosphere inferred from heterodyne spectroscopy of OH rotational lines

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, D.; Kostiuk, T.; Mumma, M. J.; Hillman, J. J.; Zipoy, D. M.

1984-01-01

Low-noise (S/N greater than 100), high spectral resolution observations of two pure rotation transitions of OH from the solar photosphere are used to make inferences concerning the thermal structure and inhomogeneity of the upper photosphere. It is found that the v = O R22(24.5)e line strengthens at the solar limb, in contradiction to the predictions of current one-dimensional photospheric models. The results for this line support a two-dimensional model in which horizontal thermal fluctuations in the upper photosphere are of the order plus or minus 800 K. This thermal bifurcation may be maintained by the presence of magnetic flux tubes and may be related to the solar limb extensions observed in the 30-200-micron region.

PHOTOSPHERE EMISSION FROM A HYBRID RELATIVISTIC OUTFLOW WITH ARBITRARY DIMENSIONLESS ENTROPY AND MAGNETIZATION IN GRBs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, He [Current address: Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, Center for Particle Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Zhang, Bing, E-mail: gaohe@physics.unlv.edu, E-mail: zhang@physics.unlv.edu, E-mail: hug18@psu.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154 (United States)

2015-03-10

In view of the recent Fermi observations of gamma-ray burst (GRB) prompt emission spectra, we develop a theory of photosphere emission of a hybrid relativistic outflow with a hot fireball component (defined by dimensionless entropy η) and a cold Poynting-flux component (defined by magnetization σ{sub 0} at the central engine). We consider the scenarios both without and with sub-photospheric magnetic dissipations. Based on a simplified toy model of jet dynamics, we develop two approaches: a 'bottom-up' approach to predict the temperature (for a non-dissipative photosphere) and luminosity of the photosphere emission and its relative brightness for a given pair of (η, σ{sub 0}); and a 'top-down' approach to diagnose central engine parameters (η and σ{sub 0}) based on the observed quasi-thermal photosphere emission properties. We show that a variety of observed GRB prompt emission spectra with different degrees of photosphere thermal emission can be reproduced by varying η and σ{sub 0} within the non-dissipative photosphere scenario. In order to reproduce the observed spectra, the outflows of most GRBs need to have a significant σ, both at the central engine and at the photosphere. The σ value at 10{sup 15} cm from the central engine (a possible non-thermal emission site) is usually also greater than unity, so that internal-collision-induced magnetic reconnection and turbulence (ICMART) may be the mechanism to power the non-thermal emission. We apply our top-down approach to GRB 110721A and find that the temporal evolution behavior of its blackbody component can be well interpreted with a time-varying (η, σ{sub 0}) at the central engine, instead of invoking a varying engine base size r {sub 0} as proposed by previous authors.

Brightness of the photosphere and faculae at the limb based on eclipse observations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akimov, L.A.; Belkina, I.L.; Dyatel, N.P.

1982-05-01

The absolute distributions of integral and surface brightness of the photospheric continuum (lambdaroughly-equal5870 A) and in faculae at the very limb are obtained from slitless spectrograms of the total solar eclipse of July 10, 1972. Several possible reasons for the brightness increase toward the limb in the distribution of photospheric surface brightness are discussed. The faculae showed high contrasts, up to 1.76 at a height of 200 km from the limb. A comparison of the times of local contacts observed and calculated with allowance for lunar relief showed that the active regions are at about 300 km above the photosphere. A schematic model of a facula is proposed.

Photospheric Origin of Three-minute Oscillations in a Sunspot

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chae, Jongchul; Lee, Jeongwoo; Cho, Kyuhyoun; Song, Donguk [Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Kyungsuk; Yurchyshyn, Vasyl [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, 776 Daedeokdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34055 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-10

The origin of the three-minute oscillations of intensity and velocity observed in the chromosphere of sunspot umbrae is still unclear. We investigated the spatio-spectral properties of the 3 minute oscillations of velocity in the photosphere of a sunspot umbra as well as those in the low chromosphere using the spectral data of the Ni i λ 5436, Fe i λ 5435, and Na i D{sub 2} λ 5890 lines taken by the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph of the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory. As a result, we found a local enhancement of the 3 minute oscillation power in the vicinities of a light bridge (LB) and numerous umbral dots (UDs) in the photosphere. These 3 minute oscillations occurred independently of the 5 minute oscillations. Through wavelet analysis, we determined the amplitudes and phases of the 3 minute oscillations at the formation heights of the spectral lines, and they were found to be consistent with the upwardly propagating slow magnetoacoustic waves in the photosphere with energy flux large enough to explain the chromospheric oscillations. Our results suggest that the 3 minute chromospheric oscillations in this sunspot may have been generated by magnetoconvection occurring in the LB and UDs.

Energy spectrum of buoyancy-driven turbulence

KAUST Repository

Kumar, Abhishek

2014-08-25

Using high-resolution direct numerical simulation and arguments based on the kinetic energy flux Πu, we demonstrate that, for stably stratified flows, the kinetic energy spectrum Eu(k)∼k-11/5, the potential energy spectrum Eθ(k)∼k-7/5, and Πu(k)∼k-4/5 are consistent with the Bolgiano-Obukhov scaling. This scaling arises due to the conversion of kinetic energy to the potential energy by buoyancy. For weaker buoyancy, this conversion is weak, hence Eu(k) follows Kolmogorov\\'s spectrum with a constant energy flux. For Rayleigh-Bénard convection, we show that the energy supply rate by buoyancy is positive, which leads to an increasing Πu(k) with k, thus ruling out Bolgiano-Obukhov scaling for the convective turbulence. Our numerical results show that convective turbulence for unit Prandt number exhibits a constant Πu(k) and Eu(k)∼k-5/3 for a narrow band of wave numbers. © 2014 American Physical Society.

Analyses of the Photospheric Magnetic Dynamics in Solar Active Region 11117 Using an Advanced CESE-MHD Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Chaowei [SIGMA Weather Group, State Key Laboratory for Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL (United States); Wu, Shi T. [Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL (United States); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, AL (United States); Feng, Xueshang, E-mail: cwjiang@spaceweather.ac.cn [SIGMA Weather Group, State Key Laboratory for Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China)

2016-05-10

In this study, the photospheric vector magnetograms obtained by Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on-board the Solar Dynamics Observatory are used as boundary conditions for a CESE-MHD model to investigate some photosphere characteristics around the time of a confined flare in solar active region NOAA AR 11117. We report our attempt of characterizing a more realistic solar atmosphere by including a plasma with temperature stratified from the photosphere to the corona in the CESE-MHD model. The resulted photospheric transverse flow is comparable to the apparent movements of the magnetic flux features that demonstrates shearing and rotations. We calculated the relevant parameters such as the magnetic energy flux and helicity flux, and with analysis of these parameters, we find that magnetic non-potentiality is transported across the photosphere into the corona in the simulated time interval, which might provide a favorable condition for producing the flare.

TRACING p -MODE WAVES FROM THE PHOTOSPHERE TO THE CORONA IN ACTIVE REGIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Junwei; Chen, Ruizhu [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4085 (United States); Felipe, Tobías; Khomenko, Elena [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38025 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain)

2016-10-10

Atmosphere above sunspots is abundant with different types of waves. Among these waves are running penumbral waves in the chromosphere, quasi-periodic oscillations in the lower coronal loops, and recently reported running waves in sunspots’ photosphere, all of which were interpreted as magnetoacoustic waves by some authors. Are these waves in different atmospheric layers related to each other, what is the nature of these waves, and where are the ultimate sources of these waves? Applying a time–distance helioseismic analysis over a suite of multi-wavelength observations above a sunspot, we demonstrate that the helioseismic p -mode waves are able to channel up from the photosphere through the chromosphere and transition region into the corona, and that the magnetoacoustic waves observed in different atmospheric layers are a same wave originating from the photosphere but exhibiting differently under different physical conditions. We also show waves of different frequencies travel along different paths, which can be used to derive the physical properties of the atmosphere above sunspots. Our numerical simulation of traveling of waves from a subphotospheric source qualitatively resembles the observed properties of the waves and offers an interpretation of the shapes of the wavefronts above the photosphere.

Evidence for a connection between photospheric and wind structure in HD 64760

Science.gov (United States)

Kaufer, A.; Prinja, R. K.; Stahl, O.

2002-02-01

We report on the results of an extended optical spectroscopic monitoring campaign on the early-type B supergiant HD 64760 (B0.5 Ib). The study is based on high-resolution echelle spectra obtained with the Landessternwarte Heidelberg's HEROS instrument at ESO La Silla. Ninety-nine spectra were collected over 103 nights between January 19 and May 1, 1996. The Hα line shows a characteristic profile with a central photospheric absorption superimposed by symmetrically blue- and red-shifted wind-emission humps. The time-averaged line profile is well described by a differentially rotating and expanding radiation-driven wind: the redistribution of the wind emission flux into a double peak profile is interpreted in terms of the resonance zone effect in rotating winds as first described by Petrenz & Puls (\\cite{Pet96}). Detailed time-series analyses of the line profile variations across the Hα profile reveal for the first time in an optical data set of HD 64760 a periodic 2.4-day modulation of the inner and outer flanks of the Hα emission humps. The stronger modulations of the inner flanks of the emission humps at photospheric velocities are due to complex width variations of the underlying photospheric Hα profile. The weaker variations of the outer flanks are in phase and reflect variations at the base of the stellar wind. The detected 2.4-day modulation period together with a second period of 1.2 days (in the red emission hump only) is in excellent agreement with the outer-wind modulation periods as reported by Fullerton et al. (\\cite{Ful97}) from intensive IUE UV time-series observations in 1993 and 1995. The 2.4-day period is further detected in the photospheric He I lambda4026 line as prograde traveling (pseudo-)absorption and emission features. The observed variability pattern is indicative for low-order non-radial pulsations in the photosphere of HD 64760. The non-radial pulsations are identified as the source of persistent, regularly spaced stellar surface

Model Atmosphere Spectrum Fit to the Soft X-Ray Outburst Spectrum of SS Cyg

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. F. Suleimanov

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The X-ray spectrum of SS Cyg in outburst has a very soft component that can be interpreted as the fast-rotating optically thick boundary layer on the white dwarf surface. This component was carefully investigated by Mauche (2004 using the Chandra LETG spectrum of this object in outburst. The spectrum shows broad ( ≈5 °A spectral features that have been interpreted as a large number of absorption lines on a blackbody continuum with a temperature of ≈250 kK. Because the spectrum resembles the photospheric spectra of super-soft X-ray sources, we tried to fit it with high gravity hot LTE stellar model atmospheres with solar chemical composition, specially computed for this purpose. We obtained a reasonably good fit to the 60–125 °A spectrum with the following parameters: Teff = 190 kK, log g = 6.2, and NH = 8 · 1019 cm−2, although at shorter wavelengths the observed spectrum has a much higher flux. The reasons for this are discussed. The hypothesis of a fast rotating boundary layer is supported by the derived low surface gravity.

New measurements of photospheric magnetic fields in late-type stars and emerging trends

Science.gov (United States)

Saar, S. H.; Linsky, J. L.

1986-01-01

The magnetic fields of late-type stars are measured using the method of Saar et al. (1986). The method includes radiative transfer effects and compensation for line blending; the photospheric magnetic field parameters are derived by comparing observed and theoretical line profiles using an LTE code that includes line saturation and full Zeeman pattern. The preliminary mean active region magnetic field strengths (B) and surface area coverages for 20 stars are discussed. It is observed that there is a trend of increasing B towards the cooler dwarfs stars, and the linear correlation between B and the equipartition value of the magnetic field strength suggests that the photospheric gas pressure determines the photospheric magnetic field strengths. A tendency toward larger filling factors at larger stellar angular velocities is also detected.

Driving of the solar p-modes by radiative pumping in the upper photosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Fontenla, Juan M.; Emslie, A. G.; Moore, Ronald L.

1989-01-01

It is shown that one viable driver of the solar p-modes is radiative pumping in the upper photosphere where the opacity is dominated by the negative hydrogen ion. This new option is suggested by the similar magnitudes of two energy flows that have been evaluated by independent empirical methods. The similarity indicates that the p-modes are radiatively pumped in the upper photosphere and therefore provide the required nonradiative cooling.

Temporal Changes of the Photospheric Velocity Fields

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Klvaňa, Miroslav; Švanda, Michal; Bumba, Václav

2005-01-01

Roč. 29, č. 1 (2005), s. 89-98 ISSN 0351-2657. [Hvar astrophysical colloquium /7./: Solar activity cycle and global phenomena. Hvar, 20.09.2004-24.09.2004] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/04/2129 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : Solar photosphere * velocity fields * tidal waves Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

Prompt Neutrino Emission of Gamma-ray Bursts in the Dissipative Photospheric Scenario Revisited: Possible Contributions from Cocoons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, Di; Dai, Zi-Gao [School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Mészáros, Peter, E-mail: dzg@nju.edu.cn [Center for Particle and Gravitational Astrophysics, Department of Physics, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2017-07-01

High-energy neutrinos are expected to originate from different stages in a gamma-ray burst (GRB) event. In this work, we revisit the dissipative photospheric scenario, in which the GRB prompt emission is produced around the photospheric radius. Meanwhile, possible dissipation mechanisms (e.g., internal shocks or magnetic reconnection) could accelerate cosmic-rays (CRs) to ultra-high energies and then produce neutrinos via hadronuclear and photohadronic processes, which are referred to as prompt neutrinos . In this paper, we obtain the prompt neutrino spectrum of a single GRB within a self-consistent analytical framework, in which the jet-cocoon structure and possible collimation effects are included. We investigate a possible neutrino signal from the cocoon, which has been ignored in the previous studies. We show that if a GRB event happens at a distance of the order of Mpc, there is a great chance to observe the neutrino emission from the cocoon by IceCube, which is even more promising than jet neutrinos, as the opening angle of the cocoon is much larger. We also determine the diffuse neutrino flux of GRB cocoons and find that it could be comparable with that of the jets. Our results are consistent with the latest result reported by the IceCube collaboration that no significant correlation between neutrino events and observed GRBs is seen in the new data.

An active region filament studied simultaneously in the chromosphere and photosphere. I. Magnetic structure

Science.gov (United States)

Kuckein, C.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Centeno, R.

2012-03-01

Aims: A thorough multiwavelength, multiheight study of the vector magnetic field in a compact active region filament (NOAA 10781) on 2005 July 3 and 5 is presented. We suggest an evolutionary scenario for this filament. Methods: Two different inversion codes were used to analyze the full Stokes vectors acquired with the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter (TIP-II) in a spectral range that comprises the chromospheric He i 10 830 Å multiplet and the photospheric Si i 10 827 Å line. In addition, we used SOHO/MDI magnetograms, as well as BBSO and TRACE images, to study the evolution of the filament and its active region (AR). High-resolution images of the Dutch Open Telescope were also used. Results: An active region filament (formed before our observing run) was detected in the chromospheric helium absorption images on July 3. The chromospheric vector magnetic field in this portion of the filament was strongly sheared (parallel to the filament axis), whereas the photospheric field lines underneath had an inverse polarity configuration. From July 3 to July 5, an opening and closing of the polarities on either side of the polarity inversion line (PIL) was recorded, resembling the recently discovered process of the sliding door effect seen by Hinode. This is confirmed with both TIP-II and SOHO/MDI data. During this time, a newly created region that contained pores and orphan penumbrae at the PIL was observed. On July 5, a normal polarity configuration was inferred from the chromospheric spectra, while strongly sheared field lines aligned with the PIL were found in the photosphere. In this same data set, the spine of the filament is also observed in a different portion of the field of view and is clearly mapped by the silicon line core. Conclusions: The inferred vector magnetic fields of the filament suggest a flux rope topology. Furthermore, the observations indicate that the filament is divided in two parts, one which lies in the chromosphere and another one that stays

MODELING THE SUN’S SMALL-SCALE GLOBAL PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC FIELD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, K. A. [Division of Computing and Mathematics, Abertay University, Kydd Building, Dundee, Bell Street, DD1 1HG, Scotland (United Kingdom); Mackay, D. H., E-mail: k.meyer@abertay.ac.uk [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SS, Scotland (United Kingdom)

2016-10-20

We present a new model for the Sun’s global photospheric magnetic field during a deep minimum of activity, in which no active regions emerge. The emergence and subsequent evolution of small-scale magnetic features across the full solar surface is simulated, subject to the influence of a global supergranular flow pattern. Visually, the resulting simulated magnetograms reproduce the typical structure and scale observed in quiet Sun magnetograms. Quantitatively, the simulation quickly reaches a steady state, resulting in a mean field and flux distribution that are in good agreement with those determined from observations. A potential coronal magnetic field is extrapolated from the simulated full Sun magnetograms to consider the implications of such a quiet photospheric magnetic field on the corona and inner heliosphere. The bulk of the coronal magnetic field closes very low down, in short connections between small-scale features in the simulated magnetic network. Just 0.1% of the photospheric magnetic flux is found to be open at 2.5 R {sub ⊙}, around 10–100 times less than that determined for typical Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager synoptic map observations. If such conditions were to exist on the Sun, this would lead to a significantly weaker interplanetary magnetic field than is currently observed, and hence a much higher cosmic ray flux at Earth.

A STUDY OF SOLAR PHOTOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE GRADIENT VARIATION USING LIMB DARKENING MEASUREMENTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Criscuoli, Serena [National Solar Observatory, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); Foukal, Peter [192 Willow Road, Nahant, MA 01908 (United States)

2017-01-20

The variation in area of quiet magnetic network measured over the sunspot cycle should modulate the spatially averaged photospheric temperature gradient, since temperature declines with optical depth more gradually in magnetic flux tube atmospheres. Yet, limb darkening measurements show no dependence upon activity level, even at an rms precision of 0.04%. We study the sensitivity of limb darkening to changes in area filling factor using a 3D MHD model of the magnetized photosphere. The limb darkening change expected from the measured 11-year area variation lies below the level of measured limb darkening variations, for a reasonable range of magnetic flux in quiet network and internetwork regions. So the remarkably constant limb darkening observed over the solar activity cycle is not inconsistent with the measured 11-year change in area of quiet magnetic network. Our findings offer an independent constraint on photospheric temperature gradient changes reported from measurements of the solar spectral irradiance from the Spectral Irradiance Monitor, and recently, from wavelength-differential spectrophotometry using the Solar Optical Telescope aboard the HINODE spacecraft.

PIXEL ANALYSIS OF PHOTOSPHERIC SPECTRAL DATA. I. PLASMA DYNAMICS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rasca, Anthony P.; Chen, James [Plasma Physics Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Pevtsov, Alexei A., E-mail: anthony.rasca.ctr@nrl.navy.mil [National Solar Observatory, Sunspot, NM 88349 (United States)

2016-11-20

Recent observations of the photosphere using high spatial and temporal resolution show small dynamic features at or below the current resolving limits. A new pixel dynamics method has been developed to analyze spectral profiles and quantify changes in line displacement, width, asymmetry, and peakedness of photospheric absorption lines. The algorithm evaluates variations of line profile properties in each pixel and determines the statistics of such fluctuations averaged over all pixels in a given region. The method has been used to derive statistical characteristics of pixel fluctuations in observed quiet-Sun regions, an active region with no eruption, and an active region with an ongoing eruption. Using Stokes I images from the Vector Spectromagnetograph (VSM) of the Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS) telescope on 2012 March 13, variations in line width and peakedness of Fe i 6301.5 Å are shown to have a distinct spatial and temporal relationship with an M7.9 X-ray flare in NOAA 11429. This relationship is observed as stationary and contiguous patches of pixels adjacent to a sunspot exhibiting intense flattening in the line profile and line-center displacement as the X-ray flare approaches peak intensity, which is not present in area scans of the non-eruptive active region. The analysis of pixel dynamics allows one to extract quantitative information on differences in plasma dynamics on sub-pixel scales in these photospheric regions. The analysis can be extended to include the Stokes parameters and study signatures of vector components of magnetic fields and coupled plasma properties.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL RADIATIVE TRANSFER MODELING OF THE POLARIZATION OF THE SUN'S CONTINUOUS SPECTRUM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bueno, Javier Trujillo; Shchukina, Nataliya

2009-01-01

Polarized light provides the most reliable source of information at our disposal for diagnosing the physical properties of astrophysical plasmas, including the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the solar atmosphere. Here we formulate and solve the 3D radiative transfer problem of the linear polarization of the solar continuous radiation, which is principally produced by Rayleigh and Thomson scattering. Our approach takes into account not only the anisotropy of the solar continuum radiation but also the symmetry-breaking effects caused by the horizontal atmospheric inhomogeneities produced by the solar surface convection. We show that such symmetry-breaking effects do produce observable signatures in Q/I and U/I, even at the very center of the solar disk where we observe the forward scattering case, but their detection would require obtaining very high resolution linear polarization images of the solar surface. Without spatial and/or temporal resolution U/I ∼ 0 and the only observable quantity is Q/I, whose wavelength variation at a solar disk position close to the limb has been recently determined semi-empirically. Interestingly, our 3D radiative transfer modeling of the polarization of the Sun's continuous spectrum in a well-known 3D hydrodynamical model of the solar photosphere shows remarkable agreement with the semi-empirical determination, significantly better than that obtained via the use of one-dimensional (1D) atmospheric models. Although this result confirms that the above-mentioned 3D model was indeed a suitable choice for our Hanle-effect estimation of the substantial amount of 'hidden' magnetic energy that is stored in the quiet solar photosphere, we have found however some small discrepancies whose origin may be due to uncertainties in the semi-empirical data and/or in the thermal and density structure of the 3D model. For this reason, we have paid some attention also to other (more familiar) observables, like the center-limb variation of the

Stellar photospheric abundances as a probe of discs and planets

Science.gov (United States)

Jermyn, Adam S.; Kama, Mihkel

2018-06-01

Protoplanetary discs, debris discs, and disrupted or evaporating planets can all feed accretion on to stars. The photospheric abundances of such stars may then reveal the composition of the accreted material. This is especially likely in B to mid-F type stars, which have radiative envelopes and hence less bulk-photosphere mixing. We present a theoretical framework (CAM), considering diffusion, rotation, and other stellar mixing mechanisms to describe how the accreted material interacts with the bulk of the star. This allows the abundance pattern of the circumstellar material to be calculated from measured stellar abundances and parameters (vrot, Teff). We discuss the λ Boötis phenomenon and the application of CAM on stars hosting protoplanetary discs (HD 100546, HD 163296), debris discs (HD 141569, HD 21997), and evaporating planets (HD 195689/KELT-9).

THE BUILDUP OF A SCALE-FREE PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC NETWORK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thibault, K.; Charbonneau, P. [Departement de Physique, Universite de Montreal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7 (Canada); Crouch, A. D., E-mail: kim@astro.umontreal.ca-a, E-mail: paulchar@astro.umontreal.ca-b, E-mail: ash@cora.nwra.com-c [CORA/NWRA, 3380 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States)

2012-10-01

We use a global Monte Carlo simulation of the formation of the solar photospheric magnetic network to investigate the origin of the scale invariance characterizing magnetic flux concentrations visible on high-resolution magnetograms. The simulations include spatially and temporally homogeneous injection of small-scale magnetic elements over the whole photosphere, as well as localized episodic injection associated with the emergence and decay of active regions. Network elements form in response to cumulative pairwise aggregation or cancellation of magnetic elements, undergoing a random walk on the sphere and advected on large spatial scales by differential rotation and a poleward meridional flow. The resulting size distribution of simulated network elements is in very good agreement with observational inferences. We find that the fractal index and size distribution of network elements are determined primarily by these post-emergence surface mechanisms, and carry little or no memory of the scales at which magnetic flux is injected in the simulation. Implications for models of dynamo action in the Sun are briefly discussed.

THE BUILDUP OF A SCALE-FREE PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC NETWORK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thibault, K.; Charbonneau, P.; Crouch, A. D.

2012-01-01

We use a global Monte Carlo simulation of the formation of the solar photospheric magnetic network to investigate the origin of the scale invariance characterizing magnetic flux concentrations visible on high-resolution magnetograms. The simulations include spatially and temporally homogeneous injection of small-scale magnetic elements over the whole photosphere, as well as localized episodic injection associated with the emergence and decay of active regions. Network elements form in response to cumulative pairwise aggregation or cancellation of magnetic elements, undergoing a random walk on the sphere and advected on large spatial scales by differential rotation and a poleward meridional flow. The resulting size distribution of simulated network elements is in very good agreement with observational inferences. We find that the fractal index and size distribution of network elements are determined primarily by these post-emergence surface mechanisms, and carry little or no memory of the scales at which magnetic flux is injected in the simulation. Implications for models of dynamo action in the Sun are briefly discussed.

The Buildup of a Scale-free Photospheric Magnetic Network

Science.gov (United States)

Thibault, K.; Charbonneau, P.; Crouch, A. D.

2012-10-01

We use a global Monte Carlo simulation of the formation of the solar photospheric magnetic network to investigate the origin of the scale invariance characterizing magnetic flux concentrations visible on high-resolution magnetograms. The simulations include spatially and temporally homogeneous injection of small-scale magnetic elements over the whole photosphere, as well as localized episodic injection associated with the emergence and decay of active regions. Network elements form in response to cumulative pairwise aggregation or cancellation of magnetic elements, undergoing a random walk on the sphere and advected on large spatial scales by differential rotation and a poleward meridional flow. The resulting size distribution of simulated network elements is in very good agreement with observational inferences. We find that the fractal index and size distribution of network elements are determined primarily by these post-emergence surface mechanisms, and carry little or no memory of the scales at which magnetic flux is injected in the simulation. Implications for models of dynamo action in the Sun are briefly discussed.

Radiative-convective equilibrium model intercomparison project

Science.gov (United States)

Wing, Allison A.; Reed, Kevin A.; Satoh, Masaki; Stevens, Bjorn; Bony, Sandrine; Ohno, Tomoki

2018-03-01

RCEMIP, an intercomparison of multiple types of models configured in radiative-convective equilibrium (RCE), is proposed. RCE is an idealization of the climate system in which there is a balance between radiative cooling of the atmosphere and heating by convection. The scientific objectives of RCEMIP are three-fold. First, clouds and climate sensitivity will be investigated in the RCE setting. This includes determining how cloud fraction changes with warming and the role of self-aggregation of convection in climate sensitivity. Second, RCEMIP will quantify the dependence of the degree of convective aggregation and tropical circulation regimes on temperature. Finally, by providing a common baseline, RCEMIP will allow the robustness of the RCE state across the spectrum of models to be assessed, which is essential for interpreting the results found regarding clouds, climate sensitivity, and aggregation, and more generally, determining which features of tropical climate a RCE framework is useful for. A novel aspect and major advantage of RCEMIP is the accessibility of the RCE framework to a variety of models, including cloud-resolving models, general circulation models, global cloud-resolving models, single-column models, and large-eddy simulation models.

Optimization of Photospheric Electric Field Estimates for Accurate Retrieval of Total Magnetic Energy Injection

Science.gov (United States)

Lumme, E.; Pomoell, J.; Kilpua, E. K. J.

2017-12-01

Estimates of the photospheric magnetic, electric, and plasma velocity fields are essential for studying the dynamics of the solar atmosphere, for example through the derivative quantities of Poynting and relative helicity flux and using the fields to obtain the lower boundary condition for data-driven coronal simulations. In this paper we study the performance of a data processing and electric field inversion approach that requires only high-resolution and high-cadence line-of-sight or vector magnetograms, which we obtain from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) onboard Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The approach does not require any photospheric velocity estimates, and the lacking velocity information is compensated for using ad hoc assumptions. We show that the free parameters of these assumptions can be optimized to reproduce the time evolution of the total magnetic energy injection through the photosphere in NOAA AR 11158, when compared to recent state-of-the-art estimates for this active region. However, we find that the relative magnetic helicity injection is reproduced poorly, reaching at best a modest underestimation. We also discuss the effect of some of the data processing details on the results, including the masking of the noise-dominated pixels and the tracking method of the active region, neither of which has received much attention in the literature so far. In most cases the effect of these details is small, but when the optimization of the free parameters of the ad hoc assumptions is considered, a consistent use of the noise mask is required. The results found in this paper imply that the data processing and electric field inversion approach that uses only the photospheric magnetic field information offers a flexible and straightforward way to obtain photospheric magnetic and electric field estimates suitable for practical applications such as coronal modeling studies.

The environment of the fast rotating star Achernar. III. Photospheric parameters revealed by the VLTI

Science.gov (United States)

Domiciano de Souza, A.; Kervella, P.; Moser Faes, D.; Dalla Vedova, G.; Mérand, A.; Le Bouquin, J.-B.; Espinosa Lara, F.; Rieutord, M.; Bendjoya, P.; Carciofi, A. C.; Hadjara, M.; Millour, F.; Vakili, F.

2014-09-01

Context. Rotation significantly impacts on the structure and life of stars. In phases of high rotation velocity (close to critical), the photospheric structure can be highly modified, and present in particular geometrical deformation (rotation flattening) and latitudinal-dependent flux (gravity darkening). The fastest known rotators among the nondegenerate stars close to the main sequence, Be stars, are key targets for studying the effects of fast rotation on stellar photospheres. Aims: We seek to determine the purely photospheric parameters of Achernar based on observations recorded during an emission-free phase (normal B phase). Methods: Several recent works proved that optical/IR long-baseline interferometry is the only technique able to sufficiently spatially resolve and measure photospheric parameters of fast rotating stars. We thus analyzed ESO-VLTI (PIONIER and AMBER) interferometric observations of Achernar to measure its photospheric parameters by fitting our physical model CHARRON using a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. This analysis was also complemented by spectroscopic, polarimetric, and photometric observations to investigate the status of the circumstellar environment of Achernar during the VLTI observations and to cross-check our model-fitting results. Results: Based on VLTI observations that partially resolve Achernar, we simultaneously measured five photospheric parameters of a Be star for the first time: equatorial radius (equatorial angular diameter), equatorial rotation velocity, polar inclination, position angle of the rotation axis projected on the sky, and the gravity darkening β coefficient (effective temperature distribution). The close circumstellar environment of Achernar was also investigated based on contemporaneous polarimetry, spectroscopy, and interferometry, including image reconstruction. This analysis did not reveal any important circumstellar contribution, so that Achernar was essentially in a normal B phase at least from mid

Latitudinal variation of the solar photospheric intensity

OpenAIRE

Rast, Mark P.; Ortiz, Ada; Meisner, Randle W.

2007-01-01

We have examined images from the Precision Solar Photometric Telescope (PSPT) at the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO) in search of latitudinal variation in the solar photospheric intensity. Along with the expected brightening of the solar activity belts, we have found a weak enhancement of the mean continuum intensity at polar latitudes (continuum intensity enhancement $\\sim0.1 - 0.2%$ corresponding to a brightness temperature enhancement of $\\sim2.5{\\rm K}$). This appears to be thermal in ...

Photospheric activity of the Sun with VIRGO and GOLF. Comparison with standard activity proxies

Science.gov (United States)

Salabert, D.; García, R. A.; Jiménez, A.; Bertello, L.; Corsaro, E.; Pallé, P. L.

2017-12-01

We study the variability of solar activity using new photospheric proxies originally developed for the analysis of stellar magnetism with the CoRoT and Kepler photometric observations. These proxies were obtained by tracking the temporal modulations in the observations associated with the spots and magnetic features as the Sun rotates. We analyzed 21 yr of observations, spanning solar cycles 23 and 24, collected by the space-based photometric VIRGO and radial velocity GOLF instruments on board the SoHO satellite. We then calculated the photospheric activity proxy Sph is for each of the three VIRGO photometers and the associated Svel proxy from the radial velocity GOLF observations. Comparisons with several standard solar activity proxies sensitive to different layers of the Sun demonstrate that these new activity proxies, Sph and Svel, provide a new manner to monitor solar activity. We show that both the long- and short-term magnetic variabilities respectively associated with the 11-yr cycle and the quasi-biennial oscillation are well monitored, and that the magnetic field interaction between the subsurface, photosphere, and chromosphere of the Sun was modified between Cycle 24 and Cycle 23. Furthermore, the photometric proxies show a wavelength dependence of the response function of the solar photosphere among the three channels of the VIRGO photometers, providing inputs for the study of the stellar magnetism of Sun-like stars.

Height of the faculae above the photosphere from the eclipse of July 31, 1981

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akimov, L.A.; Belkina, I.L.; Dyatel, N.P. (Khar' kovskij Gosudarstvennyj Univ. (Ukrainian SSR). Astronomicheskaya Observatoriya)

The relative moments of contacts of lunar and solar limbs for the undisturbed photosphere regions and faculae are determined from July 31, 1981 solar eclipse slitless spectrograms. The comparison of the observed moments of local contacts with the theoretical ones, based on the lunar limb relief data, has shown that the visible limb of the farulae is approximately 120 km higher than the undisturbed photosphere limb. This result is in agreement with the previous eclipse data of July 10, 1972.

Detection of photospheric calcium in a DBA white dwarf

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenyon, S.J.; Shipman, H.L.; Sion, E.M.; Aannestad, P.A.

1988-01-01

The detection of photospheric calcium absorption lines in the white dwarf star G200-39 (DBAZ4) is reported. The abundance of calcium relative to that of hydrogen is approximately solar, a result which lends support to the hypothesis that accretion of interstellar matter is responsible for hybrid composition white dwarfs. 21 references

Analysis of 35 GHz Cloud Radar polarimetric variables to identify stratiform and convective precipitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontaine, Emmanuel; Illingworth, Anthony, J.; Stein, Thorwald

2017-04-01

This study is performed using vertical profiles of radar measurements at 35GHz, for the period going from 29th of February to 1rst October 2016, at the Chilbolton observatory in United Kingdom. During this period, more than 40 days with precipitation events are investigated. The investigation uses the synergy of radar reflectivity factors, vertical velocity, Doppler spectrum width, and linear depolarization ratio (LDR) to differentiate between stratiform and convective rain events. The depth of the layer with Doppler spectrum width values greater than 0.5 m s-1 is shown to be a suitable proxy to distinguish between convective and stratiform events. Using LDR to detect the radar bright band, bright band characteristics such as depth of the layer and maximum LDR are shown to vary with the amount of turbulence aloft. Profiles of radar measurements are also compared to rain gauge measurements to study the contribution of convective and stratiform rainfall to total rain duration and amount. To conclude, this study points out differences between convective and stratiform rains and quantifies their contributions over a precipitation event, highlighting that convective and stratiform rainfall should be considered as a continuum rather than a dichotomy.

MAGNETIC AND DYNAMICAL PHOTOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES OBSERVED DURING AN M3.2 SOLAR FLARE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuckein, C. [Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP), An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482, Potsdam (Germany); Collados, M.; Sainz, R. Manso, E-mail: ckuckein@aip.de [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Vía Láctea s/n, E-38205, La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain)

2015-02-01

This Letter reports on a set of full-Stokes spectropolarimetric observations in the near-infrared He i 10830 Å spectral region covering the pre-flare, flare, and post-flare phases of an M3.2 class solar flare. The flare originated on 2013 May 17 and belonged to active region NOAA 11748. We detected strong He i 10830 Å emission in the flare. The red component of the He i triplet peaks at an intensity ratio to the continuum of about 1.86. During the flare, He i Stokes V is substantially larger and appears reversed compared to the usually larger Si i Stokes V profile. The photospheric Si i inversions of the four Stokes profiles reveal the following: (1) the magnetic field strength in the photosphere decreases or is even absent during the flare phase, as compared to the pre-flare phase. However, this decrease is not permanent. After the flare, the magnetic field recovers its pre-flare configuration in a short time (i.e., 30 minutes after the flare). (2) In the photosphere, the line of sight velocities show a regular granular up- and downflow pattern before the flare erupts. During the flare, upflows (blueshifts) dominate the area where the flare is produced. Evaporation rates of ∼10{sup −3} and ∼10{sup −4} g cm{sup −2} s{sup −1} have been derived in the deep and high photosphere, respectively, capable of increasing the chromospheric density by a factor of two in about 400 s.

THE EFFECTS OF TRANSIENTS ON PHOTOSPHERIC AND CHROMOSPHERIC POWER DISTRIBUTIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samanta, T.; Banerjee, D.; Pant, V. [Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Koramangala, Bangalore 560034 (India); Henriques, V. M. J.; Prasad, S. Krishna; Mathioudakis, M.; Jess, D., E-mail: tsamanta@iiap.res.in, E-mail: v.henriques@qub.ac.uk [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom)

2016-09-01

We have observed a quiet-Sun region with the Swedish 1 m Solar Telescope equipped with the CRISP Imaging SpectroPolarimeter. High-resolution, high-cadence, H α line scanning images were taken to observe different layers of the solar atmosphere from the photosphere to upper chromosphere. We study the distribution of power in different period bands at different heights. Power maps of the upper photosphere and the lower chromosphere show suppressed power surrounding the magnetic-network elements, known as “magnetic shadows.” These also show enhanced power close to the photosphere, traditionally referred to as “power halos.” The interaction between acoustic waves and inclined magnetic fields is generally believed to be responsible for these two effects. In this study we explore whether small-scale transients can influence the distribution of power at different heights. We show that the presence of transients, like mottles, Rapid Blueshifted Excursions (RBEs), and Rapid Redshifted Excursions (RREs), can strongly influence the power maps. The short and finite lifetime of these events strongly affects all power maps, potentially influencing the observed power distribution. We show that Doppler-shifted transients like RBEs and RREs that occur ubiquitously can have a dominant effect on the formation of the power halos in the quiet Sun. For magnetic shadows, transients like mottles do not seem to have a significant effect on the power suppression around 3 minutes, and wave interaction may play a key role here. Our high-cadence observations reveal that flows, waves, and shocks manifest in the presence of magnetic fields to form a nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic system.

Do tidal waves exist in the solar photosphere?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Klvaňa, Miroslav; Švanda, M.; Krivtsov, A.; Bumba, Václav

2004-01-01

Roč. 28, č. 1 (2004), s. 157-164 ISSN 0351-2657. [Central European Solar Physics Meeting /1./. Bairisch Kölldorf, 23.10.2003-25.10.2003] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/01/0658; GA AV ČR IAA3003903; GA AV ČR KSK2043105 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1003909 Keywords : solar photosphere * tidal waves * planets Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

A continuous and prognostic convection scheme based on buoyancy, PCMT

Science.gov (United States)

Guérémy, Jean-François; Piriou, Jean-Marcel

2016-04-01

A new and consistent convection scheme (PCMT: Prognostic Condensates Microphysics and Transport), providing a continuous and prognostic treatment of this atmospheric process, is described. The main concept ensuring the consistency of the whole system is the buoyancy, key element of any vertical motion. The buoyancy constitutes the forcing term of the convective vertical velocity, which is then used to define the triggering condition, the mass flux, and the rates of entrainment-detrainment. The buoyancy is also used in its vertically integrated form (CAPE) to determine the closure condition. The continuous treatment of convection, from dry thermals to deep precipitating convection, is achieved with the help of a continuous formulation of the entrainment-detrainment rates (depending on the convective vertical velocity) and of the CAPE relaxation time (depending on the convective over-turning time). The convective tendencies are directly expressed in terms of condensation and transport. Finally, the convective vertical velocity and condensates are fully prognostic, the latter being treated using the same microphysics scheme as for the resolved condensates but considering the convective environment. A Single Column Model (SCM) validation of this scheme is shown, allowing detailed comparisons with observed and explicitly simulated data. Four cases covering the convective spectrum are considered: over ocean, sensitivity to environmental moisture (S. Derbyshire) non precipitating shallow convection to deep precipitating convection, trade wind shallow convection (BOMEX) and strato-cumulus (FIRE), together with an entire continental diurnal cycle of convection (ARM). The emphasis is put on the characteristics of the scheme which enable a continuous treatment of convection. Then, a 3D LAM validation is presented considering an AMMA case with both observations and a CRM simulation using the same initial and lateral conditions as for the parameterized one. Finally, global

Thermal bifurcation in the upper solar photosphere inferred from heterodyne spectroscopy of OH rotational lines

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, D.; Hillman, J. J.; Kostiuk, T.; Mumma, M. J.; Zipoy, D. M.

1984-01-01

Low noise high spectral resolution observations of two pure rotation transitions of OH from the solar photosphere were obtained. The observations were obtained using the technique of optically null-balanced infrared heterodyne spectroscopy, and consist of center-to-limb line profiles of a v=1 and a v=0 transition near 12 microns. These lines should be formed in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE), and are diagnostics of the thermal structure of the upper photosphere. The v=0 R22 (24.5)e line strengthens at the solar limb, in contradiction to the predictions of current one dimensional photospheric models. Data for this line support a two dimensional model in which horizontal thermal fluctuations of order + or - 800K occur in the region Tau (sub 5000) approximately .001 to .01. This thermal bifurcation may be maintained by the presence of magnetic flux tubes, and may be related to the solar limb extensions observed in the 30 to 200 micron region.

Flare Prediction Using Photospheric and Coronal Image Data

Science.gov (United States)

Jonas, Eric; Bobra, Monica; Shankar, Vaishaal; Todd Hoeksema, J.; Recht, Benjamin

2018-03-01

The precise physical process that triggers solar flares is not currently understood. Here we attempt to capture the signature of this mechanism in solar-image data of various wavelengths and use these signatures to predict flaring activity. We do this by developing an algorithm that i) automatically generates features in 5.5 TB of image data taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory of the solar photosphere, chromosphere, transition region, and corona during the time period between May 2010 and May 2014, ii) combines these features with other features based on flaring history and a physical understanding of putative flaring processes, and iii) classifies these features to predict whether a solar active region will flare within a time period of T hours, where T = 2 and 24. Such an approach may be useful since, at the present time, there are no physical models of flares available for real-time prediction. We find that when optimizing for the True Skill Score (TSS), photospheric vector-magnetic-field data combined with flaring history yields the best performance, and when optimizing for the area under the precision-recall curve, all of the data are helpful. Our model performance yields a TSS of 0.84 ±0.03 and 0.81 ±0.03 in the T = 2- and 24-hour cases, respectively, and a value of 0.13 ±0.07 and 0.43 ±0.08 for the area under the precision-recall curve in the T=2- and 24-hour cases, respectively. These relatively high scores are competitive with previous attempts at solar prediction, but our different methodology and extreme care in task design and experimental setup provide an independent confirmation of these results. Given the similar values of algorithm performance across various types of models reported in the literature, we conclude that we can expect a certain baseline predictive capacity using these data. We believe that this is the first attempt to predict solar flares using photospheric vector-magnetic field data as well as multiple wavelengths of image

Simulating deep convection with a shallow convection scheme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Hohenegger

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Convective processes profoundly affect the global water and energy balance of our planet but remain a challenge for global climate modeling. Here we develop and investigate the suitability of a unified convection scheme, capable of handling both shallow and deep convection, to simulate cases of tropical oceanic convection, mid-latitude continental convection, and maritime shallow convection. To that aim, we employ large-eddy simulations (LES as a benchmark to test and refine a unified convection scheme implemented in the Single-column Community Atmosphere Model (SCAM. Our approach is motivated by previous cloud-resolving modeling studies, which have documented the gradual transition between shallow and deep convection and its possible importance for the simulated precipitation diurnal cycle.

Analysis of the LES reveals that differences between shallow and deep convection, regarding cloud-base properties as well as entrainment/detrainment rates, can be related to the evaporation of precipitation. Parameterizing such effects and accordingly modifying the University of Washington shallow convection scheme, it is found that the new unified scheme can represent both shallow and deep convection as well as tropical and mid-latitude continental convection. Compared to the default SCAM version, the new scheme especially improves relative humidity, cloud cover and mass flux profiles. The new unified scheme also removes the well-known too early onset and peak of convective precipitation over mid-latitude continental areas.

Evidence for Gravity Wave Seeding of Convective Ionosphere Storms Initiated by Deep Troposphere Convection

Science.gov (United States)

Kelley, M. C.; Pfaff, R. F., Jr.; Dao, E. V.; Holzworth, R. H., II

2014-12-01

With the increase in solar activity, the Communications/Outage Forecast System satellite (C/NOFS) now goes below the F peak. As such, we now can study the development of Convective Ionospheric Storms (CIS) and, most importantly, large-scale seeding of the low growth-rate Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability. Two mechanisms have been suggested for such seeding: the Collisional Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability (CKHI) and internal atmospheric gravity waves. A number of observations have shown that the spectrum of fully developed topside structures peaks at 600 km and extends to over 1000 km. These structures are exceedingly difficult to explain by CKHI. Here we show that sinusoidal plasma oscillations on the bottomside during daytime develop classical R-T structures on the nightside with the background 600 km structure still apparent. In two case studies, thunderstorm activity was observed east of the sinusoidal features in the two hours preceding the C/NOFS passes. Thus, we argue that convective tropospheric storms are a likely source of these sinusoidal features.

Mg I absorption features in the solar spectrum near 9 and 12 microns

Science.gov (United States)

Glenar, David A.; Reuter, Dennis C.; Deming, Drake; Chang, Edward S.

1988-01-01

High-resolution FTS observations from the Kitt Peak National Solar Observatory and the Spacelab 3 ATMOS experiment have revealed additional infrared transitions due to Mg I in the spectra of both quiet sun and sunspot penumbra. In contrast to previous observations, these transitions are seen in absorption, not emission. Absorption intensities range from 1 to 7 percent of the continuum in the quiet sun. In the penumbra, the same features appear to show Zeeman splitting. Modeling of the line profiles in the photospheric spectrum shows evidence for a factor of three overabundance in the n = 5 or more levels of Mg I in the upper photosphere, but with no deviations from a Planck source function. It is concluded that whatever the process that produces the emission (including the Lemke and Holweger mechanism), it must occur well above the tau(5000) = 0.01 level.

On the height of the faculae above the photosphere from the eclipse of July 31, 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimov, L.A.; Belkina, I.L.; Dyatel, N.P.

1984-01-01

The relative moments of contacts of lunar and solar limbs for the undisturbed photosphere regions and faculae are determined from July 31, 1981 solar eclipse slitless spectrograms. The comparison of the observed moments of local contacts with the theoretical ones, based on the lunar limh relief data, has shown that the visible limb of the farulae is approximately 120 km higher than the undisturbed photosphere limb. This result is in agreement with the previous eclipse data of July 10, 1972

FINGERING CONVECTION AND CLOUDLESS MODELS FOR COOL BROWN DWARF ATMOSPHERES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tremblin, P.; Amundsen, D. S.; Mourier, P.; Baraffe, I.; Chabrier, G.; Drummond, B.; Homeier, D.; Venot, O.

2015-01-01

This work aims to improve the current understanding of the atmospheres of brown dwarfs, especially cold ones with spectral types T and Y, whose modeling is a current challenge. Silicate and iron clouds are believed to disappear at the photosphere at the L/T transition, but cloudless models fail to reproduce correctly the spectra of T dwarfs, advocating for the addition of more physics, e.g., other types of clouds or internal energy transport mechanisms. We use a one-dimensional radiative/convective equilibrium code ATMO to investigate this issue. This code includes both equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium chemistry and solves consistently the PT structure. Included opacity sources are H 2 -H 2 , H 2 -He, H 2 O, CO, CO 2 , CH 4 , NH 3 , K, Na, and TiO, VO if they are present in the atmosphere. We show that the spectra of Y dwarfs can be accurately reproduced with a cloudless model if vertical mixing and NH 3 quenching are taken into account. T dwarf spectra still have some reddening in, e.g., J–H, compared to cloudless models. This reddening can be reproduced by slightly reducing the temperature gradient in the atmosphere. We propose that this reduction of the stabilizing temperature gradient in these layers, leading to cooler structures, is due to the onset of fingering convection, triggered by the destabilizing impact of condensation of very thin dust

FINGERING CONVECTION AND CLOUDLESS MODELS FOR COOL BROWN DWARF ATMOSPHERES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tremblin, P.; Amundsen, D. S.; Mourier, P.; Baraffe, I.; Chabrier, G.; Drummond, B. [Astrophysics Group, University of Exeter, EX4 4QL Exeter (United Kingdom); Homeier, D. [Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CRAL, UMR CNRS 5574, F-69364 Lyon Cedex 07 (France); Venot, O., E-mail: tremblin@astro.ex.ac.uk, E-mail: pascal.tremblin@cea.fr [Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

2015-05-01

This work aims to improve the current understanding of the atmospheres of brown dwarfs, especially cold ones with spectral types T and Y, whose modeling is a current challenge. Silicate and iron clouds are believed to disappear at the photosphere at the L/T transition, but cloudless models fail to reproduce correctly the spectra of T dwarfs, advocating for the addition of more physics, e.g., other types of clouds or internal energy transport mechanisms. We use a one-dimensional radiative/convective equilibrium code ATMO to investigate this issue. This code includes both equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium chemistry and solves consistently the PT structure. Included opacity sources are H{sub 2}-H{sub 2}, H{sub 2}-He, H{sub 2}O, CO, CO{sub 2}, CH{sub 4}, NH{sub 3}, K, Na, and TiO, VO if they are present in the atmosphere. We show that the spectra of Y dwarfs can be accurately reproduced with a cloudless model if vertical mixing and NH{sub 3} quenching are taken into account. T dwarf spectra still have some reddening in, e.g., J–H, compared to cloudless models. This reddening can be reproduced by slightly reducing the temperature gradient in the atmosphere. We propose that this reduction of the stabilizing temperature gradient in these layers, leading to cooler structures, is due to the onset of fingering convection, triggered by the destabilizing impact of condensation of very thin dust.

Simulating solar MHD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Schüssler

Full Text Available Two aspects of solar MHD are discussed in relation to the work of the MHD simulation group at KIS. Photospheric magneto-convection, the nonlinear interaction of magnetic field and convection in a strongly stratified, radiating fluid, is a key process of general astrophysical relevance. Comprehensive numerical simulations including radiative transfer have significantly improved our understanding of the processes and have become an important tool for the interpretation of observational data. Examples of field intensification in the solar photosphere ('convective collapse' are shown. The second line of research is concerned with the dynamics of flux tubes in the convection zone, which has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the solar dynamo. Simulations indicate that the field strength in the region where the flux is stored before erupting to form sunspot groups is of the order of 10⁵ G, an order of magnitude larger than previous estimates based on equipartition with the kinetic energy of convective flows.

Key words. Solar physics · astrophysics and astronomy (photosphere and chromosphere; stellar interiors and dynamo theory; numerical simulation studies.

RATES OF PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC FLUX CANCELLATION MEASURED WITH HINODE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Soyoung; Chae, Jongchul; Litvinenko, Yuri E.

2009-01-01

Photospheric magnetic flux cancellation on the Sun is generally believed to be caused by magnetic reconnection occurring in the low solar atmosphere. Individual canceling magnetic features are observationally characterized by the rate of flux cancellation. The specific cancellation rate, defined as the rate of flux cancellation divided by the interface length, gives an accurate estimate of the electric field in the reconnecting current sheet. We have determined the specific cancellation rate using the magnetograms taken by the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) aboard the Hinode satellite. The specific rates determined with SOT turned out to be systematically higher than those based on the data taken by the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. The median value of the specific cancellation rate was found to be 8 x 10 6 G cm s -1 -a value four times that obtained from the MDI data. This big difference is mainly due to a higher angular resolution and better sensitivity of the SOT, resulting in magnetic fluxes up to five times larger than those obtained from the MDI. The higher rates of flux cancellation correspond to either faster inflows or stronger magnetic fields of the reconnection inflow region, which may have important consequences for the physics of photospheric magnetic reconnection.

Three-Dimensional View of Transient Horizontal Magnetic Fields in the Photosphere

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ishikawa, R.; Tsuneta, S.; Jurčák, Jan

2010-01-01

Roč. 713, č. 2 (2010), s. 1310-1321 ISSN 0004-637X R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA300030808 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : magnetic fields * Sun * photosphere * granulation * surface magnetism Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 7.436, year: 2010

The Polarization Signature of Photospheric Magnetic Fields in 3D MHD Simulations and Observations at Disk Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beck, C. [National Solar Observatory, 3665 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); Fabbian, D. [Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensytemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany); Rezaei, R. [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, C/Vía Láctea S/N, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain); Puschmann, K. G., E-mail: cbeck@nso.edu [Alzenau (Germany)

2017-06-10

Before using three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) simulations of the solar photosphere in the determination of elemental abundances, one has to ensure that the correct amount of magnetic flux is present in the simulations. The presence of magnetic flux modifies the thermal structure of the solar photosphere, which affects abundance determinations and the solar spectral irradiance. The amount of magnetic flux in the solar photosphere also constrains any possible heating in the outer solar atmosphere through magnetic reconnection. We compare the polarization signals in disk-center observations of the solar photosphere in quiet-Sun regions with those in Stokes spectra computed on the basis of 3D MHD simulations having average magnetic flux densities of about 20, 56, 112, and 224 G. This approach allows us to find the simulation run that best matches the observations. The observations were taken with the Hinode SpectroPolarimeter (SP), the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter (TIP), the Polarimetric Littrow Spectrograph (POLIS), and the GREGOR Fabry–Pèrot Interferometer (GFPI), respectively. We determine characteristic quantities of full Stokes profiles in a few photospheric spectral lines in the visible (630 nm) and near-infrared (1083 and 1565 nm). We find that the appearance of abnormal granulation in intensity maps of degraded simulations can be traced back to an initially regular granulation pattern with numerous bright points in the intergranular lanes before the spatial degradation. The linear polarization signals in the simulations are almost exclusively related to canopies of strong magnetic flux concentrations and not to transient events of magnetic flux emergence. We find that the average vertical magnetic flux density in the simulation should be less than 50 G to reproduce the observed polarization signals in the quiet-Sun internetwork. A value of about 35 G gives the best match across the SP, TIP, POLIS, and GFPI observations.

Convective aggregation in realistic convective-scale simulations

OpenAIRE

Holloway, Christopher E.

2017-01-01

To investigate the real-world relevance of idealized-model convective self-aggregation, five 15-day cases of real organized convection in the tropics are simulated. These include multiple simulations of each case to test sensitivities of the convective organization and mean states to interactive radiation, interactive surface fluxes, and evaporation of rain. These simulations are compared to self-aggregation seen in the same model configured to run in idealized radiative-convective equilibriu...

Automated Segmentation of High-Resolution Photospheric Images of Active Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Meng; Tian, Yu; Rao, Changhui

2018-02-01

Due to the development of ground-based, large-aperture solar telescopes with adaptive optics (AO) resulting in increasing resolving ability, more accurate sunspot identifications and characterizations are required. In this article, we have developed a set of automated segmentation methods for high-resolution solar photospheric images. Firstly, a local-intensity-clustering level-set method is applied to roughly separate solar granulation and sunspots. Then reinitialization-free level-set evolution is adopted to adjust the boundaries of the photospheric patch; an adaptive intensity threshold is used to discriminate between umbra and penumbra; light bridges are selected according to their regional properties from candidates produced by morphological operations. The proposed method is applied to the solar high-resolution TiO 705.7-nm images taken by the 151-element AO system and Ground-Layer Adaptive Optics prototype system at the 1-m New Vacuum Solar Telescope of the Yunnan Observatory. Experimental results show that the method achieves satisfactory robustness and efficiency with low computational cost on high-resolution images. The method could also be applied to full-disk images, and the calculated sunspot areas correlate well with the data given by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

PHOTOSPHERIC PROPERTIES OF WARM EUV LOOPS AND HOT X-RAY LOOPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kano, R. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Ueda, K. [Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Tsuneta, S., E-mail: ryouhei.kano@nao.ac.jp [Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 (Japan)

2014-02-20

We investigate the photospheric properties (vector magnetic fields and horizontal velocity) of a well-developed active region, NOAA AR 10978, using the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope specifically to determine what gives rise to the temperature difference between ''warm loops'' (1-2 MK), which are coronal loops observed in EUV wavelengths, and ''hot loops'' (>3 MK), coronal loops observed in X-rays. We found that outside sunspots, the magnetic filling factor in the solar network varies with location and is anti-correlated with the horizontal random velocity. If we accept that the observed magnetic features consist of unresolved magnetic flux tubes, this anti-correlation can be explained by the ensemble average of flux-tube motion driven by small-scale random flows. The observed data are consistent with a flux tube width of ∼77 km and horizontal flow at ∼2.6 km s{sup –1} with a spatial scale of ∼120 km. We also found that outside sunspots, there is no significant difference between warm and hot loops either in the magnetic properties (except for the inclination) or in the horizontal random velocity at their footpoints, which are identified with the Hinode X-Ray Telescope and the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer. The energy flux injected into the coronal loops by the observed photospheric motion of the magnetic fields is estimated to be 2 × 10{sup 6} erg s{sup –1} cm{sup –2}, which is the same for both warm and hot loops. This suggests that coronal properties (e.g., loop length) play a more important role in giving rise to temperature differences of active-region coronal loops than photospheric parameters.

The sun and solar flares

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenna-Lawlor, S.

1982-01-01

The subject is discussed under the headings: the sun's core (thermonuclear reactions, energy transfer from core through radiation zone, convection zone, photosphere, chromosphere and corona); the photosphere (convection, granulation, sunspots, magnetic fields, solar cycle, rotation of the sun); solar variability and paleoclimatic records (correlation of low solar activity with increased 14 C production in atmosphere); the chromosphere and corona (turbulence, temperature, coronal streamers, energy transfer); solar flares (cosmic rays, aurorae, spectra, velocity of flares, prominences, mechanisms of flares); the solar wind. (U.K.)

Photospheric Emission in the Joint GBM and Konus Prompt Spectra of GRB 120323A

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guiriec, S.; Kouveliotou, C. [Department of Physics, The George Washington University, 725 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052 (United States); Gehrels, N.; McEnery, J. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Hartmann, D. H., E-mail: sylvain.guiriec@nasa.gov [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Kinard Lab of Physics (United States)

2017-09-10

GRB 120323A is a very intense short gamma -ray burst (GRB) detected simultaneously during its prompt γ -ray emission phase with the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on board the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the Konus experiment on board the Wind satellite. GBM and Konus operate in the keV–MeV regime; however, the GBM range is broader toward both the low and the high parts of the γ -ray spectrum. Analyses of such bright events provide a unique opportunity to check the consistency of the data analysis as well as cross-calibrate the two instruments. We performed time-integrated and coarse time-resolved spectral analysis of GRB 120323A prompt emission. We conclude that the analyses of GBM and Konus data are only consistent when using a double-hump spectral shape for both data sets; in contrast, the single hump of the empirical Band function, traditionally used to fit GRB prompt emission spectra, leads to significant discrepancies between GBM and Konus analysis results. Our two-hump model is a combination of a thermal-like and a non-thermal component. We interpret the first component as a natural manifestation of the jet photospheric emission.

Solar photospheric network properties and their cycle variation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thibault, K.; Charbonneau, P.; Béland, M., E-mail: kim@astro.umontreal.ca-a, E-mail: paulchar@astro.umontreal.ca-b, E-mail: michel.beland@calculquebec.ca-c [Département de Physique et Calcul Québec, Université de Montréal, 2900 Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4 (Canada)

2014-11-20

We present a numerical simulation of the formation and evolution of the solar photospheric magnetic network over a full solar cycle. The model exhibits realistic behavior as it produces large, unipolar concentrations of flux in the polar caps, a power-law flux distribution with index –1.69, a flux replacement timescale of 19.3 hr, and supergranule diameters of 20 Mm. The polar behavior is especially telling of model accuracy, as it results from lower-latitude activity, and accumulates the residues of any potential modeling inaccuracy and oversimplification. In this case, the main oversimplification is the absence of a polar sink for the flux, causing an amount of polar cap unsigned flux larger than expected by almost one order of magnitude. Nonetheless, our simulated polar caps carry the proper signed flux and dipole moment, and also show a spatial distribution of flux in good qualitative agreement with recent high-latitude magnetographic observations by Hinode. After the last cycle emergence, the simulation is extended until the network has recovered its quiet Sun initial condition. This permits an estimate of the network relaxation time toward the baseline state characterizing extended periods of suppressed activity, such as the Maunder Grand Minimum. Our simulation results indicate a network relaxation time of 2.9 yr, setting 2011 October as the soonest the time after which the last solar activity minimum could have qualified as a Maunder-type Minimum. This suggests that photospheric magnetism did not reach its baseline state during the recent extended minimum between cycles 23 and 24.

Convective Propagation Characteristics Using a Simple Representation of Convective Organization

Science.gov (United States)

Neale, R. B.; Mapes, B. E.

2016-12-01

Observed equatorial wave propagation is intimately linked to convective organization and it's coupling to features of the larger-scale flow. In this talk we a use simple 4 level model to accommodate vertical modes of a mass flux convection scheme (shallow, mid-level and deep). Two paradigms of convection are used to represent convective processes. One that has only both random (unorganized) diagnosed fluctuations of convective properties and one with organized fluctuations of convective properties that are amplified by previously existing convection and has an explicit moistening impact on the local convecting environment We show a series of model simulations in single-column, 2D and 3D configurations, where the role of convective organization in wave propagation is shown to be fundamental. For the optimal choice of parameters linking organization to local atmospheric state, a broad array of convective wave propagation emerges. Interestingly the key characteristics of propagating modes are the low-level moistening followed by deep convection followed by mature 'large-scale' heating. This organization structure appears to hold firm across timescales from 5-day wave disturbances to MJO-like wave propagation.

Emergence of Magnetic Flux Generated in a Solar Convective Dynamo. I. The Formation of Sunspots and Active Regions, and The Origin of Their Asymmetries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Feng; Rempel, Matthias; Fan, Yuhong, E-mail: chenfeng@ucar.edu [High Altitude Observatory, NCAR, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO, 80307 (United States)

2017-09-10

We present a realistic numerical model of sunspot and active region formation based on the emergence of flux bundles generated in a solar convective dynamo. To this end, we use the magnetic and velocity fields in a horizontal layer near the top boundary of the solar convective dynamo simulation to drive realistic radiative-magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the uppermost layers of the convection zone. The main results are as follows. (1) The emerging flux bundles rise with the mean speed of convective upflows and fragment into small-scale magnetic elements that further rise to the photosphere, where bipolar sunspot pairs are formed through the coalescence of the small-scale magnetic elements. (2) Filamentary penumbral structures form when the sunspot is still growing through ongoing flux emergence. In contrast to the classical Evershed effect, the inflow seems to prevail over the outflow in a large part of the penumbra. (3) A well-formed sunspot is a mostly monolithic magnetic structure that is anchored in a persistent deep-seated downdraft lane. The flow field outside the spot shows a giant vortex ring that comprises an inflow below 15 Mm depth and an outflow above 15 Mm depth. (4) The sunspots successfully reproduce the fundamental properties of the observed solar active regions, including the more coherent leading spots with a stronger field strength, and the correct tilts of bipolar sunspot pairs. These asymmetries can be linked to the intrinsic asymmetries in the magnetic and flow fields adapted from the convective dynamo simulation.

Sun and solar flares

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McKenna-Lawlor, S. (Saint Patrick' s Coll., Maynooth (Ireland))

1982-07-01

The subject is discussed under the headings: the sun's core (thermonuclear reactions, energy transfer from core through radiation zone, convection zone, photosphere, chromosphere and corona); the photosphere (convection, granulation, sunspots, magnetic fields, solar cycle, rotation of the sun); solar variability and paleoclimatic records (correlation of low solar activity with increased /sup 14/C production in atmosphere); the chromosphere and corona (turbulence, temperature, coronal streamers, energy transfer); solar flares (cosmic rays, aurorae, spectra, velocity of flares, prominences, mechanisms of flares); the solar wind.

An extensive VLT/X-shooter library of photospheric templates of pre-main sequence stars

Science.gov (United States)

Manara, C. F.; Frasca, A.; Alcalá, J. M.; Natta, A.; Stelzer, B.; Testi, L.

2017-09-01

Context. Studies of the formation and evolution of young stars and their disks rely on knowledge of the stellar parameters of the young stars. The derivation of these parameters is commonly based on comparison with photospheric template spectra. Furthermore, chromospheric emission in young active stars impacts the measurement of mass accretion rates, a key quantity for studying disk evolution. Aims: Here we derive stellar properties of low-mass (M⋆≲ 2 M⊙) pre-main sequence stars without disks, which represent ideal photospheric templates for studies of young stars. We also use these spectra to constrain the impact of chromospheric emission on the measurements of mass accretion rates. The spectra are reduced, flux-calibrated, and corrected for telluric absorption, and are made available to the community. Methods: We derive the spectral type for our targets by analyzing the photospheric molecular features present in their VLT/X-shooter spectra by means of spectral indices and comparison of the relative strength of photospheric absorption features. We also measure effective temperature, gravity, projected rotational velocity, and radial velocity from our spectra by fitting them with synthetic spectra with the ROTFIT tool. The targets have negligible extinction (AVpresented in our previous publication. We perform synthetic photometry on the spectra to derive the typical colors of young stars in different filters. We measure the luminosity of the emission lines present in the spectra and estimate the noise due to chromospheric emission in the measurements of accretion luminosity in accreting stars. Results: We provide a calibration of the photospheric colors of young pre-main sequence stars as a function of their spectral type in a set of standard broad-band optical and near-infrared filters. The logarithm of the noise on the accretion luminosity normalized to the stellar luminosity is roughly constant and equal to -2.3 for targets with masses larger than 1 solar

Global and photospheric physical parameters of active dwarf stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pettersen, B.R.

1983-01-01

Physical parameters (temperature, luminosity, radius, mass and chemical abundance) of the photospheres of red dwarf flare stars and spotted stars are determined for quiescent conditions. The interrelations between these quantities are compared to the results of theoretical investigation for low mass stars. The evolutionary state of flare stars is discussed. Observational results from spectroscopic and photometric methods to determine the rotation of active dwarfs are reviewed. The possibilities of global oscillations in dwarf stars are considered and preliminary results of a photometric search for oscillation in red dwarf luminosities are presented. (orig.)

On the Structure of the Solar Photosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Secchi A.

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Mary Posani (Department of French and Italian, The Ohio State University, Colum- bus, Ohio, 43221 and Eileen Reeves (Department of Comparative Literature, Prince- ton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 08544 provide a translation of Father Pietro Angelo Secchi’s classic work “ Sulla Struttura della Fotosfera Solare ” as it appeared in Bullettino Meteorologico dell’ Osservatorio del Collegio Romano , 30 November 1864, v.3(11, 1–3. Secchi’s paper was immediately translated into French by l’Abb ́ e Franc ̧ois Moigno appearing on December 22nd, 1864 ( Sur la structure de la photosph`ere du soleil. Les Mondes , 1864, v.6, 703–707. Moigno’s translation prompted significant interest in the nature of the Sun throughout Europe, with rapid claims of simultaneous discovery by Harv ́ e Faye (Faye H. Sur la constitution physique du soleil — premiere parti . Les Mondes, v.7, 293–306 and others. In this article, Secchi reiterated that the photosphere was composed of solid corpuscles floating on the transparent atmosphere of the Sun. Secchi concluded that the body of the Sun was gaseous based on his vi- sualization of solar granules or “ willow leaves ” described by Nasmyth (Nasmyth J. On the Structure of the Luminous Envelope of the Sun — In a letter to Joseph Sidebotham . Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester , 1862, 3rd Series, v.I, 407–411. Secchi also referred to Magnus’ work on solid particles in the gaseous flame (Magnus G. Notiz ̈uber die Bescha enheit der Sonne. Poggendorff’s Annalen der Physik und Chemie , 1864, v.121, 510–512; also in French Notice sur la constitution du soleil . Archives des science physique et naturelles (Gen`eve , 1864, v.20, 171–175. The works by Sechhi, Nasmyth, Magnus, and Faye would dominate astrophysical thought for the next 50 years.

The Sun on Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Robitaille, Pierre-Marie

2014-03-01

For 150 years, the Sun has been seen as a gaseous object devoid of a surface, as required by the Standard Solar Model (SSM). Yet, not one line of observational evidence supports a gaseous Sun. In contrast, overwhelming evidence exists that the Sun is comprised of condensed matter. Recently, 40 proofs have been compiled in conjunction with the Liquid Metallic Hydrogen Solar Model (LMHSM). This model advances that the Sun has a true surface. Photospheric structures, such as sunspots, granules, and faculae, are not optical illusions, as in the SSM, but real objects with a condensed nature. The LMHSM accounts for the thermal spectrum by invoking true inter-atomic structure on the photosphere in the form of the graphite-like layered hexagonal metallic hydrogen lattice first proposed by Wigner and Huntington. Within the convection zone, layered metallic hydrogen, insulated by intercalate atoms, enables the generation of the solar dynamo. Electrons located in conduction bands provide a proper means of generating magnetic fields. Metallic hydrogen ejected from the photosphere also thinly populates the corona, as reflected by the continuous K-coronal spectrum. This coronal matter harvests electrons, resulting in the production of highly ionized atoms. Electron affinity, not temperature, governs the ion profile. The chromosphere is a site of hydrogen and proton capture. Line emission in this region, strongly supports the idea that exothermic condensation reactions are occurring in the chromosphere. In the LMHSM, solar activity and solar winds are regulated by exfoliation reactions occurring in the Sun itself, as the metallic hydrogen lattice excludes non-hydrogen elements from the solar body.

Internal Gravity Waves in the Magnetized Solar Atmosphere. I. Magnetic Field Effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vigeesh, G.; Steiner, O. [Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik, Schöneckstrasse 6, D-79104 Freiburg (Germany); Jackiewicz, J., E-mail: vigeesh@leibniz-kis.de [New Mexico State University, Department of Astronomy, P.O. Box 30001, MSC 4500, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (United States)

2017-02-01

Observations of the solar atmosphere show that internal gravity waves are generated by overshooting convection, but are suppressed at locations of magnetic flux, which is thought to be the result of mode conversion into magnetoacoustic waves. Here, we present a study of the acoustic-gravity wave spectrum emerging from a realistic, self-consistent simulation of solar (magneto)convection. A magnetic field free, hydrodynamic simulation and a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation with an initial, vertical, homogeneous field of 50 G flux density were carried out and compared with each other to highlight the effect of magnetic fields on the internal gravity wave propagation in the Sun’s atmosphere. We find that the internal gravity waves are absent or partially reflected back into the lower layers in the presence of magnetic fields and argue that the suppression is due to the coupling of internal gravity waves to slow magnetoacoustic waves still within the high- β region of the upper photosphere. The conversion to Alfvén waves is highly unlikely in our model because there is no strongly inclined magnetic field present. We argue that the suppression of internal waves observed within magnetic flux concentrations may also be due to nonlinear breaking of internal waves due to vortex flows that are ubiquitously present in the upper photosphere and the chromosphere.

Magnetic field interpretation for the outburst of CH Cygni

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wdowiak, T.J.

1977-01-01

The possible appearance of kilogauss magnetic structure in and above the photosphere of a red giant during helium-shell flash is examined as a mechanism for the outburst of the apparently single star, CH Cyg. Strong magnetic fields created by dynamo action in a temporary connection zone of a red giant core, by virtue of their intrinsic buoyancy, would rise quickly to the stellar surface. It is suggested that if the field is coupled with the large-scale convective structure of the envelope, the energy contained and rate of release would be sufficient to produce the emission features of the spectrum of CH Cyg

The 3-D Tropical Convective Cloud Spectrum in AMIE Radar Observations and Global Climate Simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schumacher, Courtney [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences

2015-08-31

During the three years of this grant performance, the PI and her research group have made a number of significant contributions towards determining properties of tropical deep convective clouds and how models depict and respond to the heating associated with tropical convective systems. The PI has also been an active ARM/ASR science team member, including playing a significant role in AMIE and GoAmazon2014/5. She served on the DOE ASR radar science steering committee and was a joint chair of the Mesoscale Convective Organization group under the Cloud Life Cycle working group. This grant has funded a number of graduate students, many of them women, and the PI and her group have presented their DOE-supported work at various universities and national meetings. The PI and her group participated in the AMIE (2011-12) and GoAmazon2014/5 (2014-15) DOE field deployments that occurred in the tropical Indian Ocean and Brazilian Amazon, respectively. AMIE observational results (DePasquale et al. 2014, Feng et al. 2014, Ahmed and Schumacher 2015) focus on the variation and possible importance of Kelvin waves in various phases of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), on the synergy of the different wavelength radars deployed on Addu Atoll, and on the importance of humidity thresholds in the tropics on stratiform rain production. Much of the PIs GoAmazon2014/5 results to date relate to overviews of the observations made during the field campaign (Martin et al. 2015, 2016; Fuentes et al. 2016), but also include the introduction of the descending arm and its link to ozone transport from the mid-troposphere to the surface (Gerken et al. 2016). Vertical motion and mass flux profiles from GoAmazon (Giangrande et al. 2016) also show interesting patterns between seasons and provide targets for model simulations. Results from TWP-ICE (Schumacher et al. 2015), which took place in Darwin, Australia in 2006 show that vertical velocity retrievals from the profilers provide structure to

Tests of two convection theories for red giant and red supergiant envelopes

Science.gov (United States)

Stothers, Richard B.; Chin, Chao-Wen

1995-01-01

Two theories of stellar envelope convection are considered here in the context of red giants and red supergiants of intermediate to high mass: Boehm-Vitense's standard mixing-length theory (MLT) and Canuto & Mazzitelli's new theory incorporating the full spectrum of turbulence (FST). Both theories assume incompressible convection. Two formulations of the convective mixing length are also evaluated: l proportional to the local pressure scale height (H(sub P)) and l proportional to the distance from the upper boundary of the convection zone (z). Applications to test both theories are made by calculating stellar evolutionary sequences into the red zone (z). Applications to test both theories are made by calculating stellar evolutionary sequences into the red phase of core helium burning. Since the theoretically predicted effective temperatures for cool stars are known to be sensitive to the assigned value of the mixing length, this quantity has been individually calibrated for each evolutionary sequence. The calibration is done in a composite Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for the red giant and red supergiant members of well-observed Galactic open clusters. The MLT model requires the constant of proportionality for the convective mixing length to vary by a small but statistically significant amount with stellar mass, whereas the FST model succeeds in all cases with the mixing lenghth simply set equal to z. The structure of the deep stellar interior, however, remains very nearly unaffected by the choices of convection theory and mixing lenghth. Inside the convective envelope itself, a density inversion always occurs, but is somewhat smaller for the convectively more efficient MLT model. On physical grounds the FST model is preferable, and seems to alleviate the problem of finding the proper mixing length.

The Light Source Problem: The Effect of Heterogeneous Stellar Photospheres on Searches for Transiting Exoplanet Biosignatures

Science.gov (United States)

Rackham, B. V.; Apai, D.; Giampapa, M. S.

2017-11-01

TESS will soon enable the study of terrestrial exoplanet atmospheres. However, spots and faculae in stellar photospheres can complicate these measurements by mimicking or masking atmospheric features. We detail our work to constrain this effect.

The excitation of solar-like oscillations in a δ Sct star by efficient envelope convection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Antoci, V.; Handler, G.; Kallinger, T.

2011-01-01

Delta Scuti (δSct) stars are opacity-driven pulsators with masses of 1.5-2.5Msolar, their pulsations resulting from the varying ionization of helium. In less massive stars such as the Sun, convection transports mass and energy through the outer 30per cent of the star and excites a rich spectrum...... of resonant acoustic modes. Based on the solar example, with no firm theoretical basis, models predict that the convective envelope in δSct stars extends only about 1per cent of the radius, but with sufficient energy to excite solar-like oscillations. This was not observed before the Kepler mission, so...... the presence of a convective envelope in the models has been questioned. Here we report the detection of solar-like oscillations in the δSct star HD187547, implying that surface convection operates efficiently in stars about twice as massive as the Sun, as the ad hoc models predicted....

The multifractal nature of plume structure in high-Rayleigh-number convection

Science.gov (United States)

Puthenveettil, Baburaj A.; Ananthakrishna, G.; Arakeri, Jaywant H.

2005-03-01

The geometrically different planforms of near-wall plume structure in turbulent natural convection, visualized by driving the convection using concentration differences across a membrane, are shown to have a common multifractal spectrum of singularities for Rayleigh numbers in the range 1010-1011 at Schmidt number of 602. The scaling is seen for a length scale range of 25 and is independent of the Rayleigh number, the flux, the strength and nature of the large-scale flow, and the aspect ratio. Similar scaling is observed for the plume structures obtained in the presence of a weak flow across the membrane. This common non-trivial spatial scaling is proposed to be due to the same underlying generating process for the near-wall plume structures.

Probing the Quiet Solar Atmosphere from the Photosphere to the Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Kontogiannis, Ioannis; Gontikakis, Costis; Tsiropoula, Georgia; Tziotziou, Kostas

2018-04-01

We investigate the morphology and temporal variability of a quiet-Sun network region in different solar layers. The emission in several extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral lines through both raster and slot time-series, recorded by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board the Hinode spacecraft is studied along with Hα observations and high-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of the photospheric magnetic field. The photospheric magnetic field is extrapolated up to the corona, showing a multitude of large- and small-scale structures. We show for the first time that the smallest magnetic structures at both the network and internetwork contribute significantly to the emission in EUV lines, with temperatures ranging from 8× 104 K to 6× 105 K. Two components of transition region emission are present, one associated with small-scale loops that do not reach coronal temperatures, and another component that acts as an interface between coronal and chromospheric plasma. Both components are associated with persistent chromospheric structures. The temporal variability of the EUV intensity at the network region is also associated with chromospheric motions, pointing to a connection between transition region and chromospheric features. Intensity enhancements in the EUV transition region lines are preferentially produced by Hα upflows. Examination of two individual chromospheric jets shows that their evolution is associated with intensity variations in transition region and coronal temperatures.

Casting the Coronal Magnetic Field Reconstructions with Magnetic Field Constraints above the Photosphere in 3D Using MHD Bifrost Model

Science.gov (United States)

Fleishman, G. D.; Anfinogentov, S.; Loukitcheva, M.; Mysh'yakov, I.; Stupishin, A.

2017-12-01

Measuring and modeling coronal magnetic field, especially above active regions (ARs), remains one of the central problems of solar physics given that the solar coronal magnetism is the key driver of all solar activity. Nowadays the coronal magnetic field is often modelled using methods of nonlinear force-free field reconstruction, whose accuracy has not yet been comprehensively assessed. Given that the coronal magnetic probing is routinely unavailable, only morphological tests have been applied to evaluate performance of the reconstruction methods and a few direct tests using available semi-analytical force-free field solution. Here we report a detailed casting of various tools used for the nonlinear force-free field reconstruction, such as disambiguation methods, photospheric field preprocessing methods, and volume reconstruction methods in a 3D domain using a 3D snapshot of the publicly available full-fledged radiative MHD model. We take advantage of the fact that from the realistic MHD model we know the magnetic field vector distribution in the entire 3D domain, which enables us to perform "voxel-by-voxel" comparison of the restored magnetic field and the true magnetic field in the 3D model volume. Our tests show that the available disambiguation methods often fail at the quiet sun areas, where the magnetic structure is dominated by small-scale magnetic elements, while they work really well at the AR photosphere and (even better) chromosphere. The preprocessing of the photospheric magnetic field, although does produce a more force-free boundary condition, also results in some effective `elevation' of the magnetic field components. The effective `elevation' height turns out to be different for the longitudinal and transverse components of the magnetic field, which results in a systematic error in absolute heights in the reconstructed magnetic data cube. The extrapolation performed starting from actual AR photospheric magnetogram (i.e., without preprocessing) are

Radio Photosphere and Mass-Loss Envelope of VY Canis Majoris

Science.gov (United States)

Lipscy, S. J.; Jura, M.; Reid, M. J.

2005-06-01

We have used the VLA to detect emission from the supergiant VY CMa at radio wavelengths and have constructed 3000-4500 K isothermal outer atmospheres constrained by the data. These models produce a radio photosphere at 1.5-2 R*. An extrapolation of the model can account for the observed total mass-loss rate of the star. We also present mid-infrared imaging of the supergiant which suggests that warm dust is extended in the same direction as the near-infrared reflection nebula around VY CMa. The origin of the asymmetries in the outflow remains an unsolved problem.

The Evolution of Open Magnetic Flux Driven by Photospheric Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Linker, Jon A.; Lionello, Roberto; Mikic, Zoran; Titov, Viacheslav S.; Antiochos, Spiro K.

2010-01-01

The coronal magnetic field is of paramount importance in solar and heliospheric physics. Two profoundly different views of the coronal magnetic field have emerged. In quasi-steady models, the predominant source of open magnetic field is in coronal holes. In contrast, in the interchange model, the open magnetic flux is conserved, and the coronal magnetic field can only respond to the photospheric evolution via interchange reconnection. In this view the open magnetic flux diffuses through the closed, streamer belt fields, and substantial open flux is present in the streamer belt during solar minimum. However, Antiochos and co-workers, in the form of a conjecture, argued that truly isolated open flux cannot exist in a configuration with one heliospheric current sheet (HCS) - it will connect via narrow corridors to the polar coronal hole of the same polarity. This contradicts the requirements of the interchange model. We have performed an MHD simulation of the solar corona up to 20R solar to test both the interchange model and the Antiochos conjecture. We use a synoptic map for Carrington Rotation 1913 as the boundary condition for the model, with two small bipoles introduced into the region where a positive polarity extended coronal hole forms. We introduce flows at the photospheric boundary surface to see if open flux associated with the bipoles can be moved into the closed-field region. Interchange reconnection does occur in response to these motions. However, we find that the open magnetic flux cannot be simply injected into closed-field regions - the flux eventually closes down and disconnected flux is created. Flux either opens or closes, as required, to maintain topologically distinct open and closed field regions, with no indiscriminate mixing of the two. The early evolution conforms to the Antiochos conjecture in that a narrow corridor of open flux connects the portion of the coronal hole that is nearly detached by one of the bipoles. In the later evolution, a

THE EVOLUTION OF OPEN MAGNETIC FLUX DRIVEN BY PHOTOSPHERIC DYNAMICS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linker, Jon A.; Lionello, Roberto; Mikic, Zoran; Titov, Viacheslav S.; Antiochos, Spiro K.

2011-01-01

The coronal magnetic field is of paramount importance in solar and heliospheric physics. Two profoundly different views of the coronal magnetic field have emerged. In quasi-steady models, the predominant source of open magnetic field is in coronal holes. In contrast, in the interchange model, the open magnetic flux is conserved, and the coronal magnetic field can only respond to the photospheric evolution via interchange reconnection. In this view, the open magnetic flux diffuses through the closed, streamer belt fields, and substantial open flux is present in the streamer belt during solar minimum. However, Antiochos and coworkers, in the form of a conjecture, argued that truly isolated open flux cannot exist in a configuration with one heliospheric current sheet-it will connect via narrow corridors to the polar coronal hole of the same polarity. This contradicts the requirements of the interchange model. We have performed an MHD simulation of the solar corona up to 20 R sun to test both the interchange model and the Antiochos conjecture. We use a synoptic map for Carrington rotation 1913 as the boundary condition for the model, with two small bipoles introduced into the region where a positive polarity extended coronal hole forms. We introduce flows at the photospheric boundary surface to see if open flux associated with the bipoles can be moved into the closed-field region. Interchange reconnection does occur in response to these motions. However, we find that the open magnetic flux cannot be simply injected into closed-field regions-the flux eventually closes down and disconnected flux is created. Flux either opens or closes, as required, to maintain topologically distinct open- and closed-field regions, with no indiscriminate mixing of the two. The early evolution conforms to the Antiochos conjecture in that a narrow corridor of open flux connects the portion of the coronal hole that is nearly detached by one of the bipoles. In the later evolution, a detached

Investigation of Relationship between High-energy X-Ray Sources and Photospheric and Helioseismic Impacts of X1.8 Solar Flare of 2012 October 23

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharykin, I. N.; Zimovets, I. V. [Space Research Institute (IKI) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Kosovichev, A. G.; Sadykov, V. M. [New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ (United States); Myshyakov, I. I., E-mail: ivan.sharykin@phystech.edu [Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Research (ISTP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, Irkutsk (Russian Federation)

2017-07-01

The X-class solar flare of 2012 October 23 generated continuum photospheric emission and a strong helioseismic wave (“sunquake”) that points to an intensive energy release in the dense part of the solar atmosphere. We study properties of the energy release with high temporal and spatial resolutions, using photospheric data from the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board Solar Dynamics Observatory , and hard X-ray observations made by RHESSI . For this analysis we use level-1 HMI data (filtergrams), obtained by scanning the Fe i line (6731 Å) with the time cadence of ∼3.6 s and spatial resolution of ∼0.″5 per pixel. It is found that the photospheric disturbances caused by the flare spatially coincide with the region of hard X-ray emission but are delayed by ≲4 s. This delay is consistent with predictions of the flare hydrodynamics RADYN models. However, the models fail to explain the magnitude of variations observed by the HMI. The data indicate that the photospheric impact and helioseismic wave might be caused by the electron energy flux, which is substantially higher than that in the current flare radiative hydrodynamic models.

An investigation of implicit turbulence modeling for laminar-turbulent transition in natural convection

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chunggang; Tsubokura, Makoto; Wang, Weihsiang

2017-11-01

The automatic dissipation adjustment (ADA) model based on truncated Navier-Stokes equations is utilized to investigate the feasibility of using implicit large eddy simulation (ILES) with ADA model on the transition in natural convection. Due to the high Rayleigh number coming from the larger temperature difference (300K), Roe scheme modified for low Mach numbers coordinating ADA model is used to resolve the complicated flow field. Based on the qualitative agreement of the comparisons with DNS and experimental results and the capability of numerically predicating a -3 decay law for the temporal power spectrum of the temperature fluctuation, this study thus validates the feasibility of ILES with ADA model on turbulent natural convection. With the advantages of ease of implementation because no explicit modeling terms are needed and nearly free of tuning parameters, ADA model offers to become a promising tool for turbulent thermal convection. Part of the results is obtained using the K computer at the RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science (Proposal number hp160232).

National Convective Weather Diagnostic

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Current convective hazards identified by the National Convective Weather Detection algorithm. The National Convective Weather Diagnostic (NCWD) is an automatically...

RADIATION PRESSURE-SUPPORTED ACCRETION DISKS: VERTICAL STRUCTURE, ENERGY ADVECTION, AND CONVECTIVE STABILITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu Weimin

2012-01-01

By taking into account the local energy balance per unit volume between the viscous heating and the advective cooling plus the radiative cooling, we investigate the vertical structure of radiation pressure-supported accretion disks in spherical coordinates. Our solutions show that the photosphere of the disk is close to the polar axis and therefore the disk seems to be extremely thick. However, the density profile implies that most of the accreted matter exists in a moderate range around the equatorial plane. We show that the well-known polytropic relation between the pressure and the density is unsuitable for describing the vertical structure of radiation pressure-supported disks. More importantly, we find that the energy advection is significant even for slightly sub-Eddington accretion disks. We argue that the non-negligible advection may help us understand why the standard thin disk model is likely to be inaccurate above ∼0.3 Eddington luminosity, which was found by some works on black hole spin measurement. Furthermore, the solutions satisfy the Solberg-Høiland conditions, which indicate the disk to be convectively stable. In addition, we discuss the possible link between our disk model and ultraluminous X-ray sources.

Clustering of gamma-ray burst types in the Fermi GBM catalogue: indications of photosphere and synchrotron emissions during the prompt phase

Science.gov (United States)

Acuner, Zeynep; Ryde, Felix

2018-04-01

Many different physical processes have been suggested to explain the prompt gamma-ray emission in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Although there are examples of both bursts with photospheric and synchrotron emission origins, these distinct spectral appearances have not been generalized to large samples of GRBs. Here, we search for signatures of the different emission mechanisms in the full Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope/GBM (Gamma-ray Burst Monitor) catalogue. We use Gaussian Mixture Models to cluster bursts according to their parameters from the Band function (α, β, and Epk) as well as their fluence and T90. We find five distinct clusters. We further argue that these clusters can be divided into bursts of photospheric origin (2/3 of all bursts, divided into three clusters) and bursts of synchrotron origin (1/3 of all bursts, divided into two clusters). For instance, the cluster that contains predominantly short bursts is consistent of photospheric emission origin. We discuss several reasons that can determine which cluster a burst belongs to: jet dissipation pattern and/or the jet content, or viewing angle.

The magnetic field of active region 11158 during the 2011 February 12-17 flares: Differences between photospheric extrapolation and coronal forward-fitting methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aschwanden, Markus J.; Sun, Xudong; Liu, Yang

2014-01-01

We developed a coronal nonlinear force-free field (COR-NLFFF) forward-fitting code that fits an approximate nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) solution to the observed geometry of automatically traced coronal loops. In contrast to photospheric NLFFF codes, which calculate a magnetic field solution from the constraints of the transverse photospheric field, this new code uses coronal constraints instead, and this way provides important information on systematic errors of each magnetic field calculation method, as well as on the non-force-freeness in the lower chromosphere. In this study we applied the COR-NLFFF code to NOAA Active Region 11158, during the time interval of 2011 February 12-17, which includes an X2.2 GOES-class flare plus 35 M- and C-class flares. We calculated the free magnetic energy with a 6 minute cadence over 5 days. We find good agreement between the two types of codes for the total nonpotential E N and potential energy E P but find up to a factor of 4 discrepancy in the free energy E free = E N – E P and up to a factor of 10 discrepancy in the decrease of the free energy ΔE free during flares. The coronal NLFFF code exhibits a larger time variability and yields a decrease of free energy during the flare that is sufficient to satisfy the flare energy budget, while the photospheric NLFFF code shows much less time variability and an order of magnitude less free-energy decrease during flares. The discrepancy may partly be due to the preprocessing of photospheric vector data but more likely is due to the non-force-freeness in the lower chromosphere. We conclude that the coronal field cannot be correctly calculated on the basis of photospheric data alone and requires additional information on coronal loop geometries.

Turbulence in nearly incompressible fluids: density spectrum, flows, correlations and implication to the interstellar medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Dastgeer

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Interstellar scintillation and angular radio wave broadening measurements show that interstellar and solar wind (electron density fluctuations exhibit a Kolmogorov-like k-5/3 power spectrum extending over many decades in wavenumber space. The ubiquity of the Kolmogorov-like interstellar medium (ISM density spectrum led to an explanation based on coupling incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD fluctuations to density fluctuations through a 'pseudosound' relation within the context of 'nearly incompressible' (NI hydrodynamics (HD and MHD models. The NI theory provides a fundamentally different explanation for the observed ISM density spectrum in that the density fluctuations can be a consequence of passive scalar convection due to background incompressible fluctuations. The theory further predicts generation of long-scale structures and various correlations between the density, temperature and the (magneto acoustic as well as convective pressure fluctuations in the compressible ISM fluids in different thermal regimes that are determined purely by the thermal fluctuation level. In this paper, we present the results of our two dimensional nonlinear fluid simulations, exploring various nonlinear aspects that lead to inertial range ISM turbulence within the context of a NI hydrodymanics model. In qualitative agreement with the NI predictions and the in-situ observations, we find that i the density fluctuations exhibit a Kolmogorov-like spectrum via a passive convection in the field of the background incompressible fluctuations, ii the compressible ISM fluctuations form long scale flows and structures, and iii the density and the temperature fluctuations are anti-correlated.

A revised method of presenting wavenumber-frequency power spectrum diagrams that reveals the asymmetric nature of tropical large-scale waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chao, Winston C. [NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, Mail Code 610.1, Greenbelt, MD (United States); Yang, Bo; Fu, Xiouhua [University of Hawaii at Manoa, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, International Pacific Research Center, Honolulu, HI (United States)

2009-11-15

The popular method of presenting wavenumber-frequency power spectrum diagrams for studying tropical large-scale waves in the literature is shown to give an incomplete presentation of these waves. The so-called ''convectively coupled Kelvin (mixed Rossby-gravity) waves'' are presented as existing only in the symmetric (anti-symmetric) component of the diagrams. This is obviously not consistent with the published composite/regression studies of ''convectively coupled Kelvin waves,'' which illustrate the asymmetric nature of these waves. The cause of this inconsistency is revealed in this note and a revised method of presenting the power spectrum diagrams is proposed. When this revised method is used, ''convectively coupled Kelvin waves'' do show anti-symmetric components, and ''convectively coupled mixed Rossby-gravity waves (also known as Yanai waves)'' do show a hint of symmetric components. These results bolster a published proposal that these waves should be called ''chimeric Kelvin waves,'' ''chimeric mixed Rossby-gravity waves,'' etc. This revised method of presenting power spectrum diagrams offers an additional means of comparing the GCM output with observations by calling attention to the capability of GCMs to correctly simulate the asymmetric characteristics of equatorial waves. (orig.)

NICER Detection of Strong Photospheric Expansion during a Thermonuclear X-Ray Burst from 4U 1820–30

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keek, L.; Arzoumanian, Z.; Chakrabarty, D.

2018-01-01

. Radiation pressure pushed the photosphere out to ∼200 km, while the blackbody temperature dropped to 0.45 keV. Previous observations of similar bursts were performed with instruments that are sensitive only above 3 keV, and the burst signal was weak at low temperatures. NICER's 0.2–12 keV passband enables...... the first complete detailed observation of strong expansion bursts. The strong expansion lasted only 0.6 s, and was followed by moderate expansion with a 20 km apparent radius, before the photosphere finally settled back down at 3 s after the burst onset. In addition to thermal emission from the neutron...

Variable jet properties in GRB 110721A: time resolved observations of the jet photosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Iyyani, S.; Ryde, F.; Axelsson, M.; Burgess, J. M.; Guiriec, S.; Larsson, J.; Lundman, C.; Moretti, E.; McGlynn, S.; Nymark, T.; Rosquist, K.

2013-08-01

Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope observations of GRB 110721A have revealed two emission components from the relativistic jet: emission from the photosphere, peaking at ˜100 keV, and a non-thermal component, which peaks at ˜1000 keV. We use the photospheric component to calculate the properties of the relativistic outflow. We find a strong evolution in the flow properties: the Lorentz factor decreases with time during the bursts from Γ ˜ 1000 to ˜150 (assuming a redshift z = 2; the values are only weakly dependent on unknown efficiency parameters). Such a decrease is contrary to the expectations from the internal shocks and the isolated magnetar birth models. Moreover, the position of the flow nozzle measured from the central engine, r0, increases by more than two orders of magnitude. Assuming a moderately magnetized outflow we estimate that r0 varies from 106 to ˜109 cm during the burst. We suggest that the maximal value reflects the size of the progenitor core. Finally, we show that these jet properties naturally explain the observed broken power-law decay of the temperature which has been reported as a characteristic for gamma-ray burst pulses.

A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR THE PHOTOSPHERIC DRIVING OF NON-POTENTIAL SOLAR CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELD SIMULATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weinzierl, Marion; Yeates, Anthony R. [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Mackay, Duncan H. [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Henney, Carl J.; Arge, C. Nick, E-mail: marion.weinzierl@durham.ac.uk [Air Force Research Lab/Space Vehicles Directorate, 3550 Aberdeen Avenue SE, Kirtland AFB, NM (United States)

2016-05-20

In this paper, we develop a new technique for driving global non-potential simulations of the Sun’s coronal magnetic field solely from sequences of radial magnetic maps of the solar photosphere. A primary challenge to driving such global simulations is that the required horizontal electric field cannot be uniquely determined from such maps. We show that an “inductive” electric field solution similar to that used by previous authors successfully reproduces specific features of the coronal field evolution in both single and multiple bipole simulations. For these cases, the true solution is known because the electric field was generated from a surface flux-transport model. The match for these cases is further improved by including the non-inductive electric field contribution from surface differential rotation. Then, using this reconstruction method for the electric field, we show that a coronal non-potential simulation can be successfully driven from a sequence of ADAPT maps of the photospheric radial field, without including additional physical observations which are not routinely available.

Observations of the longitudinal magnetic field in the transition region and photosphere of a sunspot

Science.gov (United States)

Henze, W., Jr.; Tandberg-Hanssen, E.; Hagyard, M. J.; West, E. A.; Woodgate, B. E.; Shine, R. A.; Beckers, J. M.; Bruner, M.; Hyder, C. L.; West, E. A.

1982-01-01

The Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter on the Solar Maximum Mission spacraft has observed for the first time the longitudinal component of the magnetic field by means of the Zeeman effect in the transition region above a sunspot. The data presented here were obtained on three days in one sunspot, have spatial resolutions of 10 arcsec and 3 arcsec, and yield maximum field strengths greater than 1000 G above the umbrae in the spot. The method of analysis, including a line-width calibration feature used during some of the observations, is described in some detail in an appendix; the line width is required for the determination of the longitudinal magnetic field from the observed circular polarization. The transition region data for one day are compared with photospheric magnetograms from the Marshall Space Flight Center. Vertical gradients of the magnetic field are compared from the two sets of data; the maximum gradients of 0.41 to 0.62 G/km occur above the umbra and agree with or are smaller than values observed previously in the photosphere and low chromosphere.

Photospheric Spots and Flare on the Active Dwarf Star FR Cnc

Science.gov (United States)

Kozhevnikova, A. V.; Kozhevnikov, V. P.; Alekseev, I. Yu.

2018-03-01

We perform analysis of new BVRI photometry of young active dwarf star FR Cnc (K7V), obtained at Kourovka astronomical observatory of Ural Federal University with the help of multichannel electrophotometer in February 2010. The lightcurve displays sinusoidal rotation modulation with the amplitude of 0m.15 in V band. Reddening of the brightness at the photometric minimum confirms that this modulation is caused by cold photospheric spots. An analysis of the spottedness distribution in terms of a zonal model based on our own and published data shows that the spots are localized at lower and middle latitudes from 47° to 56°, occupy 10-21% of the star's area, and are colder than the photosphere by 1650 K. A flare was detected on February 3, 2010, at a time corresponding to HJD=2455231. 3136. A maximum amplitude of 0m.11 was observed in the B band, the amplitudes in the V, R, and I bands were 0m.04, 0m.03, and 0m.02, respectively, and the duration of the flare was 32.5 min. It was noted that the flare occurred near the maximum spottedness of the star. The calculated total energy of the flare was 2.4·1033 and 1.3·1033 erg in the B and V bands, respectively. The flare was found to have an afterglow, with an overall increase in the star's brightness by 0m.02 in the B band after the flare compared to the pre-flare level.

New View on Quiet-Sun Photospheric Dynamics Offered by NST Data

Science.gov (United States)

Abramenko, Valentyna; Yurchyshyn, V.; Goode, P. R.

2011-05-01

Recent observations of the quiet sun photosphere obtained with the 1.6 meter New Solar telescope (NST) of Big Bear Solar observatory (BBSO) delivered new information about photospheric fine structures and their dynamics, as well as posing new questions. The 2-hour uninterrupted data set of solar granulation obtained under excellent seeing conditions on August 3, 2010 (with cadence of 10 sec) was the basis for the study. Statistical analysis of automatically detected and tracked magnetic bright points (MBPs) showed that the MBPs population monotonically increases as their size decreases, down to 60-70 km. Our analysis shows that if the smallest magnetic flux tubes exist, their size is still smaller that 60-70 km, which impose strong restrictions on the modeling of these structures. We also found that the distributions of the MBP's size and lifetime do not follow a traditional Gaussian distribution, typical for random processes. Instead, it follows a log-normal distribution, typical for avalanches, catastrophes, stock market data, etc. Our data set also demonstrated that a majority (98.6 %) of MBPs are short live (<2 min). This remarkable fact was not obvious from previous studies because an extremely high time cadence was required. The fact indicates that the majority of MBPs appear for a very short time (tens of seconds), similar to other transient features, for example, chromospheric jets. The most important point here is that these small and short living MBPs significantly increase dynamics (flux emergence, collapse into MBPs, and magnetic flux recycling) of the solar surface magnetic fields.

Flare Prediction Using Photospheric and Coronal Image Data

Science.gov (United States)

Jonas, E.; Shankar, V.; Bobra, M.; Recht, B.

2016-12-01

We attempt to forecast M-and X-class solar flares using a machine-learning algorithm and five years of image data from both the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) and Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instruments aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory. HMI is the first instrument to continuously map the full-disk photospheric vector magnetic field from space (Schou et al., 2012). The AIA instrument maps the transition region and corona using various ultraviolet wavelengths (Lemen et al., 2012). HMI and AIA data are taken nearly simultaneously, providing an opportunity to study the entire solar atmosphere at a rapid cadence. Most flare forecasting efforts described in the literature use some parameterization of solar data - typically of the photospheric magnetic field within active regions. These numbers are considered to capture the information in any given image relevant to predicting solar flares. In our approach, we use HMI and AIA images of solar active regions and a deep convolutional kernel network to predict solar flares. This is effectively a series of shallow-but-wide random convolutional neural networks stacked and then trained with a large-scale block-weighted least squares solver. This algorithm automatically determines which patterns in the image data are most correlated with flaring activity and then uses these patterns to predict solar flares. Using the recently-developed KeystoneML machine learning framework, we construct a pipeline to process millions of images in a few hours on commodity cloud computing infrastructure. This is the first time vector magnetic field images have been combined with coronal imagery to forecast solar flares. This is also the first time such a large dataset of solar images, some 8.5 terabytes of images that together capture over 3000 active regions, has been used to forecast solar flares. We evaluate our method using various flare prediction windows defined in the literature (e.g. Ahmed et al., 2013) and a novel per

Observing Convective Aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Holloway, Christopher E.; Wing, Allison A.; Bony, Sandrine; Muller, Caroline; Masunaga, Hirohiko; L'Ecuyer, Tristan S.; Turner, David D.; Zuidema, Paquita

2017-11-01

Convective self-aggregation, the spontaneous organization of initially scattered convection into isolated convective clusters despite spatially homogeneous boundary conditions and forcing, was first recognized and studied in idealized numerical simulations. While there is a rich history of observational work on convective clustering and organization, there have been only a few studies that have analyzed observations to look specifically for processes related to self-aggregation in models. Here we review observational work in both of these categories and motivate the need for more of this work. We acknowledge that self-aggregation may appear to be far-removed from observed convective organization in terms of time scales, initial conditions, initiation processes, and mean state extremes, but we argue that these differences vary greatly across the diverse range of model simulations in the literature and that these comparisons are already offering important insights into real tropical phenomena. Some preliminary new findings are presented, including results showing that a self-aggregation simulation with square geometry has too broad distribution of humidity and is too dry in the driest regions when compared with radiosonde records from Nauru, while an elongated channel simulation has realistic representations of atmospheric humidity and its variability. We discuss recent work increasing our understanding of how organized convection and climate change may interact, and how model discrepancies related to this question are prompting interest in observational comparisons. We also propose possible future directions for observational work related to convective aggregation, including novel satellite approaches and a ground-based observational network.

The sensitivity of Alpine summer convection to surrogate climate change: an intercomparison between convection-parameterizing and convection-resolving models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Keller

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Climate models project an increase in heavy precipitation events in response to greenhouse gas forcing. Important elements of such events are rain showers and thunderstorms, which are poorly represented in models with parameterized convection. In this study, simulations with 12 km horizontal grid spacing (convection-parameterizing model, CPM and 2 km grid spacing (convection-resolving model, CRM are employed to investigate the change in the diurnal cycle of convection with warmer climate. For this purpose, simulations of 11 days in June 2007 with a pronounced diurnal cycle of convection are compared with surrogate simulations from the same period. The surrogate climate simulations mimic a future climate with increased temperatures but unchanged relative humidity and similar synoptic-scale circulation. Two temperature scenarios are compared: one with homogeneous warming (HW using a vertically uniform warming and the other with vertically dependent warming (VW that enables changes in lapse rate.The two sets of simulations with parameterized and explicit convection exhibit substantial differences, some of which are well known from the literature. These include differences in the timing and amplitude of the diurnal cycle of convection, and the frequency of precipitation with low intensities. The response to climate change is much less studied. We can show that stratification changes have a strong influence on the changes in convection. Precipitation is strongly increasing for HW but decreasing for the VW simulations. For cloud type frequencies, virtually no changes are found for HW, but a substantial reduction in high clouds is found for VW. Further, we can show that the climate change signal strongly depends upon the horizontal resolution. In particular, significant differences between CPM and CRM are found in terms of the radiative feedbacks, with CRM exhibiting a stronger negative feedback in the top-of-the-atmosphere energy budget.

The sensitivity of Alpine summer convection to surrogate climate change: an intercomparison between convection-parameterizing and convection-resolving models

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Michael; Kröner, Nico; Fuhrer, Oliver; Lüthi, Daniel; Schmidli, Juerg; Stengel, Martin; Stöckli, Reto; Schär, Christoph

2018-04-01

Climate models project an increase in heavy precipitation events in response to greenhouse gas forcing. Important elements of such events are rain showers and thunderstorms, which are poorly represented in models with parameterized convection. In this study, simulations with 12 km horizontal grid spacing (convection-parameterizing model, CPM) and 2 km grid spacing (convection-resolving model, CRM) are employed to investigate the change in the diurnal cycle of convection with warmer climate. For this purpose, simulations of 11 days in June 2007 with a pronounced diurnal cycle of convection are compared with surrogate simulations from the same period. The surrogate climate simulations mimic a future climate with increased temperatures but unchanged relative humidity and similar synoptic-scale circulation. Two temperature scenarios are compared: one with homogeneous warming (HW) using a vertically uniform warming and the other with vertically dependent warming (VW) that enables changes in lapse rate. The two sets of simulations with parameterized and explicit convection exhibit substantial differences, some of which are well known from the literature. These include differences in the timing and amplitude of the diurnal cycle of convection, and the frequency of precipitation with low intensities. The response to climate change is much less studied. We can show that stratification changes have a strong influence on the changes in convection. Precipitation is strongly increasing for HW but decreasing for the VW simulations. For cloud type frequencies, virtually no changes are found for HW, but a substantial reduction in high clouds is found for VW. Further, we can show that the climate change signal strongly depends upon the horizontal resolution. In particular, significant differences between CPM and CRM are found in terms of the radiative feedbacks, with CRM exhibiting a stronger negative feedback in the top-of-the-atmosphere energy budget.

Physics of the infrared spectrum

Science.gov (United States)

Deming, Drake; Jennings, Donald E.; Jefferies, John; Lindsey, Charles

1991-01-01

The IR bandpass is attractive for solar magnetic field studies in virtue of the proportionality to wavelength of the ratio of Zeeman splitting to line width. The large Zeeman splitting and optical thinness of the 12-micron observations render them especially useful for vector magnetic field derivations. The IR continuum, and many IR spectral lines, are formed in LTE and are useful in studies of the temperature structure of the solar atmosphere from the deepest observable photospheric layers to chromospheric altitudes. The far-IR continuum is an excellent thermometer for the upper photosphere and chromosphere.

Three-dimensional structure of the coronal magnetic field and the solar wind speed distribution projected on the photosphere in 1974

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakamada, K.

1987-01-01

Since the solar wind and coronal holes were relatively steady in 1974, the average distribution of the solar wind speed on the source surface and that of the line-of-sight component of the photospheric magnetic fields (B 1 ) can be constructed, with fair accuracy, by the superposed epoch analysis. The three-dimensional structure of the coronal magnetic fields is then computed from this average map of B 1 based on the potential model. The average distribution of the solar wind speed on the source surface, obtained from interplanetary scintillation observations, is then projected onto the photosphere along the open field lines in the corona. The high-speed regions thus projected are compared with the He I (1083 nm) coronal holes and are found to have a similar geometry. The results are also suggestive that the solar wind does not blow out uniformly from the vicinity of a coronal hole and that the speed is higher at the east side in that region than at the west side. The slower speed regions on the source surface have a sinusoidal structure in heliographic latitude-longitude coordinates and are similar to the brightness distribution of the K corona and the structure of closed field line regions projected onto the photosphere. copyrightAmerican Geophysical Union 1987

The Coincident Coherence of Extreme Doppler Velocity Events with p-mode Patches in the Solar Photosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

McClure, Rachel Lee

2018-06-01

Observations of the solar photosphere show many spatially compact Doppler velocity events with short life spans and extreme values. In the IMaX spectropolarimetric inversion data of the first flight of the SUNRISE balloon in 2009 these striking flashes in the intergranule lanes and complementary outstanding values in the centers of granules have line of sight Doppler velocity values in excess of 4 sigma from the mean. We conclude that values outside 4 sigma are a result from the superposition of the granulation flows and the p-modes.To determine how granulation and p-modes contribute to these outstanding Doppler events, I separate the two components using the Fast Fourier Transform. I produce the power spectrum of the spatial wave frequencies and their corresponding frequency in time for each image, and create a k-omega filter to separate the two components. Using the filtered data, test the hypothesis that extreme events occur because of strict superposition between the p-mode Doppler velocities and the granular velocities. I compare event counts from the observational data to those produced by random superposition of the two flow components and find that the observational event counts are consistent with the model event counts in the limit of small number statistics. Poisson count probabilities of event numbers observed are consistent with expected model count probability distributions.

On the time-dependent radiative transfer in photospheric plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, A.L.; Schweizer, M.A.

1987-01-01

The paper is the second of a series investigating time-dependent radiative transfer processes of x-rays in photospheric plasmas. A quantitative discussion is presented of analytical results derived earlier along with a comparison with Monte Carlo simulations. The geometry considered is a homogeneous plasma ball with radius R. The source is concentrated on a concentric shell with radius r 0 < R. Point sources at the centre of the ball or semi-infinite geometries are discussed as limiting cases. Diffusion profiles are given for every scattering order and the total profile appears as the sum over these individual profiles. The comparison with Monte Carlo results is used to test the accuracy of the analytical approach and to adjust the time profiles of the first few scattering orders. The analytical theory yields good results over a wide range of situations. (author)

Parameterizing convective organization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian Earle Mapes

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Lateral mixing parameters in buoyancy-driven deep convection schemes are among the most sensitive and important unknowns in atmosphere models. Unfortunately, there is not a true optimum value for plume mixing rate, but rather a dilemma or tradeoff: Excessive dilution of updrafts leads to unstable stratification bias in the mean state, while inadequate dilution allows deep convection to occur too easily, causing poor space and time distributions and variability. In this too-small parameter space, compromises are made based on competing metrics of model performance. We attempt to escape this “entrainment dilemma” by making bulk plume parameters (chiefly entrainment rate depend on a new prognostic variable (“organization,” org meant to reflect the rectified effects of subgrid-scale structure in meteorological fields. We test an org scheme in the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM5 with a new unified shallow-deep convection scheme (UW-ens, a 2-plume version of the University of Washington scheme. Since buoyant ascent involves natural selection, subgrid structure makes convection systematically deeper and stronger than the pure unorganized case: plumes of average (or randomly sampled air rising in the average environment. To reflect this, org is nonnegative, but we leave it dimensionless. A time scale characterizes its behavior (here ∼3 h for a 2o model. Currently its source is rain evaporation, but other sources can be added easily. We also let org be horizontally transported by advection, as a mass-weighted mean over the convecting layer. Linear coefficients link org to a plume ensemble, which it assists via: 1 plume base warmth above the mean temperature 2 plume radius enhancement (reduced mixing, and 3 increased probability of overlap in a multi-plume scheme, where interactions benefit later generations (this part has only been implemented in an offline toy column model. Since rain evaporation is a source for org, it functions as a time

Convective heat transfer

CERN Document Server

Kakac, Sadik; Pramuanjaroenkij, Anchasa

2014-01-01

Intended for readers who have taken a basic heat transfer course and have a basic knowledge of thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and differential equations, Convective Heat Transfer, Third Edition provides an overview of phenomenological convective heat transfer. This book combines applications of engineering with the basic concepts of convection. It offers a clear and balanced presentation of essential topics using both traditional and numerical methods. The text addresses emerging science and technology matters, and highlights biomedical applications and energy technologies. What’s New in the Third Edition: Includes updated chapters and two new chapters on heat transfer in microchannels and heat transfer with nanofluids Expands problem sets and introduces new correlations and solved examples Provides more coverage of numerical/computer methods The third edition details the new research areas of heat transfer in microchannels and the enhancement of convective heat transfer with nanofluids....

Synchronized observations of bright points from the solar photosphere to the corona

Science.gov (United States)

Tavabi, Ehsan

2018-05-01

One of the most important features in the solar atmosphere is the magnetic network and its relationship to the transition region (TR) and coronal brightness. It is important to understand how energy is transported into the corona and how it travels along the magnetic field lines between the deep photosphere and chromosphere through the TR and corona. An excellent proxy for transportation is the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) raster scans and imaging observations in near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) emission channels, which have high time, spectral and spatial resolutions. In this study, we focus on the quiet Sun as observed with IRIS. The data with a high signal-to-noise ratio in the Si IV, C II and Mg II k lines and with strong emission intensities show a high correlation with TR bright network points. The results of the IRIS intensity maps and dopplergrams are compared with those of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instruments onboard the Solar Dynamical Observatory (SDO). The average network intensity profiles show a strong correlation with AIA coronal channels. Furthermore, we applied simultaneous observations of the magnetic network from HMI and found a strong relationship between the network bright points in all levels of the solar atmosphere. These features in the network elements exhibited regions of high Doppler velocity and strong magnetic signatures. Plenty of corona bright points emission, accompanied by the magnetic origins in the photosphere, suggest that magnetic field concentrations in the network rosettes could help to couple the inner and outer solar atmosphere.

NICER Detection of Strong Photospheric Expansion during a Thermonuclear X-Ray Burst from 4U 1820–30

Science.gov (United States)

Keek, L.; Arzoumanian, Z.; Chakrabarty, D.; Chenevez, J.; Gendreau, K. C.; Guillot, S.; Güver, T.; Homan, J.; Jaisawal, G. K.; LaMarr, B.; Lamb, F. K.; Mahmoodifar, S.; Markwardt, C. B.; Okajima, T.; Strohmayer, T. E.; in ’t Zand, J. J. M.

2018-04-01

The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) on the International Space Station (ISS) observed strong photospheric expansion of the neutron star in 4U 1820–30 during a Type I X-ray burst. A thermonuclear helium flash in the star’s envelope powered a burst that reached the Eddington limit. Radiation pressure pushed the photosphere out to ∼200 km, while the blackbody temperature dropped to 0.45 keV. Previous observations of similar bursts were performed with instruments that are sensitive only above 3 keV, and the burst signal was weak at low temperatures. NICER's 0.2–12 keV passband enables the first complete detailed observation of strong expansion bursts. The strong expansion lasted only 0.6 s, and was followed by moderate expansion with a 20 km apparent radius, before the photosphere finally settled back down at 3 s after the burst onset. In addition to thermal emission from the neutron star, the NICER spectra reveal a second component that is well fit by optically thick Comptonization. During the strong expansion, this component is six times brighter than prior to the burst, and it accounts for 71% of the flux. In the moderate expansion phase, the Comptonization flux drops, while the thermal component brightens, and the total flux remains constant at the Eddington limit. We speculate that the thermal emission is reprocessed in the accretion environment to form the Comptonization component, and that changes in the covering fraction of the star explain the evolution of the relative contributions to the total flux.

Photospheric oscillations. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fossat, E.; Ricort, G.

1975-01-01

Intensity fluctuations in the wings of the Fraunhofer line Na D 1 5896 have been recorded for about two hundred hours at the focus of the Nice coude refractor, using a sodium optical resonance device. Because of the large beam aperture available, records have been made on circular apertures from 22'' up to 32' diameter (the whole sun). The principal results from the analysis of these date are: As shown by White and Cha, the five-minute oscillation has a gaussian random character with a mean lifetime of about 20 min. Its two-dimensional spatial power spectrum is roughly gaussian for every temporal frequency between 2 and 6 MHz. The width of this gaussian spectrum is near 5 x 10 -5 km -1 (i.e. π = 20,000 km). (orig./BJ) [de

Convection in complex shaped vessel; Convection dans des enceintes de forme complexe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-07-01

The 8 november 2000, the SFT (Societe Francaise de Thermique) organized a technical day on the convection in complex shaped vessels. Nine papers have been presented in the domains of the heat transfers, the natural convection, the fluid distribution, the thermosyphon effect, the steam flow in a sterilization cycle and the transformers cooling. Eight papers are analyzed in ETDE and one paper dealing with the natural convection in spent fuels depository is analyzed in INIS. (A.L.B.)

Southern Ocean Convection and tropical telleconnections

Science.gov (United States)

Marinov, I.; Cabre, A.; Gnanadesikan, A.

2014-12-01

We show that Southern Ocean (SO) temperatures in the latest generation of Earth System Models exhibit two major modes of variation, one driven by deep convection, the other by tropical variability. We perform a CMIP5 model intercomparison to understand why different climate models represent SO variability so differently in long, control simulations. We show that multiyear variability in Southern Ocean sea surface temperatures (SSTs) can in turn influence oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the tropics on short (atmospheric) time-scales. We argue that the strength and pattern of SO-tropical teleconnections depends on the intensity of SO deep convection. Periodic convection in the SO is a feature of most CMIP5 models under preindustrial forcing (deLavergne et al., 2014). Models show a wide distribution in the spatial extent, periodicity and intensity of their SO convection, with some models convecting most of the time, and some showing very little convection. In a highly convective coupled model, we find that multidecadal variability in SO and global SSTs, as well as SO heat storage are driven by Weddell Sea convective variability, with convective decades relatively warm due to the heat released from the deep southern ocean and non-convective decades cold due to the subsurface storage of heat. Furthermore, pulses of SO convection drive SST and sea ice variations, influencing absorbed shortwave and emitted longwave radiation, wind, cloud and precipitation patterns, with climatic implications for the low latitudes via fast atmospheric teleconnections. We suggest that these high-low latitude teleconnection mechanisms are relevant for understanding hiatus decades. Additionally, Southern Ocean deep convection varied significantly during past, natural climate changes such as during the last deglaciation. Weddell Sea open convection was recently weakened, likely as a consequence of anthropogenic forcing and the resulting surface freshening. Our study opens up the

Comparing convective heat fluxes derived from thermodynamics to a radiative-convective model and GCMs

Science.gov (United States)

Dhara, Chirag; Renner, Maik; Kleidon, Axel

2015-04-01

The convective transport of heat and moisture plays a key role in the climate system, but the transport is typically parameterized in models. Here, we aim at the simplest possible physical representation and treat convective heat fluxes as the result of a heat engine. We combine the well-known Carnot limit of this heat engine with the energy balances of the surface-atmosphere system that describe how the temperature difference is affected by convective heat transport, yielding a maximum power limit of convection. This results in a simple analytic expression for convective strength that depends primarily on surface solar absorption. We compare this expression with an idealized grey atmosphere radiative-convective (RC) model as well as Global Circulation Model (GCM) simulations at the grid scale. We find that our simple expression as well as the RC model can explain much of the geographic variation of the GCM output, resulting in strong linear correlations among the three approaches. The RC model, however, shows a lower bias than our simple expression. We identify the use of the prescribed convective adjustment in RC-like models as the reason for the lower bias. The strength of our model lies in its ability to capture the geographic variation of convective strength with a parameter-free expression. On the other hand, the comparison with the RC model indicates a method for improving the formulation of radiative transfer in our simple approach. We also find that the latent heat fluxes compare very well among the approaches, as well as their sensitivity to surface warming. What our comparison suggests is that the strength of convection and their sensitivity in the climatic mean can be estimated relatively robustly by rather simple approaches.

Why Compositional Convection Cannot Explain Substellar Objects’ Sharp Spectral-type Transitions

Science.gov (United States)

Leconte, Jérémy

2018-02-01

As brown dwarfs and young giant planets cool down, they are known to experience various chemical transitions—for example, from {CO} rich L-dwarfs to methane rich T-dwarfs. Those chemical transitions are accompanied by spectral transitions with sharpness that cannot be explained by chemistry alone. In a series of articles, Tremblin et al. proposed that some of the yet-unexplained features associated with these transitions could be explained by a reduction of the thermal gradient near the photosphere. To explain, in turn, this more isothermal profile, they invoke the presence of an instability analogous to fingering convection—compositional convection—triggered by the change in mean molecular weight of the gas due to the chemical transitions mentioned above. In this Letter, we use existing arguments to demonstrate that any turbulent transport, if present, would in fact increase the thermal gradient. This misinterpretation comes from the fact that turbulence mixes/homogenizes entropy (potential temperature) instead of temperature. So, while increasing transport, turbulence in an initially stratified atmosphere actually carries energy downward, whether it is due to fingering or any other type of compositional convection. These processes therefore cannot explain the features observed along the aforementioned transitions by reducing the thermal gradient in the atmosphere of substellar objects. Understanding the microphysical and dynamical properties of clouds at these transitions thus probably remains our best way forward.

Moisture Vertical Structure, Deep Convective Organization, and Convective Transition in the Amazon

Science.gov (United States)

Schiro, K. A.; Neelin, J. D.

2017-12-01

Constraining precipitation processes in climate models with observations is crucial to accurately simulating current climate and reducing uncertainties in future projections. Results from the Green Ocean Amazon (GOAmazon) field campaign (2014-2015) provide evidence that deep convection is strongly controlled by the availability of moisture in the free troposphere over the Amazon, much like over tropical oceans. Entraining plume buoyancy calculations confirm that CWV is a good proxy for the conditional instability of the environment, yet differences in convective onset as a function of CWV exist over land and ocean, as well as seasonally and diurnally over land. This is largely due to variability in the contribution of lower tropospheric humidity to the total column moisture. Boundary layer moisture shows a strong relationship to the onset during the day, which largely disappears during nighttime. Using S-Band radar, these transition statistics are examined separately for unorganized and mesoscale-organized convection, which exhibit sharp increases in probability of occurrence with increasing moisture throughout the column, particularly in the lower free troposphere. Retrievals of vertical velocity from a radar wind profiler indicate updraft velocity and mass flux increasing with height through the lower troposphere. A deep-inflow mixing scheme motivated by this — corresponding to deep inflow of environmental air into a plume that grows with height — provides a weighting of boundary layer and free tropospheric air that yields buoyancies consistent with the observed onset of deep convection across seasons and times of day, across land and ocean sites, and for all convection types. This provides a substantial improvement relative to more traditional constant mixing assumptions, and a dramatic improvement relative to no mixing. Furthermore, it provides relationships that are as strong or stronger for mesoscale-organized convection as for unorganized convection.

Solar and Stellar Active Regions:Cosmic laboratories for the study of Complexity

OpenAIRE

Vlahos, Loukas

2008-01-01

Solar active regions are driven dissipative dynamical systems. The turbulent convection zone forces new magnetic flux tubes to rise above the photosphere and shuffles the magnetic fields which are already above the photosphere. The driven 3D active region responds to the driver with the formation of Thin Current Sheets in all scales and releases impulsively energy, when special thresholds are met, on the form of nano-, micro-, flares and large scale coronal mass ejections. It has been documen...

Vertical natural convection: application of the unifying theory of thermal convection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ng, C.S.; Ooi, A.; Lohse, Detlef; Chung, D.

2015-01-01

Results from direct numerical simulations of vertical natural convection at Rayleigh numbers 1.0×10 5 –1.0×10 9 and Prandtl number 0.709 support a generalised applicability of the Grossmann–Lohse (GL) theory, which was originally developed for horizontal natural (Rayleigh–Bénard) convection. In

National Convective Weather Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NCWF is an automatically generated depiction of: (1) current convection and (2) extrapolated signficant current convection. It is a supplement to, but does NOT...

Changes in the convective population and thermodynamic environments in convection-permitting regional climate simulations over the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, K. L.; Prein, A. F.; Rasmussen, R. M.; Ikeda, K.; Liu, C.

2017-11-01

Novel high-resolution convection-permitting regional climate simulations over the US employing the pseudo-global warming approach are used to investigate changes in the convective population and thermodynamic environments in a future climate. Two continuous 13-year simulations were conducted using (1) ERA-Interim reanalysis and (2) ERA-Interim reanalysis plus a climate perturbation for the RCP8.5 scenario. The simulations adequately reproduce the observed precipitation diurnal cycle, indicating that they capture organized and propagating convection that most climate models cannot adequately represent. This study shows that weak to moderate convection will decrease and strong convection will increase in frequency in a future climate. Analysis of the thermodynamic environments supporting convection shows that both convective available potential energy (CAPE) and convective inhibition (CIN) increase downstream of the Rockies in a future climate. Previous studies suggest that CAPE will increase in a warming climate, however a corresponding increase in CIN acts as a balancing force to shift the convective population by suppressing weak to moderate convection and provides an environment where CAPE can build to extreme levels that may result in more frequent severe convection. An idealized investigation of fundamental changes in the thermodynamic environment was conducted by shifting a standard atmospheric profile by ± 5 °C. When temperature is increased, both CAPE and CIN increase in magnitude, while the opposite is true for decreased temperatures. Thus, even in the absence of synoptic and mesoscale variations, a warmer climate will provide more CAPE and CIN that will shift the convective population, likely impacting water and energy budgets on Earth.

Presentation on Tropical Mesoscale convective Systems and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

IAS Admin

Shallow convection- 70% of the storm heights are below 6 km. ♢ Deep convection ... Decay convection, the convective top is found at a higher altitude than deep .... Stratospheric Fountain – Two step process. Warm tropopause- preferable for.

A transilient matrix for moist convection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romps, D.; Kuang, Z.

2011-08-15

A method is introduced for diagnosing a transilient matrix for moist convection. This transilient matrix quantifies the nonlocal transport of air by convective eddies: for every height z, it gives the distribution of starting heights z{prime} for the eddies that arrive at z. In a cloud-resolving simulation of deep convection, the transilient matrix shows that two-thirds of the subcloud air convecting into the free troposphere originates from within 100 m of the surface. This finding clarifies which initial height to use when calculating convective available potential energy from soundings of the tropical troposphere.

Convective aggregation in realistic convective-scale simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Holloway, Christopher E.

2017-06-01

To investigate the real-world relevance of idealized-model convective self-aggregation, five 15 day cases of real organized convection in the tropics are simulated. These include multiple simulations of each case to test sensitivities of the convective organization and mean states to interactive radiation, interactive surface fluxes, and evaporation of rain. These simulations are compared to self-aggregation seen in the same model configured to run in idealized radiative-convective equilibrium. Analysis of the budget of the spatial variance of column-integrated frozen moist static energy shows that control runs have significant positive contributions to organization from radiation and negative contributions from surface fluxes and transport, similar to idealized runs once they become aggregated. Despite identical lateral boundary conditions for all experiments in each case, systematic differences in mean column water vapor (CWV), CWV distribution shape, and CWV autocorrelation length scale are found between the different sensitivity runs, particularly for those without interactive radiation, showing that there are at least some similarities in sensitivities to these feedbacks in both idealized and realistic simulations (although the organization of precipitation shows less sensitivity to interactive radiation). The magnitudes and signs of these systematic differences are consistent with a rough equilibrium between (1) equalization due to advection from the lateral boundaries and (2) disaggregation due to the absence of interactive radiation, implying disaggregation rates comparable to those in idealized runs with aggregated initial conditions and noninteractive radiation. This points to a plausible similarity in the way that radiation feedbacks maintain aggregated convection in both idealized simulations and the real world.Plain Language SummaryUnderstanding the processes that lead to the organization of tropical rainstorms is an important challenge for weather

Heat Convection

Science.gov (United States)

Jiji, Latif M.

Professor Jiji's broad teaching experience lead him to select the topics for this book to provide a firm foundation for convection heat transfer with emphasis on fundamentals, physical phenomena, and mathematical modelling of a wide range of engineering applications. Reflecting recent developments, this textbook is the first to include an introduction to the challenging topic of microchannels. The strong pedagogic potential of Heat Convection is enhanced by the follow ing ancillary materials: (1) Power Point lectures, (2) Problem Solutions, (3) Homework Facilitator, and, (4) Summary of Sections and Chapters.

NEUTRINO-DRIVEN TURBULENT CONVECTION AND STANDING ACCRETION SHOCK INSTABILITY IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdikamalov, Ernazar; Ott, Christian D.; Radice, David; Roberts, Luke F.; Haas, Roland; Reisswig, Christian; Mösta, Philipp; Klion, Hannah; Schnetter, Erik

2015-01-01

We conduct a series of numerical experiments into the nature of three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamics in the postbounce stalled-shock phase of core-collapse supernovae using 3D general-relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of a 27 M ⊙ progenitor star with a neutrino leakage/heating scheme. We vary the strength of neutrino heating and find three cases of 3D dynamics: (1) neutrino-driven convection, (2) initially neutrino-driven convection and subsequent development of the standing accretion shock instability (SASI), and (3) SASI-dominated evolution. This confirms previous 3D results of Hanke et al. and Couch and Connor. We carry out simulations with resolutions differing by up to a factor of ∼4 and demonstrate that low resolution is artificially favorable for explosion in the 3D convection-dominated case since it decreases the efficiency of energy transport to small scales. Low resolution results in higher radial convective fluxes of energy and enthalpy, more fully buoyant mass, and stronger neutrino heating. In the SASI-dominated case, lower resolution damps SASI oscillations. In the convection-dominated case, a quasi-stationary angular kinetic energy spectrum E(ℓ) develops in the heating layer. Like other 3D studies, we find E(ℓ) ∝ℓ −1 in the “inertial range,” while theory and local simulations argue for E(ℓ) ∝ ℓ −5/3 . We argue that current 3D simulations do not resolve the inertial range of turbulence and are affected by numerical viscosity up to the energy-containing scale, creating a “bottleneck” that prevents an efficient turbulent cascade

Biomass Smoke Influences on Deep Convection during the 2011 Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E)

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, X.; Logan, T.; Xi, B.

2015-12-01

Three deep convective cloud cases were selected during the 2011 Mid-Latitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E). Although biomass burning smoke advected from Mexico and Central America was the dominant source of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) for deep convective cloud formation, the 11 May, 20 May, and 23 May cases exhibited different convective characteristics. The convection in the 11 May and 23 May cases formed in smoke laden environments in the presence of convective available potential energy (CAPE) values exceeding 1000 m2 s-2 and 3000 m2 s-2 along with low-level (0-1 km) shear of 10.3 m s-1 and 5.1 m s-1, respectively. The 11 May case had linear convection while the 23 May case featured discrete supercells. The 20 May case featured elevated linear convection that formed in a more moist environment with cleaner aerosol conditions, weak CAPE (9 km) suggesting a warm rain suppression mechanism caused by a combination of strong aerosol loading, large CAPE, and weak low-level wind shear. The observed results for the 20 May and 23 May cases agree well with recent modeling studies that simulated the convection and precipitation in these cases. Furthermore, the modeling of the 11 May case is suggested since the abundant amount of smoke CCN did not greatly enhance the overall precipitation amount and could be a possible aerosol-induced precipitation suppression case.

A Novel Approach to Fast SOLIS Stokes Inversion for Photospheric Vector Magnetography.

Science.gov (United States)

Harker, Brian; Mighell, K.

2009-05-01

The SOLIS (Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun) Vector Spectromagnetograph (VSM) is a full-disc spectropolarimeter, located at Kitt Peak National Observatory, which records Zeeman-induced polarization in the magnetically-sensitive FeI spectral lines at 630.15 nm and 630.25 nm. A SOLIS VSM full-disc dataset consists of 2048 scanlines, with each scanline containing the Stokes I, Q, U, and V spectral line profiles in 128 unique wavelength bins for all 2048 pixels in the scanline. These Stokes polarization profiles are inverted to obtain the magnetic and thermodynamic structure of the observations, based on a model Milne-Eddington plane-parallel atmosphere. Until recently, this has been a compute-intensive, relatively slow process. This poster presents a novel method of producing such model-based characterizations of the photospheric magnetic field by utilizing an inversion engine based on a genetic algorithm. The algorithm executes in a heterogeneous compute environment composed of both a CPU and a graphics processing unit (GPU). Using the cutting-edge NVIDIA CUDA platform, we are able to offload the compute-intensive portions of the inversion code to the GPU, which results in significant speedup. This speedup provides the impetus which has driven the development of this strategy. Currently, SOLIS vector magnetic field products are generated with a modified version of the HAO ASP inversion code developed by Skumanich & Lites (1987), and these data products are made available to the scientific community 24 hours after the actual observation(s). With this work, we aim to drastically reduce this waiting period to allow near real-time characterizations of the photospheric vector magnetic field. Here, we here detail the inversion method we have pioneered, present preliminary results on the derived full-disc magnetic field as well as timing/speedup considerations, and finally offer some outlooks on the future direction of this work.

Stellar convection and dynamo theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jennings, R L

1989-10-01

In considering the large scale stellar convection problem the outer layers of a star are modelled as two co-rotating plane layers coupled at a fluid/fluid interface. Heating from below causes only the upper fluid to convect, although this convection can penetrate into the lower fluid. Stability analysis is then used to find the most unstable mode of convection. With parameters appropriate to the Sun the most unstable mode is steady convection in thin cells (aspect ratio {approx equal} 0.2) filling the convection zone. There is negligible vertical motion in the lower fluid, but considerable thermal penetration, and a large jump in helicity at the interface, which has implications for dynamo theory. An {alpha}{omega} dynamo is investigated in isolation from the convection problem. Complexity is included by allowing both latitudinal and time dependence in the magnetic fields. The nonlinear dynamics of the resulting partial differential equations are analysed in considerable detail. On varying the main control parameter D (the dynamo number), many transitions of behaviour are found involving many forms of time dependence, but not chaos. Further, solutions which break equatorial symmetry are common and provide a theoretical explanation of solar observations which have this symmetry. Overall the behaviour was more complicated than expected. In particular, there were multiple stable solutions at fixed D, meaning that similar stars can have very different magnetic patterns, depending upon their history. (author).

The effect of convection and semi-convection on the C/O yield of massive stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dearborn, D.S.

1979-01-01

The C/O ratio produced during core helium burning affects the future evolution and nucleosynthetic yield of massive stars. This ratio is shown to be sensitive to the treatment of convection as well as uncertainties in nuclear rates. By minimizing the effect of semi-convection and reducing the size of the convective core, mass loss in OB stars increases the C/O ratio. (Author)

Propagation of Torsional Alfvén Waves from the Photosphere to the Corona: Reflection, Transmission, and Heating in Expanding Flux Tubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soler, Roberto; Terradas, Jaume; Oliver, Ramón; Ballester, José Luis, E-mail: roberto.soler@uib.es [Departament de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

2017-05-01

It has been proposed that Alfvén waves play an important role in the energy propagation through the solar atmospheric plasma and its heating. Here we theoretically investigate the propagation of torsional Alfvén waves in magnetic flux tubes expanding from the photosphere up to the low corona and explore the reflection, transmission, and dissipation of wave energy. We use a realistic variation of the plasma properties and the magnetic field strength with height. Dissipation by ion–neutral collisions in the chromosphere is included using a multifluid partially ionized plasma model. Considering the stationary state, we assume that the waves are driven below the photosphere and propagate to the corona, while they are partially reflected and damped in the chromosphere and transition region. The results reveal the existence of three different propagation regimes depending on the wave frequency: low frequencies are reflected back to the photosphere, intermediate frequencies are transmitted to the corona, and high frequencies are completely damped in the chromosphere. The frequency of maximum transmissivity depends on the magnetic field expansion rate and the atmospheric model, but is typically in the range of 0.04–0.3 Hz. Magnetic field expansion favors the transmission of waves to the corona and lowers the reflectivity of the chromosphere and transition region compared to the case with a straight field. As a consequence, the chromospheric heating due to ion–neutral dissipation systematically decreases when the expansion rate of the magnetic flux tube increases.

Constancy of spectral-line bisectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, D.F.

1983-01-01

Bisectors of spectral line profiles in cool stars indicate the strength of convection in the photospheres of these objects. The present investigation is concerned with the feasibility of studying time variations in line bisectors, the reality of apparent line-to-line differences within the same stellar spectrum, and bisector differences between stars of identical spectral types. The differences considered pertain to the shape of the bisector. The material used in the investigation was acquired at the McDonald Observatory using a 1728 diode Reticon array at the coudefocus of the 2.1-m telescope. Observed bisector errors are discussed. It is established that different lines in the same star show significantly different bisectors. The observed error bands are shown by the shaded regions. The slope and curvature are unique for each case

An optical spectroscopic study of T Tauri stars. I. Photospheric properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herczeg, Gregory J. [Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University, Yi He Yuan Lu 5, Haidian Qu, Beijing 100871 (China); Hillenbrand, Lynne A. [Caltech, MC105-24, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

2014-05-10

Estimates of the mass and age of young stars from their location in the H-R diagram are limited by not only the typical observational uncertainties that apply to field stars, but also by large systematic uncertainties related to circumstellar phenomena. In this paper, we analyze flux-calibrated optical spectra to measure accurate spectral types and extinctions of 281 nearby T Tauri stars (TTSs). The primary advances in this paper are (1) the incorporation of a simplistic accretion continuum in optical spectral type and extinction measurements calculated over the full optical wavelength range and (2) the uniform analysis of a large sample of stars, many of which are well known and can serve as benchmarks. Comparisons between the non-accreting TTS photospheric templates and stellar photosphere models are used to derive conversions from spectral type to temperature. Differences between spectral types can be subtle and difficult to discern, especially when accounting for accretion and extinction. The spectral types measured here are mostly consistent with spectral types measured over the past decade. However, our new spectral types are one to two subclasses later than literature spectral types for the original members of the TW Hya Association (TWA) and are discrepant with literature values for some well-known members of the Taurus Molecular Cloud. Our extinction measurements are consistent with other optical extinction measurements but are typically 1 mag lower than near-IR measurements, likely the result of methodological differences and the presence of near-IR excesses in most CTTSs. As an illustration of the impact of accretion, spectral type, and extinction uncertainties on the H-R diagrams of young clusters, we find that the resulting luminosity spread of stars in the TWA is 15%-30%. The luminosity spread in the TWA and previously measured for binary stars in Taurus suggests that for a majority of stars, protostellar accretion rates are not large enough to

Investigation of tropical diurnal convection biases in a climate model using TWP-ICE observations and convection-permitting simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, W.; Xie, S.; Jackson, R. C.; Endo, S.; Vogelmann, A. M.; Collis, S. M.; Golaz, J. C.

2017-12-01

Climate models are known to have difficulty in simulating tropical diurnal convections that exhibit distinct characteristics over land and open ocean. While the causes are rooted in deficiencies in convective parameterization in general, lack of representations of mesoscale dynamics in terms of land-sea breeze, convective organization, and propagation of convection-induced gravity waves also play critical roles. In this study, the problem is investigated at the process-level with the U.S. Department of Energy Accelerated Climate Modeling for Energy (ACME) model in short-term hindcast mode using the Cloud Associated Parameterization Testbed (CAPT) framework. Convective-scale radar retrievals and observation-driven convection-permitting simulations for the Tropical Warm Pool-International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE) cases are used to guide the analysis of the underlying processes. The emphasis will be on linking deficiencies in representation of detailed process elements to the model biases in diurnal convective properties and their contrast among inland, coastal and open ocean conditions.

CONVECTION IN CONDENSIBLE-RICH ATMOSPHERES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, F. [Department of the Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 (United States); Pierrehumbert, R. T., E-mail: fding@uchicago.edu [Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU (United Kingdom)

2016-05-01

Condensible substances are nearly ubiquitous in planetary atmospheres. For the most familiar case—water vapor in Earth’s present climate—the condensible gas is dilute, in the sense that its concentration is everywhere small relative to the noncondensible background gases. A wide variety of important planetary climate problems involve nondilute condensible substances. These include planets near or undergoing a water vapor runaway and planets near the outer edge of the conventional habitable zone, for which CO{sub 2} is the condensible. Standard representations of convection in climate models rely on several approximations appropriate only to the dilute limit, while nondilute convection differs in fundamental ways from dilute convection. In this paper, a simple parameterization of convection valid in the nondilute as well as dilute limits is derived and used to discuss the basic character of nondilute convection. The energy conservation properties of the scheme are discussed in detail and are verified in radiative-convective simulations. As a further illustration of the behavior of the scheme, results for a runaway greenhouse atmosphere for both steady instellation and seasonally varying instellation corresponding to a highly eccentric orbit are presented. The latter case illustrates that the high thermal inertia associated with latent heat in nondilute atmospheres can damp out the effects of even extreme seasonal forcing.

Convective overshoot at the solar tachocline

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Benjamin; Oishi, Jeffrey S.; Anders, Evan H.; Lecoanet, Daniel; Burns, Keaton; Vasil, Geoffrey M.

2017-08-01

At the base of the solar convection zone lies the solar tachocline. This internal interface is where motions from the unstable convection zone above overshoot and penetrate downward into the stiffly stable radiative zone below, driving gravity waves, mixing, and possibly pumping and storing magnetic fields. Here we study the dynamics of convective overshoot across very stiff interfaces with some properties similar to the internal boundary layer within the Sun. We use the Dedalus pseudospectral framework and study fully compressible dynamics at moderate to high Peclet number and low Mach number, probing a regime where turbulent transport is important, and where the compressible dynamics are similar to those of convective motions in the deep solar interior. We find that the depth of convective overshoot is well described by a simple buoyancy equilibration model, and we consider implications for dynamics at the solar tachocline and for the storage of magnetic fields there by overshooting convection.

Can a Wind Model Mimic a Convection-Dominated Accretion Flow Model?

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Heon-Young

2001-06-01

In this paper we investigate the properties of advection-dominated accretion flows(ADAFs) in case that outflows carry away infalling matter with its angular momentum and energy. Positive Bernoulli numbers in ADAFs allow a fraction of the gas to be ex-pelled in a form of outflows. The ADAFs are also unstable to convection. We present self-similar solutions for advection-dominated accretion flows in the presence of out-flows from the accretion flows (ADIOS). The axisymmetric flow is treated in variables integrated over polar sections and the effects of outflows on the accretion rlow are parameterized for possible configurations compatible with the one dimensional self-similar ADAF solution. We explicitly derive self-similar solutions of ADAFs in the presence of outflows and show that the strong outflows in the accretion flows result in a flatter density profile, which is similar to that of the convection-dominated accretion flows (CDAFs) in which convection transports the a! ngular momentum inward and the energy outward. These two different versions of the ADAF model should show similar behaviors in X-ray spectrum to some extent. Even though the two models may show similar behaviors, they should be distinguishable due to different physical properties. We suggest that for a central object of which mass is known these two different accretion flows should have different X-ray flux value due to deficient matter in the wind model.

Can a Wind Model Mimic a Convection-Dominated Accretion Flow Model?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heon-Young Chang

2001-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper we investigate the properties of advection-dominated accretion flows(ADAFs in case that outflows carry away infalling matter with its angular momentum and energy. Positive Bernoulli numbers in ADAFs allow a fraction of the gas to be ex-pelled in a form of outflows. The ADAFs are also unstable to convection. We present self-similar solutions for advection-dominated accretion flows in the presence of out-flows from the accretion flows (ADIOS. The axisymmetric flow is treated in variables integrated over polar sections and the effects of outflows on the accretion rlow are parameterized for possible configurations compatible with the one dimensional self-similar ADAF solution. We explicitly derive self-similar solutions of ADAFs in the presence of outflows and show that the strong outflows in the accretion flows result in a flatter density profile, which is similar to that of the convection-dominated accretion flows (CDAFs in which convection transports the a! ngular momentum inward and the energy outward. These two different versions of the ADAF model should show similar behaviors in X-ray spectrum to some extent. Even though the two models may show similar behaviors, they should be distinguishable due to different physical properties. We suggest that for a central object of which mass is known these two different accretion flows should have different X-ray flux value due to deficient matter in the wind model.

Response of Moist Convection to Multi-scale Surface Flux Heterogeneity

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, S. L.; Ryu, J. H.

2015-12-01

We investigate response of moist convection to multi-scale feature of the spatial variation of surface sensible heat fluxes (SHF) in the afternoon evolution of the convective boundary layer (CBL), utilizing a mesoscale-domain large eddy simulation (LES) model. The multi-scale surface heterogeneity feature is analytically created as a function of the spectral slope in the wavelength range from a few tens of km to a few hundreds of m in the spectrum of surface SHF on a log-log scale. The response of moist convection to the κ-3 - slope (where κ is wavenumber) surface SHF field is compared with that to the κ-2 - slope surface, which has a relatively weak mesoscale feature, and the homogeneous κ0 - slope surface. Given the surface energy balance with a spatially uniform available energy, the prescribed SHF has a 180° phase lag with the latent heat flux (LHF) in a horizontal domain of (several tens of km)2. Thus, warmer (cooler) surface is relatively dry (moist). For all the cases, the same observation-based sounding is prescribed for the initial condition. For all the κ-3 - slope surface heterogeneity cases, early non-precipitating shallow clouds further develop into precipitating deep thunderstorms. But for all the κ-2 - slope cases, only shallow clouds develop. We compare the vertical profiles of domain-averaged fluxes and variances, and the contribution of the mesoscale and turbulence contributions to the fluxes and variances, between the κ-3 versus κ-2 slope cases. Also the cross-scale processes are investigated.

Polarization spectrum of supernova 1987A interpreted in terms of shape asymmetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeffery, D J

1987-10-01

Polarimetry carried out on the type II supernova 1987A on 6 and 7 March 1987 showed variation in polarization across line profiles. This polarization structure is interpreted as arising from an asymmetric, homologously expanding, scattering atmosphere surrounding an asymmetric continuum-producing photosphere. Resonant scattering of radiation by ions in the atmosphere produces the line structure in the flux spectrum and polarizes the emergent radiation. The asymmetric shape of the atmosphere causes a non-zero net polarization. Sobolev-method radiative transfer calculations with axisymmetric oblate ellipsoidal models have been carried out to fit the observed data. The models are parameterized by the ratio of the symmetry axis to the perpendicular axis, c/a. The fits to the 1987A data indicate that (c/a) is approx. 0.6-0.8.

A Mass-Flux Scheme View of a High-Resolution Simulation of a Transition from Shallow to Deep Cumulus Convection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuang, Zhiming; Bretherton, Christopher S.

2006-07-01

In this paper, an idealized, high-resolution simulation of a gradually forced transition from shallow, nonprecipitating to deep, precipitating cumulus convection is described; how the cloud and transport statistics evolve as the convection deepens is explored; and the collected statistics are used to evaluate assumptions in current cumulus schemes. The statistical analysis methodologies that are used do not require tracing the history of individual clouds or air parcels; instead they rely on probing the ensemble characteristics of cumulus convection in the large model dataset. They appear to be an attractive way for analyzing outputs from cloud-resolving numerical experiments. Throughout the simulation, it is found that 1) the initial thermodynamic properties of the updrafts at the cloud base have rather tight distributions; 2) contrary to the assumption made in many cumulus schemes, nearly undiluted air parcels are too infrequent to be relevant to any stage of the simulated convection; and 3) a simple model with a spectrum of entraining plumes appears to reproduce most features of the cloudy updrafts, but significantly overpredicts the mass flux as the updrafts approach their levels of zero buoyancy. A buoyancy-sorting model was suggested as a potential remedy. The organized circulations of cold pools seem to create clouds with larger-sized bases and may correspondingly contribute to their smaller lateral entrainment rates. Our results do not support a mass-flux closure based solely on convective available potential energy (CAPE), and are in general agreement with a convective inhibition (CIN)-based closure. The general similarity in the ensemble characteristics of shallow and deep convection and the continuous evolution of the thermodynamic structure during the transition provide justification for developing a single unified cumulus parameterization that encompasses both shallow and deep convection.

Solar magnetic field - 1976 through 1985: an atlas of photospheric magnetic field observations and computed coronal magnetic fields from the John M. Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford, 1976-1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeksema, J.T.; Scherrer, P.H.

1986-01-01

Daily magnetogram observations of the large-scale photospheric magnetic field have been made at the John M. Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford since May of 1976. These measurements provide a homogeneous record of the changing solar field through most of Solar Cycle 21. Using the photospheric data, the configuration of the coronal and heliospheric fields can be calculated using a Potential Field -- Source Surface model. This provides a 3-dimensional picture of the heliospheric field-evolution during the solar cycle. In this report the authors present the complete set of synoptic charts of the measured photospheric magnetic field, the computed field at the source surface, and the coefficients of the multipole expansion of the coronal field. The general underlying structure of the solar and heliospheric fields, which determine the environment for solar - terrestrial relations and provide the context within which solar-activity-related events occur, can be approximated from these data

Power-Law Statistics of Driven Reconnection in the Magnetically Closed Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Klimchuk, J. A.; DeVore, C. R.; Knizhnik, K. J.; Uritskiy, V. M.

2018-01-01

Numerous observations have revealed that power-law distributions are ubiquitous in energetic solar processes. Hard X-rays, soft X-rays, extreme ultraviolet radiation, and radio waves all display power-law frequency distributions. Since magnetic reconnection is the driving mechanism for many energetic solar phenomena, it is likely that reconnection events themselves display such power-law distributions. In this work, we perform numerical simulations of the solar corona driven by simple convective motions at the photospheric level. Using temperature changes, current distributions, and Poynting fluxes as proxies for heating, we demonstrate that energetic events occurring in our simulation display power-law frequency distributions, with slopes in good agreement with observations. We suggest that the braiding-associated reconnection in the corona can be understood in terms of a self-organized criticality model driven by convective rotational motions similar to those observed at the photosphere.

Power-law Statistics of Driven Reconnection in the Magnetically Closed Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Knizhnik, K. J.; Uritsky, V. M.; Klimchuk, J. A.; DeVore, C. R.

2018-01-01

Numerous observations have revealed that power-law distributions are ubiquitous in energetic solar processes. Hard X-rays, soft X-rays, extreme ultraviolet radiation, and radio waves all display power-law frequency distributions. Since magnetic reconnection is the driving mechanism for many energetic solar phenomena, it is likely that reconnection events themselves display such power-law distributions. In this work, we perform numerical simulations of the solar corona driven by simple convective motions at the photospheric level. Using temperature changes, current distributions, and Poynting fluxes as proxies for heating, we demonstrate that energetic events occurring in our simulation display power-law frequency distributions, with slopes in good agreement with observations. We suggest that the braiding-associated reconnection in the corona can be understood in terms of a self-organized criticality model driven by convective rotational motions similar to those observed at the photosphere.

Dynamics of acoustic-convective drying of sunflower cake

Science.gov (United States)

Zhilin, A. A.

2017-10-01

The dynamics of drying sunflower cake by a new acoustic-convective method has been studied. Unlike the conventional (thermal-convective) method, the proposed method allows moisture to be extracted from porous materials without applying heat to the sample to be dried. Kinetic curves of drying by the thermal-convective and acoustic-convective methods were obtained and analyzed. The advantages of the acoustic-convective extraction of moisture over the thermal-convective method are discussed. The relaxation times of drying were determined for both drying methods. An intermittent drying mode which improves the efficiency of acoustic-convective extraction of moisture is considered.

True polar wander on convecting planets

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Ian Robert

the characteristic size of moment of inertia anomalies decreases with higher Ra, but that the characteristic response time for TPW also decreases. These two effects approximately cancel. However, the orientation of the principal axes of the moment of inertia becomes less stable to perturbations at high Ra, thereby increasing the rate of TPW. Overall, I find that a more vigorously convecting planet is more likely to experience large TPW events. If early Earth had more vigorous convection, it may have experienced more TPW than present-day Earth. Flow induced by density anomalies in the mantle deflects free surfaces at the surface and the CMB, and the mass anomalies due to these deflections contribute to the moment of inertia. A full accounting of the moment of inertia anomalies must include these surface effects. Numerical models of mantle convection with a free surface have suffered from numerical sloshing instabilities. I analyze the sloshing instability by constructing a generalized eigenvalue problem for the relaxation time spectrum. The minimum relaxation time of the spectrum sets the maximum stable timestep. This analysis gives the first quantitative explanation for why existing techniques for stabilizing geodynamic simulations with a free surface work. I also use this perspective to construct an alternative stabilization scheme based on nonstandard finite differences. This scheme has a single parameter, given by an estimate of the minimum relaxation time, and allows for still larger timesteps. Finally, I develop a new method for analyzing apparent polar wander (APW) paths described by sequences of paleomagnetic poles. Existing techniques, such as spline fits and running means, do not fully account for the uncertainties in the position and timing of paleomagnetic pole paths. Furthermore, they impose regularization on the solution, and the resulting uncertainties are difficult to interpret. Our technique is an extension of paleomagnetic Euler pole (PEP) analysis. I

Upscale Impact of Mesoscale Disturbances of Tropical Convection on Convectively Coupled Kelvin Waves

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Q.; Majda, A.

2017-12-01

Tropical convection associated with convectively coupled Kelvin waves (CCKWs) is typically organized by an eastward-moving synoptic-scale convective envelope with numerous embedded westward-moving mesoscale disturbances. It is of central importance to assess upscale impact of mesoscale disturbances on CCKWs as mesoscale disturbances propagate at various tilt angles and speeds. Here a simple multi-scale model is used to capture this multi-scale structure, where mesoscale fluctuations are directly driven by mesoscale heating and synoptic-scale circulation is forced by mean heating and eddy transfer of momentum and temperature. The two-dimensional version of the multi-scale model drives the synoptic-scale circulation, successfully reproduces key features of flow fields with a front-to-rear tilt and compares well with results from a cloud resolving model. In the scenario with an elevated upright mean heating, the tilted vertical structure of synoptic-scale circulation is still induced by the upscale impact of mesoscale disturbances. In a faster propagation scenario, the upscale impact becomes less important, while the synoptic-scale circulation response to mean heating dominates. In the unrealistic scenario with upward/westward tilted mesoscale heating, positive potential temperature anomalies are induced in the leading edge, which will suppress shallow convection in a moist environment. In its three-dimensional version, results show that upscale impact of mesoscale disturbances that propagate at tilt angles (110o 250o) induces negative lower-tropospheric potential temperature anomalies in the leading edge, providing favorable conditions for shallow convection in a moist environment, while the remaining tilt angle cases have opposite effects. Even in the presence of upright mean heating, the front-to-rear tilted synoptic-scale circulation can still be induced by eddy terms at tilt angles (120o 240o). In the case with fast propagating mesoscale heating, positive

Coupling of convection and circulation at various resolutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cathy Hohenegger

2015-03-01

Full Text Available A correct representation of the coupling between convection and circulation constitutes a prerequisite for a correct representation of precipitation at all scales. In this study, the coupling between convection and a sea breeze is investigated across three main resolutions: large-eddy resolution where convection is fully explicit, convection-permitting resolution where convection is partly explicit and coarse resolution where convection is parameterised. The considered models are the UCLA-LES, COSMO and ICON. Despite the use of prescribed surface fluxes, comparison of the simulations reveals that typical biases associated with a misrepresentation of convection at convection-permitting and coarser resolutions significantly alter the characteristics of the sea breeze. The coarse-resolution simulations integrated without convective parameterisation and the convection-permitting simulations simulate a too slow propagation of the breeze front as compared to the large-eddy simulations. From the various factors affecting the propagation, a delayed onset and intensification of cold pools primarily explains the differences. This is a direct consequence of a delayed development of convection when the grid spacing is coarsened. Scaling the time the sea breeze reaches the centre of the land patch by the time precipitation exceeds 2 mm day−1, used as a measure for significant evaporation, yields a collapse of the simulations onto a simple linear relationship although subtle differences remain due to the use of different turbulence and microphysical schemes. Turning on the convection scheme significantly disrupts the propagation of the sea breeze due to a misrepresented timing (too early triggering and magnitude (too strong precipitation evaporation in one of the tested convection schemes of the convective processes.

NEUTRINO-DRIVEN TURBULENT CONVECTION AND STANDING ACCRETION SHOCK INSTABILITY IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdikamalov, Ernazar; Ott, Christian D.; Radice, David; Roberts, Luke F.; Haas, Roland; Reisswig, Christian; Mösta, Philipp; Klion, Hannah [TAPIR, Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics, Mailcode 350-17, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Schnetter, Erik, E-mail: cott@tapir.caltech.edu [Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, ON (Canada)

2015-07-20

We conduct a series of numerical experiments into the nature of three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamics in the postbounce stalled-shock phase of core-collapse supernovae using 3D general-relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of a 27 M{sub ⊙} progenitor star with a neutrino leakage/heating scheme. We vary the strength of neutrino heating and find three cases of 3D dynamics: (1) neutrino-driven convection, (2) initially neutrino-driven convection and subsequent development of the standing accretion shock instability (SASI), and (3) SASI-dominated evolution. This confirms previous 3D results of Hanke et al. and Couch and Connor. We carry out simulations with resolutions differing by up to a factor of ∼4 and demonstrate that low resolution is artificially favorable for explosion in the 3D convection-dominated case since it decreases the efficiency of energy transport to small scales. Low resolution results in higher radial convective fluxes of energy and enthalpy, more fully buoyant mass, and stronger neutrino heating. In the SASI-dominated case, lower resolution damps SASI oscillations. In the convection-dominated case, a quasi-stationary angular kinetic energy spectrum E(ℓ) develops in the heating layer. Like other 3D studies, we find E(ℓ) ∝ℓ{sup −1} in the “inertial range,” while theory and local simulations argue for E(ℓ) ∝ ℓ{sup −5/3}. We argue that current 3D simulations do not resolve the inertial range of turbulence and are affected by numerical viscosity up to the energy-containing scale, creating a “bottleneck” that prevents an efficient turbulent cascade.

The pattern of convection in the Sun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiss, N.O.

1976-01-01

The structure of solar magnetic fields is dominated by the effects of convection, which should be incorporated in any model of the solar cycle. Although mixing length theory is adequate for calculating the structure of main sequence stars, a better description of convection is needed for any detailed dynamo model. Recent work on nonlinear convection at low Prandt numbers is reviewed. There has been some progress towards a theory of compressible convection, though there is still no firm theoretical evidence for cells with scales less than the depth of the convecting layer. However, it remains likely that the pattern of solar convection is dominated by granules, supergranules and giant cells. The effects of rotation on these cells are briefly considered. (Auth.)

Topology Optimisation for Coupled Convection Problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alexandersen, Joe

This thesis deals with topology optimisation for coupled convection problems. The aim is to extend and apply topology optimisation to steady-state conjugate heat transfer problems, where the heat conduction equation governs the heat transfer in a solid and is coupled to thermal transport...... in a surrounding uid, governed by a convection-diffusion equation, where the convective velocity field is found from solving the isothermal incompressible steady-state Navier-Stokes equations. Topology optimisation is also applied to steady-state natural convection problems. The modelling is done using stabilised...... finite elements, the formulation and implementation of which was done partly during a special course as prepatory work for this thesis. The formulation is extended with a Brinkman friction term in order to facilitate the topology optimisation of fluid flow and convective cooling problems. The derived...

Convective penetration in a young sun

Science.gov (United States)

Pratt, Jane; Baraffe, Isabelle; Goffrey, Tom; MUSIC developers group

2018-01-01

To interpret the high-quality data produced from recent space-missions it is necessary to study convection under realistic stellar conditions. We describe the multi-dimensional, time implicit, fully compressible, hydrodynamic, implicit large eddy simulation code MUSIC. We use MUSIC to study convection during an early stage in the evolution of our sun where the convection zone covers approximately half of the solar radius. This model of the young sun possesses a realistic stratification in density, temperature, and luminosity. We approach convection in a stellar context using extreme value theory and derive a new model for convective penetration, targeted for one-dimensional stellar evolution calculations. This model provides a scenario that can explain the observed lithium abundance in the sun and in solar-like stars at a range of ages.

CDM Convective Forecast Planning guidance

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The CDM Convective Forecast Planning (CCFP) guidance product provides a foreast of en-route aviation convective hazards. The forecasts are updated every 2 hours and...

Stochastic generation of MAC waves and implications for convection in Earth's core

Science.gov (United States)

Buffett, Bruce; Knezek, Nicholas

2018-03-01

Convection in Earth's core can sustain magnetic-Archemedes-Coriolis (MAC) waves through a variety of mechanisms. Buoyancy and Lorentz forces are viable sources for wave motion, together with the effects of magnetic induction. We develop a quantitative description for zonal MAC waves and assess the source mechanisms using a numerical dynamo model. The largest sources at conditions accessible to the dynamo model are due to buoyancy forces and magnetic induction. However, when these sources are extrapolated to conditions expected in Earth's core, the Lorentz force emerges as the dominant generation mechanism. This source is expected to produce wave velocities of roughly 2 km yr-1 when the internal magnetic field is characterized by a dimensionless Elsasser number of roughly Λ ≈ 10 and the root-mean-square convective velocity defines a magnetic Reynolds number of Rm ≈ 103. Our preferred model has a radially varying stratification and a constant (radial) background magnetic field. It predicts a broad power spectrum for the wave velocity with most power distributed across periods from 30 to 100 yr.

Measuring Convective Mass Fluxes Over Tropical Oceans

Science.gov (United States)

Raymond, David

2017-04-01

Deep convection forms the upward branches of all large-scale circulations in the tropics. Understanding what controls the form and intensity of vertical convective mass fluxes is thus key to understanding tropical weather and climate. These mass fluxes and the corresponding conditions supporting them have been measured by recent field programs (TPARC/TCS08, PREDICT, HS3) in tropical disturbances considered to be possible tropical storm precursors. In reality, this encompasses most strong convection in the tropics. The measurements were made with arrays of dropsondes deployed from high altitude. In some cases Doppler radar provided additional measurements. The results are in some ways surprising. Three factors were found to control the mass flux profiles, the strength of total surface heat fluxes, the column-integrated relative humidity, and the low to mid-tropospheric moist convective instability. The first two act as expected, with larger heat fluxes and higher humidity producing more precipitation and stronger lower tropospheric mass fluxes. However, unexpectedly, smaller (but still positive) convective instability produces more precipitation as well as more bottom-heavy convective mass flux profiles. Furthermore, the column humidity and the convective instability are anti-correlated, at least in the presence of strong convection. On spatial scales of a few hundred kilometers, the virtual temperature structure appears to be in dynamic balance with the pattern of potential vorticity. Since potential vorticity typically evolves on longer time scales than convection, the potential vorticity pattern plus the surface heat fluxes then become the immediate controlling factors for average convective properties. All measurements so far have taken place in regions with relatively flat sea surface temperature (SST) distributions. We are currently seeking funding for a measurement program in the tropical east Pacific, a region that exhibits strong SST gradients and

Sunspots and the physics of magnetic flux tubes. VI - Convective propulsion. VII - Heat flow in a convective downdraft

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, E. N.

1979-01-01

The effect of negative aerodynamic drag in an ideal fluid subject to convective instability is considered. It is shown that a cylinder moving in such a fluid is propelled forward in its motion by the convective forces and that the characteristic acceleration time is comparable to the onset time of convective motions in the fluid. It is suggested that convective propulsion plays an important role in the dynamics of flux tubes extending through the surface of the sun. The suppression of the upward heat flow in a Boussinesq convective cell with free upper and lower boundaries by a downdraft is then analyzed. Application to the solar convection zone indicates that downdrafts of 1 to 2 km/s at depths of 1000 to 4000 km beneath the visible surface of the sun are sufficient to reduce the upward heat flux to a small fraction of the ambient value.

Cylindrical prominences and the magnetic influence of the photospheric boundary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lerche, I.; Chicago Univ., IL; Low, B.C.

1980-01-01

We construct exact, non-linear, solutions for an horizontal, cylindrical, current-carrying, prominence supported against solar gravity by the action of a Lorentz force. The solutions incorporate the photosphere boundary condition, proposed by van Tend and Kuperus (1978), and analyzed by them for line filaments. Our solutions have finite radius for the prominence material and, as well as satisfying the equations of magnetostatic equilibrium, they allow for the continuity of gas pressure, and of the normal and tangential components of magnetic field across the circular prominence boundary. We show that an infinity of solutions is possible and we illustrate the basic behavior by investigation of a special case. We also give a prescription for constructing equilibrium fields for any horizontal prominence with arbitrary cross-section and with an arbitrary external magnetic field. The prescription is ideally suited for numerical codes and we suggest that both the equilibrium of such shapes can easily be accomplished numerically together with their evolutionary history. (orig.)

Normal and counter Evershed flows in the photospheric penumbra of a sunspot SPINOR 2D inversions of Hinode-SOT/SP observations

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Siu-Tapia, A.; Lagg, A.; Solanki, S.K.; van Noort, M.; Jurčák, Jan

2017-01-01

Roč. 607, November (2017), A36/1-A36/17 E-ISSN 1432-0746 Institutional support: RVO:67985815 Keywords : sunspots * photosphere * magnetic fields Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics OBOR OECD: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science) Impact factor: 5.014, year: 2016

Convective Heat Transfer Coefficients of the Human Body under Forced Convection from Ceiling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kurazumi, Yoshihito; Rezgals, Lauris; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2014-01-01

The average convective heat transfer coefficient for a seated human body exposed to downward flow from above was determined. Thermal manikin with complex body shape and size of an average Scandinavian female was used. The surface temperature distribution of the manikin’s body was as the skin...... of the convective heat transfer coefficient of the whole body (hc [W/(m2•K)]) was proposed: hc=4.088+6.592V1.715 for a seated naked body at 20ºC and hc=2.874+7.427V1.345 for a seated naked body at 26ºC. Differences in the convective heat transfer coefficient of the whole body in low air velocity range, V

The convection electric field in auroral substorms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjerløv, Jesper Wittendorff; Hoffman, R.A.

2001-01-01

Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2) electric field and ion drift data are used in a statistical study of the ionospheric convection electric field in bulge-type auroral substorms. Thirty-one individual DE 2 substorm crossings were carefully selected and organized by the use of global auroral images obtained...... this database enabled us to compile a model of the ionospheric convection electric field. The characteristics of the premidnight convection reversal show a pronounced local time dependency. Far west of the surge it is a fairly well defined point reversal or convection shear. Approaching the surge and within...... the surge it is a region of weak electric fields increasing in width toward midnight that separates regions of equatorward and poleward electric fields. Therefore we adopt the term Harang region rather than the Harang discontinuity for the premidnight convection reversal. A relatively narrow convection...

Extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy of G191-B2B - Direct observation of ionization edges

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, Erik; Green, James C.; Cash, Webster

1992-01-01

We present the first spectrum of the hot, DA white dwarf G191-B2B (wd 0501 + 527) between 200 and 330 A. The spectrum, which has about 2 A resolution, was obtained with a sounding rocket-borne, grazing incidence spectrograph. The spectrum shows no evidence of He II, the expected primary opacity source in this wavelength region. Three ionization edges and one absorption feature were observed and are suggestive of O III existing in the photosphere of G191-B2B. Also noted is a broad spectral depression that may result from Fe VI in the photosphere.

An infinite-dimensional model of free convection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iudovich, V.I. (Rostovskii Gosudarstvennyi Universitet, Rostov-on-Don (USSR))

1990-12-01

An infinite-dimensional model is derived from the equations of free convection in the Boussinesq-Oberbeck approximation. The velocity field is approximated by a single mode, while the heat-conduction equation is conserved fully. It is shown that, for all supercritical Rayleigh numbers, there exist exactly two secondary convective regimes. The case of ideal convection with zero viscosity and thermal conductivity is examined. The averaging method is used to study convection regimes at high Reynolds numbers. 10 refs.

Convergence behavior of idealized convection-resolving simulations of summertime deep moist convection over land

Science.gov (United States)

Panosetti, Davide; Schlemmer, Linda; Schär, Christoph

2018-05-01

Convection-resolving models (CRMs) can explicitly simulate deep convection and resolve interactions between convective updrafts. They are thus increasingly used in numerous weather and climate applications. However, the truncation of the continuous energy cascade at scales of O (1 km) poses a serious challenge, as in kilometer-scale simulations the size and properties of the simulated convective cells are often determined by the horizontal grid spacing (Δ x ).In this study, idealized simulations of deep moist convection over land are performed to assess the convergence behavior of a CRM at Δ x = 8, 4, 2, 1 km and 500 m. Two types of convergence estimates are investigated: bulk convergence addressing domain-averaged and integrated variables related to the water and energy budgets, and structural convergence addressing the statistics and scales of individual clouds and updrafts. Results show that bulk convergence generally begins at Δ x =4 km, while structural convergence is not yet fully achieved at the kilometer scale, despite some evidence that the resolution sensitivity of updraft velocities and convective mass fluxes decreases at finer resolution. In particular, at finer grid spacings the maximum updraft velocity generally increases, and the size of the smallest clouds is mostly determined by Δ x . A number of different experiments are conducted, and it is found that the presence of orography and environmental vertical wind shear yields more energetic structures at scales much larger than Δ x , sometimes reducing the resolution sensitivity. Overall the results lend support to the use of kilometer-scale resolutions in CRMs, despite the inability of these models to fully resolve the associated cloud field.

HIGH-RESOLUTION SIMULATIONS OF CONVECTION PRECEDING IGNITION IN TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE USING ADAPTIVE MESH REFINEMENT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nonaka, A.; Aspden, A. J.; Almgren, A. S.; Bell, J. B.; Zingale, M.; Woosley, S. E.

2012-01-01

We extend our previous three-dimensional, full-star simulations of the final hours of convection preceding ignition in Type Ia supernovae to higher resolution using the adaptive mesh refinement capability of our low Mach number code, MAESTRO. We report the statistics of the ignition of the first flame at an effective 4.34 km resolution and general flow field properties at an effective 2.17 km resolution. We find that off-center ignition is likely, with radius of 50 km most favored and a likely range of 40-75 km. This is consistent with our previous coarser (8.68 km resolution) simulations, implying that we have achieved sufficient resolution in our determination of likely ignition radii. The dynamics of the last few hot spots preceding ignition suggest that a multiple ignition scenario is not likely. With improved resolution, we can more clearly see the general flow pattern in the convective region, characterized by a strong outward plume with a lower speed recirculation. We show that the convective core is turbulent with a Kolmogorov spectrum and has a lower turbulent intensity and larger integral length scale than previously thought (on the order of 16 km s –1 and 200 km, respectively), and we discuss the potential consequences for the first flames.

Natural convection in superposed fluid-porous layers

CERN Document Server

Bagchi, Aniruddha

2013-01-01

Natural Convection in Composite Fluid-Porous Domains provides a timely overview of the current state of understanding on the phenomenon of convection in composite fluid-porous layers. Natural convection in horizontal fluid-porous layers has received renewed attention because of engineering problems such as post-accident cooling of nuclear reactors, contaminant transport in groundwater, and convection in fibrous insulation systems. Because applications of the problem span many scientific domains, the book serves as a valuable resource for a wide audience.

Umbral oscillations as a probe of sunspot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdelatif, T.E.H.

1985-01-01

The interaction of the solar five-minute oscillations with a sunspot is thoroughly explored, both on observational and theoretical grounds. Simple theoretical models are developed in order to understand the observations of umbral oscillations. Observations made at the National Solar Observatory detected both the three-minute and five-minute umbral oscillations at photospheric heights. The three-minute oscillations were found to have a kinetic energy density six times higher in the photosphere than in the chromosphere and to be concentrated in the central part of the umbra, supporting the photospheric resonance theory for the three-minute umbral oscillations. The five-minute oscillations are attenuated in the umbra, which appears to act as a filter in selecting some of the peaks in the power spectrum of five-minute oscillations in the surrounding photosphere. The k-omega power spectrum of the umbral oscillations shows a shift of power to longer wavelengths. Theoretical models of the transmission of acoustic waves into a magnetic region explain both observed effects

Two-parameter study of the quasiperiodic route to chaos in convecting 3He--superfluid-4He mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mainieri, R.; Sullivan, T.S.; Ecke, R.E.

1989-01-01

We study the frequency lockings of two intrinsic hydrodynamic modes of a convecting 3 He-superfluid- 4 He mixture by independently varying the Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers. We establish points on the critical line in this parameter space using a transient technique to locate the spiral-node transition in the interior of three resonance horns. Universal scaling is demonstrated at winding numbers with golden mean tails by computing the f(α) singularity spectrum

Primary Issues of Mixed Convection Heat Transfer Phenomena

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chae, Myeong-Seon; Chung, Bum-Jin [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

The computer code analyzing the system operating and transient behavior must distinguish flow conditions involved with convective heat transfer flow regimes. And the proper correlations must be supplied to those flow regimes. However the existing safety analysis codes are focused on the Light Water Reactor and they are skeptical to be applied to the GCRs (Gas Cooled Reactors). One of the technical issues raise by the development of the VHTR is the mixed convection, which occur when the driving forces of both forced and natural convection are of comparable magnitudes. It can be encountered as in channel of the stacked with fuel elements and a decay heat removal system and in VHTR. The mixed convection is not intermediate phenomena with natural convection and forced convection but independent complicated phenomena. Therefore, many researchers have been studied and some primary issues were propounded for phenomena mixed convection. This paper is to discuss some problems identified through reviewing the papers for mixed convection phenomena. And primary issues of mixed convection heat transfer were proposed respect to thermal hydraulic problems for VHTR. The VHTR thermal hydraulic study requires an indepth study of the mixed convection phenomena. In this study we reviewed the classical flow regime map of Metais and Eckert and derived further issues to be considered. The following issues were raised: (1) Buoyancy aided an opposed flows were not differentiated and plotted in a map. (2) Experimental results for UWT and UHF condition were also plotted in the same map without differentiation. (3) The buoyancy coefficient was not generalized for correlating with buoyancy coefficient. (4) The phenomenon analysis for laminarization and returbulization as buoyancy effects in turbulent mixed convection was not established. (5) The defining to transition in mixed convection regime was difficult.

Formation of the UV Spectrum of Molecular Hydrogen in the Sun

Science.gov (United States)

Jaeggli, S. A.; Judge, P. G.; Daw, A. N.

2018-03-01

Ultraviolet (UV) lines of molecular hydrogen have been observed in solar spectra for almost four decades, but the behavior of the molecular spectrum and its implications for solar atmospheric structure are not fully understood. Data from the High-Resolution Telescope Spectrometer (HRTS) instrument revealed that H2 emission forms in particular regions, selectively excited by a bright UV transition region and chromospheric lines. We test the conditions under which H2 emission can originate by studying non-LTE models, sampling a broad range of temperature stratifications and radiation conditions. Stratification plays the dominant role in determining the population densities of H2, which forms in greatest abundance near the continuum photosphere. However, opacity due to the photoionization of Si and other neutrals determines the depth to which UV radiation can penetrate to excite the H2. Thus the majority of H2 emission forms in a narrow region, at about 650 km in standard one-dimensional (1D) models of the quiet Sun, near the τ = 1 opacity surface for the exciting UV radiation, generally coming from above. When irradiated from above using observed intensities of bright UV emission lines, detailed non-LTE calculations show that the spectrum of H2 seen in the quiet-Sun Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation atlas spectrum and HRTS light-bridge spectrum can be satisfactorily reproduced in 1D stratified atmospheres, without including three-dimensional or time-dependent thermal structures. A detailed comparison to observations from 1205 to 1550 Å is presented, and the success of this 1D approach to modeling solar UV H2 emission is illustrated by the identification of previously unidentified lines and upper levels in HRTS spectra.

The convection patterns in microemulsions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korneta, W.; Lopez Quintela, M.A.; Fernandez Novoa, A.

1991-07-01

The Rayleigh-Benard convection in the microemulsion consisting of water (7.5%), cyclohexan (oil-61.7%) and diethylenglycolmonobutylether (surfactant-30.8%) is studied from the onset of convection to the phase separation. The five classes of convection patterns are observed and recorded on the video: localized travelling waves, travelling waves, travelling waves and localized steady rolls, steady rolls and steady polygons. The Fourier transforms and histograms of these patterns are presented. The origin of any pattern is discussed. The intermittent behaviour close to the phase separation was observed. Possible applications of the obtained results are suggested. (author). 6 refs, 4 figs

An application of the unifying theory of thermal convection in vertical natural convection

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Chong Shen; Ooi, Andrew; Lohse, Detlef; Chung, Daniel

2014-11-01

Using direct numerical simulations of vertical natural convection (VNC) at Rayleigh numbers 1 . 0 ×105 - 1 . 0 ×109 and Prandtl number 0 . 709 , we provide support for a generalised applicability of the Grossmann-Lohse (GL) theory, originally developed for horizontal natural (Rayleigh-Bénard) convection. In accordance with the theory, the boundary-layer thicknesses of the velocity and temperature fields in VNC obey laminar-like scaling, whereas away from the walls, the dissipation of the turbulent fluctuations obey the scaling for fully developed turbulence. In contrast to Rayleigh-Bénard convection, the direction of gravity in VNC is parallel to the mean flow. Thus, there no longer exists an exact relation linking the normalised global dissipations to the Nusselt, Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers. Nevertheless, we show that the unclosed term, namely the global-averaged buoyancy flux, also exhibits laminar and turbulent scaling, consistent with the GL theory. The findings suggest that, similar to Rayleigh-Bénard convection, a pure power-law relationship between the Nusselt, Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers is not the best description for VNC and existing empirical power-law relationships should be recalibrated to better reflect the underlying physics.

Hydraulic concentration of magnetic fields in the solar photosphere. I - Turbulent pumping

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, E. N.

1974-01-01

Observations suggest that most of the magnetic flux through the solar photosphere is concentrated in vertical filaments in the supergranule boundaries. Each filament appears to contain about 3 times 10 to the 18-th power maxwells, in the form of a field of 500 gauss or more, over a diameter of 700 km or less. The magnetic energy density in the filaments is 100 times the observed kinetic energy density of the observed supergranule motions, but comparable to the kinetic energy density of the granules. Force-free field configurations cannot duplicate the observational numbers, nor can such cooling effects as are believed responsible for the intense fields in sunspot umbrae. We point out a simple hydraulic mechanism (turbulent pumping) that appears to account for the observed concentration of fields.

Convection and stellar oscillations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aarslev, Magnus Johan

2017-01-01

for asteroseismology, because of the challenges inherent in modelling turbulent convection in 1D stellar models. As a result of oversimplifying the physics near the surface, theoretical calculations systematically overestimate the oscillation frequencies. This has become known as the asteroseismic surface effect. Due...... to lacking better options, this frequency difference is typically corrected for with ad-hoc formulae. The topic of this thesis is the improvement of 1D stellar convection models and the effects this has on asteroseismic properties. The source of improvements is 3D simulations of radiation...... atmospheres to replace the outer layers of stellar models. The additional turbulent pressure and asymmetrical opacity effects in the atmosphere model, compared to convection in stellar evolution models, serve to expand the atmosphere. The enlarged acoustic cavity lowers the pulsation frequencies bringing them...

Influence of convective conditions on three dimensional mixed convective hydromagnetic boundary layer flow of Casson nanofluid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rauf, A., E-mail: raufamar@ciitsahiwal.edu.pk [Department of Mathematics, Comsats Institute of Information Technology, Sahiwal 57000 (Pakistan); Siddiq, M.K. [Centre for Advanced Studies in Pure and Applied Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 63000 (Pakistan); Abbasi, F.M. [Department of Mathematics, Comsats Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Meraj, M.A. [Department of Mathematics, Comsats Institute of Information Technology, Sahiwal 57000 (Pakistan); Ashraf, M. [Centre for Advanced Studies in Pure and Applied Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 63000 (Pakistan); Shehzad, S.A. [Department of Mathematics, Comsats Institute of Information Technology, Sahiwal 57000 (Pakistan)

2016-10-15

The present work deals with the steady laminar three-dimensional mixed convective magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) boundary layer flow of Casson nanofluid over a bidirectional stretching surface. A uniform magnetic field is applied normal to the flow direction. Similarity variables are implemented to convert the non-linear partial differential equations into ordinary ones. Convective boundary conditions are utilized at surface of the sheet. A numerical technique of Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg (RFK45) is used to obtain the results of velocity, temperature and concentration fields. The physical dimensionless parameters are discussed through tables and graphs. - Highlights: • Mixed convective boundary layer flow of Casson nanofluid is taken into account. • Impact of magnetic field is examined. • Convective heat and mass conditions are imposed. • Numerical solutions are presented and discussed.

Boundary Layer Control of Rotating Convection Systems

Science.gov (United States)

King, E. M.; Stellmach, S.; Noir, J.; Hansen, U.; Aurnou, J. M.

2008-12-01

Rotating convection is ubiquitous in the natural universe, and is likely responsible for planetary processes such magnetic field generation. Rapidly rotating convection is typically organized by the Coriolis force into tall, thin, coherent convection columns which are aligned with the axis of rotation. This organizational effect of rotation is thought to be responsible for the strength and structure of magnetic fields generated by convecting planetary interiors. As thermal forcing is increased, the relative influence of rotation weakens, and fully three-dimensional convection can exist. It has long been assumed that rotational effects will dominate convection dynamics when the ratio of buoyancy to the Coriolis force, the convective Rossby number, Roc, is less than unity. We investigate the influence of rotation on turbulent Rayleigh-Benard convection via a suite of coupled laboratory and numerical experiments over a broad parameter range: Rayleigh number, 10310; Ekman number, 10-6≤ E ≤ ∞; and Prandtl number, 1≤ Pr ≤ 100. In particular, we measure heat transfer (as characterized by the Nusselt number, Nu) as a function of the Rayleigh number for several different Ekman and Prandtl numbers. Two distinct heat transfer scaling regimes are identified: non-rotating style heat transfer, Nu ~ Ra2/7, and quasigeostrophic style heat transfer, Nu~ Ra6/5. The transition between the non-rotating regime and the rotationally dominant regime is described as a function of the Ekman number, E. We show that the regime transition depends not on the global force balance Roc, but on the relative thicknesses of the thermal and Ekman boundary layers. The transition scaling provides a predictive criterion for the applicability of convection models to natural systems such as Earth's core.

Natural convection of nanofluids over a convectively heated vertical plate embedded in a porous medium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghalambaz, M.; Noghrehabadi, A.; Ghanbarzadeh, A., E-mail: m.ghalambaz@gmail.com, E-mail: ghanbarzadeh.a@scu.ac.ir [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2014-04-15

In this paper, the natural convective flow of nanofluids over a convectively heated vertical plate in a saturated Darcy porous medium is studied numerically. The governing equations are transformed into a set of ordinary differential equations by using appropriate similarity variables, and they are numerically solved using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method associated with the Gauss-Newton method. The effects of parametric variation of the Brownian motion parameter (Nb), thermophoresis parameter (Nt) and the convective heating parameter (Nc) on the boundary layer profiles are investigated. Furthermore, the variation of the reduced Nusselt number and reduced Sherwood number, as important parameters of heat and mass transfer, as a function of the Brownian motion, thermophoresis and convective heating parameters is discussed in detail. The results show that the thickness of the concentration profiles is much lower than the temperature and velocity profiles. For low values of the convective heating parameter (Nc), as the Brownian motion parameter increases, the non-dimensional wall temperature increases. However, for high values of Nc, the effect of the Brownian motion parameter on the non-dimensional wall temperature is not significant. As the Brownian motion parameter increases, the reduced Sherwood number increases and the reduced Nusselt number decreases. (author)

Magnetic tornadoes as energy channels into the solar corona.

Science.gov (United States)

Wedemeyer-Böhm, Sven; Scullion, Eamon; Steiner, Oskar; van der Voort, Luc Rouppe; de la Cruz Rodriguez, Jaime; Fedun, Viktor; Erdélyi, Robert

2012-06-27

Heating the outer layers of the magnetically quiet solar atmosphere to more than one million kelvin and accelerating the solar wind requires an energy flux of approximately 100 to 300 watts per square metre, but how this energy is transferred and dissipated there is a puzzle and several alternative solutions have been proposed. Braiding and twisting of magnetic field structures, which is caused by the convective flows at the solar surface, was suggested as an efficient mechanism for atmospheric heating. Convectively driven vortex flows that harbour magnetic fields are observed to be abundant in the photosphere (the visible surface of the Sun). Recently, corresponding swirling motions have been discovered in the chromosphere, the atmospheric layer sandwiched between the photosphere and the corona. Here we report the imprints of these chromospheric swirls in the transition region and low corona, and identify them as observational signatures of rapidly rotating magnetic structures. These ubiquitous structures, which resemble super-tornadoes under solar conditions, reach from the convection zone into the upper solar atmosphere and provide an alternative mechanism for channelling energy from the lower into the upper solar atmosphere.

Comparative numerical study of kaolin clay with three drying methods: Convective, convective–microwave and convective infrared modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammouda, I.; Mihoubi, D.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Modelling of drying of deformable media. • Theoretical study of kaolin clay with three drying methods: convective, convective–microwave and convective infrared mode. • The stresses generated during convective, microwave/convective drying and infrared/convective drying. • The combined drying decrease the intensity of stresses developed during drying. - Abstract: A mathematical model is developed to simulate the response of a kaolin clay sample when subjected to convective, convective–microwave and convective–infrared mode. This model is proposed to describe heat, mass, and momentum transfers applied to a viscoelastic medium described by a Maxwell model with two branches. The combined drying methods were investigated to examine whether these types of drying may minimize cracking that can be generated in the product and to know whether the best enhancement is developed by the use of infra-red or microwave radiation. The numerical code allowed us to determine, and thus, compare the effect of the drying mode on drying rate, temperature, moisture content and mechanical stress evolutions during drying. The numerical results show that the combined drying decrease the intensity of stresses developed during drying and that convective–microwave drying is the best method that gives a good quality of dried product

Long-Term Variability in o Ceti and Other Mira Variables: Signs of Supergranular Convection?

Science.gov (United States)

Templeton, Matthew R.; Karovska, Margarita

2009-09-01

We describe our study of long-term variability of o Ceti (Mira A), the prototype of the Mira-type pulsating stars. Our study was originally undertaken to search for coherent long-period variability, but the results of our analysis didn't uncover this. However, we detected a low-frequency ``red noise'' in the Fourier spectrum of the o Ceti century-long light curve. We have since found similar behavior in other Miras and pulsating giant stars and have begun a study of a large sample of Mira variables. Similar red noise has been previously detected in red supergiants and attributed to supergranular convection. Its presence in Miras suggests the phenomenon may be ubiquitous in cool giant pulsators. These results support high-angular resolution observations of Miras and supergiants showing asymmetries in their surface brightness distributions, which may be due to large supergranular convection cells. Theoretical modeling, and numerical simulations of pulsation processes in late-type giants and supergiants should therefore take into account the effects of deep convection and large supergranular structures, which in turn may provide important insights into the behavior of Miras and other giant and supergiant pulsators. In this work, we summarize our results for o Ceti, present preliminary results of our broader study of Mira variables, and discuss how the results of this study may be used by future studies of AGB variables.

A model of the solar cycle driven by the dynamo action of the global convection in the solar convection zone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshimura, H.

1976-01-01

Extensive numerical studies of the dynamo equations due to the global convection are presented to simulate the solar cycle and to open the way to study general stellar magnetic cycles. The dynamo equations which represent the longitudinally-averaged magnetohydrodynamical action (mean magnetohydrodynamics) of the global convection under the influence of the rotation in the solar convection zone are considered here as an initial boundary-value problem. The latitudinal and radial structure of the dynamo action consisting of a generation action due to the differential rotation and a regeneration action due to the global convection is parameterized in accordance with the structure of the rotation and of the global convection. This is done especially in such a way as to represent the presence of the two cells of the regeneration action in the radial direction in which the action has opposite signs, which is typical of the regeneration action of the global convection. The effects of the dynamics of the global convection (e.g., the effects of the stratification of the physical conditions in the solar convection zone) are presumed to be all included in those parameters used in the model and they are presumed not to alter the results drastically since these effects are only to change the structure of the regeneration action topologically. (Auth.)

The type IIP supernova 2012aw in M95: Hydrodynamical modeling of the photospheric phase from accurate spectrophotometric monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dall' Ora, M.; Botticella, M. T.; Della Valle, M. [INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Napoli (Italy); Pumo, M. L.; Zampieri, L.; Tomasella, L.; Cappellaro, E.; Benetti, S. [INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, I-35122 Padova (Italy); Pignata, G.; Bufano, F. [Departamento de Ciencias Fisicas, Universidad Andres Bello, Avda. Republica 252, Santiago (Chile); Bayless, A. J. [Southwest Research Institute, Department of Space Science, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238 (United States); Pritchard, T. A. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Penn State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Taubenberger, S.; Benitez, S. [Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, D-85741 Garching (Germany); Kotak, R.; Inserra, C.; Fraser, M. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Elias-Rosa, N. [Institut de Ciències de l' Espai (CSIC-IEEC) Campus UAB, Torre C5, Za plata, E-08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Haislip, J. B. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 E. Cameron Ave., Chapel Hill, NC 27599 (United States); Harutyunyan, A. [Fundación Galileo Galilei - Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, Rambla José Ana Fernández Pérez 7, E-38712 Breña Baja, TF - Spain (Spain); and others

2014-06-01

We present an extensive optical and near-infrared photometric and spectroscopic campaign of the Type IIP supernova SN 2012aw. The data set densely covers the evolution of SN 2012aw shortly after the explosion through the end of the photospheric phase, with two additional photometric observations collected during the nebular phase, to fit the radioactive tail and estimate the {sup 56}Ni mass. Also included in our analysis is the previously published Swift UV data, therefore providing a complete view of the ultraviolet-optical-infrared evolution of the photospheric phase. On the basis of our data set, we estimate all the relevant physical parameters of SN 2012aw with our radiation-hydrodynamics code: envelope mass M {sub env} ∼ 20 M {sub ☉}, progenitor radius R ∼ 3 × 10{sup 13} cm (∼430 R {sub ☉}), explosion energy E ∼ 1.5 foe, and initial {sup 56}Ni mass ∼0.06 M {sub ☉}. These mass and radius values are reasonably well supported by independent evolutionary models of the progenitor, and may suggest a progenitor mass higher than the observational limit of 16.5 ± 1.5 M {sub ☉} of the Type IIP events.

A thermodynamically general theory for convective vortices

Science.gov (United States)

Renno, Nilton O.

2008-08-01

Convective vortices are common features of atmospheres that absorb lower-entropy-energy at higher temperatures than they reject higher-entropy-energy to space. These vortices range from small to large-scale and play an important role in the vertical transport of heat, momentum, and tracer species. Thus, the development of theoretical models for convective vortices is important to our understanding of some of the basic features of planetary atmospheres. The heat engine framework is a useful tool for studying convective vortices. However, current theories assume that convective vortices are reversible heat engines. Since there are questions about how reversible real atmospheric heat engines are, their usefulness for studying real atmospheric vortices is somewhat controversial. In order to reduce this problem, a theory for convective vortices that includes irreversible processes is proposed. The paper's main result is that the proposed theory provides an expression for the pressure drop along streamlines that includes the effects of irreversible processes. It is shown that a simplified version of this expression is a generalization of Bernoulli's equation to convective circulations. It is speculated that the proposed theory not only explains the intensity, but also sheds light on other basic features of convective vortices such as their physical appearance.

Numerical simulations of convectively excited gravity waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glatzmaier, G.A.

1983-01-01

Magneto-convection and gravity waves are numerically simulated with a nonlinear, three-dimensional, time-dependent model of a stratified, rotating, spherical fluid shell heated from below. A Solar-like reference state is specified while global velocity, magnetic field, and thermodynamic perturbations are computed from the anelastic magnetohydrodynamic equations. Convective overshooting from the upper (superadiabatic) part of the shell excites gravity waves in the lower (subadiabatic) part. Due to differential rotation and Coriolis forces, convective cell patterns propagate eastward with a latitudinally dependent phase velocity. The structure of the excited wave motions in the stable region is more time-dependent than that of the convective motions above. The magnetic field tends to be concentrated over giant-cell downdrafts in the convective zone but is affected very little by the wave motion in the stable region

GJ 1214: Rotation period, starspots, and uncertainty on the optical slope of the transmission spectrum

Science.gov (United States)

Mallonn, M.; Herrero, E.; Juvan, I. G.; Essen, C. von; Rosich, A.; Ribas, I.; Granzer, T.; Alexoudi, X.; Strassmeier, K. G.

2018-06-01

Aims: Brightness inhomogeneities in the stellar photosphere (dark spots or bright regions) affect the measurements of the planetary transmission spectrum. To investigate the star spots of the M dwarf GJ 1214, we conducted a multicolor photometric monitoring from 2012 to 2016. Methods: The time-series photometry was analyzed with the light curve inversion tool StarSim. Using the derived stellar surface properties from the light curve inversion, we modeled the impact of the star spots when unocculted by the transiting planet. We compared the photometric variability of GJ 1214 to published results of mid- to late M dwarfs from the MEarth sample. Results: The measured variability shows a periodicity of 125 ± 5 days, which we interpret as the signature of the stellar rotation period. This value overrules previous suggestions of a significantly shorter stellar rotation period. A light curve inversion of the monitoring data yields an estimation of the flux dimming of a permanent spot filling factor not contributing to the photometric variability, a temperature contrast of the spots of 370 K and persistent active longitudes. The derived surface maps over all five seasons were used to estimate the influence of the star spots on the transmission spectrum of the planet from 400 to 2000 nm. The monitoring data presented here do not support a recent interpretation of a measured transmission spectrum of GJ 1214b as to be caused by bright regions in the stellar photosphere. Instead, we list arguments as to why the effect of dark spots likely dominated over bright regions in the period of our monitoring. Furthermore, our photometry proves an increase in variability over at least four years, indicative for a cyclic activity behavior. The age of GJ 1214 is likely between 6 and 10 Gyr. Conclusions: The long-term photometry allows for a correction of unocculted spots. For an active star such as GJ 1214, there remains a degeneracy between occulted spots and the transit parameters used

Magnetic inhibition of convection and the fundamental properties of low-mass stars. II. Fully convective main-sequence stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feiden, Gregory A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-751 20 Uppsala (Sweden); Chaboyer, Brian, E-mail: gregory.a.feiden@gmail.com, E-mail: brian.chaboyer@dartmouth.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, 6127 Wilder Laboratory, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States)

2014-07-01

We examine the hypothesis that magnetic fields are inflating the radii of fully convective main-sequence stars in detached eclipsing binaries (DEBs). The magnetic Dartmouth stellar evolution code is used to analyze two systems in particular: Kepler-16 and CM Draconis. Magneto-convection is treated assuming stabilization of convection and also by assuming reductions in convective efficiency due to a turbulent dynamo. We find that magnetic stellar models are unable to reproduce the properties of inflated fully convective main-sequence stars, unless strong interior magnetic fields in excess of 10 MG are present. Validation of the magnetic field hypothesis given the current generation of magnetic stellar evolution models therefore depends critically on whether the generation and maintenance of strong interior magnetic fields is physically possible. An examination of this requirement is provided. Additionally, an analysis of previous studies invoking the influence of star spots is presented to assess the suggestion that star spots are inflating stars and biasing light curve analyses toward larger radii. From our analysis, we find that there is not yet sufficient evidence to definitively support the hypothesis that magnetic fields are responsible for the observed inflation among fully convective main-sequence stars in DEBs.

Boundary-modulated Thermal Convection Model in the Mantle

Science.gov (United States)

Kurita, K.; Kumagai, I.

2008-12-01

Analog experiments have played an important role in the constructing ideas of mantle dynamics. The series of experiments by H. Ramberg is one of the successful examples. Recently, however the realm of the analog experiments seems to be overwhelmed by steady progress of computer simulations. Is there still room for the analog experiments? This might be a main and hidden subject of this session. Here we propose a working hypothesis how the convecting mantle behaves based on the analog experiments in the system of viscous fluid and particles. The essential part is the interaction of convecting flow with heterogeneities existing in the boundaries. It is proposed the preexisting topographical heterogeneity in the boundary could control the flow pattern of convecting fluid. If this kind of heterogeneity can be formed as a consequence of convective motion and mobilized by the flow, the convection also can control the heterogeneity. We can expect interactions in two ways, by which the system behaves in a self-organize fashion. To explore the mutual interactions between convection flow and heterogeneity the system of viscous fluid and particles with slightly higher density is selected as 2D Rayleigh-Benard type convection. The basic structure consists of a basal particulate layer where permeable convection transports heat and an upper viscous fluid layer. By reducing the magnitude of the density difference the convective flow can mobilize the particles and can erode the basal layer. The condition of this erosion can be identified in the phase diagram of the particle Shields"f and the Rayleigh numbers. At Ra greater than 107 the convection style drastically changed before and after the erosion. Before the erosion where the flat interface of the boundary is maintained small scaled turbulent convection pattern is dominant. After the erosion where the interface becomes bumpy the large scale convective motion is observed. The structure is coherent to that of the boundary. This

Mantle Convection on Modern Supercomputers

Science.gov (United States)

Weismüller, J.; Gmeiner, B.; Huber, M.; John, L.; Mohr, M.; Rüde, U.; Wohlmuth, B.; Bunge, H. P.

2015-12-01

Mantle convection is the cause for plate tectonics, the formation of mountains and oceans, and the main driving mechanism behind earthquakes. The convection process is modeled by a system of partial differential equations describing the conservation of mass, momentum and energy. Characteristic to mantle flow is the vast disparity of length scales from global to microscopic, turning mantle convection simulations into a challenging application for high-performance computing. As system size and technical complexity of the simulations continue to increase, design and implementation of simulation models for next generation large-scale architectures is handled successfully only in an interdisciplinary context. A new priority program - named SPPEXA - by the German Research Foundation (DFG) addresses this issue, and brings together computer scientists, mathematicians and application scientists around grand challenges in HPC. Here we report from the TERRA-NEO project, which is part of the high visibility SPPEXA program, and a joint effort of four research groups. TERRA-NEO develops algorithms for future HPC infrastructures, focusing on high computational efficiency and resilience in next generation mantle convection models. We present software that can resolve the Earth's mantle with up to 1012 grid points and scales efficiently to massively parallel hardware with more than 50,000 processors. We use our simulations to explore the dynamic regime of mantle convection and assess the impact of small scale processes on global mantle flow.

Thermo-electro-hydrodynamic convection under microgravity: a review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mutabazi, Innocent; Yoshikawa, Harunori N; Fogaing, Mireille Tadie; Travnikov, Vadim; Crumeyrolle, Olivier [Laboratoire Ondes et Milieux Complexes, UMR 6294, CNRS-Université du Havre, CS 80450, F-76058 Le Havre Cedex (France); Futterer, Birgit; Egbers, Christoph, E-mail: Innocent.Mutabazi@univ-lehavre.fr [Department of Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Cottbus (Germany)

2016-12-15

Recent studies on thermo-electro-hydrodynamic (TEHD) convection are reviewed with focus on investigations motivated by the analogy with natural convection. TEHD convection originates in the action of the dielectrophoretic force generated by an alternating electric voltage applied to a dielectric fluid with a temperature gradient. This electrohydrodynamic force is analogous to Archimedean thermal buoyancy and can be regarded as a thermal buoyancy force in electric effective gravity. The review is concerned with TEHD convection in plane, cylindrical, and spherical capacitors under microgravity conditions, where the electric gravity can induce convection without any complexities arising from geometry or the buoyancy force due to the Earth’s gravity. We will highlight the convection in spherical geometry, comparing developed theories and numerical simulations with the GEOFLOW experiments performed on board the International Space Station (ISS). (paper)

Nonlinear Force-free Field Extrapolation of a Coronal Magnetic Flux Rope Supporting a Large-scale Solar Filament from a Photospheric Vector Magnetogram

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Chaowei; Wu, S. T.; Feng, Xueshang; Hu, Qiang

2014-05-01

Solar filaments are commonly thought to be supported in magnetic dips, in particular, in those of magnetic flux ropes (FRs). In this Letter, based on the observed photospheric vector magnetogram, we implement a nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) extrapolation of a coronal magnetic FR that supports a large-scale intermediate filament between an active region and a weak polarity region. This result is a first, in the sense that current NLFFF extrapolations including the presence of FRs are limited to relatively small-scale filaments that are close to sunspots and along main polarity inversion lines (PILs) with strong transverse field and magnetic shear, and the existence of an FR is usually predictable. In contrast, the present filament lies along the weak-field region (photospheric field strength barbs very well, which strongly supports the FR-dip model for filaments. The filament is stably sustained because the FR is weakly twisted and strongly confined by the overlying closed arcades.

Photospheric Emission from Collapsar Jets in 3D Relativistic Hydrodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Hirotaka; Matsumoto, Jin; Nagataki, Shigehiro; Warren, Donald C.; Barkov, Maxim V.

2015-12-01

We explore the photospheric emission from a relativistic jet breaking out from a massive stellar envelope based on relativistic hydrodynamical simulations and post-process radiation transfer calculations in three dimensions. To investigate the impact of three-dimensional (3D) dynamics on the emission, two models of injection conditions are considered for the jet at the center of the progenitor star: one with periodic precession and another without precession. We show that structures developed within the jet due to the interaction with the stellar envelope, as well as due to the precession, have a significant imprint on the resulting emission. Particularly, we find that the signature of precession activity by the central engine is not smeared out and can be directly observed in the light curve as a periodic signal. We also show that non-thermal features, which can account for observations of gamma-ray bursts, are produced in the resulting spectra even though only thermal photons are injected initially and the effect of non-thermal particles is not considered.

Transient Mixed Convection Validation for NGNP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, Barton [Utah State Univ., Logan, UT (United States); Schultz, Richard [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2015-10-19

The results of this project are best described by the papers and dissertations that resulted from the work. They are included in their entirety in this document. They are: (1) Jeff Harris PhD dissertation (focused mainly on forced convection); (2) Blake Lance PhD dissertation (focused mainly on mixed and transient convection). This dissertation is in multi-paper format and includes the article currently submitted and one to be submitted shortly; and, (3) JFE paper on CFD Validation Benchmark for Forced Convection.

Transient Mixed Convection Validation for NGNP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Barton; Schultz, Richard

2015-01-01

The results of this project are best described by the papers and dissertations that resulted from the work. They are included in their entirety in this document. They are: (1) Jeff Harris PhD dissertation (focused mainly on forced convection); (2) Blake Lance PhD dissertation (focused mainly on mixed and transient convection). This dissertation is in multi-paper format and includes the article currently submitted and one to be submitted shortly; and, (3) JFE paper on CFD Validation Benchmark for Forced Convection.

Generation of magnetic structures on the solar photosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gangadhara, R. T.; Krishan, V. [Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore-560034 (India); Bhowmick, A. K.; Chitre, S. M., E-mail: ganga@iiap.res.in [Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences, University of Mumbai, Mumbai-400098 (India)

2014-06-20

The lower solar atmosphere is a partially ionized plasma consisting of electrons, ions, and neutral atoms. In this, which is essentially a three-fluid system, the Hall effect arises from the treatment of the electrons and ions as two separate fluids and the ambipolar diffusion arises from the inclusion of neutrals as the third fluid. The Hall effect and ambipolar diffusion have been shown to be operational in a region beginning from near the photosphere up to the chromosphere. In a partially ionized plasma, the magnetic induction is subjected to ambipolar diffusion and the Hall drift in addition to the usual resistive dissipation. These nonlinear effects create sharp magnetic structures which then submit themselves to various relaxation mechanisms. A first-principles derivation of these effects in a three-fluid system and an analytic solution to the magnetic induction equation in a stationary state are presented, which in the general case includes the Hall effect, ambipolar diffusion, and ohmic dissipation. The temporal evolution of the magnetic field is then investigated under the combined as well as the individual effects of the Hall drift and ambipolar diffusion to demonstrate the formation of steep magnetic structures and the resultant current sheet formation. These structures have just the right features for the release of magnetic energy into the solar atmosphere.

Segregation and convection in dendritic alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Poirier, D. R.

1990-01-01

Microsegregation in dentritic alloys is discussed, including solidification with and without thermal gradient, the convection of interdendritic liquid. The conservation of momentum, energy, and solute is considered. Directional solidification and thermosolutal convection are discussed.

How to unveil a T Tauri star

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartigan, P.; Hartmann, L.; Kenyon, S.; Hewett, R.; Stauffer, J.

1989-01-01

A method for separating the 'veiling' continuum often present in T Tauri stars from the underlying photospheric spectrum is described. Echelle observations from 5100 to 6800 A of the partially veiled T Tauri star BP Tau were analyzed to determine the shape of the veiling spectrum. The residuals of the fit indicate the deviation of the veiling spectrum from a simple continuum and identify the location and strength of any emission-line components. It is shown, by means of goodness-of-fit tests, that the spectrum of BP Tau can be decomposed into a normal stellar spectrum plus a smooth veiling continuum with only a few emission lines superposed. The continuum dominates the veiling spectrum in this spectral region; the veiling does not arise from numerous deep photospheric absorption lines that are filled in by weak emission. 36 refs

REVERSALS IN THE 6-CELLS CONVECTION DRIVEN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G.M. Vodinchar

2015-12-01

Full Text Available We describe the large-scale model geodynamo, which based on indirect data of inhomogeneities in the density of the Earth’s core. Convection structure is associated with spherical harmonic Y24 , which defines the basic poloidal component of velocity. Coriolis drift of this mode determines the toroidal component of velocity. Thus, 6 convective cells are formed. The model takes into account the feedback effect of the magnetic field on convection. It was ascertained that the model contains stable regimes of field generation. The velocity of convection and the dipole component of the magnetic field are close to the observed ones.

Convection-enhanced water evaporation

OpenAIRE

B. M. Weon; J. H. Je; C. Poulard

2011-01-01

Water vapor is lighter than air; this can enhance water evaporation by triggering vapor convection but there is little evidence. We directly visualize evaporation of nanoliter (2 to 700 nL) water droplets resting on silicon wafer in calm air using a high-resolution dual X-ray imaging method. Temporal evolutions of contact radius and contact angle reveal that evaporation rate linearly changes with surface area, indicating convective (instead of diffusive) evaporation in nanoliter water droplet...

Active control of convection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bau, H.H. [Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

1995-12-31

Using stability theory, numerical simulations, and in some instances experiments, it is demonstrated that the critical Rayleigh number for the bifurcation (1) from the no-motion (conduction) state to the motion state and (2) from time-independent convection to time-dependent, oscillatory convection in the thermal convection loop and Rayleigh-Benard problems can be significantly increased or decreased. This is accomplished through the use of a feedback controller effectuating small perturbations in the boundary data. The controller consists of sensors which detect deviations in the fluid`s temperature from the motionless, conductive values and then direct actuators to respond to these deviations in such a way as to suppress the naturally occurring flow instabilities. Actuators which modify the boundary`s temperature/heat flux are considered. The feedback controller can also be used to control flow patterns and generate complex dynamic behavior at relatively low Rayleigh numbers.

Convectively coupled Kelvin waves in aquachannel simulations: 2. Life cycle and dynamical-convective coupling

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco, Joaquín. E.; Nolan, David S.; Mapes, Brian E.

2016-10-01

This second part of a two-part study uses Weather Research and Forecasting simulations with aquachannel and aquapatch domains to investigate the time evolution of convectively coupled Kelvin waves (CCKWs). Power spectra, filtering, and compositing are combined with object-tracking methods to assess the structure and phase speed propagation of CCKWs during their strengthening, mature, and decaying phases. In this regard, we introduce an innovative approach to more closely investigate the wave (Kelvin) versus entity (super cloud cluster or "SCC") dualism. In general, the composite CCKW structures represent a dynamical response to the organized convective activity. However, pressure and thermodynamic fields in the boundary layer behave differently. Further analysis of the time evolution of pressure and low-level moist static energy finds that these fields propagate eastward as a "moist" Kelvin wave (MKW), faster than the envelope of organized convection or SCC. When the separation is sufficiently large the SCC dissipates, and a new SCC generates to the east, in the region of strongest negative pressure perturbations. We revisit the concept itself of the "coupling" between convection and dynamics, and we also propose a conceptual model for CCKWs, with a clear distinction between the SCC and the MKW components.

THE EFFECT OF SOLAR RADIATION ON AUTOMOBILE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH NATURAL CONVECTION AND MIXED CONVECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MD. FAISAL KADER

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In the present paper, the effect of solar radiation on automobiles has been studied by both experimentally and numerically. The numerical solution is done by an operation friendly and fast CFD code – SC/Tetra with a full scale model of a SM3 car and turbulence is modeled by the standard k-ε equation. Numerical analysis of the three-dimensional model predicts a detailed description of fluid flow and temperature distribution in the passenger compartment during both the natural convection due to the incoming solar radiation and mixed convection due to the flow from defrost nozzle and radiation. It can be seen that solar radiation is an important parameter to raise the compartment temperature above the ambient temperature during summer. During natural convection, the rate of heat transfer is fast at the initial period. In the mixed convection analyses, it is found that the temperature drops down to a comfortable range almost linearly at the initial stage. Experimental investigations are performed to determine the temperature contour on the windshield and the local temperature at a particular point for further validation of the numerical results.

An Empirical Fitting Method to Type Ia Supernova Light Curves. III. A Three-parameter Relationship: Peak Magnitude, Rise Time, and Photospheric Velocity

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, WeiKang; Kelly, Patrick L.; Filippenko, Alexei V.

2018-05-01

We examine the relationship between three parameters of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia): peak magnitude, rise time, and photospheric velocity at the time of peak brightness. The peak magnitude is corrected for extinction using an estimate determined from MLCS2k2 fitting. The rise time is measured from the well-observed B-band light curve with the first detection at least 1 mag fainter than the peak magnitude, and the photospheric velocity is measured from the strong absorption feature of Si II λ6355 at the time of peak brightness. We model the relationship among these three parameters using an expanding fireball with two assumptions: (a) the optical emission is approximately that of a blackbody, and (b) the photospheric temperatures of all SNe Ia are the same at the time of peak brightness. We compare the precision of the distance residuals inferred using this physically motivated model against those from the empirical Phillips relation and the MLCS2k2 method for 47 low-redshift SNe Ia (0.005 Ia in our sample with higher velocities are inferred to be intrinsically fainter. Eliminating the high-velocity SNe and applying a more stringent extinction cut to obtain a “low-v golden sample” of 22 SNe, we obtain significantly reduced scatter of 0.108 ± 0.018 mag in the new relation, better than those of the Phillips relation and the MLCS2k2 method. For 250 km s‑1 of residual peculiar motions, we find 68% and 95% upper limits on the intrinsic scatter of 0.07 and 0.10 mag, respectively.

What Determines Upscale Growth of Oceanic Convection into MCSs?

Science.gov (United States)

Zipser, E. J.

2017-12-01

Over tropical oceans, widely scattered convection of various depths may or may not grow upscale into mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). But what distinguishes the large-scale environment that favors such upscale growth from that favoring "unorganized", scattered convection? Is it some combination of large-scale low-level convergence and ascending motion, combined with sufficient instability? We recently put this to a test with ERA-I reanalysis data, with disappointing results. The "usual suspects" of total column water vapor, large-scale ascent, and CAPE may all be required to some extent, but their differences between large MCSs and scattered convection are small. The main positive results from this work (already published) demonstrate that the strength of convection is well correlated with the size and perhaps "organization" of convective features over tropical oceans, in contrast to tropical land, where strong convection is common for large or small convective features. So, important questions remain: Over tropical oceans, how should we define "organized" convection? By size of the precipitation area? And what environmental conditions lead to larger and better organized MCSs? Some recent attempts to answer these questions will be described, but good answers may require more data, and more insights.

Simulating the convective precipitation diurnal cycle in a North American scale convection-permitting model

Science.gov (United States)

Scaff, L.; Li, Y.; Prein, A. F.; Liu, C.; Rasmussen, R.; Ikeda, K.

2017-12-01

A better representation of the diurnal cycle of convective precipitation is essential for the analysis of the energy balance and the water budget components such as runoff, evaporation and infiltration. Convection-permitting regional climate modeling (CPM) has been shown to improve the models' performance of summer precipitation, allowing to: (1) simulate the mesoscale processes in more detail and (2) to provide more insights in future changes in convective precipitation under climate change. In this work we investigate the skill of the Weather Research and Forecast model (WRF) in simulating the summer precipitation diurnal cycle over most of North America. We use 4 km horizontal grid spacing in a 13-years long current and future period. The future scenario is assuming no significant changes in large-scale weather patterns and aims to answer how the weather of the current climate would change if it would reoccur at the end of the century under a high-end emission scenario (Pseudo Global Warming). We emphasize on a region centered on the lee side of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, where the summer precipitation amount shows a regional maximum. The historical simulations are capable to correctly represent the diurnal cycle. At the lee-side of the Canadian Rockies the increase in the convective available potential energy as well as pronounced low-level moisture flux from the southeast Prairies explains the local maximum in summer precipitation. The PGW scenario shows an increase in summer precipitation amount and intensity in this region, consistently with a stronger source of moisture and convective energy.

Convective Radio Occultations Final Campaign Summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biondi, R. [Atmospheric Radiation Measurement, Washington, DC (United States)

2016-03-01

Deep convective systems are destructive weather phenomena that annually cause many deaths and injuries as well as much damage, thereby accounting for major economic losses in several countries. The number and intensity of such phenomena have increased over the last decades in some areas of the globe. Damage is mostly caused by strong winds and heavy rain parameters that are strongly connected to the structure of the particular storm. Convection over land is usually stronger and deeper than over the ocean and some convective systems, known as supercells, also develop tornadoes through processes that remain mostly unclear. The intensity forecast and monitoring of convective systems is one of the major challenges for meteorology because in situ measurements during extreme events are too sparse or unreliable and most ongoing satellite missions do not provide suitable time/space coverage.

Vorticity imbalance and stability in relation to convection

Science.gov (United States)

Read, W. L.; Scoggins, J. R.

1977-01-01

A complete synoptic-scale vorticity budget was related to convection storm development in the eastern two-thirds of the United States. The 3-h sounding interval permitted a study of time changes of the vorticity budget in areas of convective storms. Results of analyses revealed significant changes in values of terms in the vorticity equation at different stages of squall line development. Average budgets for all areas of convection indicate systematic imbalance in the terms in the vorticity equation. This imbalance resulted primarily from sub-grid scale processes. Potential instability in the lower troposphere was analyzed in relation to the development of convective activity. Instability was related to areas of convection; however, instability alone was inadequate for forecast purposes. Combinations of stability and terms in the vorticity equation in the form of indices succeeded in depicting areas of convection better than any one item separately.

Detailed analysis of dynamic evolution of three Active Regions at the photospheric level before flare and CME occurrence

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Yudong; Korsós, M. B.; Erdélyi, R.

2018-01-01

We present a combined analysis of the applications of the weighted horizontal magnetic gradient (denoted as WGM in Korsós et al. (2015)) method and the magnetic helicity tool (Berger and Field, 1984) employed for three active regions (ARs), namely NOAA AR 11261, AR 11283 and AR 11429. We analysed the time series of photospheric data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory taken between August 2011 and March 2012. During this period the three ARs produced a series of flares (eight M- and six X-class) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). AR 11261 had four M-class flares and one of them was accompanied by a fast CME. AR 11283 had similar activities with two M- and two X-class flares, but only with a slow CME. Finally, AR 11429 was the most powerful of the three ARs as it hosted five compact and large solar flare and CME eruptions. For applying the WGM method we employed the Debrecen sunspot data catalogue, and, for estimating the magnetic helicity at photospheric level we used the Space-weather HMI Active Region Patches (SHARP's) vector magnetograms from SDO/HMI (Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager). We followed the evolution of the components of the WGM and the magnetic helicity before the flare and CME occurrences. We found a unique and mutually shared behaviour, called the U-shaped pattern, of the weighted distance component of WGM and of the shearing component of the helicity flux before the flare and CME eruptions. This common pattern is associated with the decreasing-receding phases yet reported only known to be a necessary feature prior to solar flare eruption(s) but found now at the same time in the evolution of the shearing helicity flux. This result leads to the conclusions that (i) the shearing motion of photospheric magnetic field may be a key driver for solar eruption in addition to the flux emerging process, and that (ii) the found decreasing-approaching pattern in the evolution of shearing helicity flux may be another precursor

Concepts of magnetospheric convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasyliunas, V.M.

1975-01-01

Magnetospheric physics, which grew out of attempts to understand the space environment of the Earth, is becoming increasingly applicable to other systems in the Universe. Among the planets, in addition to the Earth, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and (in a somewhat different way) Venus are now known to have magnetospheres. The magnetospheres of pulsars have been regarded as an essential part of the pulsar phenomenon. Other astrophysical systems, such as supernova remnant shells or magnetic stars and binary star systems, may be describable as magnetospheres. The major concepts of magnetospheric physics thus need to be formulated in a general way not restricted to the geophysical context in which they may have originated. Magnetospheric convection has been one of the most important and fruitful concepts in the study of the Earth's magnetosphere. This paper describes the basic theoretical notions of convection in a manner applicable to magnetospheres generally and discusses the relative importance of convective corotational motions, with particular reference to the comparison of the Earth and Jupiter. (Auth.)

Modeling of plasma-sheet convection: implications for substorms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erickson, G.M.

1985-01-01

An answer is suggested to the question of why plasma and magnetic energy accumulate in the Earth's magnetotail to be released in sporadic events, namely substorms. It is shown that the idea of steady convection is inconsistent with the idea of slow, approximately lossless, plasma convection in a long, closed-field-line region that extends into a long magnetotail, such as occurs during Earthward convection in the Earth's plasma sheet. This inconsistency is argued generally and demonstrated specifically using several quantitative models of the Earth's magnetospheric magnetic field. These results suggest that plasma-sheet convection is necessarily time dependent. If flux tubes are to convect adiabatically earthward, the confining magnetic pressure in the tail lobes must increase with time, and the magnetotail must evolve into a more stretched configuration. Eventually, the magnetosphere must find some way to release plasma from inner-plasma-sheet flux tubes. This suggests an obvious role for the magnetospheric substorm in the convection process. To probe this process further, a two-dimensional, self-consistent, quasi-static convection model was developed. This model self consistently includes a dipole field and can reasonably account for the effects of inner-magnetospheric shielding

The Liquid Metallic Hydrogen Model of the Sun and the Solar Atmosphere II. Continuous Emission and Condensed Matter Within the Corona

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robitaille P.-M.

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The K-corona, a significant portion of the solar atmosphere, displays a continuous spectrum which closely parallels photospheric emission, though without the presence of overlying Fraunhofer lines. The E-corona exists in the same region and is characterized by weak emission lines from highly ionized atoms. For instance, the famous green emission line from coronium (FeXIV is part of the E-corona. The F-corona exists beyond the K/E-corona and, like the photospheric spectrum, is characterized by Fraunhofer lines. The F-corona represents photospheric light scattered by dust particles in the interplanetary medium. Within the gaseous models of the Sun, the K-corona is viewed as photospheric radiation which has been scattered by relativistic electrons. This scattering is thought to broaden the Fraunhofer lines of the solar spectrum such that they can no longer be detected in the K-corona. Thus, the gaseous models of the Sun account for the appearance of the K-corona by distorting photospheric light, since they are unable to have recourse to condensed matter to directly produce such radiation. Conversely, it is now advanced that the continuous emission of the K-corona and associated emission lines from the E-corona must be interpreted as manifestations of the same phenomenon: condensed matter exists in the corona. It is well-known that the Sun expels large amounts of material from its surface in the form of flares and coronal mass ejections. Given a liquid metallic hydrogen model of the Sun, it is logical to assume that such matter, which exists in the condensed state on the solar surface, continues to manifest its nature once expelled into the corona. Therefore, the continuous spectrum of the K-corona provides the twenty-seventh line of evidence that the Sun is composed of condensed matter.

Convective equilibrium and mixing-length theory for stellarator reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ho, D.D.M.; Kulsrud, R.M.

1985-09-01

In high β stellarator and tokamak reactors, the plasma pressure gradient in some regions of the plasma may exceed the critical pressure gradient set by ballooning instabilities. In these regions, convective cells break out to enhance the transport. As a result, the pressure gradient can rise only slightly above the critical gradient and the plasma is in another state of equilibrium - ''convective equilibrium'' - in these regions. Although the convective transport cannot be calculated precisely, it is shown that the density and temperature profiles in the convective region can still be estimated. A simple mixing-length theory, similar to that used for convection in stellar interiors, is introduced in this paper to provide a qualitative description of the convective cells and to show that the convective transport is highly efficient. A numerical example for obtaining the density and temperature profiles in a stellarator reactor is given

Understanding and controlling plasmon-induced convection

Science.gov (United States)

Roxworthy, Brian J.; Bhuiya, Abdul M.; Vanka, Surya P.; Toussaint, Kimani C.

2014-01-01

The heat generation and fluid convection induced by plasmonic nanostructures is attractive for optofluidic applications. However, previously published theoretical studies predict only nanometre per second fluid velocities that are inadequate for microscale mass transport. Here we show both theoretically and experimentally that an array of plasmonic nanoantennas coupled to an optically absorptive indium-tin-oxide (ITO) substrate can generate >micrometre per second fluid convection. Crucially, the ITO distributes thermal energy created by the nanoantennas generating an order of magnitude increase in convection velocities compared with nanoantennas on a SiO2 base layer. In addition, the plasmonic array alters absorption in the ITO, causing a deviation from Beer-Lambert absorption that results in an optimum ITO thickness for a given system. This work elucidates the role of convection in plasmonic optical trapping and particle assembly, and opens up new avenues for controlling fluid and mass transport on the micro- and nanoscale.

The Liquid Metallic Hydrogen Model of the Sun and the Solar Atmosphere I. Continuous Emission and Condensed Matter Within the Chromosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robitaille P.-M.

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The continuous spectrum of the solar photosphere stands as the paramount observation with regard to the condensed nature of the solar body. Studies relative to Kirchhoff’s law of thermal emission (e.g. Robitaille P.-M. Kirchhoff’s law of thermal emission: 150 years. Progr. Phys., 2009, v. 4, 3–13. and a detailed analysis of the stellar opacity problem (Robitaille P.M. Stellar opacity: The Achilles’ heel of the gaseous Sun. Progr. Phys., 2011, v. 3, 93–99 have revealed that gaseous models remain unable to properly account for the generation of this spectrum. Therefore, it can be stated with certainty that the photosphere is comprised of condensed matter. Beyond the solar surface, the chromospheric layer of the Sun also generates a weak continuous spectrum in the visible region. This emission exposes the presence of material in the condensed state. As a result, above the level of the photosphere, matter exists in both gaseous and condensed forms, much like within the atmosphere of the Earth. The continuous visible spectrum associated with the chromosphere provides the twenty-sixth line of evidence that the Sun is condensed matter.

Phenomenology of convection-parameterization closure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.-I. Yano

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Closure is a problem of defining the convective intensity in a given parameterization. In spite of many years of efforts and progress, it is still considered an overall unresolved problem. The present article reviews this problem from phenomenological perspectives. The physical variables that may contribute in defining the convective intensity are listed, and their statistical significances identified by observational data analyses are reviewed. A possibility is discussed for identifying a correct closure hypothesis by performing a linear stability analysis of tropical convectively coupled waves with various different closure hypotheses. Various individual theoretical issues are considered from various different perspectives. The review also emphasizes that the dominant physical factors controlling convection differ between the tropics and extra-tropics, as well as between oceanic and land areas. Both observational as well as theoretical analyses, often focused on the tropics, do not necessarily lead to conclusions consistent with our operational experiences focused on midlatitudes. Though we emphasize the importance of the interplays between these observational, theoretical and operational perspectives, we also face challenges for establishing a solid research framework that is universally applicable. An energy cycle framework is suggested as such a candidate.

THE DOMINANCE OF NEUTRINO-DRIVEN CONVECTION IN CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphy, Jeremiah W.; Dolence, Joshua C.; Burrows, Adam

2013-01-01

Multi-dimensional instabilities have become an important ingredient in core-collapse supernova (CCSN) theory. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the driving mechanism of the dominant instability. We compare our parameterized three-dimensional CCSN simulations with other buoyancy-driven simulations and propose scaling relations for neutrino-driven convection. Through these comparisons, we infer that buoyancy-driven convection dominates post-shock turbulence in our simulations. In support of this inference, we present four major results. First, the convective fluxes and kinetic energies in the neutrino-heated region are consistent with expectations of buoyancy-driven convection. Second, the convective flux is positive where buoyancy actively drives convection, and the radial and tangential components of the kinetic energy are in rough equipartition (i.e., K r ∼ K θ + K φ ). Both results are natural consequences of buoyancy-driven convection, and are commonly observed in simulations of convection. Third, buoyant driving is balanced by turbulent dissipation. Fourth, the convective luminosity and turbulent dissipation scale with the driving neutrino power. In all, these four results suggest that in neutrino-driven explosions, the multi-dimensional motions are consistent with neutrino-driven convection.

Behaviors and transitions along the path to magnetostrophic convection

Science.gov (United States)

Grannan, A. M.; Vogt, T.; Horn, S.; Hawkins, E. K.; Aggarwal, A.; Aurnou, J. M.

2017-12-01

The generation of magnetic fields in planetary and stellar interiors are believed to be controlled primarily by turbulent convection constrained by Coriolis and Lorentz forces in their electrically conducting fluid layers. Yet relatively few laboratory experiments are capable of investigating the different regimes of turbulent magnetohydrodynamic convection. In this work, we perform one laboratory experiment in a cylinder at a fixed heat flux using the liquid metal gallium in order to investigate, sequentially: Rayleigh-Bènard convection without any imposed constraints, magnetoconvection with a Lorentz constraint imposed by vertical magnetic field, rotating convection with a Coriolis constraint imposed by rotation, and finally the magnetostrophic convective regime where both Coriolis and Lorentz are imposed and equal. Using an array of internal and external temperature probes, we show that each regime along the path to magnetostrophic convection is unique. The behaviors and transitions in the dominant modes of convection as well as their fundamental frequencies and wavenumbers are investigated.

Heating-insensitive scale increase caused by convective precipitation

Science.gov (United States)

Haerter, Jan; Moseley, Christopher; Berg, Peter

2017-04-01

The origin of intense convective extremes and their unusual temperature dependence has recently challenged traditional thermodynamic arguments, based on the Clausius-Clapeyron relation. In a sequence of studies (Lenderink and v. Mejgaard, Nat Geosc, 2008; Berg, Haerter, Moseley, Nat Geosc, 2013; and Moseley, Hohenegger, Berg, Haerter, Nat Geosc, 2016) the argument of convective-type precipitation overcoming the 7%/K increase in extremes by dynamical, rather than thermodynamic, processes has been promoted. How can the role of dynamical processes be approached for precipitating convective cloud? One-phase, non-precipitating Rayleigh-Bénard convection is a classical problem in complex systems science. When a fluid between two horizontal plates is sufficiently heated from below, convective rolls spontaneously form. In shallow, non-precipitating atmospheric convection, rolls are also known to form under specific conditions, with horizontal scales roughly proportional to the boundary layer height. Here we explore within idealized large-eddy simulations, how the scale of convection is modified, when precipitation sets in and intensifies in the course of diurnal solar heating. Before onset of precipitation, Bénard cells with relatively constant diameter form, roughly on the scale of the atmospheric boundary layer. We find that the onset of precipitation then signals an approximately linear (in time) increase in horizontal scale. This scale increase progresses at a speed which is rather insensitive to changes in surface temperature or changes in the rate at which boundary conditions change, hinting at spatial characteristics, rather than temperature, as a possible control on spatial scales of convection. When exploring the depth of spatial correlations, we find that precipitation onset causes a sudden disruption of order and a subsequent complete disintegration of organization —until precipitation eventually ceases. Returning to the initial question of convective

Benard convection in gaps and cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, U.

1981-04-01

The article contains two parts. In the first part a condensed review of the most striking phenomena in Benard convection in laterally confined fluid layers is given. In the second part recent experimental and theoretical work on Benard convection in gaps is presented an analysed. (orig.) [de

Convective transport in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Ippolito, D.A.; Myra, J.R.; Russell, D.A.; Krasheninnikov, S.I.; Pigarov, A.Yu.; Yu, G.Q.; Xu, X.Q.; Nevins, W.M.

2005-01-01

Scrape-off-layer (SOL) convection in fusion experiments appears to be a universal phenomenon that can 'short-circuit' the divertor in some cases. The theory of 'blob' transport provides a simple and robust physical paradigm for studying convective transport. This paper summarizes recent advances in the theory of blob transport and its comparison with 2D and 3D computer simulations. We also discuss the common physical basis relating radial transport of blobs, pellets, and ELMs and a new blob regime that may lead to a connection between blob transport and the density limit. (author)

Mathematical models of convection

CERN Document Server

Andreev, Victor K; Goncharova, Olga N; Pukhnachev, Vladislav V

2012-01-01

Phenomena of convection are abundant in nature as well as in industry. This volume addresses the subject of convection from the point of view of both, theory and application. While the first three chapters provide a refresher on fluid dynamics and heat transfer theory, the rest of the book describes the modern developments in theory. Thus it brings the reader to the ""front"" of the modern research. This monograph provides the theoretical foundation on a topic relevant to metallurgy, ecology, meteorology, geo-and astrophysics, aerospace industry, chemistry, crystal physics, and many other fiel

Convective behaviour in severe accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clement, C.F.

1988-01-01

The nature and magnitude of the hazard from radioactivity posed by a possible nuclear accident depend strongly on convective behaviour within and immediately adjacent to the plant in question. This behaviour depends upon the nature of the vapour-gas-aerosol mixture concerned, and can show unusual properties such as 'upside-down' convection in which hot mixtures fall and cold mixtures rise. Predictions and criteria as to the types of behaviour which could possibly occur are summarised. Possible applications to present reactors are considered, and ways in which presently expected convection could be drastically modified are described. In some circumstances these could be used to suppress the radioactive source term or to switch its effect between distant dilute contamination and severe local contamination. (author). 8 refs, 2 figs, 2 tabs

Steady, three-dimensional, internally heated convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schubert, G.; Glatzmaier, G.A.; Travis, B.

1993-01-01

Numerical calculations have been carried out of steady, symmetric, three-dimensional modes of convection in internally heated, infinite Prandtl number, Boussinesq fluids at a Rayleigh number of 1.4x10 4 in a spherical shell with inner/outer radius of 0.55 and in a 3x3x1 rectangular box. Multiple patterns of convection occur in both geometries. In the Cartesian geometry the patterns are dominated by cylindrical cold downflows and a broad hot upwelling. In the spherical geometry the patterns consist of cylindrical cold downwellings centered either at the vertices of a tetrahedron or the centers of the faces of a cube. The cold downflow cylinders are immersed in a background of upwelling within which there are cylindrical hot concentrations (plumes) and hot halos around the downflows. The forced hot upflow return plumes of internally heated spherical convection are fundamentally different from the buoyancy-driven plumes of heated from below convection

What favors convective aggregation and why?

Science.gov (United States)

Muller, Caroline; Bony, Sandrine

2015-07-01

The organization of convection is ubiquitous, but its physical understanding remains limited. One particular type of organization is the spatial self-aggregation of convection, taking the form of cloud clusters, or tropical cyclones in the presence of rotation. We show that several physical processes can give rise to self-aggregation and highlight the key features responsible for it, using idealized simulations. Longwave radiative feedbacks yield a "radiative aggregation." In that case, sufficient spatial variability of radiative cooling rates yields a low-level circulation, which induces the upgradient energy transport and radiative-convective instability. Not only do vertically integrated radiative budgets matter but the vertical profile of cooling is also crucial. Convective aggregation is facilitated when downdrafts below clouds are weak ("moisture-memory aggregation"), and this is sufficient to trigger aggregation in the absence of longwave radiative feedbacks. These results shed some light on the sensitivity of self-aggregation to various parameters, including resolution or domain size.

Spherical-shell boundaries for two-dimensional compressible convection in a star

Science.gov (United States)

Pratt, J.; Baraffe, I.; Goffrey, T.; Geroux, C.; Viallet, M.; Folini, D.; Constantino, T.; Popov, M.; Walder, R.

2016-10-01

Context. Studies of stellar convection typically use a spherical-shell geometry. The radial extent of the shell and the boundary conditions applied are based on the model of the star investigated. We study the impact of different two-dimensional spherical shells on compressible convection. Realistic profiles for density and temperature from an established one-dimensional stellar evolution code are used to produce a model of a large stellar convection zone representative of a young low-mass star, like our sun at 106 years of age. Aims: We analyze how the radial extent of the spherical shell changes the convective dynamics that result in the deep interior of the young sun model, far from the surface. In the near-surface layers, simple small-scale convection develops from the profiles of temperature and density. A central radiative zone below the convection zone provides a lower boundary on the convection zone. The inclusion of either of these physically distinct layers in the spherical shell can potentially affect the characteristics of deep convection. Methods: We perform hydrodynamic implicit large eddy simulations of compressible convection using the MUltidimensional Stellar Implicit Code (MUSIC). Because MUSIC has been designed to use realistic stellar models produced from one-dimensional stellar evolution calculations, MUSIC simulations are capable of seamlessly modeling a whole star. Simulations in two-dimensional spherical shells that have different radial extents are performed over tens or even hundreds of convective turnover times, permitting the collection of well-converged statistics. Results: To measure the impact of the spherical-shell geometry and our treatment of boundaries, we evaluate basic statistics of the convective turnover time, the convective velocity, and the overshooting layer. These quantities are selected for their relevance to one-dimensional stellar evolution calculations, so that our results are focused toward studies exploiting the so

Plate tectonics, mantle convection and D'' seismic structures

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Lianxing

This thesis adopts multidisciplinary (geodynamical and seismological) approaches toward understanding dynamics of the Earth's mantle. My geodynamical approach is directed at understanding the relationship between large-scale surface observables (geoid, topography, plate motions) and mantle rheology and convection of the present-day Earth. In chapter 2, I remove shallow mantle structure of various tectonic features to generate "residual tomography." In chapter 3, I show that the pattern, spectrum and amplitude of the "residual topography" are consistent with shallow origin of the "Earth surface dynamic topography;" the long wavelength geoid and topography (l = 2-3) are successfully explained by density models inferred from the "residual tomography," assuming layered mantle convection stratified at the "920 km seismic discontinuity." In chapter 4, I develop a new method to calculate mantle flow with lateral variation of viscosity. The viscosity contrast between continental and oceanic regions is identified to have dominating effects on both the observed poloidal/toroidal ratio and pattern of toroidal motions at long wavelengths. My seismological approach is focused on exploring fine structures near the core-mantle boundary (CMB) and developing new seismic techniques. I discuss the method development and strategies to explore fine structures in the following chapters. In chapter 5, I develop a hybrid method, a combination of analytical and numerical methods, with numerical methods applied in heterogeneous regions only. In chapter 6, I constrain the general structures of the ultra low velocity zones (ULVZ) near the CMB under the south-east Pacific and Iceland. The SKS-SPdKS data are explained by ULVZ with P-velocity reduction of 10%, horizontal length-scales of about 250 km and height of about 40 km. S-velocity reduction of 30% is consistent with the data. In chapter 7, I constrain the detailed structures of the ULVZ near the CMB from observed broadband PKP precursors

Laminar Mixed Convection Heat Transfer Correlation for Horizontal Pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chae, Myeong Seon; Chung, Bum Jin

2013-01-01

This study aimed at producing experimental results and developing a new heat transfer correlation based upon a semi-empirical buoyancy coefficient. Mixed convection mass transfers inside horizontal pipe were investigated for the pipe of various length-to-diameters with varying Re. Forced convection correlation was developed using a very short cathode. With the length of cathode increase and Re decrease, the heat transfer rates were enhanced and becomes higher than that of forced convection. An empirical buoyancy coefficient was derived from correlation of natural convection and forced convection with the addition of L/D. And the heat transfer correlation for laminar mixed convection was developed using the buoyancy coefficient, it describes not only current results, but also results of other studies. Mixed convection occurs when the driving forces of both forced and natural convections are of comparable magnitude (Gr/Re 2 ∼1). It is classical problem but is still an active area of research for various thermal applications such as flat plate solar collectors, nuclear reactors and heat exchangers. The effect of buoyancy on heat transfer in a forced flow is varied by the direction of the buoyancy force. In a horizontal pipe the direction of the forced and buoyancy forces are perpendicular. The studies on the mixed convections of the horizontal pipes were not investigated very much due to the lack of practical uses compared to those of vertical pipes. Even the definitions on the buoyancy coefficient that presents the relative influence of the forced and the natural convections, are different by scholars. And the proposed heat transfer correlations do not agree

Study of nitrogen injection to enhance forced convection for gas fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tauveron, N.; Dor, I.; Bentivoglio, F.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The present study concerns the use of blowers in case of nitrogen injection. It is a well-known fact that heavier gases (than helium) enhance natural circulation. The use of such heavier gases (nitrogen is considered here) can also enhance forced convection. → A specific work on the impact of the use of alternative gas on blower behaviour is presented. → These developments are used in a simplified system analysis and in a complete transient behaviour analysis in depressurised situations computed with the CATHARE2 code. - Abstract: In the frame of the international forum GenIV, the gas fast reactor is considered as a promising concept, combining the benefits of fast spectrum and high temperature, using helium as coolant. In the current preliminary viability GFR studies safety system relies on blowers in case of depressurised conditions. The present study concerns the use of blowers in case of nitrogen injection. It is a well-known fact that heavier gases (than helium) enhance natural circulation. The use of such gases (nitrogen is considered) can also enhance forced convection. A specific work on the impact of the use of alternative gas on blower behaviour is presented. Transient behaviours in depressurised situations are computed with the CATHARE2 code and analyzed.

An HST/STIS Optical Transmission Spectrum of Warm Neptune GJ 436b

Science.gov (United States)

Lothringer, Joshua D.; Benneke, Björn; Crossfield, Ian J. M.; Henry, Gregory W.; Morley, Caroline; Dragomir, Diana; Barman, Travis; Knutson, Heather; Kempton, Eliza; Fortney, Jonathan; McCullough, Peter; Howard, Andrew W.

2018-02-01

GJ 436b is a prime target for understanding warm Neptune exoplanet atmospheres and a target for multiple James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Guaranteed Time Observation programs. Here, we report the first space-based optical transmission spectrum of the planet using two Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) transit observations from 0.53 to 1.03 μm. We find no evidence for alkali absorption features, nor evidence of a scattering slope longward of 0.53 μm. The spectrum is indicative of moderate to high metallicity (∼100–1000× solar), while moderate-metallicity scenarios (∼100× solar) require aerosol opacity. The optical spectrum also rules out some highly scattering haze models. We find an increase in transit depth around 0.8 μm in the transmission spectra of three different sub-Jovian exoplanets (GJ 436b, HAT-P-26b, and GJ 1214b). While most of the data come from STIS, data from three other instruments may indicate this is not an instrumental effect. Only the transit spectrum of GJ 1214b is well fit by a model with stellar plages on the photosphere of the host star. Our photometric monitoring of the host star reveals a stellar rotation rate of 44.1 days and an activity cycle of 7.4 years. Intriguingly, GJ 436 does not become redder as it gets dimmer, which is expected if star spots were dominating the variability. These insights into the nature of the GJ 436 system help refine our expectations for future observations in the era of JWST, whose higher precision and broader wavelength coverage will shed light on the composition and structure of GJ 436b’s atmosphere.

The photosphere of T. Tauri Stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calvet, Nuria; Marin, Zaida

1987-01-01

We have calculated the absorption spectrum in the wavelength interval 4880-5025A for a set of models with Teff = 4000K and log g = 3.5 and a chromospheric temperature rise. These models are considered as representative of the atmosphere of T Tauri stars. The position of the temperature minimum goes from 0.1 to 2 gr cm -2 in the models. Populations are in LTE and the two level plus continuum approximation is used for the source function. We have compared the calculated spectra with those observed in the program of rotational velocity determination by Vogel and Kuhi (1981). Differences between the spectrum of T Tauri stars can be understood in first approximation in terms of differences in the position of the temperature minimum. In particular, we find that at the moment of the observation, the minimum in BP Tau was located between 1 and 2 cm -2 and in AA Tau between 0.3 and 0.6 gr cm -2 . (Author)

Boiling Suppression in Convective Flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aounallah, Y.

2004-01-01

The development of convective boiling heat transfer correlations and analytical models has almost exclusively been based on measurements of the total heat flux, and therefore on the overall two-phase heat transfer coefficient, when the well-known heat transfer correlations have often assumed additive mechanisms, one for each mode of heat transfer, convection and boiling. While the global performance of such correlations can readily be assessed, the predictive capability of the individual components of the correlation has usually remained elusive. This becomes important when, for example, developing mechanistic models for subcooled void formation based on the partitioning of the wall heat flux into a boiling and a convective component, or when extending a correlation beyond its original range of applications where the preponderance of the heat transfer mechanisms involved can be significantly different. A new examination of existing experimental heat transfer data obtained under fixed hydrodynamic conditions, whereby the local flow conditions are decoupled from the local heat flux, has allowed the unequivocal isolation of the boiling contribution over a broad range of thermodynamic qualities (0 to 0.8) for water at 7 MPa. Boiling suppression, as the quality increases, has consequently been quantified, thus providing valuable new insights on the functionality and contribution of boiling in convective flows. (author)

Project "Convective Wind Gusts" (ConWinG)

Science.gov (United States)

Mohr, Susanna; Richter, Alexandra; Kunz, Michael; Ruck, Bodo

2017-04-01

Convectively-driven strong winds usually associated with thunderstorms frequently cause substantial damage to buildings and other structures in many parts of the world. Decisive for the high damage potential are the short-term wind speed maxima with duration of a few seconds, termed as gusts. Several studies have shown that convectively-driven gusts can reach even higher wind speeds compared to turbulent gusts associated with synoptic-scale weather systems. Due to the small-scale and non-stationary nature of convective wind gusts, there is a considerable lack of knowledge regarding their characteristics and statistics. Furthermore, their interaction with urban structures and their influence on buildings is not yet fully understood. For these two reasons, convective wind events are not included in the present wind load standards of buildings and structures, which so far have been based solely on the characteristics of synoptically-driven wind gusts in the near-surface boundary layer (e. g., DIN EN 1991-1-4:2010-12; ASCE7). However, convective and turbulent gusts differ considerably, e.g. concerning vertical wind-speed profiles, gust factors (i.e., maximum to mean wind speed), or exceedance probability curves. In an effort to remedy this situation, the overarching objective of the DFG-project "Convective Wind Gusts" (ConWinG) is to investigate the characteristics and statistics of convective gusts as well as their interaction with urban structures. Based on a set of 110 climate stations of the German Weather Service (DWD) between 1992 and 2014, we analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution, intensity, and occurrence probability of convective gusts. Similar to thunderstorm activity, the frequency of convective gusts decreases gradually from South to North Germany. A relation between gust intensity/probability to orography or climate conditions cannot be identified. Rather, high wind speeds, e.g., above 30 m/s, can be expected everywhere in Germany with almost

CN and HCN in the infrared spectrum of IRC + 10216

Science.gov (United States)

Wiedemann, G. R.; Deming, D.; Jennings, D. E.; Hinkle, Kenneth H.; Keady, John J.

1991-01-01

The abundance of HCN in the inner circumstellar shell of IRC + 10216 has been remeasured using the 12-micron nu2 band. The 12-micron lines are less saturated than HCN 3-micron lines previously detected in the spectrum of IRC + 10216. The observed 12-micron HCN line is formed in the circumstellar shell from about 4 to 12 R sub * in accord with a photospheric origin for HCN. The derived HCN abundance in the 4 to 12 R sub* region is 4 x 10 exp-5 and the column density is 7 x 10 exp 18/sq cm. The 5-micron CN vibration-rotation fundamental band was detected for the first time in an astronomical source. Using four CN lines, the CN column density was determined to be 2.6 x 10 exp 15/sq cm and the rotational temperature to be 8 +/-2 K. The peal radial abundance is 1 x 10 exp -5. The values for the temperature and abundance are in good agreement with microwave results and with the formation of CN from the photolysis of HCN.

A novel convective-scale regional reanalysis COSMO-REA2: Improving the representation of precipitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabrina Wahl

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric reanalyses are a state-of-the-art tool to generate consistent and realistic state estimates of the atmospheric system. They provide a synthesis of various heterogeneous observational systems and model simulations using a physical model together with a data assimilation scheme. Current reanalyses are mainly global, while regional reanalyses are emerging for North America, the polar region, and most recently for Europe. However, deep convection is still parameterized even in the regional reanalyses. A novel convective-scale regional reanalysis system for Central Europe (COSMO-REA2 has been developed by the Hans-Ertel Center for Weather Research – Climate Monitoring Branch. The system is based on the COSMO model and uses observational nudging for regional data assimilation. In addition to conventional observations, radar-derived rain rates are assimilated using latent heat nudging. With a horizontal grid-spacing of 2 km, the model runs without parameterization of deep moist convection. COSMO-REA2 produces horizontal wind fields that represent a realistic energy spectrum for horizontal scales above 14 km. COSMO-REA2 is currently available for seven years from 2007 to 2013.This study illustrates the improved representation of local precipitation over Germany by the convective-scale reanalysis COSMO-REA2 compared to coarser gridded European and global reanalyses. A systematic verification using rain gauge data reveals the added value of high-resolution regional atmospheric reanalyses on different time scales. On monthly to annual time scales, regional reanalyses yield better estimates of the spatial variability of precipitation patterns which can not be provided by coarser gridded global models. On hourly to daily time scales, the convective-scale reanalysis substantially improves the representation of local precipitation in two ways. On the one hand, COSMO-REA2 shows an enhanced representation of observed frequencies of local

Environmental Characteristics of Convective Systems During TRMM-LBA

Science.gov (United States)

Halverson, Jeffrey B.; Rickenbach, Thomas; Roy, Biswadev; Pierce, Harold; Williams, Earle; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In this paper, data collected from 51 days of continual upper atmospheric soundings and TOGA radar at ABRACOS Hill during the TRMM-LBA experiment are used to describe the mean thermodynamic and kinematic airmass properties of wet season convection over Rondonia, Brazil. Distinct multi-day easterly and westerly lower tropospheric wind regimes occurred during the campaign with contrasting airmass characteristics. Westerly wind periods featured modest CAPE (1000 J/kg), moist conditions (>90% RH) extending through 700 mb and shallow (900 mb) speed shear on the order of 10(exp -4)/s. This combination of characteristics promoted convective systems that featured a relatively large fraction of stratiform rainfall and weak convection nearly devoid of lightning. The environment is very similar to the general airmass conditions experienced during the Darwin, Australia monsoon convective regime. In contrast, easterly regime convective systems were more strongly electrified and featured larger convective rain rates and reduced stratiform rainfall fraction. These systems formed in an environment with significantly larger CAPE (1500 J/kg), drier lower and middle level humidities (in the lowest 1-2 km, thus contributing to a more explosive growth of convection. The time series of low- and mid-level averaged humidity exhibited marked variability between westerly and easterly regimes and was characterized by low frequency (i.e., multi-day to weekly) oscillations. The synoptic scale origins of these moisture fluctuations are examined, which include the effects of variable low-level airmass trajectories and upper-level, westward migrating cyclonic vortices. The results reported herein provide an environmental context for ongoing dual Doppler analyses and numerical modeling case studies of individual TRMM-LBA convective systems.

Quantifying near-wall coherent structures in turbulent convection

Science.gov (United States)

Gunasegarane, G. S.; A Puthenveettil, Baburaj; K Agrawal, Yogesh; Schmeling, Daniel; Bosbach, Johannes; Arakeri, Jaywant; IIT Madras-DLR-IISc Collaboration

2011-11-01

We present planforms of line plumes formed on horizontal surfaces in turbulent convection, along with the length of near- wall line plumes measured from these planforms, in a six decade range of Rayleigh numbers (105 < Ra <1011) and at three Prandtl numbers (Pr = 0 . 7 , 6 , 602). Using geometric constraints on the relations for the mean plume spacings, we obtain expressions for the total length of these near-wall plumes in turbulent convection. The plume length per unit area (Lp / A), made dimensionless by the near-wall length scale in turbulent convection (Zw) remains a constant for a given fluid. The Nusselt number is shown to be directly proportional to Lp H / A for a given fluid layer of height H. Increase in Pr has a weak influence in decreasing Lp / A . These expressions match the measurements, thereby showing that the assumption of laminar natural convection boundary layers in turbulent convection is consistent with the observed total length of line plumes. We then show that similar relationships are obtained based on the assumption that the line plumes are the outcome of the instability of laminar natural convection boundary layers on the horizontal surfaces.

Heat transfer of laminar mixed convection of liquid

CERN Document Server

Shang, De-Yi

2016-01-01

This book presents a new algorithm to calculate fluid flow and heat transfer of laminar mixed convection. It provides step-by-step tutorial help to learn quickly how to set up the theoretical and numerical models of laminar mixed convection, to consider the variable physical properties of fluids, to obtain the system of numerical solutions, to create a series of formalization equations for the convection heat transfer by using a curve-fitting approach combined with theoretical analysis and derivation. It presents the governing ordinary differential equations of laminar mixed convection, equivalently transformed by an innovative similarity transformation with the description of the related transformation process. A system of numerical calculations of the governing ordinary differential equations is presented for the water laminar mixed convection. A polynomial model is induced for convenient and reliable treatment of variable physical properties of liquids. The developed formalization equations of mixed convec...

Dynamical Processes in Flux Tubes and their Role in ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

tribpo

tubes and granules in the solar photosphere which leads to the excitation of transverse (kink) and longitudinal ... the energy flux in transverse waves is calculated and the implications for chromospheric heating are ... highly dynamical state, due to the buffeting effect of random convective motions. (e.g., Müller 1983; Muller et ...

Cumulus convection and the terrestrial water-vapor distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Donner, Leo J.

1988-01-01

Cumulus convection plays a significant role in determining the structure of the terrestrial water vapor field. Cumulus convection acts directly on the moisture field by condensing and precipitating water vapor and by redistributing water vapor through cumulus induced eddy circulations. The mechanisms by which cumulus convection influences the terrestrial water vapor distribution is outlined. Calculations using a theory due to Kuo is used to illustrate the mechanisms by which cumulus convection works. Understanding of these processes greatly aids the ability of researchers to interpret the seasonal and spatial distribution of atmospheric water vapor by providing information on the nature of sources and sinks and the global circulation.

Some problems of free convection in a macrocapillary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luikov, A V; Berkovsky, B M; Kolpashchikov, V L

1971-01-01

Solution is given to a number of problems of free convection in incompressible viscous fluid in elementary macrocapillaries with nonuniform temperature distribution at the boundary. The fluid flow structure and effect of a magnetic field on convection in the case of conducting fluid has been studied in detail. The influence of macrocapillary properties on the flow structure, rate of convection, and temperature distribution has been estimated.

Oscillatory magneto-convection under magnetic field modulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Palle Kiran

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper we investigate an oscillatory mode of nonlinear magneto-convection under time dependant magnetic field. The time dependant magnetic field consists steady and oscillatory parts. The oscillatory part of the imposed magnetic field is assumed to be of third order. An externally imposed vertical magnetic field in an electrically conducting horizontal fluid layer is considered. The finite amplitude analysis is discussed while perturbing the system. The complex Ginzburg-Landau model is used to derive an amplitude of oscillatory convection for weakly nonlinear mode. Heat transfer is quantified in terms of the Nusselt number, which is governed by the Landau equation. The variation of the modulation excitation of the magnetic field alternates heat transfer in the layer. The modulation excitation of the magnetic field is used either to enhance or diminish the heat transfer in the system. Further, it is found that, oscillatory mode of convection enhances the heat transfer and than stationary convection. The results have possible technological applications in magnetic fluid based systems involving energy transmission. Keywords: Weakly nonlinear theory, Oscillatory convection, Complex Ginzburg Landau model, Magnetic modulation

Convective behaviour in vapour-gas-aerosol mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clement, C.F.

1986-01-01

Unusual convective behaviour can occur in mixtures of gases and heavy vapour, including stabilization of mixtures hot at the base and 'upside-down' convection in mixtures hot at the top. Previous work produced a criterion for this behaviour which ignored the necessary presence of an aerosol. Modification arising from aerosol condensation is derived and is shown to involve the Lewis and condensation numbers of the mixture, as well as a quantity involving the temperature drop across a boundary layer. It becomes negligible at high temperatures, but can crucially affect the temperature for the onset of unusual behaviour. Aerosol formation produces an asymmetry between the convective forces in boundary layers in which the mixture is being heated and cooled, respectively, for example at the base and roof of a cavity. The convective behaviour discussed could occur in situations relevant to nuclear safety. (author)

Regime-dependent forecast uncertainty of convective precipitation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keil, Christian; Craig, George C. [Muenchen Univ. (Germany). Meteorologisches Inst.

2011-04-15

Forecast uncertainty of convective precipitation is influenced by all scales, but in different ways in different meteorological situations. Forecasts of the high resolution ensemble prediction system COSMO-DE-EPS of Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) are used to examine the dominant sources of uncertainty of convective precipitation. A validation with radar data using traditional as well as spatial verification measures highlights differences in precipitation forecast performance in differing weather regimes. When the forecast uncertainty can primarily be associated with local, small-scale processes individual members run with the same variation of the physical parameterisation driven by different global models outperform all other ensemble members. In contrast when the precipitation is governed by the large-scale flow all ensemble members perform similarly. Application of the convective adjustment time scale confirms this separation and shows a regime-dependent forecast uncertainty of convective precipitation. (orig.)

Improved nowcasting of precipitation based on convective analysis fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Haiden

2007-04-01

Full Text Available The high-resolution analysis and nowcasting system INCA (Integrated Nowcasting through Comprehensive Analysis developed at the Austrian national weather service provides three-dimensional fields of temperature, humidity, and wind on an hourly basis, and two-dimensional fields of precipitation rate in 15 min intervals. The system operates on a horizontal resolution of 1 km and a vertical resolution of 100–200 m. It combines surface station data, remote sensing data (radar, satellite, forecast fields of the numerical weather prediction model ALADIN, and high-resolution topographic data. An important application of the INCA system is nowcasting of convective precipitation. Based on fine-scale temperature, humidity, and wind analyses a number of convective analysis fields are routinely generated. These fields include convective boundary layer (CBL flow convergence and specific humidity, lifted condensation level (LCL, convective available potential energy (CAPE, convective inhibition (CIN, and various convective stability indices. Based on the verification of areal precipitation nowcasts it is shown that the pure translational forecast of convective cells can be improved by using a decision algorithm which is based on a subset of the above fields, combined with satellite products.

Convective effects in a regulatory and proposed fire model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wix, S.D.; Hohnstreiter, G.F.

1995-01-01

Radiation is the dominant mode of heat transfer in large fires. However, convection can be as much as 10 to 20 percent of the total heat transfer to an object in a large fire. The current radioactive material transportation packaging regulations include convection as a mode of heat transfer in the accident condition scenario. The current International Atomic Energy Agency Safety Series 6 packaging regulation states ''the convection coefficient shall be that value which the designer can justify if the package were exposed to the specified fire''. The current Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 71 (10CFR71) packaging regulation states ''when significant, convection heat input must be included on the basis of still, ambient air at 800 degrees C (1475 degrees F)''. Two questions that can arise in an analysts mind from an examination of the packaging regulations is whether convection is significant and whether convection should be included in the design analysis of a radioactive materials transportation container. The objective of this study is to examine the convective effects on an actual radioactive materials transportation package using a regulatory and a proposed thermal boundary condition

Evaluation of convection-resolving models using satellite data: The diurnal cycle of summer convection over the Alps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Keller

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Diurnal moist convection is an important element of summer precipitation over Central Europe and the Alps. It is poorly represented in models using parameterized convection. In this study, we investigate the diurnal cycle of convection during 11 days in June 2007 using the COSMO model. The numerical simulations are compared with satellite measurements of GERB and SEVIRI, AVHRR satellite-based cloud properties and ground-based precipitation and temperature measurements. The simulations use horizontal resolutions of 12 km (convection-parameterizing model, CPM and 2 km (convection-resolving model, CRM and either a one-moment microphysics scheme (1M or a two-moment microphysics scheme (2M.They are conducted for a computational domain that covers an extended Alpine area from Northern Italy to Northern Germany. The CPM with 1M exhibits a significant overestimation of high cloud cover. This results in a compensation effect in the top of the atmosphere energy budget due to an underestimation of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR and an overestimation of reflected solar radiation (RSR. The CRM reduces high cloud cover and improves the OLR bias from a domain mean of −20.1 to −2.6 W/m2. When using 2M with ice sedimentation in the CRM, high cloud cover is further reduced. The stronger diurnal cycle of high cloud cover and associated convection over the Alps, compared to less mountainous regions, is well represented by the CRM but underestimated by the CPM. Despite substantial differences in high cloud cover, the use of a 2M has no significant impact on the diurnal cycle of precipitation. Furthermore, a negative mid-level cloud bias is found for all simulations.

A Thermodynamically General Theory for Convective Circulations and Vortices

Science.gov (United States)

Renno, N. O.

2007-12-01

Convective circulations and vortices are common features of atmospheres that absorb low-entropy-energy at higher temperatures than they reject high-entropy-energy to space. These circulations range from small to planetary-scale and play an important role in the vertical transport of heat, momentum, and tracer species. Thus, the development of theoretical models for convective phenomena is important to our understanding of many basic features of planetary atmospheres. A thermodynamically general theory for convective circulations and vortices is proposed. The theory includes irreversible processes and quantifies the pressure drop between the environment and any point in a convective updraft. The article's main result is that the proposed theory provides an expression for the pressure drop along streamlines or streamtubes that is a generalization of Bernoulli's equation to convective circulations. We speculate that the proposed theory not only explains the intensity, but also shed light on other basic features of convective circulations and vortices.

The impact of parametrized convection on cloud feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Mark J.; Lock, Adrian P.; Bretherton, Christopher S.; Bony, Sandrine; Cole, Jason N. S.; Idelkadi, Abderrahmane; Kang, Sarah M.; Koshiro, Tsuyoshi; Kawai, Hideaki; Ogura, Tomoo; Roehrig, Romain; Shin, Yechul; Mauritsen, Thorsten; Sherwood, Steven C.; Vial, Jessica; Watanabe, Masahiro; Woelfle, Matthew D.; Zhao, Ming

2015-01-01

We investigate the sensitivity of cloud feedbacks to the use of convective parametrizations by repeating the CMIP5/CFMIP-2 AMIP/AMIP + 4K uniform sea surface temperature perturbation experiments with 10 climate models which have had their convective parametrizations turned off. Previous studies have suggested that differences between parametrized convection schemes are a leading source of inter-model spread in cloud feedbacks. We find however that ‘ConvOff’ models with convection switched off have a similar overall range of cloud feedbacks compared with the standard configurations. Furthermore, applying a simple bias correction method to allow for differences in present-day global cloud radiative effects substantially reduces the differences between the cloud feedbacks with and without parametrized convection in the individual models. We conclude that, while parametrized convection influences the strength of the cloud feedbacks substantially in some models, other processes must also contribute substantially to the overall inter-model spread. The positive shortwave cloud feedbacks seen in the models in subtropical regimes associated with shallow clouds are still present in the ConvOff experiments. Inter-model spread in shortwave cloud feedback increases slightly in regimes associated with trade cumulus in the ConvOff experiments but is quite similar in the most stable subtropical regimes associated with stratocumulus clouds. Inter-model spread in longwave cloud feedbacks in strongly precipitating regions of the tropics is substantially reduced in the ConvOff experiments however, indicating a considerable local contribution from differences in the details of convective parametrizations. In both standard and ConvOff experiments, models with less mid-level cloud and less moist static energy near the top of the boundary layer tend to have more positive tropical cloud feedbacks. The role of non-convective processes in contributing to inter-model spread in cloud

From convection rolls to finger convection in double-diffusive turbulence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yang, Yantao; Verzicco, Roberto; Lohse, Detlef

2015-01-01

Double-diffusive convection (DDC), which is the buoyancy-driven flow with fluid density depending on two scalar components, is ubiquitous in many natural and engineering environments. Of great interests are scalars’ transfer rate and flow structures. Here we systematically investigate DDC flow

Lattice Boltzmann model for melting with natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huber, Christian; Parmigiani, Andrea; Chopard, Bastien; Manga, Michael; Bachmann, Olivier

2008-01-01

We develop a lattice Boltzmann method to couple thermal convection and pure-substance melting. The transition from conduction-dominated heat transfer to fully-developed convection is analyzed and scaling laws and previous numerical results are reproduced by our numerical method. We also investigate the limit in which thermal inertia (high Stefan number) cannot be neglected. We use our results to extend the scaling relations obtained at low Stefan number and establish the correlation between the melting front propagation and the Stefan number for fully-developed convection. We conclude by showing that the model presented here is particularly well-suited to study convection melting in geometrically complex media with many applications in geosciences

Physics of Stellar Convection

Science.gov (United States)

Arnett, W. David

2009-05-01

We review recent progress using numerical simulations as a testbed for development of a theory of stellar convection, much as envisaged by John von Newmann. Necessary features of the theory, non-locality and fluctuations, are illustrated by computer movies. It is found that the common approximation of convection as a diffusive process presents the wrong physical picture, and improvements are suggested. New observational results discussed at the conference are gratifying in their validation of some of our theoretical ideas, especially the idea that SNIb and SNIc events are related to the explosion of massive star cores which have been stripped by mass loss and binary interactions [1

Convective mixing in helium white dwarfs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vauclair, G.; Fontaine, G.

1979-01-01

The conditions under which convective mixing episodes take place between the helium envelopes and the underlying carbon layers in helium-rich white dwarfs are investigated. It is found that, for essentially any value of the initial helium content less than the maximum mass a helium convection zone can have, mixing does occur, and leads, in the vast majority of cases, to an almost pure carbon superficial composition. Mixing products that show only traces of carbon while retaining helium-dominated envelopes are possible only if the initial helium content is quite close to the maximum possible mass of the helium convection zone. In the presence of turbulence, this restriction could be relaxed, however, and the helium-rich lambda4670 stars may possibly be explained in this fashion

Convective Cold Pool Structure and Boundary Layer Recovery in DYNAMO

Science.gov (United States)

Savarin, A.; Chen, S. S.; Kerns, B. W.; Lee, C.; Jorgensen, D. P.

2012-12-01

One of the key factors controlling convective cloud systems in the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) over the tropical Indian Ocean is the property of the atmospheric boundary layer. Convective downdrafts and precipitation from the cloud systems produce cold pools in the boundary layer, which can inhibit subsequent development of convection. The recovery time is the time it takes for the boundary layer to return to pre convective conditions. It may affect the variability of the convection on various time scales during the initiation of MJO. This study examines the convective cold pool structure and boundary layer recovery using the NOAA WP-3D aircraft observations, include the flight-level, Doppler radar, and GPS dropsonde data, collected during the Dynamics of MJO (DYNAMO) field campaign from November-December 2011. The depth and strength of convective cold pools are defined by the negative buoyancy, which can be computed from the dropsonde data. Convective downdraft can be affected by environmental water vapor due to entrainment. Mid-level dry air observed during the convectively suppressed phase of MJO seems to enhance convective downdraft, making the cold pools stronger and deeper. Recovery of the cold pools in the boundary layer is determined by the strength and depth of the cold pools and also the air-sea heat and moisture fluxes. Given that the water vapor and surface winds are distinct for the convectively active and suppressed phases of MJO over the Indian Ocean, the aircraft data are stratified by the two different large-scale regimes of MJO. Preliminary results show that the strength and depth of the cold pools are inversely correlated with the surrounding mid-level moisture. During the convectively suppressed phase, the recovery time is ~5-20 hours in relative weak wind condition with small air-sea fluxes. The recovery time is generally less than 6 hours during the active phase of MJO with moist mid-levels and stronger surface wind and air-sea fluxes.

Convective cells and transport in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassam, A.B.; Kulsrud, R.M.

1978-12-01

The properties of convective cells and the diffusion resulting from such cells are significantly influenced by an inhomogeneity in the extermal confining magnetic field, such as that in toroidal plasmas. The convective diffusion in the presence of a field inhomogeneity is estimated. For a thermal background, this diffusion is shown to be substantially smaller than classical collisional diffusion. For a model nonthermal background, the diffusion is estimated, for typical parameters, to be at most of the order of collisional diffusion. The model background employed is based on spectra observed in numerical simulations of drift-wave-driven convective cells

High Ra, high Pr convection with viscosity gradients

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. High Ra, high Pr convection with viscosity gradients. Weak upward flow through mesh. Top fluid more viscous. Unstable layer Instability Convection.

Penetrative convection at high Rayleigh numbers

Science.gov (United States)

Toppaladoddi, Srikanth; Wettlaufer, John S.

2018-04-01

We study penetrative convection of a fluid confined between two horizontal plates, the temperatures of which are such that a temperature of maximum density lies between them. The range of Rayleigh numbers studied is Ra=[0.01 ,4 ]106,108 and the Prandtl numbers are Pr=1 and 11.6. An evolution equation for the growth of the convecting region is obtained through an integral energy balance. We identify a new nondimensional parameter, Λ , which is the ratio of temperature difference between the stable and unstable regions of the flow; larger values of Λ denote increased stability of the upper stable layer. We study the effects of Λ on the flow field using well-resolved lattice Boltzmann simulations and show that the characteristics of the flow depend sensitively upon it. For the range Λ = , we find that for a fixed Ra the Nusselt number, Nu, increases with decreasing Λ . We also investigate the effects of Λ on the vertical variation of convective heat flux and the Brunt-Väisälä frequency. Our results clearly indicate that in the limit Λ →0 the problem reduces to that of the classical Rayleigh-Bénard convection.

Convection Weather Detection by General Aviation Pilots with Convectional and Data-Linked Graphical Weather Information Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Chamberlain, James P.; Latorella, Kara A.

2001-01-01

This study compares how well general aviation (GA) pilots detect convective weather in flight with different weather information sources. A flight test was conducted in which GA pilot test subjects were given different in-flight weather information cues and flown toward convective weather of moderate or greater intensity. The test subjects were not actually flying the aircraft, but were given pilot tasks representative of the workload and position awareness requirements of the en route portion of a cross country GA flight. On each flight, one test subject received weather cues typical of a flight in visual meteorological conditions (VMC), another received cues typical of flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and a third received cues typical of flight in IMC but augmented with a graphical weather information system (GWIS). The GWIS provided the subject with near real time data-linked weather products, including a weather radar mosaic superimposed on a moving map with a symbol depicting the aircraft's present position and direction of track. At several points during each flight, the test subjects completed short questionnaires which included items addressing their weather situation awareness and flight decisions. In particular, test subjects were asked to identify the location of the nearest convective cells. After the point of nearest approach to convective weather, the test subjects were asked to draw the location of convective weather on an aeronautical chart, along with the aircraft's present position. This paper reports preliminary results on how accurately test subjects provided with these different weather sources could identify the nearest cell of moderate or greater intensity along their route of flight. Additional flight tests are currently being conducted to complete the data set.

Experimental methods in natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koster, J.N.

1982-11-01

Some common experimental techniques to determine local velocities and to visualize temperature fields in natural convection research are discussed. First the physics and practice of anemometers are discussed with emphasis put on optical anemometers. In the second and third case the physics and practice of the most developed interferometers are discussed; namely differential interferometry for visualization of temperature gradient fields and holographic interferometry for visualization of temperature fields. At the Institut fuer Reaktorbauelemente these three measuring techniques are applied for convection and pipe flow studies. (orig.) [de

A Stochastic Framework for Modeling the Population Dynamics of Convective Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Hagos, Samson; Feng, Zhe; Plant, Robert S.; Houze, Robert A.; Xiao, Heng

2018-02-01

A stochastic prognostic framework for modeling the population dynamics of convective clouds and representing them in climate models is proposed. The framework follows the nonequilibrium statistical mechanical approach to constructing a master equation for representing the evolution of the number of convective cells of a specific size and their associated cloud-base mass flux, given a large-scale forcing. In this framework, referred to as STOchastic framework for Modeling Population dynamics of convective clouds (STOMP), the evolution of convective cell size is predicted from three key characteristics of convective cells: (i) the probability of growth, (ii) the probability of decay, and (iii) the cloud-base mass flux. STOMP models are constructed and evaluated against CPOL radar observations at Darwin and convection permitting model (CPM) simulations. Multiple models are constructed under various assumptions regarding these three key parameters and the realisms of these models are evaluated. It is shown that in a model where convective plumes prefer to aggregate spatially and the cloud-base mass flux is a nonlinear function of convective cell area, the mass flux manifests a recharge-discharge behavior under steady forcing. Such a model also produces observed behavior of convective cell populations and CPM simulated cloud-base mass flux variability under diurnally varying forcing. In addition to its use in developing understanding of convection processes and the controls on convective cell size distributions, this modeling framework is also designed to serve as a nonequilibrium closure formulations for spectral mass flux parameterizations.

Induced convection cylindrical probe conductivity measurements on permeable media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fodemesi, S.P.; Beck, A.E.

1983-01-01

This chapter presents results from a program of investigation using the transient needle probe thermal conductivity technique on fluid saturated permeable media with a glass bead matrix. Uses eight additional radially located sensors in order to correlate the convection effects on the temperature sensor in the heater probe with convection behavior in the medium; all were scanned frequently with a data acquisition system, from the start of the experiment through a few hours of experimental time. Points out that with typical conditions encountered in oceanic heat flow work, induced convection may commence as early as 60 s from the start of the experiment. Finds that the convection effects are worse when the needle probe is oriented horizontally than when it is oriented vertically (gradients orthogonal to the gravitational field), and a correlation is made between permeability and the time of onset and the extent of convective effects. Indicates errors in conductivity as large as 40%. Suggests empirical techniques for detecting and correcting for thermal convection using probe sensor data alone

Convective Self-Aggregation in Numerical Simulations: A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Wing, Allison A.; Emanuel, Kerry; Holloway, Christopher E.; Muller, Caroline

Organized convection in the tropics occurs across a range of spatial and temporal scales and strongly influences cloud cover and humidity. One mode of organization found is ``self-aggregation,'' in which moist convection spontaneously organizes into one or several isolated clusters despite spatially homogeneous boundary conditions and forcing. Self-aggregation is driven by interactions between clouds, moisture, radiation, surface fluxes, and circulation, and occurs in a wide variety of idealized simulations of radiative-convective equilibrium. Here we provide a review of convective self-aggregation in numerical simulations, including its character, causes, and effects. We describe the evolution of self-aggregation including its time and length scales and the physical mechanisms leading to its triggering and maintenance, and we also discuss possible links to climate and climate change.

Convective losses through an air-filled gap

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baum, V A; Ovezsakhatov, N

1976-01-01

Simplified formulas for the heat fluxes with given parameters of the air are used to calculate the specific heat losses by convection in a number of solar-energy systems (water heater, thermal generator, double-glazed window, and still). Heat losses by convection and radiation are compared.

Prandtl-number Effects in High-Rayleigh-number Spherical Convection

Science.gov (United States)

Orvedahl, Ryan J.; Calkins, Michael A.; Featherstone, Nicholas A.; Hindman, Bradley W.

2018-03-01

Convection is the predominant mechanism by which energy and angular momentum are transported in the outer portion of the Sun. The resulting overturning motions are also the primary energy source for the solar magnetic field. An accurate solar dynamo model therefore requires a complete description of the convective motions, but these motions remain poorly understood. Studying stellar convection numerically remains challenging; it occurs within a parameter regime that is extreme by computational standards. The fluid properties of the convection zone are characterized in part by the Prandtl number \\Pr = ν/κ, where ν is the kinematic viscosity and κ is the thermal diffusion; in stars, \\Pr is extremely low, \\Pr ≈ 10‑7. The influence of \\Pr on the convective motions at the heart of the dynamo is not well understood since most numerical studies are limited to using \\Pr ≈ 1. We systematically vary \\Pr and the degree of thermal forcing, characterized through a Rayleigh number, to explore its influence on the convective dynamics. For sufficiently large thermal driving, the simulations reach a so-called convective free-fall state where diffusion no longer plays an important role in the interior dynamics. Simulations with a lower \\Pr generate faster convective flows and broader ranges of scales for equivalent levels of thermal forcing. Characteristics of the spectral distribution of the velocity remain largely insensitive to changes in \\Pr . Importantly, we find that \\Pr plays a key role in determining when the free-fall regime is reached by controlling the thickness of the thermal boundary layer.

Analysis and modeling of tropical convection observed by CYGNSS

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, T. J.; Li, X.; Roberts, J. B.; Mecikalski, J. R.

2017-12-01

The Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) is a multi-satellite constellation that utilizes Global Positioning System (GPS) reflectometry to retrieve near-surface wind speeds over the ocean. While CYGNSS is primarily aimed at measuring wind speeds in tropical cyclones, our research has established that the mission may also provide valuable insight into the relationships between wind-driven surface fluxes and general tropical oceanic convection. Currently, we are examining organized tropical convection using a mixture of CYGNSS level 1 through level 3 data, IMERG (Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement), and other ancillary datasets (including buoys, GPM level 1 and 2 data, as well as ground-based radar). In addition, observing system experiments (OSEs) are being performed using hybrid three-dimensional variational assimilation to ingest CYGNSS observations into a limited-domain, convection-resolving model. Our focus for now is on case studies of convective evolution, but we will also report on progress toward statistical analysis of convection sampled by CYGNSS. Our working hypothesis is that the typical mature phase of organized tropical convection is marked by the development of a sharp gust-front boundary from an originally spatially broader but weaker wind speed change associated with precipitation. This increase in the wind gradient, which we demonstrate is observable by CYGNSS, likely helps to focus enhanced turbulent fluxes of convection-sustaining heat and moisture near the leading edge of the convective system where they are more easily ingested by the updraft. Progress on the testing and refinement of this hypothesis, using a mixture of observations and modeling, will be reported.

Testing particle filters on convective scale dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Haslehner, Mylene; Craig, George. C.; Janjic, Tijana

2014-05-01

Particle filters have been developed in recent years to deal with highly nonlinear dynamics and non Gaussian error statistics that also characterize data assimilation on convective scales. In this work we explore the use of the efficient particle filter (P.v. Leeuwen, 2011) for convective scale data assimilation application. The method is tested in idealized setting, on two stochastic models. The models were designed to reproduce some of the properties of convection, for example the rapid development and decay of convective clouds. The first model is a simple one-dimensional, discrete state birth-death model of clouds (Craig and Würsch, 2012). For this model, the efficient particle filter that includes nudging the variables shows significant improvement compared to Ensemble Kalman Filter and Sequential Importance Resampling (SIR) particle filter. The success of the combination of nudging and resampling, measured as RMS error with respect to the 'true state', is proportional to the nudging intensity. Significantly, even a very weak nudging intensity brings notable improvement over SIR. The second model is a modified version of a stochastic shallow water model (Würsch and Craig 2013), which contains more realistic dynamical characteristics of convective scale phenomena. Using the efficient particle filter and different combination of observations of the three field variables (wind, water 'height' and rain) allows the particle filter to be evaluated in comparison to a regime where only nudging is used. Sensitivity to the properties of the model error covariance is also considered. Finally, criteria are identified under which the efficient particle filter outperforms nudging alone. References: Craig, G. C. and M. Würsch, 2012: The impact of localization and observation averaging for convective-scale data assimilation in a simple stochastic model. Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc.,139, 515-523. Van Leeuwen, P. J., 2011: Efficient non-linear data assimilation in geophysical

PHOTOSPHERIC VARIATIONS OF THE SUPERGIANT γ Cyg

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, David F.

2010-01-01

New high-resolution spectroscopic observations of the supergiant γ Cyg (F8 Iab) taken between 2000 and 2008 consistently show strongly reversed-C-shaped bisectors for all unblended spectral lines. Small-amplitude variations in radial velocity and line shapes occur in an irregular manner with time scales ∼100 days and longer. The radial velocities occasionally show changes as large as 2 km s -1 , but much smaller changes are going on continuously. Differential line bisectors show shape changes and Doppler displacement characteristic of radial expansion and contraction. These might arise from non-periodic radial pulsation-like motions or from the appearance of giant convection cells that occupy most of the visible hemisphere of the star. Line-depth ratios are correlated with the line shifts on a seasonal basis and indicate temperature changes ranging up to ∼15 K, with larger temperature occurring during times of most rapid contraction.

Topology Optimization for Convection Problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alexandersen, Joe

2011-01-01

This report deals with the topology optimization of convection problems.That is, the aim of the project is to develop, implement and examine topology optimization of purely thermal and coupled thermomechanical problems,when the design-dependent eects of convection are taken into consideration.......This is done by the use of a self-programmed FORTRAN-code, which builds on an existing 2D-plane thermomechanical nite element code implementing during the course `41525 FEM-Heavy'. The topology optimizationfeatures have been implemented from scratch, and allows the program to optimize elastostatic mechanical...

LABORATORY MEASUREMENTS OF WHITE DWARF PHOTOSPHERIC SPECTRAL LINES: Hβ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falcon, Ross E.; Gomez, T. A.; Montgomery, M. H.; Winget, D. E.; Rochau, G. A.; Bailey, J. E.; Nagayama, T.

2015-01-01

We spectroscopically measure multiple hydrogen Balmer line profiles from laboratory plasmas to investigate the theoretical line profiles used in white dwarf (WD) atmosphere models. X-ray radiation produced at the Z Pulsed Power Facility at Sandia National Laboratories initiates plasma formation in a hydrogen-filled gas cell, replicating WD photospheric conditions. Here we present time-resolved measurements of Hβ and fit this line using different theoretical line profiles to diagnose electron density, n e , and n = 2 level population, n 2 . Aided by synthetic tests, we characterize the validity of our diagnostic method for this experimental platform. During a single experiment, we infer a continuous range of electron densities increasing from n e ∼ 4 to ∼30 × 10 16 cm −3 throughout a 120-ns evolution of our plasma. Also, we observe n 2 to be initially elevated with respect to local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE); it then equilibrates within ∼55 ns to become consistent with LTE. This supports our electron-temperature determination of T e ∼ 1.3 eV (∼15,000 K) after this time. At n e ≳ 10 17 cm −3 , we find that computer-simulation-based line-profile calculations provide better fits (lower reduced χ 2 ) than the line profiles currently used in the WD astronomy community. The inferred conditions, however, are in good quantitative agreement. This work establishes an experimental foundation for the future investigation of relative shapes and strengths between different hydrogen Balmer lines

Brown dwarf photospheres are patchy: A Hubble space telescope near-infrared spectroscopic survey finds frequent low-level variability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buenzli, Esther; Apai, Dániel; Radigan, Jacqueline; Reid, I. Neill; Flateau, Davin

2014-01-01

Condensate clouds strongly impact the spectra of brown dwarfs and exoplanets. Recent discoveries of variable L/T transition dwarfs argued for patchy clouds in at least some ultracool atmospheres. This study aims to measure the frequency and level of spectral variability in brown dwarfs and to search for correlations with spectral type. We used Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3 to obtain spectroscopic time series for 22 brown dwarfs of spectral types ranging from L5 to T6 at 1.1-1.7 μm for ≈40 minutes per object. Using Bayesian analysis, we find six brown dwarfs with confident (p > 95%) variability in the relative flux in at least one wavelength region at sub-percent precision, and five brown dwarfs with tentative (p > 68%) variability. We derive a minimum variability fraction f min =27 −7 +11 % over all covered spectral types. The fraction of variables is equal within errors for mid-L, late-L, and mid-T spectral types; for early-T dwarfs we do not find any confident variable but the sample is too small to derive meaningful limits. For some objects, the variability occurs primarily in the flux peak in the J or H band, others are variable throughout the spectrum or only in specific absorption regions. Four sources may have broadband peak-to-peak amplitudes exceeding 1%. Our measurements are not sensitive to very long periods, inclinations near pole-on and rotationally symmetric heterogeneity. The detection statistics are consistent with most brown dwarf photospheres being patchy. While multiple-percent near-infrared variability may be rare and confined to the L/T transition, low-level heterogeneities are a frequent characteristic of brown dwarf atmospheres.

Convective mixing and accretion in white dwarfs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koester, D.

1976-01-01

The evolution of convection zones in cooling white dwarfs with helium envelopes and outer hydrogen layers is calculated with a complete stellar evolution code. It is shown that white dwarfs of spectral type DB cannot be formed from DA stars by convective mixing. However, for cooler temperatures (Tsub(e) [de

Coupled interactions of organized deep convection over the tropical western pacific

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, X.; Raman, S. [North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States)

1996-04-01

The relationship between sea surface temperature (SST) and deep convection is complex. In general, deep convection occurs more frequently and with more intensity as SSTs become higher. This theory assumes that the atmospheric stability is sufficiently reduced to allow the onset of moist convection. However, the amount and intensity of convection observed tends to decrease with increasing SST because very warm SSTs. A reason for such decrease is the enhancements to surface fluxes of heat and moisture out of the ocean surface because of the vertical overturning associated with deep convection. Early studies used the radiative-convective models of the atmosphere to examine the role of the convective exchange of heat and moisture in maintaining the vertical temperature profile. In this paper we use a Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) to simulate a squall line over a tropical ocean global atmosphere/coupled ocean atmosphere response experiment (TOGA/COARE) area and to investigate how the ocean cooling mechanisms associated with organized deep convection act to limit tropical SSTs.

DYNAMICS OF MULTI-CORED MAGNETIC STRUCTURES IN THE QUIET SUN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Requerey, Iker S.; Iniesta, Jose Carlos Del Toro; Rubio, Luis R. Bellot; Pillet, Valentín Martínez; Solanki, Sami K.; Schmidt, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

We report on the dynamical interaction of quiet-Sun magnetic fields and granular convection in the solar photosphere as seen by Sunrise. We use high spatial resolution (0.″15–0.″18) and temporal cadence (33 s) spectropolarimetric Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment data, together with simultaneous CN and Ca ii H filtergrams from Sunrise Filter Imager. We apply the SIR inversion code to the polarimetric data in order to infer the line of sight velocity and vector magnetic field in the photosphere. The analysis reveals bundles of individual flux tubes evolving as a single entity during the entire 23 minute data set. The group shares a common canopy in the upper photospheric layers, while the individual tubes continually intensify, fragment and merge in the same way that chains of bright points in photometric observations have been reported to do. The evolution of the tube cores are driven by the local granular convection flows. They intensify when they are “compressed” by surrounding granules and split when they are “squeezed” between two moving granules. The resulting fragments are usually later regrouped in intergranular lanes by the granular flows. The continual intensification, fragmentation and coalescence of flux results in magnetic field oscillations of the global entity. From the observations we conclude that the magnetic field oscillations first reported by Martínez González et al. correspond to the forcing by granular motions and not to characteristic oscillatory modes of thin flux tubes

Performance and optimum design of convective-radiative rectangular fin with convective base heating, wall conduction resistance, and contact resistance between the wall and the fin base

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aziz, Abdul; Beers-Green, Arlen B.

2009-01-01

This paper investigates the performance and optimum design of a longitudinal rectangular fin attached to a convectively heated wall of finite thickness. The exposed surfaces of the fin lose heat to the environmental sink by simultaneous convection and radiation. The tip of the fin is assumed to lose heat by convection and radiation to the same sink. The analysis and optimization of the fin is conducted numerically using the symbolic algebra package Maple. The temperature distribution, the heat transfer rates, and the fin efficiency data is presented illustrating how the thermal performance of the fin is affected by the convection-conduction number, the radiation-conduction number, the base convection Biot number, the convection and radiation Biot numbers at the tip, and the dimensionless sink temperature. Charts are presented showing the relationship between the optimum convection-conduction number and the optimum radiation-conduction number for different values of the base convection Biot number and dimensionless sink temperature and fixed values of the convection and radiation Biot numbers at the tip. Unlike the few other papers which have applied the Adomian's decomposition and the differential quadrature element method to this problem but give illustrative results for specific fin geometry and thermal variables, the present graphical data are generally applicable and can be used by fin designers without delving into the mathematical details of the computational techniques.

Photospheric Velocity Structures during the Emergence of Small Active Regions on the Sun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khlystova, Anna; Toriumi, Shin

2017-01-01

We study the plasma flows in the solar photosphere during the emergence of two small active regions, NOAA 9021 and 10768. Using Solar and Heliospheric Observatory /Michelson Doppler Imager data, we find that the strong plasma upflows appear at the initial stage of active region formation, with maximum upflow velocities of −1650 and −1320 m s −1 . The structures with enhanced upflows have size ∼8 Mm in diameter, and they exist for 1–2 hr. The parameters of the enhanced upflows are consistent with those of the large active region NOAA 10488, which may suggest the possibility that the elementary emerging magnetic loops that appear at the earliest phase of active region formation have similar properties, irrespective of scales of active regions. Comparison between the observations and a numerical simulation of magnetic flux emergence shows a striking consistency. We find that the driving force of the plasma upflow is at first the gas pressure gradient and later the magnetic pressure gradient.

Photospheric Velocity Structures during the Emergence of Small Active Regions on the Sun

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khlystova, Anna [Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics SB RAS, Lermontov St., 126a, 664033 Irkutsk (Russian Federation); Toriumi, Shin, E-mail: hlystova@iszf.irk.ru, E-mail: shin.toriumi@nao.ac.jp [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)

2017-04-10

We study the plasma flows in the solar photosphere during the emergence of two small active regions, NOAA 9021 and 10768. Using Solar and Heliospheric Observatory /Michelson Doppler Imager data, we find that the strong plasma upflows appear at the initial stage of active region formation, with maximum upflow velocities of −1650 and −1320 m s{sup −1}. The structures with enhanced upflows have size ∼8 Mm in diameter, and they exist for 1–2 hr. The parameters of the enhanced upflows are consistent with those of the large active region NOAA 10488, which may suggest the possibility that the elementary emerging magnetic loops that appear at the earliest phase of active region formation have similar properties, irrespective of scales of active regions. Comparison between the observations and a numerical simulation of magnetic flux emergence shows a striking consistency. We find that the driving force of the plasma upflow is at first the gas pressure gradient and later the magnetic pressure gradient.

International symposium on transient convective heat transfer: book of abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The international symposium on convective heat transfer was held on 19-23 August 1996, in Cesme, Izmir, Turkey. The spesialists discussed forced convection, heat exchangers, free convection and multiphase media and phase change at the meeting. Almost 53 papers were presented in the meeting

Natural Convection Analysis with Various Turbulent Models Using FLUENT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Yu Sun

2007-01-01

The buoyancy driven convective flow fields are steady circulatory flows which were made between surfaces maintained at two fixed temperatures. They are ubiquitous in nature and play an important role in many engineering applications. Especially, in last decades, natural convection in a close loop or cavity becomes the main issue in the molecular biology for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Application of a natural convection can reduce the costs and efforts remarkably. This paper focuses on the sensitivity study of turbulence analysis using CFD for a natural convection in a closed rectangular cavity. Using commercial CFD code, FLUENT, various turbulent models were applied to the turbulent flow. Results from each CFD model will be compared each other in the viewpoints of flow characteristics. This work will suggest the best turbulent model of CFD for analyzing turbulent flows of the natural convection in an enclosure system

A hybrid convection scheme for use in non-hydrostatic numerical weather prediction models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volker Kuell

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The correct representation of convection in numerical weather prediction (NWP models is essential for quantitative precipitation forecasts. Due to its small horizontal scale convection usually has to be parameterized, e.g. by mass flux convection schemes. Classical schemes originally developed for use in coarse grid NWP models assume zero net convective mass flux, because the whole circulation of a convective cell is confined to the local grid column and all convective mass fluxes cancel out. However, in contemporary NWP models with grid sizes of a few kilometers this assumption becomes questionable, because here convection is partially resolved on the grid. To overcome this conceptual problem we propose a hybrid mass flux convection scheme (HYMACS in which only the convective updrafts and downdrafts are parameterized. The generation of the larger scale environmental subsidence, which may cover several grid columns, is transferred to the grid scale equations. This means that the convection scheme now has to generate a net convective mass flux exerting a direct dynamical forcing to the grid scale model via pressure gradient forces. The hybrid convection scheme implemented into the COSMO model of Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD is tested in an idealized simulation of a sea breeze circulation initiating convection in a realistic manner. The results are compared with analogous simulations with the classical Tiedtke and Kain-Fritsch convection schemes.

Oscillatory Convection in Rotating Liquid Metals

Science.gov (United States)

Bertin, Vincent; Grannan, Alex; Aurnou, Jonathan

2016-11-01

We have performed laboratory experiments in a aspect ratio Γ = 2 cylinder using liquid gallium (Pr = 0 . 023) as the working fluid. The Ekman number varies from E = 4 ×10-5 to 4 ×10-6 and the Rayleigh number varies from Ra = 3 ×105 to 2 ×107 . Using heat transfer and temperature measurements within the fluid, we characterize the different styles of low Pr rotating convective flow. The convection threshold is first overcome in the form of a container scale inertial oscillatory mode. At stronger forcing, wall-localized modes develop, coexisting with the inertial oscillatory modes in the bulk. When the strength of the buoyancy increases further, the bulk flow becomes turbulent while the wall modes remain. Our results imply that rotating convective flows in liquid metals do not develop in the form of quasi-steady columns, as in Pr = 1 planetary and stellar dynamo models, but in the form of oscillatory motions. Therefore, convection driven dynamo action in low Pr fluids can differ substantively than that occurring in typical Pr = 1 numerical models. Our results also suggest that low wavenumber, wall modes may be dynamically and observationally important in liquid metal dynamo systems. We thank the NSF Geophysics Program for support of this project.

Moist Orographic Convection: Physical Mechanisms and Links to Surface-Exchange Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel J. Kirshbaum

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews the current understanding of moist orographic convection and its regulation by surface-exchange processes. Such convection tends to develop when and where moist instability coincides with sufficient terrain-induced ascent to locally overcome convective inhibition. The terrain-induced ascent can be owing to mechanical (airflow over or around an obstacle and/or thermal (differential heating over sloping terrain forcing. For the former, the location of convective initiation depends on the dynamical flow regime. In “unblocked” flows that ascend the barrier, the convection tends to initiate over the windward slopes, while in “blocked” flows that detour around the barrier, the convection tends to initiate upstream and/or downstream of the high terrain where impinging flows split and rejoin, respectively. Processes that destabilize the upstream flow for mechanically forced moist convection include large-scale moistening and ascent, positive surface sensible and latent heat fluxes, and differential advection in baroclinic zones. For thermally forced flows, convective initiation is driven by thermally direct circulations with sharp updrafts over or downwind of the mountain crest (daytime or foot (nighttime. Along with the larger-scale background flow, local evapotranspiration and transport of moisture, as well as thermodynamic heterogeneities over the complex terrain, regulate moist instability in such events. Longstanding limitations in the quantitative understanding of related processes, including both convective preconditioning and initiation, must be overcome to improve the prediction of this convection, and its collective effects, in weather and climate models.

Evidence for non-radial fields in the Sun's photosphere and a possible explanation of the polar magnetic signal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pope, T.

1975-01-01

The appearance of the Hα fibrils suggests the presence of magnetic fields inclined at noticeably non-radial angles in the Sun's chromosphere. Evidence is presented to suggest that these angles continue into the photosphere. The presence even of small non-radial inclinations can significantly affect the appearance of regions observed by a longitudinal mangetograph. In particular, a simple bipolar loop can appear unbalanced when viewed near the limb. It is suggested that the observed polar signal may be nothing more than a geometric effect arising when a balanced but systematically aligned array of bipolar pairs is viewed at an angle. (Auth.)

Thermosolutal convection during dendritic solidification

Science.gov (United States)

Heinrich, J. C.; Nandapurkar, P.; Poirier, D. R.; Felicelli, S.

1989-01-01

This paper presents a mathematical model for directional solidification of a binary alloy including a dendritic region underlying an all-liquid region. It is assumed initially that there exists a nonconvecting state with planar isotherms and isoconcentrates solidifying at a constant velocity. The stability of this system has been analyzed and nonlinear calculations are performed that show the effect of convection in the solidification process when the system is unstable. Results of calculations for various cases defined by the initial temperature gradient at the dendrite tips and varying strength of the gravitational field are presented for systems involving lead-tin alloys. The results show that the systems are stable for a gravitational constant of 0.0001 g(0) and that convection can be suppressed by appropriate choice of the container's size for higher values of the gravitational constant. It is also concluded that for the lead-tin systems considered, convection in the mushy zone is not significant below the upper 20 percent of the dendritic zone, if al all.

EVIDENCE FOR ENHANCED {sup 3}HE IN FLARE-ACCELERATED PARTICLES BASED ON NEW CALCULATIONS OF THE GAMMA-RAY LINE SPECTRUM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murphy, R. J. [Code 7650, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Kozlovsky, B. [Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv (Israel); Share, G. H., E-mail: murphy@ssd5.nrl.navy.mil, E-mail: benz@wise.tau.ac.il, E-mail: share@astro.umd.edu [University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States)

2016-12-20

The {sup 3}He abundance in impulsive solar energetic particle (SEP) events is enhanced up to several orders of magnitude compared to its photospheric value of [{sup 3}He]/[{sup 4}He] = 1–3 × 10{sup −4}. Interplanetary magnetic field and timing observations suggest that these events are related to solar flares. Observations of {sup 3}He in flare-accelerated ions would clarify the relationship between these two phenomena. Energetic {sup 3}He interactions in the solar atmosphere produce gamma-ray nuclear-deexcitation lines, both lines that are also produced by protons and α particles and lines that are essentially unique to {sup 3}He. Gamma-ray spectroscopy can, therefore, reveal enhanced levels of accelerated {sup 3}He. In this paper, we identify all significant deexcitation lines produced by {sup 3}He interactions in the solar atmosphere. We evaluate their production cross sections and incorporate them into our nuclear deexcitation-line code. We find that enhanced {sup 3}He can affect the entire gamma-ray spectrum. We identify gamma-ray line features for which the yield ratios depend dramatically on the {sup 3}He abundance. We determine the accelerated {sup 3}He/ α ratio by comparing these ratios with flux ratios measured previously from the gamma-ray spectrum obtained by summing the 19 strongest flares observed with the Solar Maximum Mission Gamma-Ray Spectrometer. All six flux ratios investigated show enhanced {sup 3}He, confirming earlier suggestions. The {sup 3}He/ α weighted mean of these new measurements ranges from 0.05 to 0.3 (depending on the assumed accelerated α /proton ratio) and has a <1 × 10{sup −3} probability of being consistent with the photospheric value. With the improved code, we can now exploit the full potential of gamma-ray spectroscopy to establish the relationship between flare-accelerated ions and {sup 3}He-rich SEPs.

Scaling of Convection and Plate Tectonics in Super-Earths

Science.gov (United States)

Valencia, D. C.; O'Connell, R. J.; Sasselov, D. D.

2006-12-01

The discovery of three Super-Earths around different stars, possible only in the last year, prompts us to study the characteristics of our planet within a general context. The Earth, being the most massive terrestrial object in the solar system is the only planet that exhibits plate tectonics. We think this might not be a coincidence and explore the role that mass plays in determining the mode of convection. We use the scaling of convective vigor with Rayleigh number commonly used in parameterized convection. We study how the parameters controlling convection: Rayleigh number (Ra), boundary layer thickness (δ), internal temperature (T_i) and convective velocities (u) scale with mass. This is possible from the scaling of heat flux, mantle density, size and gravity with mass which we reported in Valencia, et. al 2006. The extrapolation to massive rocky planets is done from our knowledge of the Earth. Even though uncertainties arise from extrapolation and assumptions are needed we consider this simple scaling to be a first adequate step. As the mass of a planet increases, Ra increases, yielding a decrease in δ and an increase in u, while T_i increases very slightly. This is true for an isoviscous case and is more accentuated in a temperature dependent viscosity scenario. In a planet with vigorous convection (high u), a thin lithosphere (low δ) is easier to subduct and hence, initiate plate tectonics. The lithosphere also has to be dense enough (cold and thick) to have the bouyancy necessary for subduction. We calculate that a convective cycle for an isoviscous planet is τ ~ M^{-0.3} considering whole mantle convection. Meaning that if these planets have continents, the timescale for continental rearrangement is shorter (about half the Earth's for a 5 earth-mass planet). Additionally, we explore the negative feedback cycle between convection and temperature dependent viscosity and estimate a timescale for this effect.

AN ANALYTIC RADIATIVE-CONVECTIVE MODEL FOR PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, Tyler D.; Catling, David C.

2012-01-01

We present an analytic one-dimensional radiative-convective model of the thermal structure of planetary atmospheres. Our model assumes that thermal radiative transfer is gray and can be represented by the two-stream approximation. Model atmospheres are assumed to be in hydrostatic equilibrium, with a power-law scaling between the atmospheric pressure and the gray thermal optical depth. The convective portions of our models are taken to follow adiabats that account for condensation of volatiles through a scaling parameter to the dry adiabat. By combining these assumptions, we produce simple, analytic expressions that allow calculations of the atmospheric-pressure-temperature profile, as well as expressions for the profiles of thermal radiative flux and convective flux. We explore the general behaviors of our model. These investigations encompass (1) worlds where atmospheric attenuation of sunlight is weak, which we show tend to have relatively high radiative-convective boundaries; (2) worlds with some attenuation of sunlight throughout the atmosphere, which we show can produce either shallow or deep radiative-convective boundaries, depending on the strength of sunlight attenuation; and (3) strongly irradiated giant planets (including hot Jupiters), where we explore the conditions under which these worlds acquire detached convective regions in their mid-tropospheres. Finally, we validate our model and demonstrate its utility through comparisons to the average observed thermal structure of Venus, Jupiter, and Titan, and by comparing computed flux profiles to more complex models.

Parametric modulation of thermomagnetic convection in magnetic fluids.

Science.gov (United States)

Engler, H; Odenbach, S

2008-05-21

Previous theoretical investigations on thermal flow in a horizontal fluid layer have shown that the critical temperature difference, where heat transfer changes from diffusion to convective flow, depends on the frequency of a time-modulated driving force. The driving force of thermal convection is the buoyancy force resulting from the interaction of gravity and the density gradient provided by a temperature difference in the vertical direction of a horizontal fluid layer. An experimental investigation of such phenomena fails because of technical problems arising if buoyancy is to be changed by altering the temperature difference or gravitational acceleration. The possibility of influencing convective flow in a horizontal magnetic fluid layer by magnetic forces might provide us with a means to solve the problem of a time-modulated magnetic driving force. An experimental setup to investigate the dependence of the critical temperature difference on the frequency of the driving force has been designed and implemented. First results show that the time modulation of the driving force has significant influence on the strength of the convective flow. In particular a pronounced minimum in the strength of convection has been found for a particular frequency.

Education: DNA replication using microscale natural convection.

Science.gov (United States)

Priye, Aashish; Hassan, Yassin A; Ugaz, Victor M

2012-12-07

There is a need for innovative educational experiences that unify and reinforce fundamental principles at the interface between the physical, chemical, and life sciences. These experiences empower and excite students by helping them recognize how interdisciplinary knowledge can be applied to develop new products and technologies that benefit society. Microfluidics offers an incredibly versatile tool to address this need. Here we describe our efforts to create innovative hands-on activities that introduce chemical engineering students to molecular biology by challenging them to harness microscale natural convection phenomena to perform DNA replication via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Experimentally, we have constructed convective PCR stations incorporating a simple design for loading and mounting cylindrical microfluidic reactors between independently controlled thermal plates. A portable motion analysis microscope enables flow patterns inside the convective reactors to be directly visualized using fluorescent bead tracers. We have also developed a hands-on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) exercise based on modeling microscale thermal convection to identify optimal geometries for DNA replication. A cognitive assessment reveals that these activities strongly impact student learning in a positive way.

Stretched flow of Carreau nanofluid with convective boundary ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

journal of. January 2016 physics pp. 3–17. Stretched flow of Carreau nanofluid with ... fluid over a flat plate subjected to convective surface condition. ... the steady laminar boundary layer flow over a permeable plate with a convective boundary.

Toward a Unified Representation of Atmospheric Convection in Variable-Resolution Climate Models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walko, Robert [Univ. of Miami, Coral Gables, FL (United States)

2016-11-07

The purpose of this project was to improve the representation of convection in atmospheric weather and climate models that employ computational grids with spatially-variable resolution. Specifically, our work targeted models whose grids are fine enough over selected regions that convection is resolved explicitly, while over other regions the grid is coarser and convection is represented as a subgrid-scale process. The working criterion for a successful scheme for representing convection over this range of grid resolution was that identical convective environments must produce very similar convective responses (i.e., the same precipitation amount, rate, and timing, and the same modification of the atmospheric profile) regardless of grid scale. The need for such a convective scheme has increased in recent years as more global weather and climate models have adopted variable resolution meshes that are often extended into the range of resolving convection in selected locations.

Convective aggregation in idealised models and realistic equatorial cases

Science.gov (United States)

Holloway, Chris

2015-04-01

Idealised explicit convection simulations of the Met Office Unified Model are shown to exhibit spontaneous self-aggregation in radiative-convective equilibrium, as seen previously in other models in several recent studies. This self-aggregation is linked to feedbacks between radiation, surface fluxes, and convection, and the organization is intimately related to the evolution of the column water vapour (CWV) field. To investigate the relevance of this behaviour to the real world, these idealized simulations are compared with five 15-day cases of real organized convection in the tropics, including multiple simulations of each case testing sensitivities of the convective organization and mean states to interactive radiation, interactive surface fluxes, and evaporation of rain. Despite similar large-scale forcing via lateral boundary conditions, systematic differences in mean CWV, CWV distribution shape, and the length scale of CWV features are found between the different sensitivity runs, showing that there are at least some similarities in sensitivities to these feedbacks in both idealized and realistic simulations.

Insights on the Spectral Signatures of Stellar Activity and Planets from PCA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, Allen B.; Fischer, Debra A. [Department of Astronomy, Yale University, 52 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511 (United States); Cisewski, Jessi [Department of Statistics, Yale University, 24 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511 (United States); Dumusque, Xavier [Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 ch. des Maillettes, 1290 Versoix (Switzerland); Ford, Eric B., E-mail: allen.b.davis@yale.edu [Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

2017-09-01

Photospheric velocities and stellar activity features such as spots and faculae produce measurable radial velocity signals that currently obscure the detection of sub-meter-per-second planetary signals. However, photospheric velocities are imprinted differently in a high-resolution spectrum than are Keplerian Doppler shifts. Photospheric activity produces subtle differences in the shapes of absorption lines due to differences in how temperature or pressure affects the atomic transitions. In contrast, Keplerian Doppler shifts affect every spectral line in the same way. With a high enough signal-to-noise (S/N) and resolution, statistical techniques can exploit differences in spectra to disentangle the photospheric velocities and detect lower-amplitude exoplanet signals. We use simulated disk-integrated time-series spectra and principal component analysis (PCA) to show that photospheric signals introduce spectral line variability that is distinct from that of Doppler shifts. We quantify the impact of instrumental resolution and S/N for this work.

Convective parameters in fuel elements for research nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez Martinez, C.D.

1992-01-01

The study of a prototype for the simulation of fuel elements for research nuclear reactors by natural convection in water is presented in this paper. This project is carry out in the thermofluids laboratory of National Institute of Nuclear Research. The fuel prototype has already been test for natural convection in air, and the first results in water are presented in this work. In chapter I, a general description of Triga Mark III is made, paying special atention to fuel-moderator components. In chapter II and III an approach to convection subject in its global aspects is made, since the intention is to give a general idea of the events occuring around fuel elements in a nuclear reactor. In chapter II, where an emphasis on forced convection is made, some basic concepts for forced convection as well as for natural convection are included. The subject of flow through cylinders is annotated only as a comparative reference with natural convection in vertical cylinders, noting the difference between used correlations and the involved variables. In chapter III a compilation of correlation found in the bibliography about natural convection in vertical cylinders is presented, since its geometry is the more suitable in the analysis of a fuel rod. Finally, in chapter IV performed experiments in the test bench are detailed, and the results are presented in form of tables and graphs, showing the used equations for the calculations and the restrictions used in each case. For the analysis of the prototypes used in the test bench, a constant and uniform flow of heat in the whole length of the fuel rod is considered. At the end of this chapter, the work conclusions and a brief explanation of the results are presented (Author)

Micro-Physical characterisation of Convective & Stratiform Rainfall at Tropics

Science.gov (United States)

Sreekanth, T. S.

Large Micro-Physical characterisation of Convective & Stratiform Rainfall at Tropics begin{center} begin{center} Sreekanth T S*, Suby Symon*, G. Mohan Kumar (1) , and V Sasi Kumar (2) *Centre for Earth Science Studies, Akkulam, Thiruvananthapuram (1) D-330, Swathi Nagar, West Fort, Thiruvananthapuram 695023 (2) 32. NCC Nagar, Peroorkada, Thiruvananthapuram ABSTRACT Micro-physical parameters of rainfall such as rain drop size & fall speed distribution, mass weighted mean diameter, Total no. of rain drops, Normalisation parameters for rain intensity, maximum & minimum drop diameter from different rain intensity ranges, from both stratiform and convective rain events were analysed. Convective -Stratiform classification was done by the method followed by Testud et al (2001) and as an additional information electrical behaviour of clouds from Atmospheric Electric Field Mill was also used. Events which cannot be included in both types are termed as 'mixed precipitation' and identified separately. For the three years 2011, 2012 & 2013, rain events from both convective & stratiform origin are identified from three seasons viz Pre-Monsoon (March-May), Monsoon (June-September) and Post-Monsoon (October-December). Micro-physical characterisation was done for each rain events and analysed. Ground based and radar observations were made and classification of stratiform and convective rainfall was done by the method followed by Testud et al (2001). Radar bright band and non bright band analysis was done for confimation of stratifom and convective rain respectievely. Atmospheric electric field data from electric field mill is also used for confirmation of convection during convective events. Statistical analyses revealed that the standard deviation of rain drop size in higher rain rates are higher than in lower rain rates. Normalised drop size distribution is ploted for selected events from both forms. Inter relations between various precipitation parameters were analysed in three

Solar wind effects on ionospheric convection: a review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lu, G.; Cowley, S.W.H.; Milan, S.E.

2002-01-01

), and travelling convection vortices (TCVs). Furthermore, the large-scale ionospheric convection configuration has also demonstrated a strong correspondence to variations in the interplanetary medium and substorm activity. This report briefly discusses the progress made over the past decade in studies...

Life Cycle of Tropical Convection and Anvil in Observations and Models

Science.gov (United States)

McFarlane, S. A.; Hagos, S. M.; Comstock, J. M.

2011-12-01

Tropical convective clouds are important elements of the hydrological cycle and produce extensive cirrus anvils that strongly affect the tropical radiative energy balance. To improve simulations of the global water and energy cycles and accurately predict both precipitation and cloud radiative feedbacks, models need to realistically simulate the lifecycle of tropical convection, including the formation and radiative properties of ice anvil clouds. By combining remote sensing datasets from precipitation and cloud radars at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Darwin site with geostationary satellite data, we can develop observational understanding of the lifetime of convective systems and the links between the properties of convective systems and their associated anvil clouds. The relationships between convection and anvil in model simulations can then be compared to those seen in the observations to identify areas for improvement in the model simulations. We identify and track tropical convective systems in the Tropical Western Pacific using geostationary satellite observations. We present statistics of the tropical convective systems including size, age, and intensity and classify the lifecycle stage of each system as developing, mature, or dissipating. For systems that cross over the ARM Darwin site, information on convective intensity and anvil properties are obtained from the C-Pol precipitation radar and MMCR cloud radar, respectively, and are examined as a function of the system lifecycle. Initial results from applying the convective identification and tracking algorithm to a tropical simulation from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model run show that the model produces reasonable overall statistics of convective systems, but details of the life cycle (such as diurnal cycle, system tracks) differ from the observations. Further work will focus on the role of atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles in the model's convective life cycle.

Photospheric Magnetic Field Properties of Flaring versus Flare-quiet Active Regions. II. Discriminant Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Leka, K. D.; Barnes, G.

2003-10-01

We apply statistical tests based on discriminant analysis to the wide range of photospheric magnetic parameters described in a companion paper by Leka & Barnes, with the goal of identifying those properties that are important for the production of energetic events such as solar flares. The photospheric vector magnetic field data from the University of Hawai'i Imaging Vector Magnetograph are well sampled both temporally and spatially, and we include here data covering 24 flare-event and flare-quiet epochs taken from seven active regions. The mean value and rate of change of each magnetic parameter are treated as separate variables, thus evaluating both the parameter's state and its evolution, to determine which properties are associated with flaring. Considering single variables first, Hotelling's T2-tests show small statistical differences between flare-producing and flare-quiet epochs. Even pairs of variables considered simultaneously, which do show a statistical difference for a number of properties, have high error rates, implying a large degree of overlap of the samples. To better distinguish between flare-producing and flare-quiet populations, larger numbers of variables are simultaneously considered; lower error rates result, but no unique combination of variables is clearly the best discriminator. The sample size is too small to directly compare the predictive power of large numbers of variables simultaneously. Instead, we rank all possible four-variable permutations based on Hotelling's T2-test and look for the most frequently appearing variables in the best permutations, with the interpretation that they are most likely to be associated with flaring. These variables include an increasing kurtosis of the twist parameter and a larger standard deviation of the twist parameter, but a smaller standard deviation of the distribution of the horizontal shear angle and a horizontal field that has a smaller standard deviation but a larger kurtosis. To support the

Mixed thermal convection: fundamental issues and analysis of the planar case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JACQUES PADET

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to renew interest on mixed thermal convection research and to emphasize three issues that arise from the present analysis: (i a clear definition of the reference temperature in the Boussinesq approximation; (ii a practical delimitation of the three convective modes, which are the forced convection (FC, mixed convection (MC and natural (or free convection (NC; (iii and, finally, a uniform description of the set FC/MC/NC in the similarity framework. The planar case, for which analytical solutions are available, allows a detailed illustration of the answers here advanced to the above issues.

Convective transport resistance in the vitreous humor

Science.gov (United States)

Penkova, Anita; Sadhal, Satwindar; Ratanakijsuntorn, Komsan; Moats, Rex; Tang, Yang; Hughes, Patrick; Robinson, Michael; Lee, Susan

2012-11-01

It has been established by MRI visualization experiments that the convection of nanoparticles and large molecules with high rate of water flow in the vitreous humor will experience resistance, depending on the respective permeabilities of the injected solute. A set of experiments conducted with Gd-DTPA (Magnevist, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany) and 30 nm gadolinium-based particles (Gado CELLTrackTM, Biopal, Worcester, MA) as MRI contrast agents showed that the degree of convective transport in this Darcy-type porous medium varies between the two solutes. These experiments consisted of injecting a mixture of the two (a 30 μl solution of 2% Magnevist and 1% nanoparticles) at the middle of the vitreous of an ex vivo whole bovine eye and subjecting the vitreous to water flow rate of 100 μl/min. The water (0.9% saline solution) was injected at the top of the eye, and was allowed to drain through small slits cut at the bottom of the eyeball. After 50 minutes of pumping, MRI images showed that the water flow carried the Gd-DTPA farther than the nanoparticles, even though the two solutes, being mixed, were subjected to the same convective flow conditions. We find that the convected solute lags the water flow, depending on the solute permeability. The usual convection term needs to be adjusted to allow for the filtration effect on the larger particles in the form (1- σ) u . ∇ c with important implications for the modeling of such systems.

On the mapping of ionospheric convection into the magnetosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hesse, M.; Birn, J.; Hoffman, R.A.

1997-01-01

Under steady state conditions and in the absence of parallel electric fields, ionospheric convection is a direct map of plasma and magnetic flux convection in the magnetosphere, and quantitative estimates can be obtained from the mapping along magnetic field lines of electrostatic ionospheric electric fields. The resulting magnetospheric electrostatic potential distribution then provides the convection electric field in various magnetospheric regions. We present a quantitative framework for the investigation of the applicability and limitations of this approach based on an analytical theory derived from first principles. Particular emphasis is on the role of parallel electric field regions and on inductive effects, such as expected during the growth and expansive phases of magnetospheric substorms. We derive quantitative estimates for the limits in which either effect leads to a significant decoupling between ionospheric and magnetospheric convection and provide an interpretation of ionospheric convection which is independent of the presence of inductive electric fields elsewhere in the magnetosphere. Finally, we present a study of the relation between average and instantaneous convection, using two periodic dynamical models. The models demonstrate and quantify the potential mismatch between the average electric fields in the ionosphere and the magnetosphere in strongly time-dependent cases that may exist even when they are governed entirely by ideal MHD

Is Convection Sensitive to Model Vertical Resolution and Why?

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, S.; Lin, W.; Zhang, G. J.

2017-12-01

Model sensitivity to horizontal resolutions has been studied extensively, whereas model sensitivity to vertical resolution is much less explored. In this study, we use the US Department of Energy (DOE)'s Accelerated Climate Modeling for Energy (ACME) atmosphere model to examine the sensitivity of clouds and precipitation to the increase of vertical resolution of the model. We attempt to understand what results in the behavior change (if any) of convective processes represented by the unified shallow and turbulent scheme named CLUBB (Cloud Layers Unified by Binormals) and the Zhang-McFarlane deep convection scheme in ACME. A short-term hindcast approach is used to isolate parameterization issues from the large-scale circulation. The analysis emphasizes on how the change of vertical resolution could affect precipitation partitioning between convective- and grid-scale as well as the vertical profiles of convection-related quantities such as temperature, humidity, clouds, convective heating and drying, and entrainment and detrainment. The goal is to provide physical insight into potential issues with model convective processes associated with the increase of model vertical resolution. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Fusing Multiple Satellite Datasets Toward Defining and Understanding Organized Convection

Science.gov (United States)

Elsaesser, G.; Del Genio, A. D.

2017-12-01

How do we differentiate unorganized from organized convection? We might think of organized convection as being long lasting (at least longer than the lifetime of any individual cumulus cell), clustered at larger spatial scales (>100 km), and responsible for substantial rainfall accumulation. Organized convection is sustained on such scales due to the arrangement of moist/dry and buoyant/non-buoyant mesoscale circulations. The nature of these circulations is tied to system diabatic heating profiles; in particular, the 2nd baroclinic (top-heavy), stratiform heating mode is thought to be important for organized convection maintenance/propagation. We investigate the extent to which these characteristics are jointly found in propagating convective systems. Lifecycle information comes from hi-res IR data. Diabatic heating profiles, convective fractions and rainfall are provided by GPM retrievals mapped to convective system tracks. Moisture is provided by AIRS/AMSU and passive microwave retrievals. Instead of compositing heating profile information along a system track, where information is smoothed out, we sort system heating profile structures according to their "top heaviness" and then analyze PDFs of system rainfall, system sizes, durations, convective/stratiform ratios, etc. as a function of diabatic heating structure. Perhaps contrary to expectation, we find only small differences in PDFs of rainfall rates, system sizes, and system duration for different heating profile structures. If organization is defined according to heating structures, then one possible interpretation of these results is that organization is independent of system size, duration, and many times, even lifecycle stage. Is it possible that most systems "hobble" along and exhibit varying degrees of organization, dependent on local environment moisture/buoyancy variations, unlike the archetypical MCS paradigm? This presentation will also discuss the questions posed above within the context of

Lagrangian evaluation of convective shower characteristics in a convection-permitting model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erwan Brisson

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Convection-permitting models (CPMs have proven their usefulness in representing precipitation on a sub-daily scale. However, investigations on sub-hourly scales are still lacking, even though these are the scales for which showers exhibit the most variability. A Lagrangian approach is implemented here to evaluate the representation of showers in a CPM, using the limited-area climate model COSMO-CLM. This approach consists of tracking 5‑min precipitation fields to retrieve different features of showers (e.g., temporal pattern, horizontal speed, lifetime. In total, 312 cases are simulated at a resolution of 0.01 ° over Central Germany, and among these cases, 78 are evaluated against a radar dataset. The model is able to represent most observed features for different types of convective cells. In addition, the CPM reproduced well the observed relationship between the precipitation characteristics and temperature indicating that the COSMO-CLM model is sophisticated enough to represent the climatological features of showers.

Unstable mixed convective transport in groundwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schincariol, R.A.; Schwartz, F.W.

1990-01-01

This study is an experimental investigation of variable density groundwater flow in homogeneous and lenticular porous media. A solution of 500 mg/l Rhodamine WT dye served as the carrier for various concentrations of solute (NaCl) introduced into a two-dimensional flow tank at concentrations ranging from 1000 to 100,000 mg/l. At the scale of the experiments, mass transport depends upon both forced and free convection. In addition, density differences as low as 0.008 g/cm 3 (1000 mg/l NaCl) between a plume of dense water and ambient groundwater in homogeneous medium produces gravitational instabilities at realistic groundwater velocities. These instabilities are manifest by lobe-shaped protuberances that formed first along the bottom edge of the plume and later within the plume. As the density difference increases to 0.0015 g/cm 3 (2000 mg/l NaCl), 0.0037 g/cm 3 (5000 mg/l NaCl) or higher, this unstable mixing due to convective dispersion significantly alters the spreading process, resulting in a large degree of vertical spreading of the plume. In a lenticular medium the combination of convective dispersion and nonuniform flow due to heterogeneities results in relatively large dispersion. Scale considerations indicate that convective dispersion may provide an important component of mixing at the field scale. (Author) (30 refs., 12 figs., 3 tabs.)

A stochastic parameterization for deep convection using cellular automata

Science.gov (United States)

Bengtsson, L.; Steinheimer, M.; Bechtold, P.; Geleyn, J.

2012-12-01

Cumulus parameterizations used in most operational weather and climate models today are based on the mass-flux concept which took form in the early 1970's. In such schemes it is assumed that a unique relationship exists between the ensemble-average of the sub-grid convection, and the instantaneous state of the atmosphere in a vertical grid box column. However, such a relationship is unlikely to be described by a simple deterministic function (Palmer, 2011). Thus, because of the statistical nature of the parameterization challenge, it has been recognized by the community that it is important to introduce stochastic elements to the parameterizations (for instance: Plant and Craig, 2008, Khouider et al. 2010, Frenkel et al. 2011, Bentsson et al. 2011, but the list is far from exhaustive). There are undoubtedly many ways in which stochastisity can enter new developments. In this study we use a two-way interacting cellular automata (CA), as its intrinsic nature possesses many qualities interesting for deep convection parameterization. In the one-dimensional entraining plume approach, there is no parameterization of horizontal transport of heat, moisture or momentum due to cumulus convection. In reality, mass transport due to gravity waves that propagate in the horizontal can trigger new convection, important for the organization of deep convection (Huang, 1988). The self-organizational characteristics of the CA allows for lateral communication between adjacent NWP model grid-boxes, and temporal memory. Thus the CA scheme used in this study contain three interesting components for representation of cumulus convection, which are not present in the traditional one-dimensional bulk entraining plume method: horizontal communication, memory and stochastisity. The scheme is implemented in the high resolution regional NWP model ALARO, and simulations show enhanced organization of convective activity along squall-lines. Probabilistic evaluation demonstrate an enhanced spread in

Global anthropogenic aerosol effects on convective clouds in ECHAM5-HAM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Lohmann

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Aerosols affect the climate system by changing cloud characteristics in many ways. They act as cloud condensation and ice nuclei and may have an influence on the hydrological cycle. Here we investigate aerosol effects on convective clouds by extending the double-moment cloud microphysics scheme developed for stratiform clouds, which is coupled to the HAM double-moment aerosol scheme, to convective clouds in the ECHAM5 general circulation model. This enables us to investigate whether more, and smaller cloud droplets suppress the warm rain formation in the lower parts of convective clouds and thus release more latent heat upon freezing, which would then result in more vigorous convection and more precipitation. In ECHAM5, including aerosol effects in large-scale and convective clouds (simulation ECHAM5-conv reduces the sensitivity of the liquid water path increase with increasing aerosol optical depth in better agreement with observations and large-eddy simulation studies. In simulation ECHAM5-conv with increases in greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions since pre-industrial times, the geographical distribution of the changes in precipitation better matches the observed increase in precipitation than neglecting microphysics in convective clouds. In this simulation the convective precipitation increases the most suggesting that the convection has indeed become more vigorous.

Boundary-layer diabatic processes, the virtual effect, and convective self-aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, D.

2017-12-01

The atmosphere can self-organize into long-lasting large-scale overturning circulations over an ocean surface with uniform temperature. This phenomenon is referred to as convective self-aggregation and has been argued to be important for tropical weather and climate systems. Here we use a 1D shallow water model and a 2D cloud-resolving model (CRM) to show that boundary-layer diabatic processes are essential for convective self-aggregation. We will show that boundary-layer radiative cooling, convective heating, and surface buoyancy flux help convection self-aggregate because they generate available potential energy (APE), which sustains the overturning circulation. We will also show that evaporative cooling in the boundary layer (cold pool) inhibits convective self-aggregation by reducing APE. Both the shallow water model and CRM results suggest that the enhanced virtual effect of water vapor can lead to convective self-aggregation, and this effect is mainly in the boundary layer. This study proposes new dynamical feedbacks for convective self-aggregation and complements current studies that focus on thermodynamic feedbacks.

Lattice BGK simulation of natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yu; Ohashi, Hirotada; Akiyama, Mamoru

1995-01-01

Recently a new thermal lattice Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook fluid model was suggested by the authors. In this study, this new model was applied into the numerical simulation of natural convection, namely the Rayleigh Benard flow. The critical number for the onset of convective phenomenon was numerically measured and compared with that of theoretical prediction. A gravity dependent deviation was found in the numerical simulation, which is explained as an unavoidable consequence of the incorporation of gravity force in the lattice BGK system. (author)

Effects of variable thermal diffusivity on the structure of convection

Science.gov (United States)

Shcheritsa, O. V.; Getling, A. V.; Mazhorova, O. S.

2018-03-01

The structure of multiscale convection in a thermally stratified plane horizontal fluid layer is investigated by means of numerical simulations. The thermal diffusivity is assumed to produce a thin boundary sublayer convectively much more unstable than the bulk of the layer. The simulated flow is a superposition of cellular structures with three different characteristic scales. In contrast to the largest convection cells, the smaller ones are localised in the upper portion of the layer. The smallest cells are advected by the larger-scale convective flows. The simulated flow pattern qualitatively resembles that observed on the Sun.

Terminal project heat convection in thin cylinders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morales Corona, J.

1992-01-01

Heat convection in thin cylinders and analysis about natural convection for straight vertical plates, and straight vertical cylinders submersed in a fluid are presented some works carry out by different authors in the field of heat transfer. In the part of conduction, deduction of the equation of heat conduction in cylindrical coordinates by means of energy balance in a control volume is presented. Enthalpy and internal energy are used for the outlining of the equation and finally the equation in its vectorial form is obtained. In the convection part development to calculate the Nusselt number for a straight vertical plate by a forces analysis, an energy balance and mass conservation over a control volume is outlined. Several empiric correlations to calculate the Nusselt number and its relations with other dimensionless numbers are presented. In the experimental part the way in which a prototype rode is assembled is presented measurements of temperatures attained in steady state and in free convection for working fluids as air and water are showed in tables. Also graphs of Nusselt numbers obtained in the experimental way through some empiric correlations are showed (Author)

Heat transfer by natural convection into an horizontal cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arevalo J, P.

1998-01-01

At this thesis it is studied the heat transfer by natural convection in an horizontal cavity, it is involved a boiling's part that is described the regimes and correlations differences for boiling's curve. It is designed a horizontal cavity for realize the experimental part and it's mention from equipment or instrumentation to succeed in a experimentation that permits to realize the analysis of heat transfer, handling as water fluid at atmospheric pressure and where it's present process from natural convection involving part boiling's subcooled. The system consists of heater zone submerged in a horizontal cavity with water. Once part finished experimental with information to obtained it's proceeded to obtain a correlation, realized starting from analysis dimensionless such as: Jakob, Bond and Grasoft (Boiling) besides of knows in natural convection: Prandtl and Nusselt. The mathematical model explains the behavior for natural convection continued part boiling's subcooled. It is realize analysis graphics too where it's show comparing with Globe Dropkin and Catton equations by natural convection with bottom heating. (Author)

The influence of convective current generator on the global current

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. N. Morozov

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The mathematical generalization of classical model of the global circuit with taking into account the convective current generator, working in the planetary boundary layer was considered. Convective current generator may be interpreted as generator, in which the electromotive force is generated by processes, of the turbulent transport of electrical charge. It is shown that the average potential of ionosphere is defined not only by the thunderstorm current generators, working at the present moment, but by the convective current generator also. The influence of the convective processes in the boundary layer on the electrical parameters of the atmosphere is not only local, but has global character as well. The numerical estimations, made for the case of the convective-unstable boundary layer demonstrate that the increase of the average potential of ionosphere may be of the order of 10% to 40%.

Time dependent convection electric fields and plasma injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaye, S.M.; Kivelson, M.G.

1979-01-01

Large-scale electric fields associated with storms or substorms are responsible for inward convection and energization of plasma sheet plasma. Calculations based on steady state convection theory show that the response to such electric fields qualitatively accounts for many features of the injected particle distribution, but quantitative agreement with the theory has not yet been obtained. It is known that the predictions can be improved by introducing the concept of convection in response to a time dependent electric field. On the other hand, time dependent calculations are sensitive to the choice of initial conditions, and most models have failed to incorporate these conditions in a realistic and self-consistent manner. In this paper we present a more complete model consisting of realisic initial conditions and time dependent convection to explain a typical substorm-associated electron injection event. We find very good agreement between the observed electron flux changes and those predicted by our model

Large Eddy Simulations of Severe Convection Induced Turbulence

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Nash'at; Proctor, Fred

2011-01-01

Convective storms can pose a serious risk to aviation operations since they are often accompanied by turbulence, heavy rain, hail, icing, lightning, strong winds, and poor visibility. They can cause major delays in air traffic due to the re-routing of flights, and by disrupting operations at the airports in the vicinity of the storm system. In this study, the Terminal Area Simulation System is used to simulate five different convective events ranging from a mesoscale convective complex to isolated storms. The occurrence of convection induced turbulence is analyzed from these simulations. The validation of model results with the radar data and other observations is reported and an aircraft-centric turbulence hazard metric calculated for each case is discussed. The turbulence analysis showed that large pockets of significant turbulence hazard can be found in regions of low radar reflectivity. Moderate and severe turbulence was often found in building cumulus turrets and overshooting tops.

Examining Chaotic Convection with Super-Parameterization Ensembles

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Todd R.

This study investigates a variety of features present in a new configuration of the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) variant, SP-CAM 2.0. The new configuration (multiple-parameterization-CAM, MP-CAM) changes the manner in which the super-parameterization (SP) concept represents physical tendency feedbacks to the large-scale by using the mean of 10 independent two-dimensional cloud-permitting model (CPM) curtains in each global model column instead of the conventional single CPM curtain. The climates of the SP and MP configurations are examined to investigate any significant differences caused by the application of convective physical tendencies that are more deterministic in nature, paying particular attention to extreme precipitation events and large-scale weather systems, such as the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). A number of small but significant changes in the mean state climate are uncovered, and it is found that the new formulation degrades MJO performance. Despite these deficiencies, the ensemble of possible realizations of convective states in the MP configuration allows for analysis of uncertainty in the small-scale solution, lending to examination of those weather regimes and physical mechanisms associated with strong, chaotic convection. Methods of quantifying precipitation predictability are explored, and use of the most reliable of these leads to the conclusion that poor precipitation predictability is most directly related to the proximity of the global climate model column state to atmospheric critical points. Secondarily, the predictability is tied to the availability of potential convective energy, the presence of mesoscale convective organization on the CPM grid, and the directive power of the large-scale.

Concentration field in traveling-wave and stationary convection in fluid mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eaton, K.D.; Ohlsen, D.R.; Yamamoto, S.Y.; Surko, C.M.; Barten, W.; Luecke, M.; Kamps, M.; Kolodner, P.

1991-01-01

By comparison of measurements of shadowgraph images of convection in ethanol-water mixtures with the results of recent numerical calculations, we study the role of the concentration field in traveling-wave and stationary convection. The results confirm the existence of a large concentration contrast between adjacent traveling-wave convection rolls. This concentration modulation, which decreases as the Rayleigh number is increased and the transition to stationary convection is approached, is fundamental to the translation of the pattern

Novel Natural Convection Heat Sink Design Concepts From First Principles

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

CONVECTION HEAT SINK DESIGN CONCEPTS FROM FIRST PRINCIPLES by Derek E. Fletcher June 2016 Thesis Advisor: Garth Hobson Second Reader...COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE NOVEL NATURAL CONVECTION HEAT SINK DESIGN CONCEPTS FROM FIRST PRINCIPLES 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6...CONVECTION HEAT SINK DESIGN CONCEPTS FROM FIRST PRINCIPLES Derek E. Fletcher Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy B.S., Southwestern

Changes in Stratiform Clouds of Mesoscale Convective Complex Introduced by Dust Aerosols

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, B.; Min, Q.-L.; Li, R.

2010-01-01

Aerosols influence the earth s climate through direct, indirect, and semi-direct effects. There are large uncertainties in quantifying these effects due to limited measurements and observations of aerosol-cloud-precipitation interactions. As a major terrestrial source of atmospheric aerosols, dusts may serve as a significant climate forcing for the changing climate because of its effect on solar and thermal radiation as well as on clouds and precipitation processes. Latest satellites measurements enable us to determine dust aerosol loadings and cloud distributions and can potentially be used to reduce the uncertainties in the estimations of aerosol effects on climate. This study uses sensors on various satellites to investigate the impact of mineral dust on cloud microphysical and precipitation processes in mesoscale convective complex (MCC). A trans-Atlantic dust outbreak of Saharan origin occurring in early March 2004 is considered. For the observed MCCs under a given convective strength, small hydrometeors were found more prevalent in the dusty stratiform regions than in those regions that were dust free. Evidence of abundant cloud ice particles in the dust regions, particularly at altitudes where heterogeneous nucleation of mineral dust prevails, further supports the observed changes of clouds and precipitation. The consequences of the microphysical effects of the dust aerosols were to shift the size spectrum of precipitation-sized hydrometeors from heavy precipitation to light precipitation and ultimately to suppress precipitation and increase the lifecycle of cloud systems, especially over stratiform areas.

Introductory analysis of Benard-Marangoni convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maroto, J A; Perez-Munuzuri, V; Romero-Cano, M S

2007-01-01

We describe experiments on Benard-Marangoni convection which permit a useful understanding of the main concepts involved in this phenomenon such as, for example, Benard cells, aspect ratio, Rayleigh and Marangoni numbers, Crispation number and critical conditions. In spite of the complexity of convection theory, we carry out a simple and introductory analysis which has the additional advantage of providing very suggestive experiments. As a consequence, we recommend our device for use as a laboratory experiment for undergraduate students of the thermodynamics of nonlinear and fluid physics

Introductory analysis of Benard-Marangoni convection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maroto, J A [Group of Physics and Chemistry of Linares, Escuela Politecnica Superior, St Alfonso X El Sabio, 28, University of Jaen, E-23700 Linares, Jaen (Spain); Perez-Munuzuri, V [Group of Nonlinear Physics, University of Santiago de Compostela, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Romero-Cano, M S [Group of Complex Fluids Physics, Department of Applied Physics, University of Almeria, E-04120 Almeria (Spain)

2007-03-15

We describe experiments on Benard-Marangoni convection which permit a useful understanding of the main concepts involved in this phenomenon such as, for example, Benard cells, aspect ratio, Rayleigh and Marangoni numbers, Crispation number and critical conditions. In spite of the complexity of convection theory, we carry out a simple and introductory analysis which has the additional advantage of providing very suggestive experiments. As a consequence, we recommend our device for use as a laboratory experiment for undergraduate students of the thermodynamics of nonlinear and fluid physics.

The diurnal interaction between convection and peninsular-scale forcing over South Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, H. J.; Simpson, J.; Garstang, M.

1982-01-01

One of the outstanding problems in modern meterology is that of describing in detail the manner in which larger scales of motion interact with, influence and are influenced by successively smaller scales of motion. The present investigation is concerned with a study of the diurnal evolution of convection, the interaction between the peninsular-scale convergence and convection, and the role of the feedback produced by the cloud-scale downdrafts in the maintenance of the convection. Attention is given to the analysis, the diurnal cycle of the network area-averaged divergence, convective-scale divergence, convective mass transports, and the peninsular scale divergence. The links established in the investigation between the large scale (peninsular), the mesoscale (network), and the convective scale (cloud) are found to be of fundamental importance to the understanding of the initiation, maintenance, and decay of deep precipitating convection and to its theoretical parameterization.

Double Diffusive Natural Convection in a Nuclear Waste Repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Y. Hao; J. Nitao; T.A. Buscheck; Y. Sun

2006-01-01

In this study, we conduct a two-dimensional numerical analysis of double diffusive natural convection in an emplacement drift for a nuclear waste repository. In-drift heat and moisture transport is driven by combined thermal- and compositional-induced buoyancy forces. Numerical results demonstrate buoyancy-driven convective flow patterns and configurations during both repository heat-up and cool-down phases. It is also shown that boundary conditions, particularly on the drip-shield surface, have strong impacts on the in-drift convective flow and transport

Strategic Repositioning for Convection Business Case Study: AR Vendor

OpenAIRE

Anindita, Pratisara Satwika; Toha, Mohamad

2013-01-01

The study aims to determine suitable position and strategy in order to reach superiority in convection business based on the company strengths and weaknesses. A study conducted in late 2012 at AR Vendor, a home-based convection company which focus on the t-shirt screen printing service. In response to the issue of the below average profit margin, the company has to rethink their position and strategy in handling the convection business environment. While AR Vendor business may growth in accor...

Observations of vortex motion in the solar photosphere using HINODE-SP data

OpenAIRE

Palacios, J.; Balmaceda, L. A.; Domínguez, S. Vargas; Cabello, I.; Domingo, V.

2012-01-01

In this work, we focus in the magnetic evolution of a small region as seen by Hinode-SP during the time interval of about one hour. High-cadence LOS magnetograms and velocity maps were derived, allowing the study of different small-scale processes such as the formation/disappearance of bright points accompanying the evolution of an observed convective vortical motion.

Time-Distance Analysis of Deep Solar Convection

Science.gov (United States)

Duvall, T. L., Jr.; Hanasoge, S. M.

2011-01-01

Recently it was shown by Hanasoge, Duvall, and DeRosa (2010) that the upper limit to convective flows for spherical harmonic degrees ldeep-focusing Lime-distance technique used to develop the upper limit was applied to linear acoustic simulations of a solar interior perturbed by convective flows in order to calibrate the technique. This technique has been applied to other depths in the convection zone and the results will be presented. The deep-focusing technique has considerable sensitivity to the flow ' signals at the desired subsurface location ' However, as shown by Birch {ref}, there is remaining much sensitivity to near-surface signals. Modifications to the technique using multiple bounce signals have been examined in a search for a more refined sensitivity, or kernel function. Initial results are encouraging and results will be presented'

Impacts of initial convective structure on subsequent squall line evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Varble, A.; Morrison, H.; Zipser, E. J.

2017-12-01

A Weather Research and Forecasting simulation of the 20 May 2011 MC3E squall line using 750-m horizontal grid spacing produces wide convective regions with strongly upshear tilted convective updrafts and mesoscale bowing segments that are not produced in radar observations. Similar features occur across several different bulk microphysics schemes, despite surface observations exhibiting cold pool equivalent potential temperature drops that are similar to and pressure rises that are greater than those in the simulation. Observed rear inflow remains more elevated than simulated, partly counteracting the cold pool circulation, whereas the simulated rear inflow descends to low levels, maintaining its strength and reinforcing the cold pool circulation that overpowers the pre-squall line low level vertical wind shear. The descent and strength of the simulated rear inflow is fueled by strong latent cooling caused by large ice water contents detrained from upshear tilted convective cores that accumulate at the rear of the stratiform region. This simulated squall evolution is sensitive to model resolution, which is too coarse to resolve individual convective drafts. Nesting a 250-m horizontal grid spacing domain into the 750-m domain substantially alters the initial convective cells with reduced latent cooling, weaker convective downdrafts, and a weaker initial cold pool. As the initial convective cells develop into a squall line, the rear inflow remains more elevated in the 250-m domain with a cold pool that eventually develops to be just as strong and deeper than the one in the 750-m run. Despite this, the convective cores remain more upright in the 250-m run with the rear inflow partly counteracting the cold pool circulation, whereas the 750-m rear inflow near the surface reinforces the shallower cold pool and causes bowing in the squall line. The different structure in the 750-m run produces excessive mid-level front-to-rear detrainment that widens the convective region

Power optimization in the star-LM modular, natural convection reactor system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spencer, B.W.; Sienicki, J.J.; Farmer, M.T.

2001-01-01

The secure, transportable, autonomous reactor (STAR) project addresses the needs of developing countries and independent power producers for small, multi-purpose energy systems, which operate near autonomously for very long term. The STAR-LM variant described here is a liquid metal cooled, fast reactor system. Previous development of STAR-LM resulted in a 300 MWt modular, pool-type reactor based on criteria for factory fabrication, full transportability (barge, overland, rail), and fast construction and startup. Steam generator modules are placed directly into the primary heat transport circuit, eliminating the intermediate heat transport loop. Natural convection heat transport at all power levels eliminates the need for main coolant pumps. Seismic isolation eliminates concern about seismic and sloshing-related loads in the pool configuration. Even end-of-spectrum postulated events such as loss-of-heat sink with failure to scram are terminated passively by inherent core power shutdown, and decay heat is passively rejected to the atmospheric air inexhaustible heat sink by guard vessel exterior cooling. Recent concept development has focused on maximizing the power achievable in a small module size based on preserving key criteria for: full spectrum of modes of module transport from factory to site (including rail transport); 100% natural circulation heat transport; ultra-long core cartridge lifetime; coolant and cladding peak temperatures well within the existing (Russian) database for Pb/Bi coolant and ferritic steel core materials. (author)

Convective heat transfer around vertical jet fires: An experimental study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kozanoglu, Bulent, E-mail: bulentu.kozanoglu@udlap.mx [Universidad de las Americas, Puebla (Mexico); Zarate, Luis [Universidad Popular Autonoma del Estado de Puebla (Mexico); Gomez-Mares, Mercedes [Universita di Bologna (Italy); Casal, Joaquim [Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (Spain)

2011-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Experiments were carried out to analyze convection around a vertical jet fire. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Convection heat transfer is enhanced increasing the flame length. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nusselt number grows with higher values of Rayleigh and Reynolds numbers. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer In subsonic flames, Nusselt number increases with Froude number. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Convection and radiation are equally important in causing a domino effect. - Abstract: The convection heat transfer phenomenon in vertical jet fires was experimentally analyzed. In these experiments, turbulent propane flames were generated in subsonic as well as sonic regimes. The experimental data demonstrated that the rate of convection heat transfer increases by increasing the length of the flame. Assuming the solid flame model, the convection heat transfer coefficient was calculated. Two equations in terms of adimensional numbers were developed. It was found out that the Nusselt number attains greater values for higher values of the Rayleigh and Reynolds numbers. On the other hand, the Froude number was analyzed only for the subsonic flames where the Nusselt number grows by this number and the diameter of the orifice.

Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, MP; Petersen, WA; Del Genio, AD; Giangrande, SE; Heymsfield, A; Heymsfield, G; Hou, AY; Kollias, P; Orr, B; Rutledge, SA; Schwaller, MR; Zipser, E

2010-04-01

Convective processes play a critical role in the Earth’s energy balance through the redistribution of heat and moisture in the atmosphere and subsequent impacts on the hydrologic cycle. Global observation and accurate representation of these processes in numerical models is vital to improving our current understanding and future simulations of Earth’s climate system. Despite improvements in computing power, current operational weather and global climate models are unable to resolve the natural temporal and spatial scales that are associated with convective and stratiform precipitation processes; therefore, they must turn to parameterization schemes to represent these processes. In turn, the physical basis for these parameterization schemes needs to be evaluated for general application under a variety of atmospheric conditions. Analogously, space-based remote sensing algorithms designed to retrieve related cloud and precipitation information for use in hydrological, climate, and numerical weather prediction applications often rely on physical “parameterizations” that reliably translate indirectly related instrument measurements to the physical quantity of interest (e.g., precipitation rate). Importantly, both spaceborne retrieval algorithms and model convective parameterization schemes traditionally rely on field campaign data sets as a basis for evaluating and improving the physics of their respective approaches. The Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) will take place in central Oklahoma during the April–May 2011 period. The experiment is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Ground Validation (GV) program. The field campaign leverages the unprecedented observing infrastructure currently available in the central United States

Do tropical wetland plants possess a convective gas flow mechanism?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Dennis Konnerup; Sorrell, Brian Keith; Brix, Hans

2011-01-01

Internal pressurization and convective gas flow, which can aerate wetland plants more efficiently than diffusion, are common in temperate species. Here, we present the first survey of convective flow in a range of tropical plants. The occurrence of pressurization and convective flow was determined...... in 20 common wetland plants from the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The diel variation in pressurization in culms and the convective flow and gas composition from stubbles were examined for Eleocharis dulcis, Phragmites vallatoria and Hymenachne acutigluma, and related to light, humidity and air temperature....... Nine of the 20 species studied were able to build up a static pressure of >50Pa, and eight species had convective flow rates higher than 1mlmin-1. There was a clear diel variation, with higher pressures and flows during the day than during the night, when pressures and flows were close to zero...

Neutral beam injection and plasma convection in a magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okuda, H.; Hiroe, S.

1988-06-01

Injection of a neutral beam into a plasma in a magnetic field has been studied by means of numerical plasma simulations. It is found that, in the absence of a rotational transform, the convection electric field arising from the polarization charges at the edges of the beam is dissipated by turbulent plasma convection, leading to anomalous plasma diffusion across the magnetic field. The convection electric field increases with the beam density and beam energy. In the presence of a rotational transform, polarization charges can be neutralized by the electron motion along the magnetic field. Even in the presence of a rotational transform, a steady-state convection electric field and, hence, anomalous plasma diffusion can develop when a neutral beam is constantly injected into a plasma. Theoretical investigations on the convection electric field are described for a plasma in the presence of rotational transform. 11 refs., 19 figs

SOUND-SPEED INVERSION OF THE SUN USING A NONLOCAL STATISTICAL CONVECTION THEORY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chunguang; Deng Licai; Xiong Darun; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jørgen

2012-01-01

Helioseismic inversions reveal a major discrepancy in sound speed between the Sun and the standard solar model just below the base of the solar convection zone. We demonstrate that this discrepancy is caused by the inherent shortcomings of the local mixing-length theory adopted in the standard solar model. Using a self-consistent nonlocal convection theory, we construct an envelope model of the Sun for sound-speed inversion. Our solar model has a very smooth transition from the convective envelope to the radiative interior, and the convective energy flux changes sign crossing the boundaries of the convection zone. It shows evident improvement over the standard solar model, with a significant reduction in the discrepancy in sound speed between the Sun and local convection models.

Observed periodicities and the spectrum of field variations in Holocene magnetic records

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Panovska, S.; Finlay, Chris; Hirt, A.M.

2013-01-01

, globally observed, periods. Rather we find a continuous broadband spectrum, with a slope corresponding to a power law with exponent of -2.3 ± 0.6 for the period range between 300 and 4000 yr. This is consistent with the hypothesis that chaotic convection in the outer core drives the majority of secular......In order to understand mechanisms that maintain and drive the evolution of the Earth's magnetic field, a characterization of its behavior on time scales of centuries to millennia is required. We have conducted a search for periodicities in Holocene sediment magnetic records, by applying three...

Constraining convection parameters from the light curve shapes of pulsating white dwarf stars: the cases of EC 14012-1446 and WD 1524-0030

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Handler, G; Lendl, M; Beck, P [Institut fuer Astronomie, Universitaet Wien, Tuerkenschanzstrasse 17, A-1180 Wien (Austria); Provencal, J L; Montgomery, M H [Mt. Cuba Observatory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, 223 Sharp Laboratory, Newark, DE 19716 (Cuba); Romero-Colmenero, E [South AfricAN Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 9, Observatory 7935 (South Africa); Sanchawala, K; Chen, W-P [Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, Chung-Li 32054, Taiwan (China); Wood, M A; Silver, I [Department of Physics and Space Sciences and SARA Observatory, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901 (United States)], E-mail: handler@astro.univie.ac.at

2008-10-15

Montgomery [1] developed a method to probe convection in pulsating white dwarf stars which allows the recovery of the thermal response time of the convection zone by fitting observed nonsinusoidal light curves. He applied this method to two objects; the Whole Earth Telescope (WET) observed the pulsating DB white dwarf GD 358 for just this purpose. Given this WET run's success, it is time to extend Montgomery's method to pulsating DA white dwarf (ZZ Ceti) stars. We present observations of two ZZ Ceti stars, WD 1524-0030 and EC 14012-1446, both observed from multiple sites. EC 14012-1446 seems better suited thAN WD1524-0030 for a future WET run because it has more pulsation modes excited and because it pulsation spectrum appears to be more stable in time. We call for participation in this effort to take place in April 2008.

Topology Optimisation for Coupled Convection Problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alexandersen, Joe; Andreasen, Casper Schousboe; Aage, Niels

stabilised finite elements implemented in a parallel multiphysics analysis and optimisation framework DFEM [1], developed and maintained in house. Focus is put on control of the temperature field within the solid structure and the problems can therefore be seen as conjugate heat transfer problems, where heat...... conduction governs in the solid parts of the design domain and couples to convection-dominated heat transfer to a surrounding fluid. Both loosely coupled and tightly coupled problems are considered. The loosely coupled problems are convection-diffusion problems, based on an advective velocity field from...

Compressible Analysis of Bénard Convection of Magneto Rotatory Couple-Stress Fluid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehta C.B.

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Thermal Instability (Benard’s Convection in the presence of uniform rotation and uniform magnetic field (separately is studied. Using the linearized stability theory and normal mode analyses the dispersion relation is obtained in each case. In the case of rotatory Benard’s stationary convection compressibility and rotation postpone the onset of convection whereas the couple-stress have duel character onset of convection depending on rotation parameter. While in the absence of rotation couple-stress always postpones the onset of convection. On the other hand, magnetic field on thermal instability problem on couple-stress fluid for stationary convection couple-stress parameter and magnetic field postpones the onset of convection. The effect of compressibility also postpones the onset of convection in both cases as rotation and magnetic field. Graphs have been plotted by giving numerical values to the parameters to depict the stationary characteristics. Further, the magnetic field and rotation are found to introduce oscillatory modes which were non-existent in their absence and then the principle of exchange of stability is valid. The sufficient conditions for non-existence of overstability are also obtained.

Comparison of photospheric electric current and ultraviolet and x-ray emission in a solar active region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haisch, B.M.; Bruner, M.E.; Hagyard, M.J.; Bonnet, R.M.; NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL; ESA, Paris, France)

1986-01-01

This paper presents an extensive set of coordinated observations of a solar active region, taking into account spectroheliograms obtained with the aid of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) Ultraviolet Spectrometer Polarimeter (UVSP) instrument, SMM soft x-ray polychromator (XRP) raster maps, and high spatial resolution ultraviolet images of the sun in Lyman-alpha and in the 1600 A continuum. These data span together the upper solar atmosphere from the temperature minimum to the corona. The data are compared to maps of the inferred photospheric electric current derived from the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) vector magnetograph observations. Some empirical correlation is found between regions of inferred electric current density and the brightest features in the ultraviolet continuum and to a lesser extent those seen in Lyman-alpha within an active region. 29 references

Theoretical study of the high-latitude ionosphere's response to multicell convection patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sojka, J.J.; Schunk, R.W.

1987-01-01

It is well known that the convection electric fields have an important effect on the ionosphere at high latitudes and that a quantitative understanding of their effect requires a knowledge of the plasma convection pattern. When the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is southward, plasma convection at F region altitudes displays a two-cell pattern with antisunward flow over the polar cap and return flow at lower latitudes. However, when the IMF is northward, multiple convection cells can exist, with both sunward flow and auroral precipitation (theta aurora) in the polar cap. The characteristic ionospheric signatures associated with multicell convection patterns were studied with the aid of a three-dimensional time-dependent ionospheric model. Two-, three-, and four-cell patterns were considered and the ionosphere's response was calculated for the same cross-tail potential and for solar maximum and winter conditions in the northern hemisphere. As expected, there are major distinguishing ionospheric features associated with the different convection patterns, particularly in the polar cap. For two-cell convection the antisunward flow the plasma from the dayside into the polar cap. For two-cell convection the antisunward flow of plasma from the dayside into the polar cap acts to maintain the densities in this region in winter. For four-cell convection, on the other hand, the two aditional convection cells in the polar cap are in darkness most of the time, and the resulting O + decay acts to produce twin polar holes that are separated by a sun-aligned ridge of enhanced ionization due to theta aurora precipitation

Solar Tornado Prominences: Plasma Motions Along Filament Barbs

Science.gov (United States)

Panasenco, Olga; Velli, Marco; Martin, Sara F.; Rappazzo, Franco

2013-03-01

Recent high-resolution observations from the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) have reawakened interest in the old and fascinating phenomenon of solar tornado prominences. This class of prominences was first introduced by E. Pettit in 1932, who studied them over many years up to 1950. High resolution and high cadence multi-wavelength data obtained by SDO reveal that the tornado-like properties of these prominences are mainly an illusion due to projection effects. We show that counterstreaming plasma motions with projected velocities up to +/- 45 km/sec along the prominence spine and barbs create a tornado-like impression when viewed at the limb. We demonstrate that barbs are often rooted at the intersection between 4-5 supergranular cells. We discuss the observed oscillations along the vertical parts of barbs and whether they may be related to vortex flows coming from the convection downdrafts at the intersection of supergranules (and possibly smaller convective cells) in the photosphere and their entrained magnetic field. The unwinding of magnetic threads near the photosphere via reconnection might be a source of the waves which are observed as oscillations in prominence barbs.

Improving microphysics in a convective parameterization: possibilities and limitations

Science.gov (United States)

Labbouz, Laurent; Heikenfeld, Max; Stier, Philip; Morrison, Hugh; Milbrandt, Jason; Protat, Alain; Kipling, Zak

2017-04-01

The convective cloud field model (CCFM) is a convective parameterization implemented in the climate model ECHAM6.1-HAM2.2. It represents a population of clouds within each ECHAM-HAM model column, simulating up to 10 different convective cloud types with individual radius, vertical velocities and microphysical properties. Comparisons between CCFM and radar data at Darwin, Australia, show that in order to reproduce both the convective cloud top height distribution and the vertical velocity profile, the effect of aerodynamic drag on the rising parcel has to be considered, along with a reduced entrainment parameter. A new double-moment microphysics (the Predicted Particle Properties scheme, P3) has been implemented in the latest version of CCFM and is compared to the standard single-moment microphysics and the radar retrievals at Darwin. The microphysical process rates (autoconversion, accretion, deposition, freezing, …) and their response to changes in CDNC are investigated and compared to high resolution CRM WRF simulations over the Amazon region. The results shed light on the possibilities and limitations of microphysics improvements in the framework of CCFM and in convective parameterizations in general.

Plume structure in high-Rayleigh-number convection

Science.gov (United States)

Puthenveettil, Baburaj A.; Arakeri, Jaywant H.

2005-10-01

Near-wall structures in turbulent natural convection at Rayleigh numbers of 10^{10} to 10^{11} at A Schmidt number of 602 are visualized by a new method of driving the convection across a fine membrane using concentration differences of sodium chloride. The visualizations show the near-wall flow to consist of sheet plumes. A wide variety of large-scale flow cells, scaling with the cross-section dimension, are observed. Multiple large-scale flow cells are seen at aspect ratio (AR)= 0.65, while only a single circulation cell is detected at AR= 0.435. The cells (or the mean wind) are driven by plumes coming together to form columns of rising lighter fluid. The wind in turn aligns the sheet plumes along the direction of shear. the mean wind direction is seen to change with time. The near-wall dynamics show plumes initiated at points, which elongate to form sheets and then merge. Increase in rayleigh number results in a larger number of closely and regularly spaced plumes. The plume spacings show a common log normal probability distribution function, independent of the rayleigh number and the aspect ratio. We propose that the near-wall structure is made of laminar natural-convection boundary layers, which become unstable to give rise to sheet plumes, and show that the predictions of a model constructed on this hypothesis match the experiments. Based on these findings, we conclude that in the presence of a mean wind, the local near-wall boundary layers associated with each sheet plume in high-rayleigh-number turbulent natural convection are likely to be laminar mixed convection type.

Density convection near radiating ICRF antennas and its effect on the coupling of lower hybrid waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekedahl, A.; Colas, L.; Beaumont, B.; Bibet, Ph.; Bremond, S.; Kazarian, F.; Noterdaeme, J.M.; Tuccillo, A.A.

2003-01-01

Combined operation of lower hybrid (LH) and Ion Cyclotron Resonance Frequency (ICRF) waves can result in a degradation of the LH wave coupling, as observed both in the Tore-Supra and Jet tokamaks. The reflection coefficient on the part of the LH launcher magnetically connected to the powered ICRF antenna increases, suggesting a local decrease in the electron density in the connecting flux tubes. This has been confirmed by Langmuir probe measurements on the LH launchers in the latest Tore-Supra experiments. Moreover, recent experiments in Jet indicate that the LH coupling degradation depends on the ICRF power and its launched k / spectrum. The 2D density distribution around the Tore-Supra ICRF antennas has been modelled with the CELLS-code, balancing parallel losses with diffusive transport and sheath induced ExB convection, obtained from RF field mapping using the ICANT-code. The calculations are in qualitative agreement with the experimental observations, i.e. density depletion is obtained, localised mainly in the antenna shadow, and dependent on ICRF power and antenna spectrum. (authors)

Density Convection near Radiating ICRF Antennas and its Effect on the Coupling of Lower Hybrid Waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekedahl, A.; Colas, L.; Beaumont, B.; Bibet, Ph.; Bremond, S.; Kazarian, F.; Mayoral, M.-L.; Mailloux, J.; Noterdaeme, J.-M.; Tuccillo, A.A.

2003-01-01

Combined operation of Lower Hybrid (LH) and Ion Cyclotron Resonance Frequency (ICRF) waves can result in a degradation of the LH wave coupling, as observed both in the Tore Supra and JET tokamaks. The reflection coefficient on the part of the LH launcher magnetically connected to the powered ICRF antenna increases, suggesting a local decrease in the electron density in the connecting flux tubes. This has been confirmed by Langmuir probe measurements on the LH launchers in the latest Tore Supra experiments. Moreover, recent experiments in JET indicate that the LH coupling degradation depends on the ICRF power and its launched k//-spectrum. The 2D density distribution around the Tore Supra ICRF antennas has been modelled with the CELLS-code, balancing parallel losses with diffusive transport and sheath induced ExB convection, obtained from RF field mapping using the ICANT-code. The calculations are in qualitative agreement with the experimental observations, i.e. density depletion is obtained, localised mainly in the antenna shadow, and dependent on ICRF power and antenna spectrum

Direct simulation of turbulent Rayleigh-Benard convection in liquid sodium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woerner, M.

1994-11-01

The numerical results are analysed to investigate both the structures and mechanisms of convection and the statistical features of turbulence in natural convection of liquid metals. The simulations are performed with the finite volume code TURBIT which is extended by a semi-implicit time integration scheme for the energy equation. Due to the implicit treatment of thermal diffusion the computational time for simulation of natural convection in liquid metals is reduced by about one order of magnitude, as compared to the original fully explicit code version. Results for Rayleigh-Benard convection in liquid sodium with Prandtl number Pr=0.006 are given for four different Rayleigh numbers: Ra=3 000, Ra=6 000, Ra=12 000, and Ra=24 000. At the Rayleigh number Ra=3 000 the inertial convection is identified. It is characterized by large two-dimensional vortices, which rotate like a solid body. These vortices are also observed in the simulations for Ra=6 000, Ra=12 000 and Ra=24 000, but, they only exist in certain regions and for short time intervals. The appearance of these two-dimensional structures in three-dimensional, time-dependent and turbulent convection is explained by the relative importance of the non-linear terms in the momentum and energy equation, which is totally different in both equations, and by the coupling of these equations by the buoyancy and the convective term. In order to improve and validate statistical turbulence model for application to natural convection in liquid metals, budgets of turbulence kinetic energy, turbulent heat flux and temperature variance are calculated from the numerical results. For several unknown correlations closure assumptions used in standard turbulence models are analyzed and model coefficients are determined. (orig./HP) [de

Seasonal Scale Convective-Stratiform Pricipitation Variabilities at Tropics

Science.gov (United States)

S, Sreekanth T.

begin{center} Large Seasonal Scale Convective-Stratiform Pricipitation Variabilities at Tropics Sreekanth T S*, Suby Symon*, G. Mohan Kumar (1) and V Sasi Kumar (2) *Centre for Earth Science Studies, Akkulam, Thiruvananthapuram (1) D-330, Swathi Nagar, West Fort, Thiruvananthapuram 695023 (2) 32. NCC Nagar Peroorkada, Thiruvananthapuram ABSTRACT This study investigates the variabilities of convective and stratiform rainfall from 2011 to 2013 at a tropical coastal station in three seasons viz Pre-Monsoon (March-May), Monsoon (June-September) and Post-Monsoon (October-December). Understanding the climatological variability of these two dominant forms of precipitation and their implications in the total rainfall were the main objectives of this investigation. Variabilities in the frequency & duration of events, rain rate & total number of rain drops distribution in different events and the accumulated amount of rain water were analysed. Based on the ground & radar observations from optical & impact disdrometers, Micro Rain Radar and Atmospheric Electric Field Mill, precipitation events were classified into convective and stratiform in three seasons. Classification was done by the method followed by Testud et al (2001) and as an additional information electrical behaviour of clouds from Atmospheric Electric Field Mill is also used. Events which could not be included in both types were termed as 'mixed precipitation' and were included separately. Diurnal variability of the total rainfall in each seasons were also examined. For both convective and stratiform rainfall there exist distinct day-night differences. During nocturnal hours convective rain draged more attention. In all seasons almost 70% of rain duration and 60% of rain events of convective origin were confined to nocturnal hours. But stratiform rain was not affected by diurnal variations greatly because night time occurrences of stratiform duration and events were less than 50%. Also in Monsoon above 35% of

Confinement and dynamical regulation in two-dimensional convective turbulence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bian, N.H.; Garcia, O.E.

2003-01-01

In this work the nature of confinement improvement implied by the self-consistent generation of mean flows in two-dimensional convective turbulence is studied. The confinement variations are linked to two distinct regulation mechanisms which are also shown to be at the origin of low......-frequency bursting in the fluctuation level and the convective heat flux integral, both resulting in a state of large-scale intermittency. The first one involves the control of convective transport by sheared mean flows. This regulation relies on the conservative transfer of kinetic energy from tilted fluctuations...

Impairment of Heat Transfer in the Passive Cooling System due to Mixed Convection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chae Myeong Seon; Chung, Bum Jin [Kyunghee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jong Hwan [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

In the passive cooling devices, the buoyant flows are induced. However the local Nusselt number of natural convective flow can be partly impaired due to the development of the mixed convective flows. This paper discusses impairment of heat transfer in the passive cooling system in relation to the development of mixed convection. The present work describes the preliminary plan to explore the phenomena experimentally. This paper is to discuss and make the plan to experiment the impairment of heat transfer in the passive cooling system due to mixed convection. In the sufficiently high passive cooling devices, the natural convection flow behavior can be mixed convection. The local Nusselt number distribution exhibits the non-monotonic behavior as axial position, since the buoyancy-aided with mixed convection was appeared. This is the part of the experimental work.

Modeling the Solar Convective Dynamo and Emerging Flux

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Y.

2017-12-01

Significant advances have been made in recent years in global-scale fully dynamic three-dimensional convective dynamo simulations of the solar/stellar convective envelopes to reproduce some of the basic features of the Sun's large-scale cyclic magnetic field. It is found that the presence of the dynamo-generated magnetic fields plays an important role for the maintenance of the solar differential rotation, without which the differential rotation tends to become anti-solar (with a faster rotating pole instead of the observed faster rotation at the equator). Convective dynamo simulations are also found to produce emergence of coherent super-equipartition toroidal flux bundles with a statistically significant mean tilt angle that is consistent with the mean tilt of solar active regions. The emerging flux bundles are sheared by the giant cell convection into a forward leaning loop shape with its leading side (in the direction of rotation) pushed closer to the strong downflow lanes. Such asymmetric emerging flux pattern may lead to the observed asymmetric properties of solar active regions.

Natural convection and wall radiation in tall cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balaji, C [Regional Engineering College, Tiruchirapalli (India). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; Venkateshan, S P [Indian Inst. of Tech., Madras (India). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

1996-12-01

The problem of combined natural convection and wall radiation in tall cavities has been taken up for a detailed numerical investigation. The governing equations for fluid flow have been solved by a finite volume method and the radiation has been treated by the radiosity-irradiation method. The analysis has been specifically made for the case where the emissivity of the hot left wall is different from that of the cold right wall. For this case it was found that decoupling radiation from free convection can lead to considerable error. Correlations have been suggested for predicting both the convective as well as the radiative heat transfer rates across the cavity. (author). 7 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.

Natural convection and wall radiation in tall cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balaji, C.; Venkateshan, S.P.

1996-01-01

The problem of combined natural convection and wall radiation in tall cavities has been taken up for a detailed numerical investigation. The governing equations for fluid flow have been solved by a finite volume method and the radiation has been treated by the radiosity-irradiation method. The analysis has been specifically made for the case where the emissivity of the hot left wall is different from that of the cold right wall. For this case it was found that decoupling radiation from free convection can lead to considerable error. Correlations have been suggested for predicting both the convective as well as the radiative heat transfer rates across the cavity. (author). 7 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Unravelling convective heat transfer in the Rotated Arc Mixer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Speetjens, M.F.M.; Baskan, O.; Metcalfe, G.; Clercx, H.J.H.

2014-01-01

Thermal homogenization is essentially a transient problem and convective heat transfer by (chaotic) advection is known to accelerate this process. Convective heat transfer traditionally is examined in terms of heat-transfer coefficients at domain walls and characterised by Nusselt relations.

Transition from natural-convection-controlled freezing to conduction-controlled freezing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sparrow, E.M.; Ramsey, J.W.; Harris, J.S.

1981-01-01

Experiments were performed to study the transition between freezing controlled by natural convection in the liquid adjacent to a freezing interface and freezing controlled by heat conduction in the solidified material. The freezing took place on a cooled vertical tube immersed in an initially superheated liquid contained in an adiabatic-walled vessel. At early and intermediate times, temperature differences throughout the liquid induce a vigorous natural convection motion which retards freezing, but the temperature differences diminish with time and natural convection ebbs. At large times, the freezing rate is fully controlled by heat conduction in the solidified material. The frozen specimens for short and intermediate freezing times are smooth-surfaced and tapered, while those for large times are straight-sided and have surfaces that are overlaid with a thicket of large discrete crystals. These characteristics correspond respectively to those of natural-convection- controlled freezing and conduction-controlled freezing. At early times, the measured mass of the frozen material is identical to that for natural-convection-controlled freezing and conduction-controlled freezing. At early times, the measured mass of the frozen material is identical to that for natural-convection-controlled freezing. At later times, the frozen mass tends to approach that for conduction-controlled freezing, but a residual deficit remains

Natural convection heat transfer within horizontal spent nuclear fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canaan, R.E.

1995-12-01

Natural convection heat transfer is experimentally investigated in an enclosed horizontal rod bundle, which characterizes a spent nuclear fuel assembly during dry storage and/or transport conditions. The basic test section consists of a square array of sixty-four stainless steel tubular heaters enclosed within a water-cooled rectangular copper heat exchanger. The heaters are supplied with a uniform power generation per unit length while the surrounding enclosure is maintained at a uniform temperature. The test section resides within a vacuum/pressure chamber in order to subject the assembly to a range of pressure statepoints and various backfill gases. The objective of this experimental study is to obtain convection correlations which can be used in order to easily incorporate convective effects into analytical models of horizontal spent fuel systems, and also to investigate the physical nature of natural convection in enclosed horizontal rod bundles in general. The resulting data consist of: (1) measured temperatures within the assembly as a function of power, pressure, and backfill gas; (2) the relative radiative contribution for the range of observed temperatures; (3) correlations of convective Nusselt number and Rayleigh number for the rod bundle as a whole; and (4) correlations of convective Nusselt number as a function of Rayleigh number for individual rods within the array

Non-Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium Spectrum Synthesis of Type IA Supernovae

Science.gov (United States)

Nugent, Peter Edward

1997-09-01

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are valuable distance indicators for cosmology and the elements they eject are are important for nucleosynthesis. They appear to be thermonuclear disruptions of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs that accrete from companion stars until they approach the Chandrasekbar mass, and there is a suspicion that the propagation of the nuclear burning front involves a transition from a deflagration to a detonation. Detailed modeling of the atmospheres and spectra of SNe Ia is needed to advance our understanding of SNe Ia. Comparison of synthetic and observed spectra provides information on the temperature, density, velocity, and composition of the ejected matter and thus constrain hydrodynamical models. In addition, the expanding photosphere method yields distances to individual events that are independent of distances based on the decay of 56Ni in SNe Ia and of Cepheid variable stars in the parent galaxies. This thesis is broken down into 4 major sections, each highlighting a different way with which to use spectrum synthesis to analyze SNe Ia. Chapters 2 and 3 look at normal SNe Ia and their potential use as distance indicators using SEAM. Chapter 4 examines spectral correlations with luminosity in SNe Ia and provides a plausible explanation for these correlations via spectrum synthesis. In Chapter 5 the spectra of various hydrodynamical models are calculated in an effort to answer the question of which current progenitor/explosion model is the most plausible for a SN Ia. Finally, we look at the importance of NLTE calculations and line identifications in Chapter 6. Also included are two appendices which contain more technical information concerning γ-ray deposition and the thermalization parameter.

Comparison of solar photospheric bright points between Sunrise observations and MHD simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Riethmüller, T. L.; Solanki, S. K.; Berdyugina, S. V.; Schüssler, M.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Feller, A.; Gandorfer, A.; Hirzberger, J.

2014-08-01

Bright points (BPs) in the solar photosphere are thought to be the radiative signatures (small-scale brightness enhancements) of magnetic elements described by slender flux tubes or sheets located in the darker intergranular lanes in the solar photosphere. They contribute to the ultraviolet (UV) flux variations over the solar cycle and hence may play a role in influencing the Earth's climate. Here we aim to obtain a better insight into their properties by combining high-resolution UV and spectro-polarimetric observations of BPs by the Sunrise Observatory with 3D compressible radiation magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) simulations. To this end, full spectral line syntheses are performed with the MHD data and a careful degradation is applied to take into account all relevant instrumental effects of the observations. In a first step it is demonstrated that the selected MHD simulations reproduce the measured distributions of intensity at multiple wavelengths, line-of-sight velocity, spectral line width, and polarization degree rather well. The simulated line width also displays the correct mean, but a scatter that is too small. In the second step, the properties of observed BPs are compared with synthetic ones. Again, these are found to match relatively well, except that the observations display a tail of large BPs with strong polarization signals (most likely network elements) not found in the simulations, possibly due to the small size of the simulation box. The higher spatial resolution of the simulations has a significant effect, leading to smaller and more numerous BPs. The observation that most BPs are weakly polarized is explained mainly by the spatial degradation, the stray light contamination, and the temperature sensitivity of the Fe i line at 5250.2 Å. Finally, given that the MHD simulations are highly consistent with the observations, we used the simulations to explore the properties of BPs further. The Stokes V asymmetries increase with the distance to the

VHF/UHF radar observations of tropical mesoscale convective systems over southern India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Kishore Kumar

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Several campaigns have been carried out to study the convective systems over Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E, a tropical station in India, using VHF and UHF radars. The height-time sections of several convective systems are investigated in detail to study reflectivity, turbulence and vertical velocity structure. Structure and dynamics of the convective systems are the main objectives of these campaigns. The observed systems are classified into single- and multi-cell systems. It has been observed that most of the convective systems at this latitude are multi-cellular in nature. Simultaneous VHF and UHF radar observations are used to classify the observed precipitating systems as convective, intermediary and stratiform regions. Composite height profiles of vertical velocities in these regions were obtained and the same were compared with the profiles obtained at other geographical locations. These composite profiles of vertical velocity in the convective regions have shown their peaks in the mid troposphere, indicating that the maximum latent heat is being released at those heights. These profiles are very important for numerical simulations of the convective systems, which vary significantly from one geographical location to the other.

Keywords. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (Mesoscale meteorology; Convective processes – Radio science (Remote sensing

Plasma convection in the magnetotail lobes: statistical results from Cluster EDI measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Haaland

2008-08-01

Full Text Available A major part of the plasma in the Earth's magnetotail is populated through transport of plasma from the solar wind via the magnetotail lobes. In this paper, we present a statistical study of plasma convection in the lobes for different directions of the interplanetary magnetic field and for different geomagnetic disturbance levels. The data set used in this study consists of roughly 340 000 one-minute vector measurements of the plasma convection from the Cluster Electron Drift Instrument (EDI obtained during the period February 2001 to June 2007. The results show that both convection magnitude and direction are largely controlled by the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF. For a southward IMF, there is a strong convection towards the central plasma sheet with convection velocities around 10 km s⁻¹. During periods of northward IMF, the lobe convection is almost stagnant. A B_y dominated IMF causes a rotation of the convection patterns in the tail with an oppositely directed dawn-dusk component of the convection for the northern and southern lobe. Our results also show that there is an overall persistent duskward component, which is most likely a result of conductivity gradients in the footpoints of the magnetic field lines in the ionosphere.

VHF/UHF radar observations of tropical mesoscale convective systems over southern India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Kishore Kumar

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Several campaigns have been carried out to study the convective systems over Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E, a tropical station in India, using VHF and UHF radars. The height-time sections of several convective systems are investigated in detail to study reflectivity, turbulence and vertical velocity structure. Structure and dynamics of the convective systems are the main objectives of these campaigns. The observed systems are classified into single- and multi-cell systems. It has been observed that most of the convective systems at this latitude are multi-cellular in nature. Simultaneous VHF and UHF radar observations are used to classify the observed precipitating systems as convective, intermediary and stratiform regions. Composite height profiles of vertical velocities in these regions were obtained and the same were compared with the profiles obtained at other geographical locations. These composite profiles of vertical velocity in the convective regions have shown their peaks in the mid troposphere, indicating that the maximum latent heat is being released at those heights. These profiles are very important for numerical simulations of the convective systems, which vary significantly from one geographical location to the other. Keywords. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (Mesoscale meteorology; Convective processes – Radio science (Remote sensing

Modelling deep convection and its impacts on the tropical tropopause layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. S. Hosking

2010-11-01

Full Text Available The UK Met Office's Unified Model is used at a climate resolution (N216, ~0.83°×~0.56°, ~60 km to assess the impact of deep tropical convection on the structure of the tropical tropopause layer (TTL. We focus on the potential for rapid transport of short-lived ozone depleting species to the stratosphere by rapid convective uplift. The modelled horizontal structure of organised convection is shown to match closely with signatures found in the OLR satellite data. In the model, deep convective elevators rapidly lift air from 4–5 km up to 12–14 km. The influx of tropospheric air entering the TTL (11–12 km is similar for all tropical regions with most convection stopping below ~14 km. The tropical tropopause is coldest and driest between November and February, coinciding with the greatest upwelling over the tropical warm pool. As this deep convection is co-located with bromine-rich biogenic coastal emissions, this period and location could potentially be the preferential gateway for stratospheric bromine.

Anvil Productivities of Tropical Deep Convective Clusters and Their Regional Differences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deng Min

2016-01-01

The total anvil clouds detrained from convection counts for 0.4 to 0.8 of the cluster horizontal scale, 0.2 to 0.6 of the cluster cross section volume, and 0.05 to 0.20 of the cluster ice mass, depending on the cluster scales and height. There are two main detrainment layers. When the convective clusters is less than about 100 km, the anvil clouds are mainly detrained at about 6-8 km with a spreading ratio (ratio of maximum cluster width to convection rainy core width less than 1.5. When convective clusters becomes 100 km or wider, it reaches the dominate detrainment layer at about 12 km, the detrainment index increase from 2 to more 6. Among 8 regions, convection clusters in MA produce the most anvil volume fraction. The more the ice mass is pumped upward in the anvil clouds till clusters are about 500 km wider. Nevertheless, the anvil ice mass pumped above 15 km is less than 0.1% of the total ice mass in the convective cluster.

Natural convection in horizontal fluid layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suo-Antilla, A.J.

1977-02-01

The experimental work includes developing and using a thermal convection cell to obtain measurements of the heat flux and turbulent core temperature of a horizontal layer of fluid heated internally and subject to both stabilizing and destabilizing temperature differences. The ranges of Rayleigh numbers tested were 10 7 equal to or less than R/sub I/ equal to or less than 10 13 and -10 10 equal to or less than R/sub E/ equal to or less than 10 10 . Power integral methods were found to be adequate for interpolating and extrapolating the data. The theoretical work consists of the derivation, solution and use of the mean field equations for study of thermally driven convection in horizontal layers of infinite extent. The equations were derived by a separation of variables technique where the horizontal directions were described by periodic structures and the vertical being some function of z. The derivation resulted in a coupled set of momentum and energy equations. The equations were simplified by using the infinite Prandtl number limit and neglecting direct intermodal interaction. Solutions to these equations are used to predict the existence of multi-wavenumber flows at all supercritical Rayleigh numbers. Subsequent inspection of existing experimental photographs of convecting fluids confirms their existence. The onset of time dependence is found to coincide with the onset of the second convective mode. Each mode is found to consist of two wavenumbers and typically the velocity and temperature fields of the right modal branch are found to be out of phase

Natural convection in a porous medium: External flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, P.

1985-01-01

Early theoretical work on heat transfer in porous media focussed its attention on the onset of natural convection and cellular convection in rectangular enclosures with heating from below. Recently, increased attention has been directed to the study of natural convection in a porous medium external to heated surfaces and bodies. Boundary layer approximations were introduced, and similarly solutions have been obtained for steady natural convection boundary layers adjacent to a heated flat plate, a horizontal cylinder and a sphere as well as other two-dimensional and axisymmetric bodies of arbitrary shape. Higher order boundary layer theories have been carried out to assess the accuracy of the boundary layer approximation. The effects of entrainments at the edge of the boundary layer, the inclination angle of the heated inclined plate, and the upstream geometry on the heat transfer characteristics have been investigated based on the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The conditions for the onset of vortex instability in porous layers heated from below were determined based on linear stability analyses. The effects of no-slip boundary conditions, non-Darcy and thermal dispersion, which were neglected in all of the previous theoretical investigations, have recently been re-examined. Experimental investigations on natural convection about a vertical and inclined heated plate, a horizontal cylinder, as well as plume rise from a horizontal line source of heat have been conducted. All of this work is reviewed in this paper

Extended Subadiabatic Layer in Simulations of Overshooting Convection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Käpylä, Petri J.; Arlt, Rainer [Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik, An der Sternwarte 16, D-14482 Potsdam (Germany); Rheinhardt, Matthias; Käpylä, Maarit J.; Olspert, Nigul [ReSoLVE Centre of Excellence, Department of Computer Science, P.O. Box 15400, FI-00076 Aalto (Finland); Brandenburg, Axel [NORDITA, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University, Roslagstullsbacken 23, SE-10691 Stockholm (Sweden); Lagg, Andreas; Warnecke, Jörn [Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany)

2017-08-20

We present numerical simulations of hydrodynamic overshooting convection in local Cartesian domains. We find that a substantial fraction of the lower part of the convection zone (CZ) is stably stratified according to the Schwarzschild criterion while the enthalpy flux is outward directed. This occurs when the heat conduction profile at the bottom of the CZ is smoothly varying, based either on a Kramers-like opacity prescription as a function of temperature and density or a static profile of a similar shape. We show that the subadiabatic layer arises due to nonlocal energy transport by buoyantly driven downflows in the upper parts of the CZ. Analysis of the force balance of the upflows and downflows confirms that convection is driven by cooling at the surface. We find that the commonly used prescription for the convective enthalpy flux being proportional to the negative entropy gradient does not hold in the stably stratified layers where the flux is positive. We demonstrate the existence of a non-gradient contribution to the enthalpy flux, which is estimated to be important throughout the convective layer. A quantitative analysis of downflows indicates a transition from a tree-like structure where smaller downdrafts merge into larger ones in the upper parts to a structure in the deeper parts where a height-independent number of strong downdrafts persist. This change of flow topology occurs when a substantial subadiabatic layer is present in the lower part of the CZ.

VARIATION OF STELLAR ENVELOPE CONVECTION AND OVERSHOOT WITH METALLICITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanner, Joel D.; Basu, Sarbani; Demarque, Pierre

2013-01-01

We examine how metallicity affects convection and overshoot in the superadiabatic layer of main sequence stars. We present results from a grid of three-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations with four metallicities (Z = 0.040, 0.020, 0.010, 0.001), and spanning a range in effective temperature (4950 eff < 6230). We show that changing the metallicity alters properties of the convective gas dynamics, and the structure of the superadiabatic layer and atmosphere. Our grid of simulations shows that the amount of superadiabaticity, which tracks the transition from efficient to inefficient convection, is sensitive to changes in metallicity. We find that increasing the metallicity forces the location of the transition region to lower densities and pressures, and results in larger mean and turbulent velocities throughout the superadiabatic region. We also quantify the degree of convective overshoot in the atmosphere, and show that it increases with metallicity as well.

Boundary layers and scaling relations in natural thermal convection

Science.gov (United States)

Shishkina, Olga; Lohse, Detlef; Grossmann, Siegfried

2017-11-01

We analyse the boundary layer (BL) equations in natural thermal convection, which includes vertical convection (VC), where the fluid is confined between two differently heated vertical walls, horizontal convection (HC), where the fluid is heated at one part of the bottom plate and cooled at some other part, and Rayleigh-Benard convection (RBC). For BL dominated regimes we derive the scaling relations of the Nusselt and Reynolds numbers (Nu, Re) with the Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers (Ra, Pr). For VC the scaling relations are obtained directly from the BL equations, while for HC they are derived by applying the Grossmann-Lohse theory to the case of VC. In particular, for RBC with large Pr we derive Nu Pr0Ra1/3 and Re Pr-1Ra2/3. The work is supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) under the Grant Sh 405/4 - Heisenberg fellowship.

Turbulent convection in liquid metal with and without rotation.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Eric M; Aurnou, Jonathan M

2013-04-23

The magnetic fields of Earth and other planets are generated by turbulent, rotating convection in liquid metal. Liquid metals are peculiar in that they diffuse heat more readily than momentum, quantified by their small Prandtl numbers, Pr rotating Rayleigh-Bénard convection experiments in the liquid metal gallium (Pr = 0.025) over a range of nondimensional buoyancy forcing (Ra) and rotation periods (E). Our primary diagnostic is the efficiency of convective heat transfer (Nu). In general, we find that the convective behavior of liquid metal differs substantially from that of moderate Pr fluids, such as water. In particular, a transition between rotationally constrained and weakly rotating turbulent states is identified, and this transition differs substantially from that observed in moderate Pr fluids. This difference, we hypothesize, may explain the different classes of magnetic fields observed on the Gas and Ice Giant planets, whose dynamo regions consist of Pr 1 fluids, respectively.

Forced and free convection hydromagnetic flow past a vertical flat plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdelkhalek, M.M.

2004-01-01

The effects of magnetic field and temperature heat source on the free and forced convection flow past an infinite vertical plate is studied analytically. Solutions of the reduced equation appropriate in the forced convection and free convection regime are obtained using perturbation technique. The expression for the velocity field, skin friction and Nusselt number have been obtained

Hydrodynamical simulation of the core helium flash with two-dimensional convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cole, P.W.

1981-01-01

The thermonuclear runaway of helium reactions under the condition of electron degeneracy in the hot, dense central regions of a low mass Population II red giant is investigated. A two-dimensional finite difference approach to time dependent convection has been applied to a peak energy production model of this phenomenon called the core helium flash. The dynamical conservation equations are integrated in two spatial dimensions and time which allow the horizontal variations of the dynamical variables to be followed explicitly. The unbalanced bouyancy forces in convectively unstable regions lead to mass flow (i.e., convective energy transport) by calculation of the velocity flow patterns produced by the conservation laws of mass, momentum, and energy without recourse to any phenomenological theory of convection. The initial phase of this hydrodynamical simulation is characterized by a thermal readjustment via downward convective energy transport into the neutrino cooled core in a series of convection modulated thermal pulses. Each of these pulses is driven by the thermal runaway and quenched by the convective energy transport when the actual temperature gradient in the flash region becomes sufficiently superadiabatic. These convection modulated thermal pulses are observed throughout 95% of the calculation, the duration of which is approximately 570,000 cycles or nearly 96,000 seconds of evolution. After this initial thermal restructuring, there ensues in the simulation a dynamic phase in which the thermonuclear runaway becomes violent. The degree of violence, the final composition, and the peak temperature depend sensitively on the nuclear energy generation rates of those reactions involving alpha particle captures

MODELING THE RISE OF FIBRIL MAGNETIC FIELDS IN FULLY CONVECTIVE STARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weber, Maria A.; Browning, Matthew K., E-mail: mweber@astro.ex.ac.uk [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, EX4 4QL Exeter (United Kingdom)

2016-08-20

Many fully convective stars exhibit a wide variety of surface magnetism, including starspots and chromospheric activity. The manner by which bundles of magnetic field traverse portions of the convection zone to emerge at the stellar surface is not especially well understood. In the solar context, some insight into this process has been gleaned by regarding the magnetism as consisting partly of idealized thin flux tubes (TFTs). Here we present the results of a large set of TFT simulations in a rotating spherical domain of convective flows representative of a 0.3 M {sub ⊙} main-sequence star. This is the first study to investigate how individual flux tubes in such a star might rise under the combined influence of buoyancy, convection, and differential rotation. A time-dependent hydrodynamic convective flow field, taken from separate 3D simulations calculated with the anelastic equations, impacts the flux tube as it rises. Convective motions modulate the shape of the initially buoyant flux ring, promoting localized rising loops. Flux tubes in fully convective stars have a tendency to rise nearly parallel to the rotation axis. However, the presence of strong differential rotation allows some initially low-latitude flux tubes of moderate strength to develop rising loops that emerge in the near-equatorial region. Magnetic pumping suppresses the global rise of the flux tube most efficiently in the deeper interior and at lower latitudes. The results of these simulations aim to provide a link between dynamo-generated magnetic fields, fluid motions, and observations of starspots for fully convective stars.

Water-induced convection in the Earth's mantle transition zone

Science.gov (United States)

Richard, Guillaume C.; Bercovici, David

2009-01-01

Water enters the Earth's mantle by subduction of oceanic lithosphere. Most of this water immediately returns to the atmosphere through arc volcanism, but a part of it is expected as deep as the mantle transition zone (410-660 km depth). There, slabs can be deflected and linger before sinking into the lower mantle. Because it lowers the density and viscosity of the transition zone minerals (i.e., wadsleyite and ringwoodite), water is likely to affect the dynamics of the transition zone mantle overlying stagnant slabs. The consequences of water exchange between a floating slab and the transition zone are investigated. In particular, we focus on the possible onset of small-scale convection despite the adverse thermal gradient (i.e., mantle is cooled from below by the slab). The competition between thermal and hydrous effects on the density and thus on the convective stability of the top layer of the slab is examined numerically, including water-dependent density and viscosity and temperature-dependent water solubility. For plausible initial water content in a slab (≥0.5 wt %), an episode of convection is likely to occur after a relatively short time delay (5-20 Ma) after the slab enters the transition zone. However, water induced rheological weakening is seen to be a controlling parameter for the onset time of convection. Moreover, small-scale convection above a stagnant slab greatly enhances the rate of slab dehydration. Small-scale convection also facilitates heating of the slab, which in itself may prolong the residence time of the slab in the transition zone.

Experimental study of natural convective heat transfer in a vertical hexagonal sub channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tandian, Nathanael P.; Umar, Efrizon; Hardianto, Toto; Febriyanto, Catur

2012-01-01

The development of new practices in nuclear reactor safety aspects and optimization of recent nuclear reactors, including the APWR and the PHWR reactors, needs a knowledge on natural convective heat transfer within sub-channels formed among several nuclear fuel rods or heat exchanger tubes. Unfortunately, the currently available empirical correlation equations for such heat transfer modes are limited and researches on convective heat transfer within a bundle of vertical cylinders (especially within the natural convection modes) are scarcely done. Although boundary layers around the heat exchanger cylinders or fuel rods may be dominated by their entry regions, most of available convection correlation equations are for fully developed boundary layers. Recently, an experimental study on natural convective heat transfer in a subchannel formed by several heated parallel cylinders that arranged in a hexagonal configuration has been being done. The study seeks for a new convection correlation for the natural convective heat transfer in the sub-channel formed among the hexagonal vertical cylinders. A new convective heat transfer correlation equation has been obtained from the study and compared to several similar equations in literatures.

Convective overshooting in stars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andrássy, R.

2015-01-01

Numerous observations provide evidence that the standard picture, in which convective mixing is limited to the unstable layers of a star, is incomplete. The mixing layers in real stars are significantly more extended than what the standard models predict. Some of the observations require changing

Universality of spectrum of passive scalar variance at very high Schmidt number in isotropic steady turbulence

Science.gov (United States)

Gotoh, Toshiyuki

2012-11-01

Spectrum of passive scalar variance at very high Schmidt number up to 1000 in isotropic steady turbulence has been studied by using very high resolution DNS. Gaussian random force and scalar source which are isotropic and white in time are applied at low wavenumber band. Since the Schmidt number is very large, the system was integrated for 72 large eddy turn over time for the system to forgot the initial state. It is found that the scalar spectrum attains the asymptotic k-1 spectrum in the viscous-convective range and the constant CB is found to be 5.7 which is larger than 4.9 obtained by DNS under the uniform mean scalar gradient. Reasons for the difference are inferred as the Reynolds number effect, anisotropy, difference in the scalar injection, duration of time average, and the universality of the constant is discussed. The constant CB is also compared with the prediction by the Lagrangian statistical theory for the passive scalar. The scalar spectrum in the far diffusive range is found to be exponential, which is consistent with the Kraichnan's spectrum. However, the Kraichnan spectrum was derived under the assumption that the velocity field is white in time, therefore theoretical explanation of the agreement needs to be explored. Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research No. 21360082, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.

CRUCIB: an axisymmetric convection code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertram, L.A.

1975-03-01

The CRUCIB code was written in support of an experimental program aimed at measurement of thermal diffusivities of refractory liquids. Precise values of diffusivity are necessary to realistic analysis of reactor safety problems, nuclear waste disposal procedures, and fundamental metal forming processes. The code calculates the axisymmetric transient convective motions produced in a right circular cylindrical crucible, which is surface heated by an annular heat pulse. Emphasis of this report is placed on the input-output options of the CRUCIB code, which are tailored to assess the importance of the convective heat transfer in determining the surface temperature distribution. Use is limited to Prandtl numbers less than unity; larger values can be accommodated by replacement of a single block of the code, if desired. (U.S.)

Basal melting driven by turbulent thermal convection

Science.gov (United States)

Rabbanipour Esfahani, Babak; Hirata, Silvia C.; Berti, Stefano; Calzavarini, Enrico

2018-05-01

Melting and, conversely, solidification processes in the presence of convection are key to many geophysical problems. An essential question related to these phenomena concerns the estimation of the (time-evolving) melting rate, which is tightly connected to the turbulent convective dynamics in the bulk of the melt fluid and the heat transfer at the liquid-solid interface. In this work, we consider a convective-melting model, constructed as a generalization of the Rayleigh-Bénard system, accounting for the basal melting of a solid. As the change of phase proceeds, a fluid layer grows at the heated bottom of the system and eventually reaches a turbulent convection state. By means of extensive lattice-Boltzmann numerical simulations employing an enthalpy formulation of the governing equations, we explore the model dynamics in two- and three-dimensional configurations. The focus of the analysis is on the scaling of global quantities like the heat flux and the kinetic energy with the Rayleigh number, as well as on the interface morphology and the effects of space dimensionality. Independently of dimensionality, we find that the convective-melting system behavior shares strong resemblances with that of the Rayleigh-Bénard one, and that the heat flux is only weakly enhanced with respect to that case. Such similarities are understood, at least to some extent, considering the resulting slow motion of the melting front (with respect to the turbulent fluid velocity fluctuations) and its generally little roughness (compared to the height of the fluid layer). Varying the Stefan number, accounting for the thermodynamical properties of the material, also seems to have only a mild effect, which implies the possibility of extrapolating results in numerically delicate low-Stefan setups from more convenient high-Stefan ones. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for the geophysically relevant problem of modeling Arctic ice melt ponds.

Towards the ultimate variance-conserving convection scheme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Os, J.J.A.M. van; Uittenbogaard, R.E.

2004-01-01

In the past various arguments have been used for applying kinetic energy-conserving advection schemes in numerical simulations of incompressible fluid flows. One argument is obeying the programmed dissipation by viscous stresses or by sub-grid stresses in Direct Numerical Simulation and Large Eddy Simulation, see e.g. [Phys. Fluids A 3 (7) (1991) 1766]. Another argument is that, according to e.g. [J. Comput. Phys. 6 (1970) 392; 1 (1966) 119], energy-conserving convection schemes are more stable i.e. by prohibiting a spurious blow-up of volume-integrated energy in a closed volume without external energy sources. In the above-mentioned references it is stated that nonlinear instability is due to spatial truncation rather than to time truncation and therefore these papers are mainly concerned with the spatial integration. In this paper we demonstrate that discretized temporal integration of a spatially variance-conserving convection scheme can induce non-energy conserving solutions. In this paper the conservation of the variance of a scalar property is taken as a simple model for the conservation of kinetic energy. In addition, the derivation and testing of a variance-conserving scheme allows for a clear definition of kinetic energy-conserving advection schemes for solving the Navier-Stokes equations. Consequently, we first derive and test a strictly variance-conserving space-time discretization for the convection term in the convection-diffusion equation. Our starting point is the variance-conserving spatial discretization of the convection operator presented by Piacsek and Williams [J. Comput. Phys. 6 (1970) 392]. In terms of its conservation properties, our variance-conserving scheme is compared to other spatially variance-conserving schemes as well as with the non-variance-conserving schemes applied in our shallow-water solver, see e.g. [Direct and Large-eddy Simulation Workshop IV, ERCOFTAC Series, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001, pp. 409-287

Convective mass transfer around a dissolving bubble

Science.gov (United States)

Duplat, Jerome; Grandemange, Mathieu; Poulain, Cedric

2017-11-01

Heat or mass transfer around an evaporating drop or condensing vapor bubble is a complex issue due to the interplay between the substrate properties, diffusion- and convection-driven mass transfer, and Marangoni effects, to mention but a few. In order to disentangle these mechanisms, we focus here mainly on the convective mass transfer contribution in an isothermal mass transfer problem. For this, we study the case of a millimetric carbon dioxide bubble which is suspended under a substrate and dissolved into pure liquid water. The high solubility of CO2 in water makes the liquid denser and promotes a buoyant-driven flow at a high (solutal) Rayleigh number (Ra˜104 ). The alteration of p H allows the concentration field in the liquid to be imaged by laser fluorescence enabling us to measure both the global mass flux (bubble volume, contact angle) and local mass flux around the bubble along time. After a short period of mass diffusion, where the boundary layer thickens like the square root of time, convection starts and the CO2 is carried by a plume falling at constant velocity. The boundary layer thickness then reaches a plateau which depends on the bubble cross section. Meanwhile the plume velocity scales like (dV /d t )1 /2 with V being the volume of the bubble. As for the rate of volume loss, we recover a constant mass flux in the diffusion-driven regime followed by a decrease in the volume V like V2 /3 after convection has started. We present a model which agrees well with the bubble dynamics and discuss our results in the context of droplet evaporation, as well as high Rayleigh convection.

Efficiency of Heat Transfer in Turbulent Rayleigh-Benard Convection

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Urban, Pavel; Musilová, Věra; Skrbek, L.

2011-01-01

Roč. 107, č. 1 (2011), 014302:1-4 ISSN 0031-9007 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KJB200650902 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20650511 Keywords : natural convection * thermal convection Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics Impact factor: 7.370, year: 2011

Convection with local thermal non-equilibrium and microfluidic effects

CERN Document Server

Straughan, Brian

2015-01-01

This book is one of the first devoted to an account of theories of thermal convection which involve local thermal non-equilibrium effects, including a concentration on microfluidic effects. The text introduces convection with local thermal non-equilibrium effects in extraordinary detail, making it easy for readers newer to the subject area to understand. This book is unique in the fact that it addresses a large number of convection theories and provides many new results which are not available elsewhere. This book will be useful to researchers from engineering, fluid mechanics, and applied mathematics, particularly those interested in microfluidics and porous media.

Large scale circulation in the convection zone and solar differential rotation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belvedere, G [Instituto di Astronomia dell' Universita di Catania, 95125 Italy; Paterno, L [Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, 95125 Italy

1976-04-01

In this paper the dependence on depth and latitude of the solar angular velocity produced by a meridian circulation in the convection zone is studied assuming that the main mechanism responsible for setting up and driving the circulation is the interaction of rotation with convection. The first order equations (perturbation of the spherically symmetric state are solved in the Boussinesq approximation and in the steady state for the axissymmetric case. The interaction of convection with rotation is modelled by a convective transport coefficient. The model is consistent with the fact that the interaction of convection with rotation sets up a circulation (driven by the temperature gradient) which carries angular momentum toward the equator against the viscous friction. Unfortunately also a large flux variation at the surface is obtained. Nevertheless it seems that the model has the basic requisites for correct dynamo action.

Ignition in Convective-Diffusive Systems

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Law, Chung

1999-01-01

... efficiency as well as the knock and emission characteristics. The ignition event is clearly controlled by the chemical reactions of fuel oxidation and the fluid mechanics of convective and diffusive transport...

Simulation of Thermomagnetic Convection in a Cavity Using the Lattice Boltzmann Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahshid Hadavand

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Thermomagnetic convection in a differentially heated square cavity with an infinitely long third dimension is numerically simulated using the single relaxation time lattice Boltzmann method (LBM. This problem is of considerable interest when dealing with cooling of microelectronic devices, in situations where natural convection does not meet the cooling requirements, and forced convection is not viable due to the difficulties associated with pumping a ferrofluid. Therefore, circulation is achieved by imposing a magnetic field, which is created and controlled by placing a dipole at the bottom of the enclosure. The magnitude of the magnetic force is controlled by changing the electrical current through the dipole. In this study, the effects of combined natural convection and magnetic convection, which is commonly known as “thermomagnetic convection,” are analysed in terms of the flow modes and heat transfer characteristics of a magnetic fluid.

Transition from boiling to two-phase forced convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maroti, L.

1985-01-01

The paper presents a method for the prediction of the boundary points of the transition region between fully developed boiling and two-phase forced convection. It is shown that the concept for the determination of the onset of fully developed boiling can also be applied for the calculation of the point where the heat transfer is effected again by the forced convection. Similarly, the criterion for the onset of nucleate boiling can be used for the definition of the point where boiling is completely suppressed and pure two-phase forced convection starts. To calculate the heat transfer coefficient for the transition region, an equation is proposed that applies the boundary points and a relaxation function ensuring the smooth transition of the heat transfer coefficient at the boundaries

ULTRA-SHARP nonoscillatory convection schemes for high-speed steady multidimensional flow

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, B. P.; Mokhtari, Simin

1990-01-01

For convection-dominated flows, classical second-order methods are notoriously oscillatory and often unstable. For this reason, many computational fluid dynamicists have adopted various forms of (inherently stable) first-order upwinding over the past few decades. Although it is now well known that first-order convection schemes suffer from serious inaccuracies attributable to artificial viscosity or numerical diffusion under high convection conditions, these methods continue to enjoy widespread popularity for numerical heat transfer calculations, apparently due to a perceived lack of viable high accuracy alternatives. But alternatives are available. For example, nonoscillatory methods used in gasdynamics, including currently popular TVD schemes, can be easily adapted to multidimensional incompressible flow and convective transport. This, in itself, would be a major advance for numerical convective heat transfer, for example. But, as is shown, second-order TVD schemes form only a small, overly restrictive, subclass of a much more universal, and extremely simple, nonoscillatory flux-limiting strategy which can be applied to convection schemes of arbitrarily high order accuracy, while requiring only a simple tridiagonal ADI line-solver, as used in the majority of general purpose iterative codes for incompressible flow and numerical heat transfer. The new universal limiter and associated solution procedures form the so-called ULTRA-SHARP alternative for high resolution nonoscillatory multidimensional steady state high speed convective modelling.

Convection and Overshoot in Models of Doradus and Scuti Stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lovekin, Catherine C.

2017-01-01

We investigate the pulsation properties of stellar models that are representative of δ Scuti and γ Doradus variables. Here we have calculated a grid of stellar models from 1.2 to 2.2 M ⊙, including the effects of both rotation and convective overshoot using MESA, and we investigate the pulsation properties of these models using GYRE. We discuss the observable patterns in the frequency spacing for p modes and the period spacings for g modes. Using the observable patterns in the g mode period spacings, it may be possible to observationally constrain the convective overshoot and rotation of a model. We also calculate the pulsation constant (Q) for all models in our grid and investigate the variation with convective overshoot and rotation. The variation in the Q values of the radial modes can be used to place constraints on the convective overshoot and rotation of stars in this region. Finally, as a test case, we apply this method to a sample of 22 High-Amplitude δ Scuti stars (HADS) and provide estimates for the convective overshoot of the sample.

Spectrally-consistent regularization modeling of turbulent natural convection flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trias, F Xavier; Gorobets, Andrey; Oliva, Assensi; Verstappen, Roel

2012-01-01

The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations constitute an excellent mathematical modelization of turbulence. Unfortunately, attempts at performing direct simulations are limited to relatively low-Reynolds numbers because of the almost numberless small scales produced by the non-linear convective term. Alternatively, a dynamically less complex formulation is proposed here. Namely, regularizations of the Navier-Stokes equations that preserve the symmetry and conservation properties exactly. To do so, both convective and diffusive terms are altered in the same vein. In this way, the convective production of small scales is effectively restrained whereas the modified diffusive term introduces a hyperviscosity effect and consequently enhances the destruction of small scales. In practice, the only additional ingredient is a self-adjoint linear filter whose local filter length is determined from the requirement that vortex-stretching must stop at the smallest grid scale. In the present work, the performance of the above-mentioned recent improvements is assessed through application to turbulent natural convection flows by means of comparison with DNS reference data.

On the Sensitivity of the Diurnal Cycle in the Amazon to Convective Intensity

Science.gov (United States)

Itterly, Kyle; Taylor, Patrick

2015-01-01

This presentation uses publicly available CERES and radiosonde data to investigate the sensitivity of thetropical convective diurnal cycle to atmosphere state. Averaging surface observations into regimes of convective intensitydefined by satellite shows great promise for physical understandingof convection.• Convective processes in the Amazon are highly variable seasonallyand locally.• Buoyancy/CIN more important JJA– Mesoscale/synoptic features easier to separate– Length/depth of buoyancy layer very important in DJF (EL).• Moisture more important DJF, esp. UTH– Humidity of lower atmosphere significantly impacts LTS, LCL and abilityfor parcels to reach LFC.• Lower level jet strength/direction important• Convective initiation correlated with LTS, LR, LTH, EL• Duration/Phase better correlated with humidity variables• Surface Flux amplitude well correlated with convection

IMF By associated interhemispheric asymmetries in ionospheric convection and field-aligned currents

Science.gov (United States)

Kunduri, B.; Baker, J.; Ruohoniemi, J. M.; Clausen, L.; Ribeiro, A.

2012-12-01

The solar wind-magnetosphere interaction plays an important role in controlling the dynamics of ionospheric convection. It is widely known that the By component of IMF generates asymmetries in ionospheric convection between the northern and southern polar caps. Some studies show that IMF By-generated electric field penetrates into the closed magnetosphere producing differences in the high latitude ionospheric convection between hemispheres. The differences in convection were attributed to field-aligned potential drop between hemispheres resulting in flow of interhemispheric field aligned currents. In the current paper we present interhemispheric observations of high latitude ionospheric convection on closed field lines in the noon-dusk sector. The observations reveal that the convection is stronger in the northern (southern) hemisphere when IMF By is positive (negative) irrespective of season. The inter-hemispheric differences can be attributed to the flow of interhemispheric field aligned currents which support the existence of oppositely-directed zonal plasma flows in the closed field line regions, suppressing the convection in one hemisphere and aiding it in the other. We estimate the strength of these currents, analyze their characteristics and identify the various factors such as magnetic local time, magnetic latitude and ionospheric conductivity that impact them.

Searching for Hysteresis in Models of Mantle Convection with Grain-Damage

Science.gov (United States)

Lamichhane, R.; Foley, B. J.

2017-12-01

The mode of surface tectonics on terrestrial planets is determined by whether mantle convective forces are capable of forming weak zones of localized deformation in the lithosphere, which act as plate boundaries. If plate boundaries can form then a plate tectonic mode develops, and if not convection will be in the stagnant lid regime. Episodic subduction or sluggish lid convection are also possible in between the nominal plate tectonic and stagnant lid regimes. Plate boundary formation is largely a function of the state of the mantle, e.g. mantle temperature or surface temperature, and how these conditions influence both mantle convection and the mantle rheology's propensity for forming weak, localized plate boundaries. However, a planet's tectonic mode also influences whether plate boundaries can form, as the driving forces for plate boundary formation (e.g. stress and viscous dissipation) are different in a plate tectonic versus stagnant lid regime. As a result, tectonic mode can display hysteresis, where convection under otherwise identical conditions can reach different final states as a result of the initial regime of convection. Previous work has explored this effect in pseudoplastic models, finding that it is more difficult to initiate plate tectonics starting from a stagnant lid state than it is to sustain plate tectonics when already in a mobile lid regime, because convective stresses in the lithosphere are lower in a stagnant lid regime than in a plate tectonic regime. However, whether and to what extent such hysteresis is displayed when alternative rheological models for lithospheric shear localization are used is unknown. In particular, grainsize reduction is commonly hypothesized to be a primary cause of shear localization and plate boundary formation. We use new models of mantle convection with grain-size evolution to determine how the initial mode of surface tectonics influences the final convective regime reached when convection reaches statistical

The variable Herbig Ae star HR 5999: VIII. Spectroscopic observations 1975 - 1985 and correlations with simulataneous photometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tjin, A.; Djie, H.R.E.; The, P.S.; Andersen, J.; Nordstroem, B.; Finkenzeller, U.; Jankovics, I.

1989-01-01

Visual spectroscopy of the irregularly variable Herbig Ae star HR 5999 over the past 15 years is summarised. The general features of the spectrum indicate that HR 5999 is an A5-7 III-IVe star with an extended circumstellar atmosphere. Typical lines have a rotationally broadened photospheric component and one or two blue-shifted ''shell'' components. The average radial velocity of the photospheric components, together with the common proper motions of the stars strongly suggest that HR 5999 and the peculiar B6 star HR 6000 from a physical pair, with common age. In order to study the relation between variations in the spectrum and in the brightness of the star, three sequences of simultaneous spectroscopic and photometric observations have been obtained during the past decade. From these and other (isolated) simultaneous observations we concluded that: (a) the photospheric radial velocity component is variable, possibly with a period of about 14 days, which could point to the presence of a close companion, (b) occasionally, sudden variations may occur (within one night) either in the photospheric line components,or in the shell (absorption or emission) components or both; (c) a decreasing brightness is correlated with increasing Hα-emission flux and a decreasing wind velocity in the shell region. An interpretation of these correlations in terms of magnetic activity is proposed

Convection in the Labrador Sea

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Davis, R

1997-01-01

The long-term goal of this grant was to describe the process of deep oceanic convection well enough to provide critical tests of, and guidance to, models used to predict subsurface ocean conditions...

Natural convection and vapor loss during underground waste storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plys, M.G.; Epstein, M.; Turner, D.

1996-01-01

Natural convection and vapor loss from underground waste storage tanks is examined here. Stability criteria are provided for the onset of natural convection flow within the headspace of a tank, and between tanks and the environment. The flowrate is quantified and used to predict vapor losses during storage

NUMERICALLY DETERMINED TRANSPORT LAWS FOR FINGERING ('THERMOHALINE') CONVECTION IN ASTROPHYSICS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Traxler, A.; Garaud, P.; Stellmach, S.

2011-01-01

We present the first three-dimensional simulations of fingering convection performed at parameter values approaching those relevant for astrophysics. Our simulations reveal the existence of simple asymptotic scaling laws for turbulent heat and compositional transport, which can be straightforwardly extrapolated from our numerically tractable values to the true astrophysical regime. Our investigation also indicates that thermo-compositional 'staircases', a key consequence of fingering convection in the ocean, cannot form spontaneously in the fingering regime in stellar interiors. Our proposed empirically determined transport laws thus provide simple prescriptions for mixing by fingering convection in a variety of astrophysical situations, and should, from here on, be used preferentially over older and less accurate parameterizations. They also establish that fingering convection does not provide sufficient extra-mixing to explain observed chemical abundances in red giant branch stars.

Soret-driven double diffusive magneto-convection in couple stress liquid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mishra P.

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The stability analysis of Soret driven double diffusive convection for electrically conducting couple stress liquid is investigated theoretically. The couple stress liquid is confined between two horizontal surfaces and a constant vertical magnetic field is applied across the surfaces. Linear stability analysis is used to investigate the effect of various parameters on the onset of convection. Effect of magnetic field on the onset of convection is presented by means of Chandrasekhar number. The problem is analyzed as a function of Chandrasekhar number (Q, positive and negative Soret parameter (S r and couple stress parameter (C, mainly. The results show that the Q, both positive and negative Sr and C delay the onset of convection. The effect of other parameters is also discussed in paper and shown by graphs.

Relationships between radiation, clouds, and convection during DYNAMO

Science.gov (United States)

Ciesielski, Paul E.; Johnson, Richard H.; Jiang, Xianan; Zhang, Yunyan; Xie, Shaocheng

2017-03-01

The relationships between radiation, clouds, and convection on an intraseasonal time scale are examined with data taken during the Dynamics of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) field campaign. Specifically, column-net, as well as vertical profiles of radiative heating rates, computed over Gan Island in the central Indian Ocean (IO) are used along with an objective analysis of large-scale fields to examine three MJO events that occurred during the 3 month period (October to December 2011) over this region. Longwave (LW) and shortwave radiative heating rates exhibit tilted structures, reflecting radiative effects associated with the prevalence of shallow cumulus during the dry, suppressed MJO phase followed by increasing deep convection leading into the active phase. As the convection builds going into the MJO active phase, there are increasingly top-heavy anomalous radiative heating rates while the column-net radiative cooling rate progressively decreases. Temporal fluctuations in the cloud radiative forcing, being quite sensitive to changes in high cloudiness, are dominated by LW effects with an intraseasonal variation of 0.4-0.6 K/d. While both the water vapor and cloud fields are inextricably linked, it appears that the tilted radiative structures are more related to water vapor effects. The intraseasonal variation of column-net radiative heating enhances the convective signal in the mean by 20% with a minimum in this enhancement 10 days prior to peak MJO rainfall and maximum 7 days after. This suggests that as MJO convective envelope weakens over the central IO, cloud-radiative feedbacks help maintain the mature MJO as it moves eastward.

Study of mixed convection in sodium pool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhou; Chen Yan

1995-01-01

The mixed convection phenomena in the sodium pool of fast reactor have been studied systematically by the two dimensional modeling method. A generalized concept of circumferential line in the cylindrical coordinates was proposed to overcome the three dimensional effect induced by the pool geometry in an analysis of two dimensional modeling. A method of sub-step in time was developed for solving the turbulent equations. The treatments on the boundary condition for the auxiliary velocity field have been proposed, and the explanation of allowing the flow function method to be used in the flow field in presence of a mass source term was given. As examples of verification, the experiments were conducted with water flow in a rectangular cavity. The results from theoretical analysis were applied to the numerical computation for the mixed convection in the cavity. The mechanism of stratified flow in the cavity was studied. A numerical calculation was carried out for the mixed convection in hot plenum of a typical fast reactor

Large-scale patterns in Rayleigh-Benard convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardenberg, J. von; Parodi, A.; Passoni, G.; Provenzale, A.; Spiegel, E.A.

2008-01-01

Rayleigh-Benard convection at large Rayleigh number is characterized by the presence of intense, vertically moving plumes. Both laboratory and numerical experiments reveal that the rising and descending plumes aggregate into separate clusters so as to produce large-scale updrafts and downdrafts. The horizontal scales of the aggregates reported so far have been comparable to the horizontal extent of the containers, but it has not been clear whether that represents a limitation imposed by domain size. In this work, we present numerical simulations of convection at sufficiently large aspect ratio to ascertain whether there is an intrinsic saturation scale for the clustering process when that ratio is large enough. From a series of simulations of Rayleigh-Benard convection with Rayleigh numbers between 10 5 and 10 8 and with aspect ratios up to 12π, we conclude that the clustering process has a finite horizontal saturation scale with at most a weak dependence on Rayleigh number in the range studied

Relationship between Hard X-Ray Footpoint Sources and Photospheric Electric Currents in Solar Flares: a Statistical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Zimovets, I. V.; Sharykin, I. N.; Wang, R.; Liu, Y. D.; Kosovichev, A. G.

2017-12-01

It is believed that solar flares are a result of release of free magnetic energy contained in electric currents (ECs) flowing in active regions (ARs). However, there are still debates whether the primary energy release and acceleration of electrons take place in coronal current sheets or in chromospheric footpoints of current-carrying magnetic flux tubes (loops). We present results of an observational statistical study of spatial relationship between hard X-ray (HXR; EHXR≥50keV) footpoint sources detected by RHESSI and vertical photospheric ECs calculated using vector magnetograms obtained from the SDO/HMI data. We found that for a sample of 47 flares (from C3.0 to X3.1 class) observed on the solar disk by both instruments in 2010-2016, at least one HXR source was in a region of strong (within 20% of the maximum EC density in the corresponding ARs) vertical ECs having the form of a ribbon (79%) or an island (21%). The total vertical ECs in such HXR sources are in the range of 1010-1013 A. The EC density is in the range of 0.01-1.0 A/m2. We found no correlation between intensity of the HXR sources and the EC density. By comparing pre-flare and post-flare EC maps we did not find evidences of significant dissipation of vertical ECs in the regions corresponding to the HXR sources. In some cases, we found amplification of ECs during flares. We discuss effects of sensitivity and angular resolution of RHESSI and SDO/HMI. In general, the results indicate that there is a link between the flare HXR footpoint sources and enhanced vertical ECs in the photosphere. However, the results do not support a concept of electron acceleration by the electric field excited in footpoints of current-carrying loops due to some (e.g. Rayleigh-Taylor) instabilities (Zaitsev et al., 2016), since strong correlation between the HXR intensity and the EC density is expected in such concept.

Convection and crystal settling in sills

Science.gov (United States)

Gibb, Fergus G. F.; Henderson, C. Michael B.

1992-02-01

It has been advocated that convective and crystal settling processes play significant, and perhaps crucial, roles in magmatic differentiation. The fluid dynamics of magma chambers have been extensively studied in recent years, both theoretically and experimentally, but there is disagreement over the nature and scale of the convection, over its bearing on fractionation and possibly over whether it occurs at all. The differential distribution of modal olivine with height in differentiated alkaline basic sills provides critical evidence to resolve this controversy, at least for small to medium-large magma chambers. Our own and others' published data for such sills show that, irrespective of overall olivine content, modal olivine contents tend to increase in a roughly symmetrical manner inwards from the upper and lower margins of the sill, i.e. the distribution patterns are more often approximately D-shaped rather than the classic S-shape generally ascribed to gravity settling. We concur with the majority of other authors that this is an original feature of the filling process which has survived more or less unchanged since emplacement. We therefore conclude that the magmas have not undergone turbulent convection and that gravity settling has usually played only a minor modifying role since the intrusion of these sills. We offer a possible explanation for the apparent contradiction between fluid dynamical theory and the petrological evidence by suggesting that such sills rarely fill by the rapid injection of a single pulse of magma. Rather, they form from a series of pulses or a continuous pulsed influx over a protracted interval during which marginal cooling severely limits the potential for thermal convection.

Convection and waves on Small Earth and Deep Atmosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noureddine Semane

2015-06-01

Full Text Available A scaled version of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF spectral hydrostatic forecast model (IFS has been developed with full physics using an Aqua planet configuration. This includes Kuang et al.'s Small Earth Diabatic Acceleration and REscaling (DARE/SE approach bringing the synoptic scale a factor γ closer to the convective scale by reducing the Earth radius by γ, and increasing the rotation rate and all diabatic processes by the same factor. Furthermore, the scaled version also provides an alternative system to DARE/SE, dubbed ‘Deep Atmosphere Diabatic Acceleration and REscaling’ (DARE/DA, which reduces gravity by a factor γ and thereby increases the horizontal scale of convection by γ, while only weakly affecting the large-scale flow. The two approaches have been evaluated using a T159 spectral truncation and γ = 8 with the deep convection scheme switched off. The evaluation is against the baseline unscaled model at T1279 spectral resolution without deep convection parametrisation, as well as the unscaled T159 model using the deep convection parametrisation. It is shown that the DARE/SE and DARE/DA systems provide fairly equivalent results, while the DARE/DA system seems to be the preferred choice as it damps divergent modes, providing a better climatology, and is technically easier to implement. However, neither of the systems could reproduce the motion range and modes of the high-resolution spectral model. Higher equivalent horizontal resolution in the 1–10 km range and the full non-hydrostatic system might be necessary to successfully simulate the convective and large-scale explicitly at reduced cost.

Mapping high-latitude plasma convection with coherent HF radars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruohoniemi, J.M.; Greenwald, R.A.; Baker, K.B.; Villain, J.-P.; Hanuise, C.; Kelly, J.

1989-01-01

In this decade, a new technique for the study of ionosphere electrodynamics has been implemented in an evolving generation of high-latitude HF radars. Coherent backscatter from electron density irregularities at F region altitudes is utilized to observe convective plasma motion. The electronic beam forming and scanning capabilities of the radars afford an excellent combination of spatial (∼50 km) and temporal (∼1 min) resolution of the large-scale (∼10 6 km 2 ) convection pattern. In this paper, we outline the methods developed to synthesize the HF radar data into two-dimensional maps of convection velocity. Although any single radar can directly measure only the line-of-sight, or radial, component of the plasma motion, the convection pattern is sometimes so uniform and stable that scanning in azimuth serves to determine the transverse component as well. Under more variable conditions, data from a second radar are necessary to unambiguously resolve velocity vectors. In either case, a limited region of vector solution can be expanded into contiguous areas of single-radar radial velocity data by noting that the convection must everywhere be divergence-free, i.e., ∇·v=0. It is thus often possible to map velocity vectors without extensive second-radar coverage. We present several examples of two-dimensional velocity maps. These show instances of L shell-aligned flow in the dusk sector, the reversal of convection near magnetic midnight, and counterstreaming in the dayside cleft. We include a study of merged coherent and incoherent radar data that illustrates the applicability of these methods to other ionospheric radar systems. copyright American Geophysical Union 1989

Consequences of high effective Prandtl number on solar differential rotation and convective velocity

Science.gov (United States)

Karak, Bidya Binay; Miesch, Mark; Bekki, Yuto

2018-04-01

Observations suggest that the large-scale convective velocities obtained by solar convection simulations might be over-estimated (convective conundrum). One plausible solution to this could be the small-scale dynamo which cannot be fully resolved by global simulations. The small-scale Lorentz force suppresses the convective motions and also the turbulent mixing of entropy between upflows and downflows, leading to a large effective Prandtl number (Pr). We explore this idea in three-dimensional global rotating convection simulations at different thermal conductivity (κ), i.e., at different Pr. In agreement with previous non-rotating simulations, the convective velocity is reduced with the increase of Pr as long as the thermal conductive flux is negligible. A subadiabatic layer is formed near the base of the convection zone due to continuous deposition of low entropy plumes in low-κ simulations. The most interesting result of our low-κ simulations is that the convective motions are accompanied by a change in the convection structure that is increasingly influenced by small-scale plumes. These plumes tend to transport angular momentum radially inward and thus establish an anti-solar differential rotation, in striking contrast to the solar rotation profile. If such low diffusive plumes, driven by the radiative-surface cooling, are present in the Sun, then our results cast doubt on the idea that a high effective Pr may be a viable solution to the solar convective conundrum. Our study also emphasizes that any resolution of the conundrum that relies on the downward plumes must take into account the angular momentum transport and heat transport.

Distribution of electric currents in sunspots from photosphere to corona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gosain, Sanjay [National Solar Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Démoulin, Pascal [Observatoire de Paris, LESIA, UMR 8109 (CNRS), F-92195 Meudon Principal Cedex (France); López Fuentes, Marcelo [Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (IAFE), UBA-CONICET, CC. 67, Suc. 28 Buenos Aires 1428 (Argentina)

2014-09-20

We present a study of two regular sunspots that exhibit nearly uniform twist from the photosphere to the corona. We derive the twist parameter in the corona and in the chromosphere by minimizing the difference between the extrapolated linear force-free field model field lines and the observed intensity structures in the extreme-ultraviolet images of the Sun. The chromospheric structures appear more twisted than the coronal structures by a factor of two. Further, we derive the vertical component of electric current density, j{sub z} , using vector magnetograms from the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope (SOT). The spatial distribution of j{sub z} has a zebra pattern of strong positive and negative values owing to the penumbral fibril structure resolved by Hinode/SOT. This zebra pattern is due to the derivative of the horizontal magnetic field across the thin fibrils; therefore, it is strong and masks weaker currents that might be present, for example, as a result of the twist of the sunspot. We decompose j{sub z} into the contribution due to the derivatives along and across the direction of the horizontal field, which follows the fibril orientation closely. The map of the tangential component has more distributed currents that are coherent with the chromospheric and coronal twisted structures. Moreover, it allows us to map and identify the direct and return currents in the sunspots. Finally, this decomposition of j{sub z} is general and can be applied to any vector magnetogram in order to better identify the weaker large-scale currents that are associated with coronal twisted/sheared structures.

Agglomeration of dust in convective clouds initialized by nuclear bursts

Science.gov (United States)

Bacon, D. P.; Sarma, R. A.

Convective clouds initialized by nuclear bursts are modeled using a two-dimensional axisymmetric cloud model. Dust transport through the atmosphere is studied using five different sizes ranging from 1 to 10,000 μm in diameter. Dust is transported in the model domain by advection and sedimentation. Water is allowed to condense onto dust particles in regions of supersaturation in the cloud. The agglomeration of dust particles resulting from the collision of different size dust particles is modeled. The evolution of the dust mass spectrum due to agglomeration is modeled using a numerical scheme which is mass conserving and has low implicit diffusion. Agglomeration moves mass from the small particles with very small fall velocity to the larger sizes which fall to the ground more readily. Results indicate that the dust fallout can be increased significantly due to this process. In preliminary runs using stable and unstable environmental soundings, at 30 min after detonation the total dust in the domain was 11 and 30%, respectively, less than a control case without agglomeration.

Extreme value statistics for two-dimensional convective penetration in a pre-main sequence star

Science.gov (United States)

Pratt, J.; Baraffe, I.; Goffrey, T.; Constantino, T.; Viallet, M.; Popov, M. V.; Walder, R.; Folini, D.

2017-08-01

Context. In the interior of stars, a convectively unstable zone typically borders a zone that is stable to convection. Convective motions can penetrate the boundary between these zones, creating a layer characterized by intermittent convective mixing, and gradual erosion of the density and temperature stratification. Aims: We examine a penetration layer formed between a central radiative zone and a large convection zone in the deep interior of a young low-mass star. Using the Multidimensional Stellar Implicit Code (MUSIC) to simulate two-dimensional compressible stellar convection in a spherical geometry over long times, we produce statistics that characterize the extent and impact of convective penetration in this layer. Methods: We apply extreme value theory to the maximal extent of convective penetration at any time. We compare statistical results from simulations which treat non-local convection, throughout a large portion of the stellar radius, with simulations designed to treat local convection in a small region surrounding the penetration layer. For each of these situations, we compare simulations of different resolution, which have different velocity magnitudes. We also compare statistical results between simulations that radiate energy at a constant rate to those that allow energy to radiate from the stellar surface according to the local surface temperature. Results: Based on the frequency and depth of penetrating convective structures, we observe two distinct layers that form between the convection zone and the stable radiative zone. We show that the probability density function of the maximal depth of convective penetration at any time corresponds closely in space with the radial position where internal waves are excited. We find that the maximal penetration depth can be modeled by a Weibull distribution with a small shape parameter. Using these results, and building on established scalings for diffusion enhanced by large-scale convective motions, we

Tests for removal of decay heat by natural convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashiwagi, E.; Wataru, M.; Gomi, Y.; Hattori, Y.; Ozaki, S.

1993-01-01

Interim storage technology for spent fuel by dry storage casks have been investigated. The casks are vertically placed in a storage building. The decay heat is removed from the outer cask surface by natural convection of air entering from the building wall to the roof. The air flow pattern in the storage building was governed by the natural driving pressure difference and circulating flow. The purpose of this study is to understand the mechanism of the removal of decay heat from casks by natural convection. The simulated flow conditions in the building were assumed as a natural and forced combined convection and were investigated by the turbulent quantities near wall. (author)

Condition of damping of anomalous radial transport, determined by ordered convective electron dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maslov, V.I.; Barchuk, S.V.; Lapshin, V.I.; Volkov, E.D.; Melentsov, Yu.V.

2006-01-01

It is shown, that at development of instability due to a radial gradient of density in the crossed electric and magnetic fields in nuclear fusion installations ordering convective cells can be excited. It provides anomalous particle transport. The spatial structures of these convective cells have been constructed. The radial dimensions of these convective cells depend on their amplitudes and on a radial gradient of density. The convective-diffusion equation for radial dynamics of the electrons has been derived. At the certain value of the universal controlling parameter, the convective cell excitation and the anomalous radial transport are suppressed. (author)

Natural convection in heat-generating fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bol'shov, Leonid A; Kondratenko, Petr S; Strizhov, Valerii F

2001-01-01

Experimental and theoretical studies of convective heat transfer from a heat-generating fluid confined to a closed volume are reviewed. Theoretical results are inferred from analytical estimates based on the relevant conservation laws and the current understanding of the convective heat-transfer processes. Four basic and one asymptotic regime of heat transfer are identified depending on the heat generation rate. Limiting heat-transfer distribution patterns are found for the lower boundary. Heat transfer in a quasi-two-dimensional geometry is analyzed. Quasi-steady-state heat transfer from a cooling-down fluid without internal heat sources is studied separately. Experimental results and theoretical predictions are compared. (reviews of topical problems)

Ten Year Analysis of Tropopause-Overshooting Convection Using GridRad Data

Science.gov (United States)

Cooney, John W.; Bowman, Kenneth P.; Homeyer, Cameron R.; Fenske, Tyler M.

2018-01-01

Convection that penetrates the tropopause (overshooting convection) rapidly transports air from the lower troposphere to the lower stratosphere, potentially mixing air between the two layers. This exchange of air can have a substantial impact on the composition, radiation, and chemistry of the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). In order to improve our understanding of the role convection plays in the transport of trace gases across the tropopause, this study presents a 10 year analysis of overshooting convection for the eastern two thirds of the contiguous United States for March through August of 2004 to 2013 based on radar observations. Echo top altitudes are estimated at hourly intervals using high-resolution, three-dimensional, gridded, radar reflectivity fields created by merging observations from available radars in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) network. Overshooting convection is identified by comparing echo top altitudes with tropopause altitudes derived from the ERA-Interim reanalysis. It is found that overshooting convection is most common in the central United States, with a weak secondary maximum along the southeast coast. The maximum number of overshooting events occur consistently between 2200 and 0200 UTC. Most overshooting events occur in May, June, and July when convection is deepest and the tropopause altitude is relatively low. Approximately 45% of the analyzed overshooting events (those with echo tops at least 1 km above the tropopause) have echo tops extending above the 380 K level into the stratospheric overworld.

Subcritical thermal convection of liquid metals in a rapidly rotating sphere

Science.gov (United States)

Cardin, P.; Schaeffer, N.; Guervilly, C.; Kaplan, E.

2017-12-01

Planetary cores consist of liquid metals (low Prandtl number Pr) that convect as the core cools. Here we study nonlinear convection in a rotating (low Ekman number Ek) planetary core using a fully 3D direct (down to Ek=10-7) and a quasi geostrophic (down to Ek=10-10) numerical simulations. Near the critical thermal forcing (Rayleigh number Ra), convection onsets as thermal Rossby waves, but as Ra increases, this state is superceded by one dominated by advection. At moderate rotation, these states (here called the weak branch and strong branch, respectively) are continuously connected. As the planetary core rotates faster, the continuous transition is replaced by hysteresis cycles and subcriticality until the weak branch disappears entirely and the strong branch onsets in a turbulent state at Ekforcing decreases well below the linear onset of convection (Ra 0.4Racrit in this study for Ek=10-10 and Pr=0.01). We highlight the importance of the Reynolds stress, which is required for convection to persist below the linear onset. We further note the presence of a strong zonal flow that is nonetheless unimportant to the convective subcritical state. Our study suggests that, in the asymptotic regime of rapid rotation relevant for planetary interiors, thermal convection of liquid metals in a sphere onsets and shuts down through a subcritical bifurcation. This scenario may be relevant to explain the lunar and martian dynamo extinctions.

A comparison of photospheric electric current and ultraviolet and X-ray emission in a solar active region

Science.gov (United States)

Haisch, B. M.; Bruner, M. E.; Hagyard, M. J.; Bonnet, R. M.

1986-01-01

This paper presents an extensive set of coordinated observations of a solar active region, taking into account spectroheliograms obtained with the aid of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) Ultraviolet Spectrometer Polarimeter (UVSP) instrument, SMM soft X-ray polychromator (XRP) raster maps, and high spatial resolution ultraviolet images of the sun in Lyman-alpha and in the 1600 A continuum. These data span together the upper solar atmosphere from the temperature minimum to the corona. The data are compared to maps of the inferred photospheric electric current derived from the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) vector magnetograph observations. Some empirical correlation is found between regions of inferred electric current density and the brightest features in the ultraviolet continuum and to a lesser extent those seen in Lyman-alpha within an active region.

A Wildfire-relevant climatology of the convective environment of the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Brian E. Potter; Matthew A. Anaya

2015-01-01

Convective instability can influence the behaviour of large wildfires. Because wildfires modify the temperature and moisture of air in their plumes, instability calculations using ambient conditions may not accurately represent convective potential for some fire plumes. This study used the North American Regional Reanalysis to develop a climatology of the convective...

Vigorous convection as the explanation for Pluto's polygonal terrain.

Science.gov (United States)

Trowbridge, A J; Melosh, H J; Steckloff, J K; Freed, A M

2016-06-02

Pluto's surface is surprisingly young and geologically active. One of its youngest terrains is the near-equatorial region informally named Sputnik Planum, which is a topographic basin filled by nitrogen (N2) ice mixed with minor amounts of CH4 and CO ices. Nearly the entire surface of the region is divided into irregular polygons about 20-30 kilometres in diameter, whose centres rise tens of metres above their sides. The edges of this region exhibit bulk flow features without polygons. Both thermal contraction and convection have been proposed to explain this terrain, but polygons formed from thermal contraction (analogous to ice-wedges or mud-crack networks) of N2 are inconsistent with the observations on Pluto of non-brittle deformation within the N2-ice sheet. Here we report a parameterized convection model to compute the Rayleigh number of the N2 ice and show that it is vigorously convecting, making Rayleigh-Bénard convection the most likely explanation for these polygons. The diameter of Sputnik Planum's polygons and the dimensions of the 'floating mountains' (the hills of of water ice along the edges of the polygons) suggest that its N2 ice is about ten kilometres thick. The estimated convection velocity of 1.5 centimetres a year indicates a surface age of only around a million years.

Regional modelling of tracer transport by tropical convection – Part 1: Sensitivity to convection parameterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Arteta

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The general objective of this series of papers is to evaluate long duration limited area simulations with idealised tracers as a tool to assess tracer transport in chemistry-transport models (CTMs. In this first paper, we analyse the results of six simulations using different convection closures and parameterizations. The simulations are using the Grell and Dévényi (2002 mass-flux framework for the convection parameterization with different closures (Grell = GR, Arakawa-Shubert = AS, Kain-Fritch = KF, Low omega = LO, Moisture convergence = MC and an ensemble parameterization (EN based on the other five closures. The simulations are run for one month during the SCOUT-O3 field campaign lead from Darwin (Australia. They have a 60 km horizontal resolution and a fine vertical resolution in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere. Meteorological results are compared with satellite products, radiosoundings and SCOUT-O3 aircraft campaign data. They show that the model is generally in good agreement with the measurements with less variability in the model. Except for the precipitation field, the differences between the six simulations are small on average with respect to the differences with the meteorological observations. The comparison with TRMM rainrates shows that the six parameterizations or closures have similar behaviour concerning convection triggering times and locations. However, the 6 simulations provide two different behaviours for rainfall values, with the EN, AS and KF parameterizations (Group 1 modelling better rain fields than LO, MC and GR (Group 2. The vertical distribution of tropospheric tracers is very different for the two groups showing significantly more transport into the TTL for Group 1 related to the larger average values of the upward velocities. Nevertheless the low values for the Group 1 fluxes at and above the cold point level indicate that the model does not simulate significant overshooting. For stratospheric tracers

NONLINEAR FORCE-FREE FIELD EXTRAPOLATION OF A CORONAL MAGNETIC FLUX ROPE SUPPORTING A LARGE-SCALE SOLAR FILAMENT FROM A PHOTOSPHERIC VECTOR MAGNETOGRAM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Chaowei; Wu, S. T.; Hu, Qiang [Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States); Feng, Xueshang, E-mail: cwjiang@spaceweather.ac.cn, E-mail: wus@uah.edu, E-mail: qh0001@uah.edu, E-mail: fengx@spaceweather.ac.cn [SIGMA Weather Group, State Key Laboratory for Space Weather, Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2014-05-10

Solar filaments are commonly thought to be supported in magnetic dips, in particular, in those of magnetic flux ropes (FRs). In this Letter, based on the observed photospheric vector magnetogram, we implement a nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) extrapolation of a coronal magnetic FR that supports a large-scale intermediate filament between an active region and a weak polarity region. This result is a first, in the sense that current NLFFF extrapolations including the presence of FRs are limited to relatively small-scale filaments that are close to sunspots and along main polarity inversion lines (PILs) with strong transverse field and magnetic shear, and the existence of an FR is usually predictable. In contrast, the present filament lies along the weak-field region (photospheric field strength ≲ 100 G), where the PIL is very fragmented due to small parasitic polarities on both sides of the PIL and the transverse field has a low signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, extrapolating a large-scale FR in such a case represents a far more difficult challenge. We demonstrate that our CESE-MHD-NLFFF code is sufficient for the challenge. The numerically reproduced magnetic dips of the extrapolated FR match observations of the filament and its barbs very well, which strongly supports the FR-dip model for filaments. The filament is stably sustained because the FR is weakly twisted and strongly confined by the overlying closed arcades.

Combined convective heat transfer of liquid sodium flowing across tube banks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Ying; Sugiyama, Ken-ichiro; Ishiguro, Ryoji

1989-01-01

In order to clarify the heat transfer characteristics of combined convection of liquid sodium, a numerical analysis is performed for liquid sodium which flows through a single horizontal row of tubes in the direction of gravity. The correlation of heat transfer characteristics between liquid sodium and ordinary fluids is also discussed. The heat transfer characteristics at large Reynolds numbers are improved when the Richardson number is increased, and the improvement rate is enlarged with increase in p/d value, since convection effect is relatively large. However heat transfer coefficients do not differ from those of forced convection at small Reynolds numbers even when the Richardson number reaches a high value because of conduction effect. A good consistence of heat transfer characteristics of combined convection between liquid sodium and air is obtained at the same Peclet number and Richardson number. This means that the fundamental heat transfer characteristics of combined convection of liquid sodium can be investigated with ordinary fluids. (author)

Influences of Gravity Waves on Convectively Induced Turbulence (CIT): A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Sharman, Robert D.; Trier, S. B.

2018-03-01

Thunderstorms are known to produce turbulence. Such turbulence is commonly referred to as convectively induced turbulence or CIT, and can be hazardous to aviation. Although this turbulence can occur both within and outside the convection, out-of-cloud CIT is particularly hazardous, since it occurs in clear air and cannot be seen by eye or onboard radar. Furthermore, due to its small scale and its ties to the underlying convection, it is very difficult to forecast. Guidelines for out-of-cloud CIT avoidance are available, but they are oversimplified and can be misleading. In the search for more appropriate and physically based avoidance guidelines, considerable research has been conducted in recent years on the nature of the phenomenon, and in particular, its connection to gravity waves generated by the convection. This paper reviews the advances in our understanding of out-of-cloud CIT and its relation to convective gravity waves, and provides several detailed examples of observed cases to elucidate some of the underlying dynamics.

International benchmark on the natural convection test in Phenix reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenchine, D.; Pialla, D.; Fanning, T.H.; Thomas, J.W.; Chellapandi, P.; Shvetsov, Y.; Maas, L.; Jeong, H.-Y.; Mikityuk, K.; Chenu, A.; Mochizuki, H.; Monti, S.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Phenix main characteristics, instrumentation and natural convection test are described. ► “Blind” calculations and post-test calculations from all the participants to the benchmark are compared to reactor data. ► Lessons learned from the natural convection test and the associated calculations are discussed. -- Abstract: The French Phenix sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) started operation in 1973 and was stopped in 2009. Before the reactor was definitively shutdown, several final tests were planned and performed, including a natural convection test in the primary circuit. During this natural convection test, the heat rejection provided by the steam generators was disabled, followed several minutes later by reactor scram and coast-down of the primary pumps. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) launched a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) named “control rod withdrawal and sodium natural circulation tests performed during the Phenix end-of-life experiments”. The overall purpose of the CRP was to improve the Member States’ analytical capabilities in the field of SFR safety. An international benchmark on the natural convection test was organized with “blind” calculations in a first step, then “post-test” calculations and sensitivity studies compared with reactor measurements. Eight organizations from seven Member States took part in the benchmark: ANL (USA), CEA (France), IGCAR (India), IPPE (Russian Federation), IRSN (France), KAERI (Korea), PSI (Switzerland) and University of Fukui (Japan). Each organization performed computations and contributed to the analysis and global recommendations. This paper summarizes the findings of the CRP benchmark exercise associated with the Phenix natural convection test, including blind calculations, post-test calculations and comparisons with measured data. General comments and recommendations are pointed out to improve future simulations of natural convection in SFRs

Review of Mixed Convection Flow Regime Map of a Vertical pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chae, Myeong-Seon; Chung, Bum-Jin; Kang, Gyeong-Uk

2015-01-01

In a vertical pipe, the natural convective force due to buoyancy acts upward only, but forced convective force can be either upward or downward. This determines buoyancy-aided and buoyancy-opposed flows depending on the direction of forced flow with respect to the buoyancy forces. Furthermore, depending on the exchange mechanism, the flow condition is classified into laminar and turbulent. In laminar mixed convection, buoyancy-aided flow presents enhanced heat transfer compared to the pure forced convection and buoyancy-opposed flow shows impaired heat transfer as the flow velocity affected by the buoyancy forces. However, in turbulent mixed convection, buoyancy-aided flow shows an impairment of the heat transfer rate for small buoyancy, and a gradational enhancement for large buoyancy. In this study, the existing flow regime map on mixed convection in a vertical pipe was reviewed through an analysis of literatures. Using the investigated data and heat transfer correlations, the flow regime map was reconstructed independently, and compared with the existing one. This study reviewed the limitations of the classical mixed convection flow regime map. Using the existing data and heat transfer correlations by Martinelli and Boelter and Watzinger and Johnson, the flow regime map was reconstructed independently. The results revealed that the existing map used the data selectively among the experimental and theoretical results, and a detailed description for lines forming mixed convection and transition regime were not given. And the information about uncertainty analysis and the evidentiary data were given insufficiently. The flow regime map and investigator commonly used the diameter as the characteristic length for both Re and Gr in place of the height of the heated wall, though the buoyancy forces are proportional to the third power of the height of heated wall

Magnetically Modulated Heat Transport in a Global Simulation of Solar Magneto-convection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cossette, Jean-Francois [Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Campus Box 600, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); Charbonneau, Paul [Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7 (Canada); Smolarkiewicz, Piotr K. [European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, RG2 9AX (United Kingdom); Rast, Mark P., E-mail: Jean-Francois.Cossette@lasp.colorado.edu, E-mail: paulchar@astro.umontreal.ca, E-mail: smolar@ecmwf.int, E-mail: Mark.Rast@lasp.colorado.edu [Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Campus Box 391, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States)

2017-05-20

We present results from a global MHD simulation of solar convection in which the heat transported by convective flows varies in-phase with the total magnetic energy. The purely random initial magnetic field specified in this experiment develops into a well-organized large-scale antisymmetric component undergoing hemispherically synchronized polarity reversals on a 40 year period. A key feature of the simulation is the use of a Newtonian cooling term in the entropy equation to maintain a convectively unstable stratification and drive convection, as opposed to the specification of heating and cooling terms at the bottom and top boundaries. When taken together, the solar-like magnetic cycle and the convective heat flux signature suggest that a cyclic modulation of the large-scale heat-carrying convective flows could be operating inside the real Sun. We carry out an analysis of the entropy and momentum equations to uncover the physical mechanism responsible for the enhanced heat transport. The analysis suggests that the modulation is caused by a magnetic tension imbalance inside upflows and downflows, which perturbs their respective contributions to heat transport in such a way as to enhance the total convective heat flux at cycle maximum. Potential consequences of the heat transport modulation for solar irradiance variability are briefly discussed.

Modeling approaches to natural convection in porous media

CERN Document Server

Su, Yan

2015-01-01

This book provides an overview of the field of flow and heat transfer in porous medium and focuses on presentation of a generalized approach to predict drag and convective heat transfer within porous medium of arbitrary microscopic geometry, including reticulated foams and packed beds. Practical numerical methods to solve natural convection problems in porous media will be presented with illustrative applications for filtrations, thermal storage and solar receivers.

Atmospheric activity in red dwarf stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pettersen, B.R.

1986-01-01

Active and inactive stars of similar mass and luminosity have similar physical conditions in their photospheres, outside of magnetically disturbed regions. Such field structures give rise to stellar activity, which manifests itself at all heights of the atmosphere. Observations of uneven distributions of flux across the stellar disc have led to the disovery of photospheric starspots, chromospheric plage areas, and coronal holes. Localized transient behavior has been identified in both thermal and non-thermal sources, such as flares, shock waves and particle acceleration. The common element to all active regions is the presence of strong magnetic field structures connecting the violently turbulent deep layers in the convection zones of stars with the tenuous outer atmospheres. Transport and dissipation of energy into the chromospheric and coronal regions are still much debated topics

Performance of a convective, infrared and combined infrared- convective heated conveyor-belt dryer.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Mesery, Hany S; Mwithiga, Gikuru

2015-05-01

A conveyor-belt dryer was developed using a combined infrared and hot air heating system that can be used in the drying of fruits and vegetables. The drying system having two chambers was fitted with infrared radiation heaters and through-flow hot air was provided from a convective heating system. The system was designed to operate under either infrared radiation and cold air (IR-CA) settings of 2000 W/m(2) with forced ambient air at 30 °C and air flow of 0.6 m/s or combined infrared and hot air convection (IR-HA) dryer setting with infrared intensity set at 2000 W/m(2) and hot at 60 °C being blown through the dryer at a velocity of 0.6 m/s or hot air convection (HA) at an air temperature of 60 °C and air flow velocity 0.6 m/s but without infrared heating. Apple slices dried under the different dryer settings were evaluated for quality and energy requirements. It was found that drying of apple (Golden Delicious) slices took place in the falling rate drying period and no constant rate period of drying was observed under any of the test conditions. The IR-HA setting was 57.5 and 39.1 % faster than IR-CA and HA setting, respectively. Specific energy consumption was lower and thermal efficiency was higher for the IR-HA setting when compared to both IR-CA and HA settings. The rehydration ratio, shrinkage and colour properties of apples dried under IR-HA conditions were better than for either IR-CA or HA.

Characterizing the degree of convective clustering using radar reflectivity and its application to evaluating model simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, W. Y.; Kim, D.; Rowe, A.; Park, S.

2017-12-01

Despite the impact of mesoscale convective organization on the properties of convection (e.g., mixing between updrafts and environment), parameterizing the degree of convective organization has only recently been attempted in cumulus parameterization schemes (e.g., Unified Convection Scheme UNICON). Additionally, challenges remain in determining the degree of convective organization from observations and in comparing directly with the organization metrics in model simulations. This study addresses the need to objectively quantify the degree of mesoscale convective organization using high quality S-PolKa radar data from the DYNAMO field campaign. One of the most noticeable aspects of mesoscale convective organization in radar data is the degree of convective clustering, which can be characterized by the number and size distribution of convective echoes and the distance between them. We propose a method of defining contiguous convective echoes (CCEs) using precipitating convective echoes identified by a rain type classification algorithm. Two classification algorithms, Steiner et al. (1995) and Powell et al. (2016), are tested and evaluated against high-resolution WRF simulations to determine which method better represents the degree of convective clustering. Our results suggest that the CCEs based on Powell et al.'s algorithm better represent the dynamical properties of the convective updrafts and thus provide the basis of a metric for convective organization. Furthermore, through a comparison with the observational data, the WRF simulations driven by the DYNAMO large-scale forcing, similarly applied to UNICON Single Column Model simulations, will allow us to evaluate the ability of both WRF and UNICON to simulate convective clustering. This evaluation is based on the physical processes that are explicitly represented in WRF and UNICON, including the mechanisms leading to convective clustering, and the feedback to the convective properties.

Enhanced antisunward convection and F region scintillations at mid-latitudes during storm onset

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, J.C.; Aarons, J.

1988-01-01

Millstone Hill radar observations over a wide span of latitudes detail the onset of 300 m/s antisunward (westward) convection at mid and low latitudes in the morning sector as a region of storm-enhanced sunward convection retreats poleward. Ring current observations reported by Lui et al. (1987) suggest that the magnetospheric shielding layer was coincident with the observed reversal between sunward and antisunward convection. A strong southward component of the F region neutral wind is observed at latitudes equatorward of the convection reversal. These observations are in agreement with the model of Spiro et al. (1988), who find that storm-enhanced neutrral winds at latitudes equatorward of the shielding layer can generate a long-lived perturbation electric field in the inner magnetosphere. The observations show the growth of the subauroral electric field as the shielding boundary moves poleward. They observe 136-MHz scintillations in both the auroral sunwarrd convection region and the region of subauroral antisunward convection when the convection electric fields exceed 5 mV/m

Crystalline heterogeneities and instabilities in thermally convecting magma chamber

Science.gov (United States)

Culha, C.; Suckale, J.; Qin, Z.

2016-12-01

A volcanic vent can supply different densities of crystals over an eruption time period. This has been seen in Hawai'i's Kilauea Iki 1959 eruption; however it is not common for all Kilauea or basaltic eruptions. We ask the question: Under what conditions can homogenous magma chamber cultivate crystalline heterogeneities? In some laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, a horizontal variation is observed. The region where crystals reside is identified as a retention zone: convection velocity balances settling velocity. Simulations and experiments that observe retention zones assume crystals do not alter the convection in the fluid. However, a comparison of experiments and simulations of convecting magma with crystals suggest that large crystal volume densities and crystal sizes alter fluid flow considerably. We introduce a computational method that fully resolves the crystalline phase. To simulate basaltic magma chambers in thermal convection, we built a numerical solver of the Navier-Stoke's equation, continuity equation, and energy equation. The modeled magma is assumed to be a viscous, incompressible fluid with a liquid and solid phase. Crystals are spherical, rigid bodies. We create Rayleigh-Taylor instability through a cool top layer and hot bottom layer and update magma density while keeping crystal temperature and size constant. Our method provides a detailed picture of magma chambers, which we compare to other models and experiments to identify when and how crystals alter magma chamber convection. Alterations include stratification, differential settling and instabilities. These characteristics are dependent on viscosity, convection vigor, crystal volume density and crystal characteristics. We reveal that a volumetric crystal density variation may occur over an eruption time period, if right conditions are met to form stratifications and instabilities in magma chambers. These conditions are realistic for Kilauea Iki's 1959 eruption.

Hydrothermal convection and uranium deposits in abnormally radioactive plutons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-09-01

Hydrothermal uranium deposits are often closely associated with granites of abnormally high uranium content. We have studied the question whether the heat generated within such granites can cause fluid convection of sufficient magnitude to develop hydrothermal uranium deposits. Numerical models of flow through porous media were used to calculate temperatures and fluid flow in and around plutons similar to the Conway Granite, New Hampshire, i.e. with a halfwidth of 17 km, a thickness of 6.25 km, and with a uniform internal heat generation rate of 20 x 10 -13 cal/cm 3 -sec. Fluid convection was computed for plutons with permeabilities between 0.01 and 5 millidarcies (1 x10 -13 cm 2 to 5 x 10 -11 cm 2 . Flow rates and the size and location of convection cells in and around radioactive plutons like the Conway Granite were found to depend critically on the permeability distribution within the pluton and in adjacent country rocks. The depth of burial, the distribution of heat sources within the pluton, and small rates of heat generation in the country rock are only of minor importance. Topographic relief is unlikely to effect flow rates significantly, but can have a major influence on the distribution of recharge and discharge areas. Within a few million years, the mass of water transported by steady state convection through such radioactive plutons can equal the mass of water which can convect through them during initial cooling from magmatic temperatures. If the permeability in a Conway-type pluton is on the order of 0.5 millidarcies, the rate of fluid convection is probably sufficient to develop a hydrothermal ore deposit containing 10,000 tons of uranium in a period of two million years. Such a uranium deposit is most likely to develop in an area of strong upwelling or strong downwelling flow

The Oscillatory Nature of Rotating Convection in Liquid Metal

Science.gov (United States)

Aurnou, J. M.; Bertin, V. L.; Grannan, A. M.

2016-12-01

Earth's magnetic field is assumed to be generated by fluid motions in its liquid metal core. In this fluid, the heat diffuses significantly more than momentum and thus, the ratio of these two diffusivities, the Prandtl number Pr=ν/Κ, is well below unity. The convective flow dynamics of liquid metal is very different from Pr ≈ 1 fluids like water and those used in current dynamo simulations. In order to characterize rapidly rotating thermal convection in low Pr number fluids, we have performed laboratory experiments in a cylinder using liquid gallium (Pr ≈ 0.023) as the working fluid. The Ekman number, which characterizes the effect of rotation, varies from E = 4 10-5 to 4 10-6 and the dimensionless buoyancy forcing (Rayleigh number, Ra) varies from Ra =3 105 to 2 107. Using heat transfer measurements (Nusselt number, Nu) as well as temperature measurements within the fluid, we characterize the different styles of low Pr rotating convective flow. The convection threshold is first overcome in the form of a container scale inertial oscillatory mode. At stronger forcing, wall-localized modes are identified for the first time in liquid metal laboratory experiments. These wall modes coexist with the bulk inertial oscillatory modes. When the strengh of the buoyancy increases, the bulk flow becomes turbulent while the wall modes remain. Our results imply that rotating convective flows in liquid metals do not develop in the form of quasi-steady columns, as in Pr ≈ 1 dynamo models, but in the form of oscillatory motions. Therefore, the flows that drive thermally-driven dynamo action in low Pr geophysical and astrophysical fluids can differ substantively than those occuring in current-day Pr ≈ 1 numerical models. In addition, our results suggest that relatively low wavenumber, wall-attached modes may be dynamically important in rapidly-rotating convection in liquid metals.

Orbital misalignment of the Neptune-mass exoplanet GJ 436b with the spin of its cool star

Science.gov (United States)

Bourrier, Vincent; Lovis, Christophe; Beust, Hervé; Ehrenreich, David; Henry, Gregory W.; Astudillo-Defru, Nicola; Allart, Romain; Bonfils, Xavier; Ségransan, Damien; Delfosse, Xavier; Cegla, Heather M.; Wyttenbach, Aurélien; Heng, Kevin; Lavie, Baptiste; Pepe, Francesco

2018-01-01

The angle between the spin of a star and the orbital planes of its planets traces the history of the planetary system. Exoplanets orbiting close to cool stars are expected to be on circular, aligned orbits because of strong tidal interactions with the stellar convective envelope. Spin–orbit alignment can be measured when the planet transits its star, but such ground-based spectroscopic measurements are challenging for cool, slowly rotating stars. Here we report the three-dimensional characterization of the trajectory of an exoplanet around an M dwarf star, derived by mapping the spectrum of the stellar photosphere along the chord transited by the planet. We find that the eccentric orbit of the Neptune-mass exoplanet GJ 436b is nearly perpendicular to the stellar equator. Both eccentricity and misalignment, surprising around a cool star, can result from dynamical interactions (via Kozai migration) with a yet-undetected outer companion. This inward migration of GJ 436b could have triggered the atmospheric escape that now sustains its giant exosphere.

Mixed convection between horizontal plates and consequences for chemical vapor deposition flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, K.C.

1986-01-01

To simulate the fluid dynamics of VD systems, mixed convection between horizontal plates (AR = width/height = 10) heated from below was studied by laser Doppler anemometry in a range 1368 < Ra < 8300 and 15 < R3 < 170. The entrance effects were characterized by two lengths: one for the onset of bouyancy-driven instability, and one for the full development of longitudinal convection rolls. Explicit expressions for both entrance lengths are given in terms of Ra and Re. In addition, unsteady longitudinal convection rolls were observed. These are discussed in terms of the admixture of transverse convection rolls and/or contributions from upstream turbulence. For the fully developed region it is shown analytically that the transverse velocities of the longitudinal convection rolls, v and w, are independent of the forced flow and are identical to those of the two-dimensional Rayleigh-Benard convection rolls. These fundamental results serve as a base for the discussion of horizontal CVD flows. The entrance and sidewall effects are found to have pronounced influences on the flow patterns observed in CVD (AR = 2) reactors

The potential for convection and implications for geothermal energy in the Perth Basin, Western Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Sheldon, Heather A.; Florio, Brendan; Trefry, Michael G.; Reid, Lynn B.; Ricard, Ludovic P.; Ghori, K. Ameed R.

2012-11-01

Convection of groundwater in aquifers can create areas of anomalously high temperature at shallow depths which could be exploited for geothermal energy. Temperature measurements in the Perth Basin (Western Australia) reveal thermal patterns that are consistent with convection in the Yarragadee Aquifer. This observation is supported by Rayleigh number calculations, which show that convection is possible within the range of aquifer thickness, geothermal gradient, salinity gradient and permeability encountered in the Yarragadee Aquifer, assuming that the aquifer can be treated as a homogeneous anisotropic layer. Numerical simulations of convection in a simplified model of the Yarragadee Aquifer show that: (1) the spacing of convective upwellings can be predicted from aquifer thickness and permeability anisotropy; (2) convective upwellings may be circular or elongate in plan view; (3) convective upwellings create significant temperature enhancements relative to the conductive profile; (4) convective flow rates are similar to regional groundwater flow rates; and (5) convection homogenises salinity within the aquifer. Further work is required to constrain the average horizontal and vertical permeability of the Yarragadee Aquifer, to assess the validity of treating the aquifer as a homogeneous anisotropic layer, and to determine the impact of realistic aquifer geometry and advection on convection.

Rotating thermal convection at very large Rayleigh numbers

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Stephan; van Gils, Dennis; Ahlers, Guenter; Bodenschatz, Eberhard

2016-11-01

The large scale thermal convection systems in geo- and astrophysics are usually influenced by Coriolis forces caused by the rotation of their celestial bodies. To better understand the influence of rotation on the convective flow field and the heat transport at these conditions, we study Rayleigh-Bénard convection, using pressurized sulfur hexaflouride (SF6) at up to 19 bars in a cylinder of diameter D=1.12 m and a height of L=2.24 m. The gas is heated from below and cooled from above and the convection cell sits on a rotating table inside a large pressure vessel (the "Uboot of Göttingen"). With this setup Rayleigh numbers of up to Ra =1015 can be reached, while Ekman numbers as low as Ek =10-8 are possible. The Prandtl number in these experiment is kept constant at Pr = 0 . 8 . We report on heat flux measurements (expressed by the Nusselt number Nu) as well as measurements from more than 150 temperature probes inside the flow. We thank the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) for financial support through SFB963: "Astrophysical Flow Instabilities and Turbulence". The work of GA was supported in part by the US National Science Foundation through Grant DMR11-58514.

Development of convection along the SPCZ within a Madden-Julian oscillation

OpenAIRE

Matthews, Adrian J.; Hoskins, Brian J.; Slingo, Julia M.; Blackburn, Mike

1996-01-01

A subtropical Rossby-wave propagation mechanism is proposed to account for the poleward and eastward progression of intraseasonal convective anomalies along the South Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ) that is observed in a significant proportion of Madden–Julian oscillations (MJOs). Large-scale convection, associated with an MJO, is assumed to be already established over the Indonesian region. The latent heating associated with this convection forces an equatorial Rossby-wave response with an u...

Development of convection along the SPCZ within a Madden-Julian oscillation

OpenAIRE

Matthews, AJ; Hoskins, BJ; Slingo, JM; Blackburn, M

1996-01-01

A subtropical Rossby wave propagation mechanism is proposed to account for the poleward and eastward progression of intraseasonal convective anomalies along the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) that is observed in a significant proportion of Madden-Julian Oscillations (MJOs). Large scale convection, associated with an MJO, is assumed to be already established over the Indonesian region. The latent heating associated with this convection forces an equatorial Rossby wave response with an u...

Generalized drying curves in conductive/convective paper drying

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O.C. Motta Lima

2000-12-01

Full Text Available This work presents a study related to conductive/convective drying of paper (cellulose sheets over heated surfaces, under natural and forced air conditions. The experimental apparatus consists in a metallic box heated by a thermostatic bath containing an upper surface on which the paper samples (about 1 mm thick are placed. The system is submitted to ambient air under two different conditions: natural convection and forced convection provide by an adjustable blower. The influence of initial paper moisture content, drying (heated surface temperature and air velocity on drying curves behavior is observed under different drying conditions. Hence, these influence is studied through the proposal of generalized drying curves. Those curves are analyzed individually for each air condition exposed above and for both together. A set of equations to fit them is proposed and discussed.

Convectively Driven Tropopause-Level Cooling and Its Influences on Stratospheric Moisture

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Joowan; Randel, William J.; Birner, Thomas

2018-01-01

Characteristics of the tropopause-level cooling associated with tropical deep convection are examined using CloudSat radar and Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) GPS radio occultation measurements. Extreme deep convection is sampled based on the cloud top height (>17 km) from CloudSat, and colocated temperature profiles from COSMIC are composited around the deep convection. Response of moisture to the tropopause-level cooling is also examined in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere using microwave limb sounder measurements. The composite temperature shows an anomalous warming in the troposphere and a significant cooling near the tropopause (at 16-19 km) when deep convection occurs over the western Pacific, particularly during periods with active Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). The composite of the tropopause cooling has a large horizontal scale ( 6,000 km in longitude) with minimum temperature anomaly of -2 K, and it lasts more than 2 weeks with support of mesoscale convective clusters embedded within the envelope of the MJO. The water vapor anomalies show strong correlation with the temperature anomalies (i.e., dry anomaly in the cold anomaly), showing that the convectively driven tropopause cooling actively dehydrate the lower stratosphere in the western Pacific region. The moisture is also affected by anomalous Matsuno-Gill-type circulation associated with the cold anomaly, in which dry air spreads over a wide range in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). These results suggest that convectively driven tropopause cooling and associated transient circulation play an important role in the large-scale dehydration process in the TTL.

Wavelet Scale Analysis of Mesoscale Convective Systems for Detecting Deep Convection From Infrared Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, Cornelia; Belušić, Danijel; Taylor, Christopher M.

2018-03-01

Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) are frequently associated with rainfall extremes and are expected to further intensify under global warming. However, despite the significant impact of such extreme events, the dominant processes favoring their occurrence are still under debate. Meteosat geostationary satellites provide unique long-term subhourly records of cloud top temperatures, allowing to track changes in MCS structures that could be linked to rainfall intensification. Focusing on West Africa, we show that Meteosat cloud top temperatures are a useful proxy for rainfall intensities, as derived from snapshots from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission 2A25 product: MCSs larger than 15,000 km2 at a temperature threshold of -40°C are found to produce 91% of all extreme rainfall occurrences in the study region, with 80% of the storms producing extreme rain when their minimum temperature drops below -80°C. Furthermore, we present a new method based on 2-D continuous wavelet transform to explore the relationship between cloud top temperature and rainfall intensity for subcloud features at different length scales. The method shows great potential for separating convective and stratiform cloud parts when combining information on temperature and scale, improving the common approach of using a temperature threshold only. We find that below -80°C, every fifth pixel is associated with deep convection. This frequency is doubled when looking at subcloud features smaller than 35 km. Scale analysis of subcloud features can thus help to better exploit cloud top temperature data sets, which provide much more spatiotemporal detail of MCS characteristics than available rainfall data sets alone.

Estimating Convection Parameters in the GFDL CM2.1 Model Using Ensemble Data Assimilation

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shan; Zhang, Shaoqing; Liu, Zhengyu; Lu, Lv; Zhu, Jiang; Zhang, Xuefeng; Wu, Xinrong; Zhao, Ming; Vecchi, Gabriel A.; Zhang, Rong-Hua; Lin, Xiaopei

2018-04-01

Parametric uncertainty in convection parameterization is one major source of model errors that cause model climate drift. Convection parameter tuning has been widely studied in atmospheric models to help mitigate the problem. However, in a fully coupled general circulation model (CGCM), convection parameters which impact the ocean as well as the climate simulation may have different optimal values. This study explores the possibility of estimating convection parameters with an ensemble coupled data assimilation method in a CGCM. Impacts of the convection parameter estimation on climate analysis and forecast are analyzed. In a twin experiment framework, five convection parameters in the GFDL coupled model CM2.1 are estimated individually and simultaneously under both perfect and imperfect model regimes. Results show that the ensemble data assimilation method can help reduce the bias in convection parameters. With estimated convection parameters, the analyses and forecasts for both the atmosphere and the ocean are generally improved. It is also found that information in low latitudes is relatively more important for estimating convection parameters. This study further suggests that when important parameters in appropriate physical parameterizations are identified, incorporating their estimation into traditional ensemble data assimilation procedure could improve the final analysis and climate prediction.

Titan Balloon Convection Model, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This innovative research effort is directed at determining, quantitatively, the convective heat transfer coefficients applicable to a Montgolfiere balloon operating...

Evaluation of cloud convection and tracer transport in a three-dimensional chemical transport model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Feng

2011-06-01

Full Text Available We investigate the performance of cloud convection and tracer transport in a global off-line 3-D chemical transport model. Various model simulations are performed using different meteorological (reanalyses (ERA-40, ECMWF operational and ECMWF Interim to diagnose the updraft mass flux, convective precipitation and cloud top height.

The diagnosed upward mass flux distribution from TOMCAT agrees quite well with the ECMWF reanalysis data (ERA-40 and ERA-Interim below 200 hPa. Inclusion of midlevel convection improves the agreement at mid-high latitudes. However, the reanalyses show strong convective transport up to 100 hPa, well into the tropical tropopause layer (TTL, which is not captured by TOMCAT. Similarly, the model captures the spatial and seasonal variation of convective cloud top height although the mean modelled value is about 2 km lower than observed.

The ERA-Interim reanalyses have smaller archived upward convective mass fluxes than ERA-40, and smaller convective precipitation, which is in better agreement with satellite-based data. TOMCAT captures these relative differences when diagnosing convection from the large-scale fields. The model also shows differences in diagnosed convection with the version of the operational analyses used, which cautions against using results of the model from one specific time period as a general evaluation.

We have tested the effect of resolution on the diagnosed modelled convection with simulations ranging from 5.6° × 5.6° to 1° × 1°. Overall, in the off-line model, the higher model resolution gives stronger vertical tracer transport, however, it does not make a large change to the diagnosed convective updraft mass flux (i.e., the model results using the convection scheme fail to capture the strong convection transport up to 100 hPa as seen in the archived convective mass fluxes. Similarly, the resolution of the forcing winds in the higher resolution CTM does not make a

Relationships between convective asymmetry, imbalance and intensity in numerically simulated tropical cyclones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David A. Schecter

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This article examines the relationships between convective asymmetry (CA, imbalance and intensity in tropical cyclones (TCs that emerge from random winds on the periodic f-plane in a cloud-system-resolving numerical model. The model is configured with warm-rain microphysics and includes a basic parameterisation of long-wave radiation. Within the simulation set, the sea-surface temperature ranges from 26 to 32°C, and the Coriolis parameter f ranges from 10−5 to 10−4 s−1. The number of TCs that develop in a simulation increases rapidly with f and ranges from 1 to 18. Taken together, the simulations provide a diverse spectrum of vortices that can be used for a meaningful statistical study.Consistent with earlier studies, mature TCs with minimal asymmetry are found to have maximum wind speeds greater than the classic theoretical value derived by Emanuel under the assumptions of gradient-wind and hydrostatic balance. In a statistical sense, it is found that the degree of superintensity with respect to balance theory reliably decays with an increasing level of inner-core CA. It is verified that a more recent version of axisymmetric steady-state theory, revised to incorporate imbalance, provides a good approximation for the maximum (azimuthally averaged azimuthal wind speed V max when CA is relatively weak. More notably, this theory for axisymmetric vortices maintains less than 10% error as CA becomes comparable in magnitude to the symmetric component of inner-core convection. Above a large but finite threshold of CA, axisymmetric steady-state theory generally over-predicts V max. The underachievement of TCs in this parameter regime is shown to coincide with substantial violation of the theoretical assumption of slantwise convective neutrality in the main updraft of the basic state. Of further interest, a reliable curve-fit is obtained for the anticorrelation between a simple measure of CA and V max normalised to an estimate of its balanced

Measurements of convective and radiative heating in wildland fires

Science.gov (United States)

David Frankman; Brent W. Webb; Bret W. Butler; Daniel Jimenez; Jason M. Forthofer; Paul Sopko; Kyle S. Shannon; J. Kevin Hiers; Roger D. Ottmar

2012-01-01

Time-resolved irradiance and convective heating and cooling of fast-response thermopile sensors were measured in 13 natural and prescribed wildland fires under a variety of fuel and ambient conditions. It was shown that a sensor exposed to the fire environment was subject to rapid fluctuations of convective transfer whereas irradiance measured by a windowed sensor was...

Interaction of externally-driven acoustic waves with compressible convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, P.; Merryfield, W.

1992-01-01

Two-dimensional numerical simulations are used to examine the interaction of acoustic waves with a compressible convecting fluid. Acoustic waves are forced at the lower boundary of the computational domain and propagate through a three-layer system undergoing vigorous penetrative convection. Energy exchange between the wave and the fluid is analyzed using a work integral formulation

Physics of greenhouse effect and convection in warm oceans

Science.gov (United States)

Inamdar, A. K.; Ramanathan, V.

1994-01-01

Sea surface temperature (SST) in roughly 50% of the tropical Pacific Ocean is warm enough (SST greater than 300 K) to permit deep convection. This paper examines the effects of deep convection on the climatological mean vertical distributions of water vapor and its greenhouse effect over such warm oceans. The study, which uses a combination of satellite radiation budget observations, atmospheric soundings deployed from ships, and radiation model calculations, also examines the link between SST, vertical distribution of water vapor, and its greenhouse effect in the tropical oceans. Since the focus of the study is on the radiative effects of water vapor, the radiation model calculations do not include the effects of clouds. The data are grouped into nonconvective and convective categories using SST as an index for convective activity. On average, convective regions are more humid, trap significantly more longwave radiation, and emit more radiation to the sea surface. The greenhouse effect in regions of convection operates as per classical ideas, that is, as the SST increases, the atmosphere traps the excess longwave energy emitted by the surface and reradiates it locally back to the ocean surface. The important departure from the classical picture is that the net (up minus down) fluxes at the surface and at the top of the atmosphere decrease with an increase in SST; that is, the surface and the surface-troposphere column lose the ability to radiate the excess energy to space. The cause of this super greenhouse effect at the surface is the rapid increase in the lower-troposphere humidity with SST; that of the column is due to a combination of increase in humidity in the entire column and increase in the lapse rate within the lower troposphere. The increase in the vertical distribution of humidity far exceeds that which can be attributed to the temperature dependence of saturation vapor pressure; that is, the tropospheric relative humidity is larger in convective

Concentration Distribution of Chloride Ion under the Influence of the Convection-Diffusion Coupling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Q. L. Zhao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The transfer process of chloride ion under the action of the convection-diffusion coupling was analyzed in order to predict the corrosion of reinforcement and the durability of structure more accurately. Considering the time-varying properties of diffusion coefficient and the space-time effect of the convection velocity, the differential equation for chloride ion transfer under the action of the convection-diffusion coupling was constructed. And then the chloride ion transfer model was validated by the existing experimental datum and the actual project datum. The results showed that when only diffusion was considered, the chlorine ion concentration increased with the time and decreased with the decay index of time. Under the action of the convection-diffusion coupling, at each point of coupling region, the chloride ion concentration first increased and then decreased and tended to stabilize, and the maximum appeared at the moment of convection velocity being 0; in the diffusion zone, the chloride ion concentration increased over time, and the chloride ion concentration of the same location increased with the depth of convection (in the later period, the velocity of convection (in the early period, and the chloride ion concentration of the surface.

Intensive probing of a clear air convective field by radar and instrumental drone aircraft.

Science.gov (United States)

Rowland, J. R.

1973-01-01

An instrumented drone aircraft was used in conjunction with ultrasensitive radar to study the development of a convective field in the clear air. Radar data are presented which show an initial constant growth rate in the height of the convective field of 3.8 m/min, followed by a short period marked by condensation and rapid growth at a rate in excess of 6.1 m/min. Drone aircraft soundings show general features of a convective field including progressive lifting of the inversion at the top of the convection and a cooling of the air at the top of the field. Calculations of vertical heat flux as a function of time and altitude during the early stages of convection show a linear decrease in heat flux with altitude to near the top of the convective field and a negative heat flux at the top. Evidence is presented which supports previous observations that convective cells overshoot their neutral buoyancy level into a region where they are cool and moist compared to their surroundings. Furthermore, only that portion of the convective cell that has overshot its neutral buoyancy level is generally visible to the radar.

Experimental transient natural convection heat transfer from a vertical cylindrical tank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez-Seara, Jose; Uhia, Francisco J.; Alberto Dopazo, J.

2011-01-01

In this paper heat transfer experimental data is presented and compared to general correlations proposed in the literature for transient laminar free convection from a vertical cylindrical tank. The experimental data has been obtained from heating and cooling experiments carried out with a cylindrical full-scale hot water storage tank working under real operating conditions. The experimental device and the data acquisition system are described. The calculation procedures established to obtain the experimental values of the heat transfer coefficients, as well as the data reduction process, are detailed. The local convection and radiation heat transfer coefficients are obtained from different heating power conditions for local Rayleigh numbers within the range of 1x10 5 -3x10 8 . The great quantity of available experimental data allows a detailed analysis with a reliable empirical base. The experimental local convection heat transfer coefficients are correlated and compared to correlations proposed in open literature for engineering calculations. - Highlights: → Experimental data of transient local convection heat transfer coefficients from a cylindrical tank for heating and cooling processes is obtained. → The transient behaviour of the convection coefficients is dependent on temperature difference evolutions between the surface and the air. → The Nu.Ra -1/4 ratio decreases proportionally in (T s -T ∞ ) -0.9 . → A new correlation based on the semi-infinite region theory for laminar transient free convection is proposed.

The impact of convection in the West African monsoon region on global weather forecasts - explicit vs. parameterised convection simulations using the ICON model

Science.gov (United States)

Pante, Gregor; Knippertz, Peter

2017-04-01

The West African monsoon is the driving element of weather and climate during summer in the Sahel region. It interacts with mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) and the African easterly jet and African easterly waves. Poor representation of convection in numerical models, particularly its organisation on the mesoscale, can result in unrealistic forecasts of the monsoon dynamics. Arguably, the parameterisation of convection is one of the main deficiencies in models over this region. Overall, this has negative impacts on forecasts over West Africa itself but may also affect remote regions, as waves originating from convective heating are badly represented. Here we investigate those remote forecast impacts based on daily initialised 10-day forecasts for July 2016 using the ICON model. One set of simulations employs the default setup of the global model with a horizontal grid spacing of 13 km. It is compared with simulations using the 2-way nesting capability of ICON. A second model domain over West Africa (the nest) with 6.5 km grid spacing is sufficient to explicitly resolve MCSs in this region. In the 2-way nested simulations, the prognostic variables of the global model are influenced by the results of the nest through relaxation. The nest with explicit convection is able to reproduce single MCSs much more realistically compared to the stand-alone global simulation with parameterised convection. Explicit convection leads to cooler temperatures in the lower troposphere (below 500 hPa) over the northern Sahel due to stronger evaporational cooling. Overall, the feedback of dynamic variables from the nest to the global model shows clear positive effects when evaluating the output of the global domain of the 2-way nesting simulation and the output of the stand-alone global model with ERA-Interim re-analyses. Averaged over the 2-way nested region, bias and root mean squared error (RMSE) of temperature, geopotential, wind and relative humidity are significantly reduced in

Predictions of laminar natural convection in heated cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winters, K.H.

1982-06-01

Several examples of laminar, natural convection in heated cavities are discussed with illustrative calculations. These include convection in a square cavity at high Rayleigh number; in a narrow cavity at moderate aspect ratio; in a rectangular cavity heated from below; in a trapezoidal cavity, and in a rectangular cavity containing a conducting obstruction. The steady equations for the velocity, pressure and temperature are solved in the Boussinesq approximation, using a standard Galerkin formulation of the finite-element method. (author)

An Experimental Study on Rayleigh-Benard Natural Convection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, Je Young; Chung, Bum Jin

2012-01-01

Core melt in a severe accident condition, forms a molten pool in the reactor vessel lower head. The molten pool is divided by a metallic pool (top) and an oxide pool (bottom) by the density difference. Due to the decay heat generated in oxide pool, Rayleigh- Benard natural convection heated from below and cooled from above occurs in the metallic pool. Experiments were performed to investigate Rayleigh- Benard natural convection as a preparatory study before an in-depth severe accident study. The natural convection heat transfers were measured varying the plate separation distance and the area of plate with and without the side wall. Using the analogy concept, heat transfer experiments were replaced by mass transfer experiments. A cupric acid.copper sulfate (H 2 SO 4 -CuSO 4 ) electroplating system was adopted as the mass transfer system and the electric currents were measured rather than the heat

Modulated convection at high frequencies and large modulation amplitudes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swift, J.B.; Hohenberg, P.C.

1987-01-01

Modulated Rayleigh-Benard convection is analyzed for high frequencies and large modulation amplitudes. The linear theory of Gershuni and Zhukhovitskii is generalized to the nonlinear domain, and a subcritical bifurcation to convection is found in agreement with the experiments of Niemela and Donnelly. The crossover between the high-frequency (''Stokes layer'') regime and the low-frequency regime studied previously is analyzed

Heat removal by natural convection in a RPR reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sampaio, P.A.B. de

1987-01-01

In this paper natural convection in RPR reactor is analysed. The effect of natural convection valves size on cladding temperature is studied. The reactor channel heat transfer problem is solved using finite elements in a two-dimensional analysis. Results show that two valves with Φ = 0.16 m are suited to keep coolant and cladding temperatures below 73 0 C. (author) [pt

Experimental study of laminar mixed convection in a rod bundle with mixing vane spacer grids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohanta, Lokanath, E-mail: lxm971@psu.edu [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Cheung, Fan-Bill [Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Bajorek, Stephen M.; Tien, Kirk; Hoxie, Chris L. [Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001 (United States)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • Investigated the heat transfer during mixed laminar convection in a rod bundle with linearly varying heat flux. • The Nusselt number increases downstream of the inlet with increasing Richardson number. • Developed an enhancement factor to account for the effects of mixed convection over the forced laminar heat transfer. - Abstract: Heat transfer by mixed convection in a rod bundle occurs when convection is affected by both the buoyancy and inertial forces. Mixed convection can be assumed when the Richardson number (Ri = Gr/Re{sup 2}) is on the order of unity, indicating that both forced and natural convection are important contributors to heat transfer. In the present study, data obtained from the Rod Bundle Heat Transfer (RBHT) facility was used to determine the heat transfer coefficient in the mixed convection regime, which was found to be significantly larger than those expected assuming purely forced convection based on the inlet flow rate. The inlet Reynolds (Re) number for the tests ranged from 500 to 1300, while the Grashof (Gr) number varied from 1.5 × 10{sup 5} to 3.8 × 10{sup 6} yielding 0.25 < Ri < 4.3. Using results from RBHT test along with the correlation from the FLECHT-SEASET test program for laminar forced convection, a new correlation ​is proposed for mixed convection in a rod bundle. The new correlation accounts for the enhancement of heat transfer relative to laminar forced convection.

Radiation-mediated Shocks in Gamma-Ray Bursts: Pair Creation

Science.gov (United States)

Lundman, Christoffer; Beloborodov, Andrei M.; Vurm, Indrek

2018-05-01

Relativistic sub-photospheric shocks are a possible mechanism for producing prompt gamma-ray burst (GRB) emission. Such shocks are mediated by scattering of radiation. We introduce a time-dependent, special relativistic code which dynamically couples Monte Carlo radiative transfer to the flow hydrodynamics. The code also self-consistently follows electron–positron pair production in photon–photon collisions. We use the code to simulate shocks with properties relevant to GRBs. We focus on plane-parallel solutions, which are accurate deep below the photosphere. The shock generates a power-law photon spectrum through the first-order Fermi mechanism, extending upward from the typical upstream photon energy. Strong (high Mach number) shocks produce rising νF ν spectra. We observe that in non-relativistic shocks the spectrum extends to {E}\\max ∼ {m}e{v}2, where v is the speed difference between the upstream and downstream. In relativistic shocks the spectrum extends to energies E> 0.1 {m}e{c}2 where its slope softens due to Klein–Nishina effects. Shocks with Lorentz factors γ > 1.5 are prolific producers of electron–positron pairs, yielding hundreds of pairs per proton. The main effect of pairs is to reduce the shock width by a factor of ∼ {Z}+/- -1. Most pairs annihilate far downstream of the shock, and the radiation spectrum relaxes to a Wien distribution, reaching equilibrium with the plasma at a temperature determined by the shock jump conditions and the photon number per proton. We discuss the implications of our results for observations of radiation generated by sub-photospheric shocks.