Flow shear suppression of turbulence using externally driven ion Bernstein and Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biglari, H.; Ono, M.

1992-01-01

The utilization of externally-launched radio-frequency waves as a means of active confinement control through the generation of sheared poloidal flows is explored. For low-frequency waves, kinetic Alfven waves are proposed, and are shown to drive sheared E x B flows as a result of the radial variation in the electromagnetic Reynolds stress. In the high frequency regime, ion Bernstein waves are considered, and shown to generate sheared poloidal rotation through the pondermotive force. In either case, it is shown that modest amounts of absorbed power (∼ few 100 kW) are required to suppress turbulence in a region of several cm radial width

Observation of fast-ion Doppler-shifted cyclotron resonance with shear Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yang; Heidbrink, W. W.; Boehmer, H.; McWilliams, R.; Vincena, S.; Carter, T. A.; Gekelman, W.; Leneman, D.; Pribyl, P.

2008-01-01

The Doppler-shifted cyclotron resonance (ω-k z v z =Ω f ) between fast ions and shear Alfven waves is experimentally investigated (ω, wave frequency; k z , axial wavenumber; v z , fast-ion axial speed; Ω f , fast-ion cyclotron frequency). A test particle beam of fast ions is launched by a Li + source in the helium plasma of the LArge Plasma Device (LAPD) [W. Gekelman, H. Pfister, Z. Lucky, J. Bamber, D. Leneman, and J. Maggs, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 62, 2875 (1991)], with shear Alfven waves (SAW) (amplitude δ B/B up to 1%) launched by a loop antenna. A collimated fast-ion energy analyzer measures the nonclassical spreading of the beam, which is proportional to the resonance with the wave. A resonance spectrum is observed by launching SAWs at 0.3-0.8ω ci . Both the magnitude and frequency dependence of the beam-spreading are in agreement with the theoretical prediction using a Monte Carlo Lorentz code that launches fast ions with an initial spread in real/velocity space and random phases relative to the wave. Measured wave magnetic field data are used in the simulation.

Combined ideal and kinetic effects on reversed shear Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N. N.; Kramer, G. J.; Nazikian, R.

2011-01-01

A reversed shear Alfven eigenmodes (RSAEs) theory has been developed for reversed magnetic field shear plasmas when the safety factor minimum, q min , is at or above a rational value. The modes we study are known sometimes as either the bottom of the frequency sweep or the down sweeping RSAEs. We show that, strictly speaking, the ideal MHD theory is not compatible with the eigenmode solution in the reversed shear plasma with q min above integer values. Corrected by a special analytic finite Larmor radius (FLR) condition, MHD dispersion of these modes nevertheless can be developed. Numerically, MHD structure can serve as a good approximation for the RSAEs.The large radial scale part of the analytic RSAE solution can be obtained from ideal MHD and expressed in terms of the Legendre functions. The kinetic equation with FLR effects for the eigenmode is solved numerically and agrees with the analytic solutions. Properties of RSAEs and their potential implications for plasma diagnostics are discussed.

Alfven frequency modes and global Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villard, L.; Vaclavik, J.

1996-07-01

The spectrum of n=0 Alfven modes is calculated analytically and numerically in cylindrical and toroidal geometries. It includes Global Alfven Eigenmodes (GAE) and Surface Modes (SM) of the fast magnetoacoustic wave. These modes are not induced by toroidicity. The n=0 GAEs owe their existence to the shear. The frequency spacing between different radial and poloidal modes and the correlation of eigenfrequencies with changes in the edge density are examined and found in complete agreement with experimental observations of what has been named the 'Alfven Frequency Mode' (AFM) so far. Although the eigenfrequency is related to the edge density, the n=0 GAE (AFM) is not necessarily edge-localized. (author) figs., tabs., refs

The effect of toroidal plasma rotation on low-frequency reversed shear Alfven eigenmodes in tokamaks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haverkort, J. W.

2012-01-01

The influence of toroidal plasma rotation on the existence of reversed shear Alfven eigenmodes (RSAEs) near their minimum frequency is investigated analytically. An existence condition is derived showing that a radially decreasing kinetic energy density is unfavourable for the existence of RSAEs.

Theory of high-n toroidicity-induced shear Alfven eigenmode in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.Y.; Cheng, C.Z.; Princeton Univ., NJ

1989-07-01

High-n WKB-ballooning mode equation is employed to study toroidicity-induced shear Alfven eigenmodes (TAE) in the δ - α space, where δ = (r/q)(dq/dr) is the magnetic shear, and α = -(2Rq 2 /B 2 )(dp/dr) is the normalized pressure gradient for tokamak plasmas. In the ballooning mode first stability region, TAE modes are found to exist only for α less than some critical value α c . We also find that these TAE modes reappear in the ballooning mode second stability region for bands of α values. The global envelope structures of these TAE modes are studied by WKB method and are found to be bounded radially if the local mode frequency has a maximum in radius. 15 refs., 14 figs

Computer simulation of driven Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geary, J.L. Jr.

1986-01-01

The first particle simulation study of shear Alfven wave resonance heating is presented. Particle simulation codes self-consistently follow the time evolution of the individual and collective aspects of particle dynamics as well as wave dynamics in a fully nonlinear fashion. Alfven wave heating is a possible means of increasing the temperature of magnetized plasmas. A new particle simulation model was developed for this application that incorporates Darwin's formulation of the electromagnetic fields with a guiding center approximation for electron motion perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field. The implementation of this model and the examination of its theoretical and computational properties are presented. With this model, several cases of Alfven wave heating is examined in both uniform and nonuniform simulation systems in a two dimensional slab. For the inhomogeneous case studies, the kinetic Alfven wave develops in the vicinity of the shear Alfven resonance region

Drift-kinetic Alfven modes in high performance tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaun, A.; Fasoli, A.F.; Testa, D.; Vaclavik, J.; Villard, L.

2001-01-01

The stability of fast-particle driven Alfven eigenmodes is modeled in high performance tokamaks, successively with a conventional shear, an optimized shear and a tight aspect ratio plasma. A large bulk pressure yields global kinetic Alfven eigenmodes that are stabilized by mode conversion in the presence of a divertor. This suggests how conventional reactor scenarii could withstand significant pressure gradients from the fusion products. A large safety factor in the core q 0 >2.5 in deeply shear reversed configurations and a relatively large bulk ion Larmor radius in a low magnetic field can trigger global drift-kinetic Alfven eigenmodes that are unstable in high performance JET, NSTX and ITER plasmas. (author)

Plasma heating by kinetic Alfven wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assis, A.S. de.

1982-01-01

The heating of a nonuniform plasma (electron-ion) due to the resonant excitation of the shear Alfven wave in the low β regime is studied using initially the ideal MHD model and posteriorly using the kinetic model. The Vlasov equation for ions and the drift kinetic equation for electrons have been used. Through the ideal MHD model, it is concluded that the energy absorption is due to the continuous spectrum (phase mixing) which the shear Alfven wave has in a nonuniform plasma. An explicit expression for the energy absorption is derived. Through the kinetic model it is concluded that the energy absorption is due to a resonant mode convertion of the incident wave into the kinetic Alfven wave which propagates away from the resonant region. Its electron Landau damping has been observed. There has been a concordance with the MHD calculations. (Author) [pt

Effects of Toroidal Rotation Shear on Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podesta, M.; Bell, R.E.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Gorelenkov, N.N.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Crocker, N.A.; Kubota, S.; Yuh, H.

2010-01-01

The effects of a sheared toroidal rotation on the dynamics of bursting Toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes are investigated in neutral beam heated plasmas on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) (M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40 557 (2000)). The modes have a global character, extending over most of the minor radius. A toroidal rotation shear layer is measured at the location of maximum drive for the modes. Contrary to results from other devices, no clear evidence of increased damping is found. Instead, experiments with simultaneous neutral beam and radio-frequency auxiliary heating show a strong correlation between the dynamics of the modes and the instability drive. It is argued that kinetic effects involving changes in the mode drive and damping mechanisms other than rotation shear, such as continuum damping, are mostly responsible for the bursting dynamics of the modes.

Signatures of mode conversion and kinetic Alfven waves at the magnetopause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, Jay R.; Cheng, C. Z.

2000-01-01

It has been suggested that resonant mode conversion of compressional MHD waves into kinetic Alfven waves at the magnetopause can explain the abrupt transition in wave polarization from compressional to transverse commonly observed during magnetopause crossings. The authors analyze magnetic field data for magnetopause crossings as a function of magnetic shear angle (defined as the angle between the magnetic fields in the magnetosheath and magnetosphere) and compare with the theory of resonant mode conversion. The data suggest that amplification in the transverse magnetic field component at the magnetopause is not significant up to a threshold magnetic shear angle. Above the threshold angle significant amplification results, but with weak dependence on magnetic shear angle. Waves with higher frequency are less amplified and have a higher threshold angle. These observations are qualitatively consistent with theoretical results obtained from the kinetic-fluid wave equations

Shear-Alfven dynamics of toroidally confined plasmas. Part A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazeltine, R.D.; Meiss, J.D.

1984-08-01

Recent developments in the stability theory of toroidally confined plasmas are reviewed, with the intention of providing a picture comprehensible to non-specialists. The review considers a class of low-frequency, electromagnetic disturbances that seem especially pertinent to modern high-temperature confinement experiments. It is shown that such disturbances are best unified and understood through consideration of a single, exact fluid moment: the shear-Alfven law. Appropriate versions of this law and its corresponding closure relations are derived - essentially from first principles - and applied in a variety of mostly, but not exclusively, linear contexts. Among the specific topics considered are: flux coordinates (including Hamada coordinates), the Newcomb solubility condition. Shafranov geometry, magnetic island evolution, reduced MHD and its generalizations, drift-kinetic electron response, classical tearing, twisting, and kink instabilities, pressure-modified tearing instability (Δ-critical), collisionless and semi-collisional tearing modes, the ballooning representation in general geometry, ideal ballooning instability, Mercier criterion, near-axis expansions, the second stability region, and resistive and kinetic ballooning modes. The fundamental importance of toroidal topology and curvature is stressed

Experimental observation of Alfven wave cones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gekelman, W.; Leneman, D.; Maggs, J.; Vincena, S.

1994-01-01

The spatial evolution of the radial profile of the magnetic field of a shear Alfven wave launched by a disk exciter with radius on the order of the electron skin depth has been measured. The waves are launched using wire mesh disk exciters of 4 mm and 8 mm radius into a helium plasma of density about 1.0x10 12 cm -3 and magnetic field 1.1 kG. The electron skin depth δ=c/ω pe is about 5 mm. The current channel associated with the shear Alfven wave is observed to spread with distance away from the exciter. The spreading follows a cone-like pattern whose angle is given by tan θ=k A δ, where k A is the Alfven wave number. The dependence of the magnetic profiles on wave frequency and disk size are presented. The effects of dissipation by electron--neutral collisions and Landau damping are observed. The observations are in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions [Morales et al., Phys. Plasmas 1, 3765 (1994)

Predictions and observations of low-shear beta-induced shear Alfven-acoustic eigenmodes in toroidal plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorelenkov, N.N. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University (United States)], E-mail: ngorelen@pppl.gov; Berk, H.L. [IFS, Austin, Texas (United States); Fredrickson, E. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University (United States); Sharapov, S.E. [Euroatom/UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxfordshire (United States)

2007-10-08

New global MHD eigenmode solutions arising in gaps in the low frequency Alfven-acoustic continuum below the geodesic acoustic mode (GAM) frequency have been found numerically and have been used to explain relatively low frequency experimental signals seen in NSTX and JET tokamaks. These global eigenmodes, referred to here as Beta-induced Alfven-Acoustic Eigenmodes (BAAE), exist in the low magnetic safety factor region near the extrema of the Alfven-acoustic continuum. In accordance to the linear dispersion relations, the frequency of these modes shifts as the safety factor, q, decreases. We show that BAAEs can be responsible for observations in JET plasmas at relatively low beta <2% as well as in NSTX plasmas at relatively high-beta >20%. In contrast to the mostly electrostatic character of GAMs the new global modes also contain an electromagnetic (magnetic field line bending) component due to the Alfven coupling, leading to wave phase velocities along the field line that are large compared to the sonic speed. Qualitative agreement between theoretical predictions and observations are found.

Alfven wave propagation in a partially ionized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watts, Christopher; Hanna, Jeremy

2004-01-01

Results from a laboratory study of the dispersion relation of Alfven waves propagating through a partially ionized plasma are presented. The plasma is generated using a helicon source, creating a high density, current-free discharge, where the source can be adjusted to one of several modes with varying neutral fraction. Depending on the neutral fraction, the measured dispersion curve of shear Alfven waves can change significantly. Measurement results are compared with theoretical predictions of the effect of neutral particles on Alfven wave propagation. In fitting the theory, the neutral fraction is independently estimated using two simple particle transport models, one collisionless, the other collisional. The two models predict comparable neutral fractions, and agree well with the neutral fraction required for the Alfven dispersion theory

Alfven continuum and high-frequency eigenmodes in optimized stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Lutsenko, V.V.; Wobig, H.; Yakovenko, Yu.V.; Fesenyuk, O.P.

2001-01-01

An equation of shear Alfven eigenmodes (AE) in optimized stellarators of Wendelstein line (Helias configurations) is derived. The metric tensor coefficients, which are contained in this equation, are calculated analytically. Two numerical codes are developed: the first one, COBRA (COntinuum BRanches of Alfven waves), is intended for the investigation of the structure of Alfven continuum; the second, BOA (Branches Of Alfven modes), solves the eigenvalue problem. The family of possible gaps in Alfven continuum of a Helias configuration is obtained. It is predicted that there exist gaps which arise due to or are strongly affected by the variation of the shape of the plasma cross section along the large azimuth of the torus. In such gaps, discrete eigenmodes, namely, helicity-induced eigenmodes (HAE 21 ) and mirror-induced eigenmodes (MAE) are found. It is shown that plasma inhomogeneity may suppress the AEs with a wide region of localization

Energetic particle drive for toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes and kinetic toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes in a low-shear Tokamak. Revised

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breizman, B.N.; Sharapov, S.E.

1994-10-01

The structure of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE) and kinetic TAE (KTAE) with large mode numbers is analyzed and the linear power transfer from energetic particles to these modes is calculated in the low shear limit when each mode is localized near a single gap within an interval whose total width Δ out is much smaller than the radius r m of the mode location. Near its peak where most of the mode energy is concentrated, the mode has an inner scalelength Δ in , which is much smaller than Δ out . The scale Δ in is determined by toroidicity and kinetic effects, which eliminate the singularity of the potential at the resonant surface. This work examines the case when the drift orbit width of energetic particles Δ b is much larger than the inner scalelength Δ in , but arbitrary compared to the total width of the mode. It is shown that the particle-to-wave linear power transfer is comparable for the TAE and KTAE modes in this case. The ratio of the energetic particle contributions to the growth rates of the TAE and KTAE modes is then roughly equal to the inverse ratio of the mode energies. It is found that, in the low shear limit the growth rate of the KTAE modes can be larger than that for the TAE modes

Alfvenic Instabilities and Fast Ion Transport in the DIII-D Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Zeeland, M.; Heidbrink, W.; Nazikian, R.; Austin, M.; Berk, H.; Gorelenkov, N.; Holcomb, C.; Kramer, G.; Lohr, J.; Luo, Y.; Makowski, M.; McKee, G.; Petty, C.; Prater, R.; Solomon, W.; White, R.

2008-01-01

Neutral beam injection into reversed magnetic shear DIII-D plasmas produces a variety of Alfvenic activity including Toroidicity and Ellipticity induced Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE/EAE, respectively) and Reversed Shear Alfven Eigenmodes (RSAE) as well as their spatial coupling. These modes are typically studied during the discharge current ramp phase when incomplete current penetration results in a high central safety factor and strong drive due to multiple higher order resonances. During this same time period Fast-Ion D α (FIDA) spectroscopy shows that the central fast ion profile is flattened, the degree of which depends on the Alfven eigenmode amplitude. Interestingly, localized electron cyclotron heating (ECH) near the mode location stabilizes RSAE activity and results in significantly improved fast ion confinement relative to discharges with ECH deposition on axis. In these discharges, RSAE activity is suppressed when ECH is deposited near the radius of the shear reversal point and enhanced with deposition near the axis. To simulate the observed neutral beam ion redistribution, NOVA calculations of the 3D eigenmode structures are matched with experimental measurements and used in combination with the ORBIT guiding center following code. For fixed frequency eigenmodes, it is found that ORBIT calculations cannot explain the observed beam ion transport with experimentally measured mode amplitudes. Possible explanations are considered including recent simulation results incorporating eigenmodes with time dependent frequencies

Excitation and Propagation of Alfven Waves in a Helicon Discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grulke, Olaf; Klinger, Thomas; Franck, Christian M.

2003-01-01

An experimental study of shear Alfven waves in a linearly magnetized plasma is presented. Shear Alfven waves are electromagnetic waves propagating parallel to the background magnetic field without compression of the plasma at a frequency well below the ion cyclotron frequency and a wavelength inversely proportional to the square root of the plasma density. A basic condition on laboratory investigations is that the Alfven wavelength must be significantly smaller than the device dimension. This makes Alfven waves difficult to investigate in laboratory experiments and most studies are performed in space, where typical Alfven wavelengths of several kilometers are observed. The results of these studies are often ambiguous due to difficulties concerning the measurements of plasma parameters and the magnetic field geometry. The primary motivation for the present paper is the investigation of Alfven wave propagation in a well defined laboratory situation. The experiments are conducted in the linear VINETA device. The necessary operational regime is achieved by the large axial device length of 4.5m and the use of a helicon plasma source providing high density plasmas with ionization degrees of up to 100%. The Argon plasma is magnetized by a set of 36 magnetic field coils, which produce a maximum magnetic field of 0.1T on the device axis. With this configuration a plasma-β of ≥ 10-4 is achieved, which exceeds the electron to ion mass ration, and the ion cyclotron frequency is ≅ 250kHz. Langmuir probes provide detailed informations on the time-averaged plasma profiles. Magnetic field perturbations for the excitation of Alfven waves are generated by a current loop, which is introduced into the plasma. The surface normal of the current loop is directed perpendicular to the magnetic field. The waves's dispersion relation in dependence of plasma parameters is determined by spatially resolved B probe measurements

On field line resonances of hydromagnetic Alfven waves in dipole magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Liu; Cowley, S.C.

1989-07-01

Using the dipole magnetic field model, we have developed the theory of field line resonances of hydromagnetic Alfven waves in general magnetic field geometries. In this model, the Alfven speed thus varies both perpendicular and parallel to the magnetic field. Specifically, it is found that field line resonances do persist in the dipole model. The corresponding singular solutions near the resonant field lines as well as the natural definition of standing shear Alfven eigenfunctions have also been systematically derived. 11 refs

Shear Alfven Wave Injection in the Magnetosphere by Ionospheric Modifications in the Absence of Electrojet Currents

Science.gov (United States)

Papadopoulos, K.; Eliasson, B.; Shao, X.; Labenski, J.; Chang, C.

2011-12-01

A new concept of generating ionospheric currents in the ULF/ELF range with modulated HF heating using ground-based transmitters even in the absence of electrojet currents is presented. The new concept relies on using HF heating of the F-region to modulate the electron temperature and has been given the name Ionospheric Current Drive (ICD). In ICD, the pressure gradient associated with anomalous or collisional F-region electron heating drives a local diamagnetic current that acts as an antenna to inject mainly Magneto-Sonic (MS) waves in the ionospheric plasma. The electric field associated with the MS wave drives Hall currents when it reaches the E region of the ionosphere. The Hall currents act as a secondary antenna that inject waves in the Earth-Ionosphere Waveguide (EIW) below and shear Alfven waves or EMIC waves upwards towards the conjugate regions. The paper presents: (i) Theoretical results using a cold Hall MHD model to study ICD and the generation of ULF/ELF waves by the modulation of the electron pressure at the F2-region with an intense HF electromagnetic wave. The model solves equations governing the dynamics of the shear Alfven and magnetosonic modes, of the damped modes in the diffusive Pedersen layer, and of the weakly damped helicon wave mode in the Hall-dominated E-region. The model incorporates realistic profile of the ionospheric conductivities and magnetic field configuration. We use the model to simulate propagation and dynamics of the low-frequency waves and their injection into the magnetosphere from the HAARP and Arecibo ionospheric heaters. (ii) Proof of principle experiments using the HAARP ionospheric heater in conjunction with measurements by the DEMETER satellite This work is supported by ONR MURI grant and DARPA BRIOCHE Program

Global Hybrid Simulation of Alfvenic Waves Associated with Magnetotail Reconnection and Fast Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, L.; Lin, Y.; Wang, X.; Perez, J. D.

2017-12-01

Alfvenic fluctuations have been observed near the magnetotail plasma sheet boundary layer associated with fast flows. In this presentation, we use the Auburn 3-D Global Hybrid code (ANGIE3D) to investigate the generation and propagation of Alfvenic waves in the magnetotail. Shear Alfven waves and kinetic Alfven waves (KAWs) are found to be generated in magnetic reconnection in the plasma sheet as well as in the dipole-like field region of the magnetosphere, carrying Poynting flux along magnetic field lines toward the ionosphere, and the wave structure is strongly altered by the flow braking in the tail. The 3-D structure of the wave electromagnetic field and the associated parallel currents in reconnection and the dipole-like field region is presented. The Alfvenic waves exhibit a turbulence spectrum. The roles of these Alfvenic waves in ion heating is discussed.

Second-harmonic generation in shear wave beams with different polarizations

Science.gov (United States)

Spratt, Kyle S.; Ilinskii, Yurii A.; Zabolotskaya, Evgenia A.; Hamilton, Mark F.

2015-10-01

A coupled pair of nonlinear parabolic equations was derived by Zabolotskaya [1] that model the transverse components of the particle motion in a collimated shear wave beam propagating in an isotropic elastic solid. Like the KZK equation, the parabolic equation for shear wave beams accounts consistently for the leading order effects of diffraction, viscosity and nonlinearity. The nonlinearity includes a cubic nonlinear term that is equivalent to that present in plane shear waves, as well as a quadratic nonlinear term that is unique to diffracting beams. The work by Wochner et al. [2] considered shear wave beams with translational polarizations (linear, circular and elliptical), wherein second-order nonlinear effects vanish and the leading order nonlinear effect is third-harmonic generation by the cubic nonlinearity. The purpose of the current work is to investigate the quadratic nonlinear term present in the parabolic equation for shear wave beams by considering second-harmonic generation in Gaussian beams as a second-order nonlinear effect using standard perturbation theory. In order for second-order nonlinear effects to be present, a broader class of source polarizations must be considered that includes not only the familiar translational polarizations, but also polarizations accounting for stretching, shearing and rotation of the source plane. It is found that the polarization of the second harmonic generated by the quadratic nonlinearity is not necessarily the same as the polarization of the source-frequency beam, and we are able to derive a general analytic solution for second-harmonic generation from a Gaussian source condition that gives explicitly the relationship between the polarization of the source-frequency beam and the polarization of the second harmonic.

Second-harmonic generation in shear wave beams with different polarizations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spratt, Kyle S., E-mail: sprattkyle@gmail.com; Ilinskii, Yurii A.; Zabolotskaya, Evgenia A.; Hamilton, Mark F. [Applied Research Laboratories, The University of Texas at Austin, P. O. Box 8029, Austin, Texas 78713–8029, US (United States)

2015-10-28

A coupled pair of nonlinear parabolic equations was derived by Zabolotskaya [1] that model the transverse components of the particle motion in a collimated shear wave beam propagating in an isotropic elastic solid. Like the KZK equation, the parabolic equation for shear wave beams accounts consistently for the leading order effects of diffraction, viscosity and nonlinearity. The nonlinearity includes a cubic nonlinear term that is equivalent to that present in plane shear waves, as well as a quadratic nonlinear term that is unique to diffracting beams. The work by Wochner et al. [2] considered shear wave beams with translational polarizations (linear, circular and elliptical), wherein second-order nonlinear effects vanish and the leading order nonlinear effect is third-harmonic generation by the cubic nonlinearity. The purpose of the current work is to investigate the quadratic nonlinear term present in the parabolic equation for shear wave beams by considering second-harmonic generation in Gaussian beams as a second-order nonlinear effect using standard perturbation theory. In order for second-order nonlinear effects to be present, a broader class of source polarizations must be considered that includes not only the familiar translational polarizations, but also polarizations accounting for stretching, shearing and rotation of the source plane. It is found that the polarization of the second harmonic generated by the quadratic nonlinearity is not necessarily the same as the polarization of the source-frequency beam, and we are able to derive a general analytic solution for second-harmonic generation from a Gaussian source condition that gives explicitly the relationship between the polarization of the source-frequency beam and the polarization of the second harmonic.

Second-harmonic generation in shear wave beams with different polarizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spratt, Kyle S.; Ilinskii, Yurii A.; Zabolotskaya, Evgenia A.; Hamilton, Mark F.

2015-01-01

A coupled pair of nonlinear parabolic equations was derived by Zabolotskaya [1] that model the transverse components of the particle motion in a collimated shear wave beam propagating in an isotropic elastic solid. Like the KZK equation, the parabolic equation for shear wave beams accounts consistently for the leading order effects of diffraction, viscosity and nonlinearity. The nonlinearity includes a cubic nonlinear term that is equivalent to that present in plane shear waves, as well as a quadratic nonlinear term that is unique to diffracting beams. The work by Wochner et al. [2] considered shear wave beams with translational polarizations (linear, circular and elliptical), wherein second-order nonlinear effects vanish and the leading order nonlinear effect is third-harmonic generation by the cubic nonlinearity. The purpose of the current work is to investigate the quadratic nonlinear term present in the parabolic equation for shear wave beams by considering second-harmonic generation in Gaussian beams as a second-order nonlinear effect using standard perturbation theory. In order for second-order nonlinear effects to be present, a broader class of source polarizations must be considered that includes not only the familiar translational polarizations, but also polarizations accounting for stretching, shearing and rotation of the source plane. It is found that the polarization of the second harmonic generated by the quadratic nonlinearity is not necessarily the same as the polarization of the source-frequency beam, and we are able to derive a general analytic solution for second-harmonic generation from a Gaussian source condition that gives explicitly the relationship between the polarization of the source-frequency beam and the polarization of the second harmonic

Beta-Suppression of Alfven Cascade Modes in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fredrickson, E.D.; N.A. Crocker; N.N. Gorelenkov; W.W. Heidbrink; S. Kubota; F.M. Levinton; H. Yuh; J.E. Menard; Bell, R.E.

2007-01-01

The coupling of Alfven Cascade (AC) modes or reversed-shear Alfven eigenmodes (rsAE) to Geodesic Acoustic Modes (GAM) implies that the range of the AC frequency sweep is reduced as the electron β is increased. This model provides an explanation for the otherwise surprising absence of AC modes in reverse shear NSTX plasmas, given the rich spectrum of beam-driven instabilities typically seen in NSTX. In experiments done at very low β to investigate this prediction, AC modes were seen, and as the β e was increased from shot to shot, the range of the AC frequency sweep was reduced, in agreement with this theoretical prediction.

Kinetic global analysis of Alfven eigenmodes in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuyama, A.

2002-01-01

Systematic study on low to medium n (toroidal mode number) Alfven eigenmodes (AE) in tokamaks and helical systems is presented. Linear stability of AE in the presence of energetic ions was studied using the kinetic full-wave code TASK/WM.We have reproduced the destabilizing effect of toroidal co-rotation on TAE for JT-60U parameters. We have found the existence of reversed-shear-induced Alfven eigenmode (RSAE) which localizes near the q minimum in a reversed magnetic shear configuration. Two kinds of mode structures are identified for energetic particle mode (EPM) below the TAE frequency gap. The coupling to lower-frequency modes such as drift waves and MHD modes as well as the effect of trapped particles are also taken into account. For a helical plasma, the existence of GAE in the central region and TAE in the off-axis region was confirmed. (author)

Alfven shock trains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malkov, M.A.; Kennel, C.F.; Wu, C.C.; Pellat, R.; Shapiro, V.D.

1991-01-01

The Cohen--Kulsrud--Burgers equation (CKB) is used to consider the nonlinear evolution of resistive, quasiparallel Alfven waves subject to a long-wavelength, plane-polarized, monochromatic instability. The instability saturates by nonlinear steepening, which proceeds until the periodic waveform develops an interior scale length comparable to the dissipation length; a fast or an intermediate shock then forms. The result is a periodic train of Alfven shocks of one or the other type. For propagation strictly parallel to the magnetic field, there will be two shocks per instability wavelength. Numerical integration of the time-dependent CKB equation shows that an initial, small-amplitude growing wave asymptotes to a stable, periodic stationary wave whose analytic solution specifies how the type of shock embedded in the shock train, and the amplitude and speed of the shock train, depend on the strength and phase of the instability. Waveforms observed upstream of the Earth's bowshock and cometary shocks resemble those calculated here

Resistive effects on helicity-wave current drive generated by Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K.

1997-01-01

This work is concerned with the investigation of non-ideal (resistive) MHD effects on the excitation of Alfven waves by externally launched fast-mode waves, in simulated tokamak plasmas; both continuum range, CR ({ω Alf (r)} min Alf (r)} max ) and discrete range, DR, where global Alfven eigenmodes, GAEs (ω Alf (r)} min ) exist, are considered. (Here, ω Alf (r) ≡ ω Alf [n(r), B 0 (r)] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave). For this, a cylindrical current carrying plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell is used. Toroidicity effects are simulated by adopting for the axial equilibrium magnetic field component a suitable radial profile; shear and finite relative poloidal magnetic field are properly accounted for. A dielectric tensor appropriate to the physical conditions considered in this paper is derived and presented. (author)

Scale separation closure and Alfven wave turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, C.Y.; Mahajan, S.M.

1985-04-01

Based on the concept of scale separation between coherent response function and incoherent source for renormalized turbulence theories, a closure scheme is proposed. A model problem dealing with shear-Alfven wave turbulence is numerically solved; the solution explicitly shows expected turbulence features such as frequency shift from linear modes, band-broadening, and a power law dependence for the turbulence spectrum

Energy dissipation of Alfven wave packets deformed by irregular magnetic fields in solar-coronal arches

Science.gov (United States)

Similon, Philippe L.; Sudan, R. N.

1989-01-01

The importance of field line geometry for shear Alfven wave dissipation in coronal arches is demonstrated. An eikonal formulation makes it possible to account for the complicated magnetic geometry typical in coronal loops. An interpretation of Alfven wave resonance is given in terms of gradient steepening, and dissipation efficiencies are studied for two configurations: the well-known slab model with a straight magnetic field, and a new model with stochastic field lines. It is shown that a large fraction of the Alfven wave energy flux can be effectively dissipated in the corona.

Alfven Spectroscopy for Advanced Scenarios on JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharapov, S. E.

2007-01-01

Advanced tokamak scenarios on JET exhibit outstanding quality fusion-grade plasmas, with internal transport barriers (ITBs) capable of supporting gradients ∇ T i ≅ 150 keV/m (with T i (0)≅ 40 keV), and with ) q(r) -profiles ranging from monotonic to deep shear reversal, including the limiting case of toroidal current holes. It was found experimentally, that in reversed shear JET discharges the ITB start from so-called ITB triggering events, which are seen as increases in electron temperature within, e.g. r/a ≤ 0.4 by Δ T e /T e ∼ 10-30%. If main heating power is applied at this time, an ITB is formed easily. Without an extra-heating power the improved confinement effect is lost in about 100 msec. Here, we investigate the magnetic field topology at the time of the ITB triggering events in JET plasmas. Alfven spectroscopy based on discrete spectrum of Alfven eigenmodes (AEs) excited by ICRH-accelerated and/or NBI-produced energetic ions is used for determining the evolution of the q(r)- profiles. Recently developed interferometry diagnostics of AEs significantly extended time resolution and sensitivity of Alfven spectroscopy on JET and made it possible to perform the ITB triggering event studies with a high accuracy. The ITB triggering events are found to occur when q m in (t) passes values q m ininteger (majority of the cases), q m in= half-integer, and when q(r=0)--∞ (current hole is triggered). This experimental data is compared to the idensity of rational surfaces transport theory. (Author)

Parametric instabilities of parallel propagating incoherent Alfven waves in a finite ion beta plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nariyuki, Y.; Hada, T.; Tsubouchi, K.

2007-01-01

Large amplitude, low-frequency Alfven waves constitute one of the most essential elements of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in the fast solar wind. Due to small collisionless dissipation rates, the waves can propagate long distances and efficiently convey such macroscopic quantities as momentum, energy, and helicity. Since loading of such quantities is completed when the waves damp away, it is important to examine how the waves can dissipate in the solar wind. Among various possible dissipation processes of the Alfven waves, parametric instabilities have been believed to be important. In this paper, we numerically discuss the parametric instabilities of coherent/incoherent Alfven waves in a finite ion beta plasma using a one-dimensional hybrid (superparticle ions plus an electron massless fluid) simulation, in order to explain local production of sunward propagating Alfven waves, as suggested by Helios/Ulysses observation results. Parameter studies clarify the dependence of parametric instabilities of coherent/incoherent Alfven waves on the ion and electron beta ratio. Parametric instabilities of coherent Alfven waves in a finite ion beta plasma are vastly different from those in the cold ions (i.e., MHD and/or Hall-MHD systems), even if the collisionless damping of the Alfven waves are neglected. Further, ''nonlinearly driven'' modulational instability is important for the dissipation of incoherent Alfven waves in a finite ion beta plasma regardless of their polarization, since the ion kinetic effects let both the right-hand and left-hand polarized waves become unstable to the modulational instability. The present results suggest that, although the antisunward propagating dispersive Alfven waves are efficiently dissipated through the parametric instabilities in a finite ion beta plasma, these instabilities hardly produce the sunward propagating waves

Magnetosphere as an Alfven maser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trakhtengerts, V.Yu.

1979-01-01

The Earth magnetosphere is considered as an Alfven maser. The operation mechanism of such a maser is duscussed. The main fact of this mechanism is ''overpopulation'' of the Earth radiation belt with particles moving with cross velocities. The cross velocity particles excess results in the excitation of cyclotron instability in the radiation belt and in the self-arbitrary increase of Alfven waves. At late the theory of cyclotron instability of radiation belts has been universally developed. On the basis of ideas on magnetosphere maser on cyclotron resonance it was possible to explain many geophysical phenomena such as periodical spillings out of particles from the radiation belts, pulsing polar lights, oscillations of magnetic force tubes etc. It is proposed to carry out active cosmic experiments to understand deeper the processes occuring in radiation belts

Experimental Study of Reversed Shear Alfven Eigenmodes During The Current Ramp In The Alcator C-Mod Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edlund, E.M.; Porkolab, M.; Kramer, G.J.; Lin, L.; Lin, Y.; Tsuji, N.; Wukitch, S.J.

2010-01-01

Experiments conducted in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak at MIT have explored the physics of reversed shear Alfven eigenmodes (RSAEs) during the current ramp. The frequency evolution of the RSAEs throughout the current ramp provides a constraint on the evolution of q min , a result which is important in transport modeling and for comparison with other diagnostics which directly measure the magnetic field line structure. Additionally, a scaling of the RSAE minimum frequency with the sound speed is used to derive a measure of the adiabatic index, a measure of the plasma compressibility. This scaling bounds the adiabatic index at 1.40 ± 0.15 used in MHD models and supports the kinetic calculation of separate electron and ion compressibilities with an ion adiabatic index close to 7/4.

Stability of the Global Alfven Eigenmode in the presence of fusion alpha particles in an ignited tokamak plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.Y.; Van Dam, J.W.

1989-05-01

The stability of the Global Alfven Eigenmodes is investigated in the presence of super-Alfvenic energetic particles, such as the fusion-product alpha particles in an ignited deuterium-tritium tokamak plasma. Alpha particles tend to destabilize these modes when ω *α > ω A , where ω A is the shear-Alfven modal frequency and ω *α is the alpha particle diamagnetic drift frequency. This destabilization due to alpha particles is found to be significantly enhanced when the alpha particles are modeled with a slowing-down distribution function rather than with a Maxwellian. However, previously neglected electron damping due to the magnetic curvature drift is found to be comparable in magnitude to the destabilizing alpha particle term. Furthermore, the effects of toroidicity are also found to be stabilizing, since the intrinsic toroidicity induces poloidal mode coupling, which enhances the parallel electron damping from the sideband shear-Alfven Landau resonance. In particular, for the parameters of the proposed Compact Ignition Tokamak, the Global Alfven Eigenmodes are found to be completely stabilized by either the electron damping that enters through the magnetic curvature drift or the damping introduced by finite toroidicity. 29 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

Alfven Spectroscopy for Advanced Scenarios on JET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharapov, S. E.

2007-07-01

Advanced tokamak scenarios on JET exhibit outstanding quality fusion-grade plasmas, with internal transport barriers (ITBs) capable of supporting gradients {nabla} T{sub i}{approx_equal} 150 keV/m (with T{sub i}(0){approx_equal} 40 keV), and with q(r)-profiles ranging from monotonic to deep shear reversal, including the limiting case of toroidal current holes. It was found experimentally, that in reversed shear JET discharges the ITB start from so-called ITB triggering events, which are seen as increases in electron temperature within, e.g. r/a {<=} 0.4 by {delta} T{sub e}/T{sub e}{approx} 10-30%. If main heating power is applied at this time, an ITB is formed easily. Without an extra-heating power the improved confinement effect is lost in about 100 msec. Here, we investigate the magnetic field topology at the time of the ITB triggering events in JET plasmas. Alfven spectroscopy based on discrete spectrum of Alfven eigenmodes (AEs) excited by ICRH-accelerated and/or NBI-produced energetic ions is used for determining the evolution of the q(r)- profiles. Recently developed interferometry diagnostics of AEs significantly extended time resolution and sensitivity of Alfven spectroscopy on JET and made it possible to perform the ITB triggering event studies with a high accuracy. The ITB triggering events are found to occur when q{sub min} (t) passes values q{sub min} integer (majority of the cases), q{sub min}= half-integer, and when q(r=0)--infinity (current hole is triggered). This experimental data is compared to the density of rational surfaces transport theory. (Author)

Resistive effects on helicity-wave current drive generated by Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). Faculty of Exact Sciences

1997-05-01

This work is concerned with the investigation of non-ideal (resistive) MHD effects on the excitation of Alfven waves by externally launched fast-mode waves, in simulated tokamak plasmas; both continuum range, CR ({l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}(r){r_brace}{sub min} < {omega} < {l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}(r){r_brace}{sub max}) and discrete range, DR, where global Alfven eigenmodes, GAEs ({omega} < {l_brace}{sub Alf}(r){r_brace}{sub min}) exist, are considered. (Here, {omega}{sub Alf}(r) {identical_to} {omega}{sub Alf}[n(r), B{sub 0}(r)] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave). For this, a cylindrical current carrying plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell is used. Toroidicity effects are simulated by adopting for the axial equilibrium magnetic field component a suitable radial profile; shear and finite relative poloidal magnetic field are properly accounted for. A dielectric tensor appropriate to the physical conditions considered in this paper is derived and presented. (author).

Alfven wave excitation in a cavity with a transverse magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bures, M.

1982-12-01

A transversely magnetized cylindrical plasma model with an internal rod conductor is used to approximate the FIVA internal ring device of Spherator type with a purely poloidal magnetic field. It is shown that an excitation asymmetry along the plasma column, i.e. with a wave number k sub (z) does not equal 0, introduces a coupling between the magnetoacoustic and shear Alfven waves in the frequency range #betta#<<#betta# sub (ci). The introduction of an equilibrium mass motion along the plasma cylinder introduces a flow continuum. Simultaneously the Alfven resonance frequency becomes Doppler shifted. The experimental observations indicate that cavity modes do not build up in the FIVA device in the case of nonsymmetric excitation. If on the other hand the exciting structure becomes symmetric, i.e. with k sub (z) equals 0, the magnetoacoustic resonance become excited. The resulting Q values are rather low which indicates that the coupling to the shear wave through the Hall electric field cannot be neglected. (Author)

Theory of charged particle heating by low-frequency Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Zehua; Crabtree, Chris; Chen, Liu

2008-01-01

The heating of charged particles by a linearly polarized and obliquely propagating shear Alfven wave (SAW) at frequencies a fraction of the charged particle cyclotron frequency is demonstrated both analytically and numerically. Applying Lie perturbation theory, with the wave amplitude as the perturbation parameter, the resonance conditions in the laboratory frame are systematically derived. At the lowest order, one recovers the well-known linear cyclotron resonance condition k parallel v parallel -ω-nΩ=0, where v parallel is the particle velocity parallel to the background magnetic field, k parallel is the parallel wave number, ω is the wave frequency, Ω is the gyrofrequency, and n is any integer. At higher orders, however, one discovers a novel nonlinear cyclotron resonance condition given by k parallel v parallel -ω-nΩ/2=0. Analytical predictions on the locations of fixed points, widths of resonances, and resonance overlapping criteria for global stochasticity are also found to agree with those given by computed Poincare surfaces of section

Theory and simulation of discrete kinetic beta induced Alfven eigenmode in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, X; Zonca, F; Chen, L

2010-01-01

It is shown, both analytically and by numerical simulations, that, in the presence of thermal ion kinetic effects, the beta induced Alfven eigenmode (BAE)-shear Alfven wave continuous spectrum can be discretized into radially trapped eigenstates known as kinetic BAE (KBAE). While thermal ion compressibility gives rise to finite BAE accumulation point frequency, the discretization occurs via the finite Larmor radius and finite orbit width effects. Simulations and analytical theories agree both qualitatively and quantitatively. Simulations also demonstrate that KBAE can be readily excited by the finite radial gradients of energetic particles.

Stabilization of ballooning modes with sheared toroidal rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, R.L.; Waelbroeck, F.L.; Hassam, A.B.; Waltz, R.E.

1995-01-01

Stabilization of magnetohydrodynamic ballooning modes by sheared toroidal rotation is demonstrated using a shifted circle equilibrium model. A generalized ballooning mode representation is used to eliminate the fast Alfven wave, and an initial value code solves the resulting equations. The s-α diagram (magnetic shear versus pressure gradient) of ballooning mode theory is extended to include rotational shear. In the ballooning representation, the modes shift periodically along the field line to the next point of unfavorable curvature. The shift frequency (dΩ/dq, where Ω is the angular toroidal velocity and q is the safety factor) is proportional to the rotation shear and inversely proportional to the magnetic shear. Stability improves with increasing shift frequency and direct stable access to the second stability regime occurs when this frequency is approximately one-quarter to one-half the Alfven frequency, ω A =V A /qR. copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics

Alfven Continuum and Alfven Eigenmodes in the National Compact Stellarator Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fesenyuk, O.P.; Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Lutsenko, V.V.; White, R.B.; Yakovenko, Yu.V.

2004-01-01

The Alfven continuum (AC) in the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) is investigated with the AC code COBRA. The resonant interaction of Alfven eigenmodes and the fast ions produced by neutral beam injection is analyzed. Alfven eigenmodes residing in one of the widest gaps of the NCSX AC, the ellipticity-induced gap, are studied with the code BOA-E

The influence of multiple ion species on Alfven wave dispersion and Alfven wave plasma heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elfimov, A.G.; Tataronis, J.A.; Hershkowitz, N.

1994-01-01

In this paper, the effects of light impurities, such as deuterium, helium, or carbon, on Alfven wave dispersion characteristics are explored. It is shown that a small population of light impurities in a hydrogen plasma modify the dispersion of the global Alfven waves and the Alfven continuum in such a way that the wave frequency depends weakly on the toroidal wave number. It is also shown that the global Alfven wave enters into the Alfven continuum. Under these conditions, it is possible to heat plasma efficiently by employing an antenna with a broad toroidal wavelength spectrum. The relationship between impurity concentration and the efficiency of Alfven wave heating is explored. Under appropriate conditions, the results indicate that in the presence of impurities, Alfven waves can heat electrons predominantly in the central part of the plasma. This effect is explored via a series of numerical calculations of the heating specifically for the Phaedrus-T Alfven wave heating experiment [Phys. Fluids B 5, 2506 (1993)

Solitary Alfven wave envelopes and the modulational instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennel, C.F.

1987-06-01

The derivative nonlinear Schroedinger equation describes the modulational instability of circularly polarized dispersive Alfven wave envelopes. It also may be used to determine the properties of finite amplitude localized stationary wave envelopes. Such envelope solitons exist only in conditions of modulational stability. This leaves open the question of whether, and if so, how, the modulational instability produces envelope solitons. 12 refs

Basic physics of Alfven instabilities driven by energetic particles in toroidally confined plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heidbrink, W. W.

2008-01-01

Superthermal energetic particles (EP) often drive shear Alfven waves unstable in magnetically confined plasmas. These instabilities constitute a fascinating nonlinear system where fluid and kinetic nonlinearities can appear on an equal footing. In addition to basic science, Alfven instabilities are of practical importance, as the expulsion of energetic particles can damage the walls of a confinement device. Because of rapid dispersion, shear Alfven waves that are part of the continuous spectrum are rarely destabilized. However, because the index of refraction is periodic in toroidally confined plasmas, gaps appear in the continuous spectrum. At spatial locations where the radial group velocity vanishes, weakly damped discrete modes appear in these gaps. These eigenmodes are of two types. One type is associated with frequency crossings of counterpropagating waves; the toroidal Alfven eigenmode is a prominent example. The second type is associated with an extremum of the continuous spectrum; the reversed shear Alfven eigenmode is an example of this type. In addition to these normal modes of the background plasma, when the energetic particle pressure is very large, energetic particle modes that adopt the frequency of the energetic particle population occur. Alfven instabilities of all three types occur in every toroidal magnetic confinement device with an intense energetic particle population. The energetic particles are most conveniently described by their constants of motion. Resonances occur between the orbital frequencies of the energetic particles and the wave phase velocity. If the wave resonance with the energetic particle population occurs where the gradient with respect to a constant of motion is inverted, the particles transfer energy to the wave, promoting instability. In a tokamak, the spatial gradient drive associated with inversion of the toroidal canonical angular momentum P ζ is most important. Once a mode is driven unstable, a wide variety of

Alfven wave heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stix, H.

1981-01-01

The physics of Alfven-wave heating is particularly sensitive to the character of the linear mode conversion which occurs at the Alfven resonance layer. Parameter changes can profoundly affect both the location within the plasma and the mechanism for the power absorption. Under optimal conditions the heating power may be absorbed by electron Landau damping and by electron transit-time magnetic pumping in the plasma interior, or by the same processes acting near the resonance layer on the mode-converted kinetic Alfven wave. The method is outlined for computing the coefficients for reflection, transmission and absorption at the resonance layer and some representative results are offered

Non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low aspects ratio Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

1996-01-01

A theoretical investigation of radio frequency (RF) current drive via helicity injection in low aspect ratio tokamaks was carried out. A current-carrying cylindrical plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell was considered. Toroidal features of low aspect ratio tokamaks were simulated by incorporation of the following effects: (i) arbitrarily small aspect ratio, R o /a ≡ 1/ε (ii) strongly sheared equilibrium magnetic field; and (iii) relatively large poloidal component of the equilibrium magnetic field. The study concentrates on the Alfven continuum, i.e. the case in which the wave frequency satisfies the condition {ω Alf (r)} min ≤ω≥{ω Alf (r)} max , where ω Alf (r)≡ω[n(r),B o (o)] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave (SAW). Thus, using low-p, ideal magneto-hydrodynamics, the wave equation with correct boundary (matching) conditions was solved, the RF field components were found and subsequently, current drive , power deposition and efficiency were computed. The results of our investigation clearly demonstrate the possibility of generation of RF-driven currents via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low aspect ratio tokamaks, in the SAW mode. A special algorithm was developed which enables the selection of the antenna parameters providing optimal current drive efficiency. (authors)

Ballooning mode stabilization by moderate sheared rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hameiri, E.

1996-01-01

Sheared toroidal plasma rotation has been known for some time to have a stabilizing effect on the ballooning modes. A recent calculation showed that a large flow shear, with dΩ/dq of the order of the Alfven toroidal frequency, can stabilize the ballooning modes. This latest result is, in fact, not so optimistic. For observed flows with Mach number of order unity one gets dΩ/dq smaller by a factor O(√β) from the required level (if the flow shear length is of the same order as the magnetic shear length). Moreover, the calculation does not take into account a possibly large transient growth of the mode amplitude due to its Floquet structures We show here that, in fact, there is a general tendency of the ballooning mode to stabilize as soon as the flow shear dΩ/dq exceeds the (O√β smaller) open-quotes slowclose quotes magnetosonic wave frequency. Our analysis is perturbative, where the small parameter is related to the small coupling between the slow and Alfven waves-as is the case in a high aspect-ratio tokamak. (In the perturbation it is important to take the Hamiltonian nature of the governing equations into account.) Moreover, our results apply to the relevant transient growth of the mode amplitude

Destabilization of low mode number Alfven modes in a tokamak by energetic or alpha particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, K.T.; Sigmar, D.J.; Whitson, J.C.

1980-12-01

With the inclusion of finite Larmor radius effects in the shear Alfven eigenmode equation, the continuous Alfven spectrum, which has been extensively discussed in ideal magnetohydrodynamics, is removed. Neutrally stable, discrete radial eigenmodes appear in the absence of sources of free energy and dissipation. Alpha (or energetic) particle toroidal drifts destabilize these modes, provided the particles are faster than the Alfven speed. Although the electron Landu resonance contributes to damping, a stability study of the parametric variation of the energy and the density scale length of the energetic particles shows that modes with low radial mode numbers remain unstable in most cases. Since the alpha particles are concentrated in the center of the plasma, this drift-type instability suggests anomalous helium ash diffusion. Indeed, it is shown that stochasticity of alpha orbits due to the overlapping of radially neighboring Alfven resonances is induced at low amplitudes, e/sub i//sup approx./phi/T/sub i/ greater than or equal to 0.05, implying a diffusion coefficient D/sub r//sup α/ greater than or equal to 4.4 x 10 3 cm 2 /s

Current-driven instabilities of the kinetic shear Alfven wave: Application to reversed field pinches and spheromaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyerhofer, D.D.; Perkins, F.W.

1984-01-01

The kinetic Alfven wave is studied in a cylindrical force-free plasma with self-consistent magnetic fields. This equilibrium represents a reversed field pinch or a spheromak. The stability of the wave is found to depend on the ratio of the electron drift velocity to the Alfven velocity. This ratio varies inversely with the square root of the plasma line density. The critical line density using the Spitzer--Harm electron distribution function is found for reversed field pinches with deuterium plasmas to be approximately 2 x 10 18 and is 5 x 10 17 m -1 in spheromaks with hydrogen plasmas. The critical line density is in reasonable agreement with experimental data for reversed field pinches

Current driven instabilities of the kinetic shear Alfven wave: application to reversed field pinches and spheromaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyerhofer, D.D.; Perkins, F.W.

1984-04-01

The kinetic Alfven wave is studied in a cylindrical force-free plasma with self-consistent magnetic fields. This equilibrium represents a reversed field pinch or a spheromak. The stability of the wave is found to depend on the ratio of the electron drift velocity to the Alfven velocity. This ratio varies inversely with the square root of the plasma line density. The critical line density using the Spitzer-Harm electron distribution function is found for reversed field pinches with deuterium plasmas to be approximately 2 x 10 18 m -1 and is 5 x 10 17 m -1 in spheromaks with hydrogen plasmas. The critical line density is in reasonable agreement with experimental data for reversed field pinches

Effects of heavy ion temperature on low-frequency kinetic Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, L.; Wu, D. J.

2011-01-01

Heavy ion-electron (or proton) temperature ratio varies in a wide range in the solar and space environment. In this paper, proton and heavy ion temperatures are included in a three-fluid plasma model. For the specified parameters, low-frequency (<< heavy ion gyrofrequency) kinetic Alfven waves (KAWs) with sub- and super-Alfvenic speeds are found to coexist in the same plasma environment. Our results show that the temperature ratio of heavy ions to electrons can considerably affect the dispersion, propagation, and electromagnetic polarizations of the KAWs. In particular, the temperature ratio can increase the ratio of parallel to perpendicular electric fields and the normalized electric to magnetic field ratio, the variations of which are greatly different in regions with a high heavy ion temperature and with a low one. The results may help to understand the physical mechanism of some energization processes of heavy ions in the solar and space plasma environment. Effects of the ratio of electron thermal to Alfven speeds and the heavy ion abundance on these parameters are also discussed.

Compressional Alfven Eigenmode Similarity Study

Science.gov (United States)

Heidbrink, W. W.; Fredrickson, E. D.; Gorelenkov, N. N.; Rhodes, T. L.

2004-11-01

NSTX and DIII-D are nearly ideal for Alfven eigenmode (AE) similarity experiments, having similar neutral beams, fast-ion to Alfven speed v_f/v_A, fast-ion pressure, and shape of the plasma, but with a factor of 2 difference in the major radius. Toroidicity-induced AE with ˜100 kHz frequencies were compared in an earlier study [1]; this paper focuses on higher frequency AE with f ˜ 1 MHz. Compressional AE (CAE) on NSTX have a polarization, dependence on the fast-ion distribution function, frequency scaling, and low-frequency limit that are qualitatively consistent with CAE theory [2]. Global AE (GAE) are also observed. On DIII-D, coherent modes in this frequency range are observed during low-field (0.6 T) similarity experiments. Experiments will compare the CAE stability limits on DIII-D with the NSTX stability limits, with the aim of determining if CAE will be excited by alphas in a reactor. Predicted differences in the frequency splitting Δ f between excited modes will also be used. \\vspace0.25em [1] W.W. Heidbrink, et al., Plasmas Phys. Control. Fusion 45, 983 (2003). [2] E.D. Fredrickson, et al., Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Report PPPL-3955 (2004).

Modification and damping of Alfven waves in a magnetized dusty plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salimullah, M.; Dasgupta, B.; Watanabe, K.; Sato, T.

1994-10-01

The dispersion characteristics of the circularly polarized electromagnetic waves along a homogeneous magnetic field in a dusty plasma have been investigated theoretically. The Vlasov equation has been employed to find the response of the magnetized plasma particles where the dust grains form a static background of highly charged and massive centers having certain correlation. It is found that in addition to the usual Landau damping which is negligible in the low temperature approximation, a novel mechanism of damping of the Alfven waves due to the dust comes into play. The modification and damping of the Alfven waves depend on the dust perturbation parameters, unequal densities of plasma particles, the average correlation length of the dust grains, temperature of the plasma and the magnetic field. (author)

Non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low-aspect-ratio tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences

1996-08-01

A theoretical investigation of radio-frequency (RF) current drive via helicity injection in low aspect ratio tokamaks is carried out. A current-carrying cylindrical plasma surrounded by a helical sheet-current antenna and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell is considered. Toroidal features of low-aspect-ratio tokamaks are simulated by incorporating the following effects: (i) arbitrarily small aspect ratio, R{sub O}/a ``identical to`` 1/{epsilon}; (ii) strongly sheared equilibrium magnetic field; and (iii) relatively large poloidal component of the equilibrium magnetic field. This study concentrates on the Alfven continuum, i.e. the case in which the wave frequency satisfies the condition {l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}({tau}){r_brace}{sub min}{r_brace} {<=} {omega} {<=} {l_brace}{omega}{sub Alf}({tau}){r_brace}{sub max}, where {omega}{sub Alf}({tau}) ``identical to`` {omega}{sub Alf}[n({tau}), B{sub O}({tau})] is an eigenfrequency of the shear Alfven wave (SAW). Thus, using low-{beta} magnetohydrodynamics, the wave equation with correct boundary (matching) conditions is solved, the RF field components are found, and subsequently current drive, power deposition and efficiency are computed. The results of our investigation clearly demonstrate the possibility of generation of RF-driven currents via helicity injection by Alfven waves in low-aspect-ratio tokamaks, in the SAW mode. A special algorithm is developed that enables one to select the antenna parameters providing optimal current drive efficiency. (Author).

Separation of gravitational-wave and cosmic-shear contributions to cosmic microwave background polarization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kesden, Michael; Cooray, Asantha; Kamionkowski, Marc

2002-07-01

Inflationary gravitational waves (GW) contribute to the curl component in the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Cosmic shear--gravitational lensing of the CMB--converts a fraction of the dominant gradient polarization to the curl component. Higher-order correlations can be used to map the cosmic shear and subtract this contribution to the curl. Arcminute resolution will be required to pursue GW amplitudes smaller than those accessible by the Planck surveyor mission. The blurring by lensing of small-scale CMB power leads with this reconstruction technique to a minimum detectable GW amplitude corresponding to an inflation energy near 10(15) GeV.

Existence of core localized toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.Y.

1995-02-01

The core-localized toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmode (TAE) is shown to exist at finite plasma pressure due to finite aspect ratio effects in tokamak plasma. The new critical beta for the existence of the TAE mode is given by α∼ 3ε + 2s 2 , where ε = r/R is the inverse aspect ratio, s is the magnetic shear and α = -Rq 2 dβ/dr is the normalized pressure gradient. In contrast, previous critical α is given by α ∼ s 2 . In the limit of s << √r/R, the new critical α is greatly enhanced by the finite aspect ratio effects

Effects of dust on the propagation and dissipation of Alfven waves in interstellar clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilipp, W.; Morfill, G.E.; Hartquist, T.W.; Havnes, O.; Maryland Univ., College Park; Nordlysobservatoriet, Tromso, Norway)

1987-01-01

The propagation of circularly polarized Alfven waves in dusty, weakly ionized media consisting of three gaseous fluids and of one size of grains that are either neutral or singly ionized is numerically investigated. For a molecular hydrogen number density of 10,000/cu cm, a magnetic field strength of 0.0001 G, and a temperature of 20 K, the waves are well coupled when the wavelengths exceed about 1 pc. The grains can reduce the minimum wavelength for coupled waves to about 0.1 pc and the dissipation rates of well-coupled small-amplitude waves by an order of magnitude. The speeds and dissipation rates of decoupled Alfven waves with frequencies well above 0.01/yr and wavelengths well below 0.01 pc are altered greatly over a wide range of frequencies by the presence of grains. In particular, right-handed circularly polarized waves are affected strongly by gyroresonance and cutoff effects. 18 references

Collective processes in a tokamak with high-energy particles: general problems of the linear theory of Alfven instabilities of a tokamak with high-energy ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikhailovskii, A.B.

1986-01-01

Some general problems of the theory of Alfven instabilities of a tokamak with high-energy ions are considered. It is assumed that such ions are due to either ionization of fast neutral atoms, injected into the tokamak, or production of them under thermo-nuclear conditions. Small-oscillation equations are derived for the Alfven-type waves, which allow for both destabilizing effects, associated with the high-energy particles, and stabilizing ones, such as effects of shear and bulk-plasm dissipation. A high-energy ion contribution is calculated into the growth rate of the Alfven waves. The author considers the role of trapped-electron collisional dissipation

Alfven wave heating and stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villard, L.; Brunner, S.; Jaun, A.; Vaclavik, J.

1994-10-01

Alfven waves in fusion plasmas play an important role in a number of situations. First, in Alfven Wave Heating (AWH) schemes. Second, both theory and experiment have demonstrated the existence of Global Alfven Eigenmodes (GAEs). GAEs have been observed in different tokamaks (PRETEXT, TCA, TEXTOR, etc.) and, more recently, in a stellarator (Wendelstein 7-AS) where they were shown to become unstable under intense Neutral Beam injection. Third, the existence and possible destabilization by fast ions of Toroidicity induced Alfven Eigenmodes (TAEs) has been evidenced both theoretically and experimentally. This destabilization could hamper the operation of a magnetically confined fusion reactor by setting a limit on the number of fusion alpha particles in the plasma. It is therefore crucial to understand the mechanisms leading to the occurrence of the instability and also those that can stabilize the TAEs by increasing the strength of the damping. The aim is to be able to devise possible ways to avoid the instability of Alfven eigenmodes in a region of parameter space that is compatible with the functioning of a fusion reactor. A global perturbative approach is presented to tackle the problem of the linear stability of TAEs. Our model computes the overall wave particle power transfers to the different species and thus could also be applied to the study of alpha power extraction in the presence of Alfven waves. We indicate also how to go beyond the perturbative approach. (author) 15 figs., 38 refs

Perturbation theory for Alfven wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Z.; Mahajan, S.M.

1995-01-01

The Alfven wave is the dominant low frequency transverse mode of a magnetized plasma. The Alfven wave propagation along the magnetic field, and displays a continuous spectrum even in a bounded plasma. This is essentially due to the degeneracy of the wave characteristics, i.e. the frequency (ω) is primarily determined by the wave number in the direction parallel to the ambient magnetic field (k parallel ) and is independent of the perpendicular wavenumbers. The characteristics, that are the direction along which the wave energy propagates, are identical to the ambient magnetic field lines. Therefore, the spectral structure of the Alfven wave has a close relationship with the geometric structure of the magnetic field lines. In an inhomogeneous plasma, the Alfven resonance constitutes a singularity for the defining wave equation; this results in a singular eigenfunction corresponding to the continuous spectrum. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the perturbation theory for the Alfven wave. Emphasis is placed on those perturbations of the continuous spectrum which lead to the creation of point spectra. Such qualitative changes in the spectrum are relevant to many plasma phenomena

Alfven eigenmodes driven by Alfvenic beam ions in JT-60U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinohara, K.; Kusama, Y.; Takechi, M.

2001-01-01

Instabilities with frequency chirping in the frequency range of Alfven eigenmodes have been found in the domain 0.1% h > bparallel /υ A ∼ 1 with high energy neutral beam injection in JT-60U. One instability with a frequency inside the Alfven continuum spectrum appears and its frequency increases slowly to the toroidicity induced Alfven eigenmode (TAE) gap on the timescale of an equilibrium change (∼ 200 ms). Other instabilities appear with a frequency inside the TAE gap and their frequencies change very quickly by 10-20 kHz in 1-5 ms. During the period when these fast frequency sweeping (fast FS) modes occur, abrupt large amplitude events (ALEs) often appear with a drop of neutron emission rate and an increase in fast neutral particle fluxes. The loss of energetic ions increases with a peak fluctuation amplitude of B-tilde θ /B θ . An energy dependence of the loss ions is observed and suggests a resonant interaction between energetic ions and the mode. (author)

Estimation of in-situ stresses in concrete members using polarized ultrasonic shear waves

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Andrew; Schumacher, Thomas

2014-02-01

Ultrasonic testing is commonly used to detect flaws, estimate geometries, and characterize properties of materials and structures. Acoustoelasticity refers to the dependency of stress wave velocity with applied stresses and is a phenomenon that has been known by geophysicists since the 1960s. A way to capitalize on this effect for concrete applications is by using ultrasonic shear waves which are particularly sensitive to applied stresses when polarized in the direction of the applied stress. The authors conducted an experiment on a 150 mm (6 in.) diameter concrete cylinder specimen with a length of 305 mm (12 in.) that was loaded in discrete load steps to failure. At each load step two ultrasonic shear waves were transmitted through the specimen, one with the polarization perpendicular and the other transverse to the applied stress. The velocity difference between the two sets of polarized shear waves was found to correlate with the applied stress in the specimen. Two potential applications for this methodology include estimation of stresses in pre-stressed concrete bridge girders and investigation of load redistribution in structural support elements after extreme events. This paper introduces the background of the methodology, presents an analysis of the collected data, and discusses the relationship between the recorded signals and the applied stress.

Confrontation Doederlein/Alfven

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

In a brief article it is reported that Hannes Alfven has accepted an invitation to take part in the Salzburg Conference. He will participate in the section on 'Nuclear Power and Public Opinion'. It is anticipated that Jan M. Doederlein will be one of Alfven's opponents. The article concludes by presenting a synopsis of the views of the World Council of Churches, which will also take part in the Salzburg Conference. It is the Council's opinion that there are no ethical or religious objections to the exploitation of nuclear power. (JIW)

Resonant Alfven waves on auroral field lines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, Y.T.

1987-01-01

It is shown that resonant Alfven waves on dipole magnetic field geometry and plasma distributions suitable for auroral field lines can be conveniently treated in the theory of Mathieu functions. Resurgent interest in invoking large-scale Alfven waves to structure some elements of auroral electrodynamics calls for interpretation of measured perpendicular electric and magnetic disturbance fields in terms of Alfven waves. The ability to express the resonant eigenmodes in closed form in terms of Mathieu functions allows for convenient tests of the Alfven wave structuring hypothesis. Implications for current vector electric and magnetic disturbance measurements are discussed

Structure of small-scale standing azimuthal Alfven waves interacting with high-energy particles in the magnetosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klimushkin, D.Yu.

1998-01-01

The effect of bounce-drift instability on the structure of small-scale azimuthal Alfven waves in the magnetosphere is studied with allowance for the curvature of the geomagnetic field lines. The pressure of the background plasma is assumed to be zero. As early as 1993, Leonovich and Mazur showed that Alfven waves with m>>1, being standing waves along magnetic field lines, propagate, at the same time, across the magnetic surfaces. As these waves propagate through the magnetosphere, they interact with a group of high-energy particles and, thereby, are amplified with a growth rate dependent on the radial coordinate, i.e., a coordinate perpendicular to the magnetic sheaths. Near the Alfven resonance surface, the growth rate approaches zero, and the waves are damped completely due to the energy dissipation in the ionosphere. As the growth rate increases, the maximum of the wave amplitude is displaced to the Alfven resonance region and the most amplified waves are those whose magnetic field vectors oscillate in the azimuthal direction. Among the waves excited in a plasma resonator that is formed near the plasmapause, the most amplified are those with radial polarization

Mechanisms for the Dissipation of Alfven Waves in Near-Earth Space Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Nagendra; Khazanov, George; Krivorutsky, E. N.; Davis, John M. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Alfven waves are a major mechanism for the transport of electromagnetic energy from the distant part of the magnetosphere to the near-Earth space. This is especially true for the auroral and polar regions of the Earth. However, the mechanisms for their dissipation have remained illusive. One of the mechanisms is the formation of double layers when the current associated with Alfven waves in the inertial regime interact with density cavities, which either are generated nonlinearly by the waves themselves or are a part of the ambient plasma turbulence. Depending on the strength of the cavities, weak and strong double layers could form. Such double layers are transient; their lifetimes depend on that of the cavities. Thus they impulsively accelerate ions and electrons. Another mechanism is the resonant absorption of broadband Alfven- wave noise by the ions at the ion cyclotron frequencies. But this resonant absorption may not be possible for the very low frequency waves, and it may be more suited for electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves. A third mechanism is the excitation of secondary waves by the drifts of electrons and ions in the Alfven wave fields. It is found that under suitable conditions, the relative drifts between different ion species and/or between electrons and ions are large enough to drive lower hybrid waves, which could cause transverse accelerations of ions and parallel accelerations of electrons. This mechanism is being further studied by means of kinetic simulations using 2.5- and 3-D particle-in-cell codes. The ongoing modeling efforts on space weather require quantitative estimates of energy inputs of various kinds, including the electromagnetic energy. Our studies described here contribute to the methods of determining the estimates of the input from ubiquitous Alfven waves.

Topics in stability and transport in tokamaks: Dynamic transition to second stability with auxiliary heating; stability of global Alfven waves in an ignited plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.

1988-01-01

The problem of access to the high-beta ballooning second-stability regime by means of auxiliary heating and the problem of the stability of global-shear Alfven waves in an ignited tokamak plasma are theoretically investigated. These two problems are related to the confinement of both the bulk plasma as well as the fusion-product alpha particles an dare fundamentally important to the operation of ignited tokamak plasma. First, a model that incorporates both transport and ballooning mode stability was developed in order to estimate the auxiliary heating power required for tokamak plasma to evolve in time self-consistently into a high-beta, globally self-stabilized equilibrium. The critical heating power needed for access to second stability is found to be proportional to the square root of the anomalous diffusivity induced by the ballooning instability. Next, the full effects of toroidicity are retained in a theoretical description of global-type-shear Alfven modes whose stability can be modified by the fusion-product alpha particles that will present in an ignited tokamak plasma. Toroidicity is found to induce mode coupling and to stabilize the so-called Global Alfven Eigenmodes (GAE)

Laser plasma simulations of the generation processes of Alfven and collisionless shock waves in space plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prokopov, P A; Zakharov, Yu P; Tishchenko, V N; Shaikhislamov, I F; Boyarintsev, E L; Melekhov, A V; Ponomarenko, A G; Posukh, V G; Terekhin, V A

2016-01-01

Generation of Alfven waves propagating along external magnetic field B 0 and Collisionless Shock Waves propagating across B 0 are studied in experiments with laser- produced plasma and magnetized background plasma. The collisionless interaction of interpenetrating plasma flows takes place through a so-called Magnetic Laminar Mechanism (MLM) or Larmor Coupling. At the edge of diamagnetic cavity LP-ions produce induction electric field E φ which accelerates BP-ions while LP-ions rotate in opposite direction. The ions movement generates sheared azimuthal magnetic field B φ which could launches torsional Alfven wave. In previous experiments at KI-1 large scale facility a generation of strong perturbations propagating across B 0 with magnetosonic speed has been studied at a moderate value of interaction parameter δ∼0.3. In the present work we report on experiments at conditions of 5∼R2 and large Alfven-Mach number M A ∼10 in which strong transverse perturbations traveling at a scale of ∼1 m in background plasma at a density of ∼3*10 13 cm -3 is observed. At the same conditions but smaller M A ∼ 2 a generation, the structure and dynamic of Alfven wave with wavelength ∼0.5 m propagating along fields B 0 ∼100÷500 G for a distance of ∼2.5 m is studied. (paper)

Solar-wind turbulence and shear: a superposed-epoch analysis of corotating interaction regions at 1 AU

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borovsky, Joseph E [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Denton, Michael H [LANCASTER UNIV.

2009-01-01

A superposed-epoch analysis of ACE and OMNI2 measurements is performed on 27 corotating interaction regions (CIRs) in 2003-2008, with the zero epoch taken to be the stream interface as determined by the maximum of the plasma vorticity. The structure of CIRs is investigated. When the flow measurements are rotated into the local-Parker-spiral coordinate system the shear is seen to be abrupt and intense, with vorticities on the order of 10{sup -5}-10{sup -4} sec{sup -1}. Converging flows perpendicular to the stream interface are seen in the local-Parker-spiral coordinate system and about half of the CIRs show a layer of divergent rebound flow away from the stream interface. Arguments indicate that any spreading of turbulence away from the region where it is produced is limited to about 10{sup 6} km, which is very small compared with the thickness of a CrR. Analysis of the turbulence across the CrRs is performed. When possible, the effects of discontinuities are removed from the data. Fluctuation amplitudes, the Alfvenicity, and the level of Alfvenic correlations all vary smoothly across the CrR. The Alfven ratio exhibits a decrease at the shear zone of the stream interface. Fourier analysis of 4.5-hr subintervals of ACE data is performed and the results are superposed averaged as an ensemble of realizations. The spectral slopes of the velocity, magnetic-field, and total-energy fluctuations vary smoothly across the CIR. The total-energy spectral slope is {approx} 3/2 in the slow and fast wind and in the CrRs. Analysis of the Elsasser inward-outward fluctuations shows a smooth transition across the CrR from an inward-outward balance in the slow wind to an outward dominance in the fast wind. A number of signatures of turbulence driving at the shear zone are sought (entropy change, turbulence amplitude, Alfvenicity, Alfven ratio, spectral slopes, in-out nature): none show evidence of driving of turbulence by shear.

Effect of Dust Grains on Solitary Kinetic Alfven Wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Yangfang; Wu, D. J.; Morfill, G. E.

2008-01-01

Solitary kinetic Alfven wave has been studied in dusty plasmas. The effect of the dust charge-to-mass ratio is considered. We derive the Sagdeev potential for the soliton solutions based on the hydrodynamic equations. A singularity in the Sagdeev potential is found and this singularity results in a bell-shaped soliton. The soliton solutions comprise two branches. One branch is sub-Alfvenic and the soliton velocities are much smaller than the Alfven speed. The other branch is super-Alfvenic and the soliton velocities are very close to or greater than the Alfven speed. Both compressive and rarefactive solitons can exist in each branch. For the sub-Alfvenic branch, the rarefactive soliton is a bell shape curve which is much narrower than the compressive one. In the super-Alfvenic branch, however, the compressive soliton is bell-shaped and the rarefactive one is broadened. We also found that the super-Alfvenic solitons can develop to other structures. When the charge-to-mass ratio of the dust grains is sufficiently high, the width of the rarefactive soliton will increase extremely and an electron density depletion will be observed. When the velocity is much higher than the Alfven speed, the bell-shaped soliton will transit to a cusped structure.

SURFACE ALFVEN WAVES IN SOLAR FLUX TUBES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goossens, M.; Andries, J.; Soler, R.; Van Doorsselaere, T. [Centre for Plasma Astrophysics, Department of Mathematics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200B, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); Arregui, I.; Terradas, J., E-mail: marcel.goossens@wis.kuleuven.be [Solar Physics Group, Departament de Fisica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

2012-07-10

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves are ubiquitous in the solar atmosphere. Alfven waves and magneto-sonic waves are particular classes of MHD waves. These wave modes are clearly different and have pure properties in uniform plasmas of infinite extent only. Due to plasma non-uniformity, MHD waves have mixed properties and cannot be classified as pure Alfven or magneto-sonic waves. However, vorticity is a quantity unequivocally related to Alfven waves as compression is for magneto-sonic waves. Here, we investigate MHD waves superimposed on a one-dimensional non-uniform straight cylinder with constant magnetic field. For a piecewise constant density profile, we find that the fundamental radial modes of the non-axisymmetric waves have the same properties as surface Alfven waves at a true discontinuity in density. Contrary to the classic Alfven waves in a uniform plasma of infinite extent, vorticity is zero everywhere except at the cylinder boundary. If the discontinuity in density is replaced with a continuous variation of density, vorticity is spread out over the whole interval with non-uniform density. The fundamental radial modes of the non-axisymmetric waves do not need compression to exist unlike the radial overtones. In thin magnetic cylinders, the fundamental radial modes of the non-axisymmetric waves with phase velocities between the internal and the external Alfven velocities can be considered as surface Alfven waves. On the contrary, the radial overtones can be related to fast-like magneto-sonic modes.

Excitation of beta Alfven eigenmodes in Tore-Supra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, C; Garbet, X; Sabot, R; Goniche, M; Maget, P; Basiuk, V; Decker, J; Elbeze, D; Huysmans, G T A; Macor, A; Segui, J-L; Schneider, M; Eriksson, L-G

2009-01-01

Modes oscillating at the acoustic frequency and identified as beta Alfven eigenmodes (BAEs) have been observed in Tore-Supra under ion cyclotron resonant heating. In this paper, the linear excitation threshold of these modes, thought to be driven by suprathermal ions, is calculated and compared with Tore-Supra observations. Similar studies of the linear excitation threshold of energetic particles driven modes were carried out previously for toroidal Alfven eigenmodes or fishbones. In the case of BAEs, the main point is to understand whether the energetic particle drive is able to exceed ion Landau damping, which is expected to be important in the acoustic frequency range. For this, the BAE dispersion relation is computed and simplified in order to derive a tractable excitation criterion suitable for comparison with experiments. The observation of BAEs in Tore-Supra is found to be in agreement with the calculated criterion and confirms the possibility to trigger these modes in the presence of ion Landau damping. Moreover, the conducted analysis clearly puts forward the role of the global tunable parameters which play a role in the BAE excitation (the magnetic field, the density etc), as well as the role of some plasma profiles. In particular, the outcome of a modification of the shear or of the heating localization is found to be non-negligible and it is discussed in the paper.

An Alfven eigenmode similarity experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heidbrink, W W; Fredrickson, E; Gorelenkov, N N; Hyatt, A W; Kramer, G; Luo, Y

2003-01-01

The major radius dependence of Alfven mode stability is studied by creating plasmas with similar minor radius, shape, magnetic field (0.5 T), density (n e ≅3x10 19 m -3 ), electron temperature (1.0 keV) and beam ion population (near-tangential 80 keV deuterium injection) on both NSTX and DIII-D. The major radius of NSTX is half the major radius of DIII-D. The super-Alfvenic beam ions that drive the modes have overlapping values of v f /v A in the two devices. Observed beam-driven instabilities include toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE). The stability threshold for the TAE is similar in the two devices. As expected theoretically, the most unstable toroidal mode number n is larger in DIII-D

Shear wave induced resonance elastography of spherical masses with polarized torsional waves

Science.gov (United States)

Hadj Henni, Anis; Schmitt, Cédric; Trop, Isabelle; Cloutier, Guy

2012-03-01

Shear wave induced resonance (SWIR) is a technique for dynamic ultrasound elastography of confined mechanical inclusions. It was developed for breast tumor imaging and tissue characterization. This method relies on the polarization of torsional shear waves modeled with the Helmholtz equation in spherical coordinates. To validate modeling, an invitro set-up was used to measure and image the first three eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes of a soft sphere. A preliminary invivo SWIR measurement on a breast fibroadenoma is also reported. Results revealed the potential of SWIR elastography to detect and mechanically characterize breast lesions for early cancer detection.

Influence of Base Oil Polarity on the Transient Shear Flow of Biodegradable Lubricating Greases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Fiedler

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The scope of this study is to elucidate the physical mechanisms influencing the transient flow behavior of lubricating greases based on biogenic oleochemicals from a polarity point of view. This includes the mutually interacting influence of base oil polarity and thickening agents on the rheologically-measured mechanical structural degradation in transient shear flow. Due to the high temperature dependence of Keesom forces in the background of polar-active bond mechanisms, the analysis of the transient flow response as a function of temperature allows to attribute the observed influences to differences in base oil polarity. In general, clay-thickened greases show a greater tendency to be rheologically influenced by base oil polarities than soap-thickened lubricating greases.

Alfven wave resonances and flow induced by nonlinear Alfven waves in a stratified atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stark, B. A.; Musielak, Z. E.; Suess, S. T.

1996-01-01

A nonlinear, time-dependent, ideal MHD code has been developed and used to compute the flow induced by nonlinear Alfven waves propagating in an isothermal, stratified, plane-parallel atmosphere. The code is based on characteristic equations solved in a Lagrangian frame. Results show that resonance behavior of Alfven waves exists in the presence of a continuous density gradient and that the waves with periods corresponding to resonant peaks exert considerably more force on the medium than off-resonance periods. If only off-peak periods are considered, the relationship between the wave period and induced longitudinal velocity shows that short period WKB waves push more on the background medium than longer period, non-WKB, waves. The results also show the development of the longitudinal waves induced by finite amplitude Alfven waves. Wave energy transferred to the longitudinal mode may provide a source of localized heating

Effects of nonresonant hot ions with large orbits on Alfven cascades and on magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharapov, S.E.; Mikhailovskii, A.B.; Huysmans, G.T.A.

2004-01-01

The effects of nonresonating hot ions on the spectrum of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves and instabilities in tokamaks are studied in the limit when the width of the hot ion drift orbits is much larger than the radial scale length of the MHD perturbations. Due to the large magnetic drift velocities the hot ions cannot contribute to the MHD perturbations directly, but two main effects of the hot ions, the hot-ion density-dependent effect and the hot-ion pressure-dependent effect, influence the MHD perturbations indirectly. The physics of both effects is elucidated and it is shown that both these effects can be described in MHD approach. A new code, MISHKA-H (MISHKA including the hot-ion indirect effects), is developed as an extension of the ideal MHD code MISHKA-D [Huysmans et al., Phys. Plasmas 8, 4292 (2002)]. Analytical benchmarks for this code are given. Results of the MISHKA-H code on Alfven spectrum in a shear-reversed discharges with ion-cyclotron resonance frequency (ICRF) heating are presented. Modeling of Alfven cascades and their transition into toroidal Alfven eigenmodes in shear-reversed tokamak equilibrium is considered. The hot-ion effect on the unstable branch of the MHD spectrum is studied for the test case of an n=1 ideal MHD internal kink mode, which is relevant to short-period sawteeth in low-density plasmas observed in Joint European Torus (JET) [Rebut et al., Proceedings of the 10th International Conference, Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion, London (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1985), Vol. I, p. 11] experiments with high-power ICRF heating

Nonlinear propagation of Alfven waves in cometary plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lakhina, G.S.; Shukla, P.K.

1987-07-01

Large amplitude Alfven waves propagating along the guide magnetic field in a three-component plasma are shown to be modulationally unstable due to their nonlinear interaction with nonresonant electrostatic density fluctuations. A new class of subsonic Alfven soliton solutions are found to exist in the three-component plasma. The Alfven solitons can be relevant in explaining the properties of hydromagnetic turbulence near the comets. (author). 15 refs

Alfven Eigenmodes in spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gryaznevich, Mikhail P.; Sharapov, Sergei E.; Berk, Herbert L.; Pinches, Simon D.

2005-01-01

Electromagnetic instabilities are often excited by fast super-Alfvenic ions produced by neutral beam injection (NBI) in plasmas of the spherical tokamaks START and MAST (toroidal magnetic confinement devices in which the minor a and major R 0 radii of the torus are comparable, R 0 /a≅1.2/1.8). These instabilities are seen as discrete weakly-damped toroidal and elliptical Alfven Eigenmodes (TAEs and EAEs) with frequencies tracing in time the Alfven scaling with the equilibrium magnetic field and plasma density, or as energetic particle modes (EPMs) whose frequencies don't start from TAE-frequency and sweep down in time faster than the equilibrium parameters change. In some discharges the beam drives Aflvenic-type modes that start from the TAE frequency and sweep in both up- and down- directions. Such electromagnetic perturbations are interpreted as 'hole-clump' long-living nonlinear fluctuations of the fast ion distribution function predicted by Berk-Breizman-Petviashvili [Phys. Lett. A238 (1998) 408]. It is found on both START and MAST that the Alfven instabilities weaken in their mode amplitude and in the number of unstable modes as the pressure of the thermal plasma increases, in agreement with increased thermal ion Landau damping and the pressure effect on core-localised TAEs. (author)

Excitation of Alfvenic instabilities in spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClements, K.G.; Appel, L.C.; Hole, M.J.; Thyagaraja, A.

2003-01-01

Understanding energetic particle confinement in spherical tokamak (STs) is important for optimising the design of ST power plants, and provides a testbed for theoretical modelling under conditions of strong toroidicity and shaping, and high beta. MHD analysis of some recent beam-heated discharges in the MAST ST indicates that high frequency modes observed in these discharges can be identified as toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes (TAEs) and elliptical Alfven Eigenmodes (EAEs). It is possible that such modes could strongly enhance fusion alpha-particle transport in an ST power plant. Computations of TAE growth rates for one particular MAST discharge, made using the HAGIS guiding centre code and benchmarked against analytical estimates, indicate strong drive by sub-Alfvenic neutral beam ions. HAGIS computations using higher mode amplitudes than those observed indicate that whereas co-passing beam ions provide the bulk of he TAE drive, counter-passing ions provide the dominant component of TAE-induced particle losses. Axisymmetric Alfvenic mode activity has been detected during ohmic discharges in MAST. These observations are shown by computational modelling to be consistent with the excitation of global Alfven Eigenmodes (GAEs) with n=0 and low m, driven impulsively by low frequency MHD. (author)

Role of plasma equilibrium current in Alfven wave antenna optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puri, S.

1986-12-01

The modifications in the antenna loading produced by the plasma equilibrium current, the Faraday shield, and the finite electron temperature for coupling to the Alfven waves are studied using a self-consistent, three-dimensional, fully analytic periodic-loop-antenna model. The only significant changes are found to occur due to the plasma current and consist of an improved coupling (by a factor of ∝ 2.5) at low toroidal numbers (n ∝ 1-3). Despite this gain, however, the coupling to low n continues to be poor with R=0.03 Ω and Q=180 for n=2. Optimum coupling with R=0.71 Ω and Q=16.8 occurs for n=8 as was also the case in the absence of the plasma current. For the large n values, mode splitting due to the removal of the poloidal degeneracy combined with the finite electron temperatures effects lead to significant broadening of the energy absorption profile. Direct antenna coupling to the surface shear wave is small and no special provision, such as Faraday shielding, may be needed for preventing surface losses. The introduction of the Faraday screen, in fact, increases the coupling to the surface shear wave, possibly by acting as an impedance matching transformer between the antenna and the plasma. The finite electron temperature causes the predictable increase in the absorption width without influencing the antenna coupling. Thus the recommendations for antenna design for optimum coupling to the Alfven wave remain unaffected by the inclusion of the plasma current. Efficient coupling with capabilities for dynamic impedance tracking through purely electronic means may be obtained using a dense-cluster-array antenna with a toroidal configuration of n ∝ 8. (orig.)

Kinetic Alfven Waves at the Magnetopause-Mode Conversion, Transport and Formation of LLBL; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jay R. Johnson; C.Z. Cheng

2002-01-01

At the magnetopause, large amplitude, low-frequency (ULF), transverse MHD waves are nearly always observed. These waves likely result from mode conversion of compressional MHD waves observed in the magnetosheath to kinetic Alfven waves at the magnetopause where there is a steep gradient in the Alfven velocity[Johnson and Cheng, Geophys. Res. Lett. 24 (1997) 1423]. The mode-conversion process can explain the following wave observations typically found during satellite crossings of the magnetopause: (1) a dramatic change in wave polarization from compressional in the magnetosheath to transverse at the magnetopause, (2) an amplification of wave amplitude at the magnetopause, (3) a change in Poynting flux from cross-field in the magnetosheath to field-aligned at the magnetopause, and (4) a steepening in the wave power spectrum at the magnetopause. We examine magnetic field data from a set of ISEE1, ISEE2, and WIND magnetopause crossings and compare with the predictions of theoretical wave solutions based on the kinetic-fluid model with particular attention to the role of magnetic field rotation across the magnetopause. The results of the study suggest a good qualitative agreement between the observations and the theory of mode conversion to kinetic Alfven waves. Because mode-converted kinetic Alfven waves readily decouple particles from the magnetic field lines, efficient quasilinear transport (D(approx) 109m2/s) can occur. Moreover, if the wave amplitude is sufficiently large (Bwave/B0 and gt; 0.2) stochastic particle transport also occurs. This wave-induced transport can lead to significant heating and particle entry into the low latitude boundary layer across closed field lines.At the magnetopause, large amplitude, low-frequency (ULF), transverse MHD waves are nearly always observed. These waves likely result from mode conversion of compressional MHD waves observed in the magnetosheath to kinetic Alfven waves at the magnetopause where there is a steep gradient in

Effects of Toroidal Rotation Sshear on Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Podesta, M; Fredrickson, E D; Gorelenkov, N N; LeBlanc, B P; Heidbrink, W W; Crocker, N A; Kubota, S

2010-08-19

The effects of a sheared toroidal rotation on the dynamics of bursting Toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes are investigated in neutral beam heated plasmas on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) [M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40 557 (2000)]. The modes have a global character, extending over most of the minor radius. A toroidal rotation shear layer is measured at the location of maximum drive for the modes. Contrary to results from other devices, no clear evidence of increased damping is found. Instead, experiments with simultaneous neutral beam and radio-frequency auxiliary heating show a strong correlation between the dynamics of the modes and the instability drive. It is argued that kinetic effects involving changes in the mode drive and damping mechanisms other than rotation shear, such as continuum damping, are mostly responsible for the bursting dynamics of the modes.

Geometrical and profile effects on toroidicity and ellipticity induced Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villard, L.; Fu, G.Y.

1992-04-01

The wave structures, eigenfrequencies and damping rates of toroidicity and ellipticity induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE, EAE) of low toroidal mode numbers (n) are calculated in various axisymmetric ideal MHD equilibria with the global wave finite element code LION. The importance of safety factor (q) and density (ρ) profiles on continuum damping rates is analysed. For realistic profiles several continuum gaps exist in the plasma discharge. Frequency misalignment of these gaps yields continuum damping rates γ/ω of the order of a few percent. Finite β pol lowers the TAE eigenfrequency. For β values below the Troyon limit the TAE enters the continuum and can thus be stabilized. Finite elongation allows the EAE to exist but triangularity can have a stabilizing effect through coupling to the continuum. The localization of TAE and EAE eigenfunctions is found to increase with the shear and with n. Therefore large shear, through enhanced Landau and collisional damping, is a stabilizing factor for TAE and EAE modes. (author) 16 figs., 28 refs

Destabilization of Alfven eigenmodes by fast particles in W7-AS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zegenhagen, S.

2006-02-01

In the present thesis, a systematic study of beam driven Alfven eigenmodes in high-density and low-temperature plasmas of the W7-AS stellarator is performed. The goal of this thesis is twofold: (I) identification and description of fast particle driven Alfven instabilities in W7-AS, and (II) study of energetic particle losses induced by Alfven instabilities. A total of 133 different Alfven eigenmodes is studied in discharges from different experimental campaigns. The discharges are characterized by high density, n e =5 x 1019 m -3 to 2.5 x 1020 m -3 at relatively low temperatures of T e =T i =150..600 eV. Additional 13 events are found to have frequencies inside the EAE gap and could possibly be EAEs. Evidence for high-frequency Alfven eigenmodes (mirror- and helicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes) is seen, but can not be proven rigorously due to uncertain mode numbers and the complexity of the Alfven continuum. The remaining 41 Alfven eigenmodes can not be classified to be one of the above cases. (orig.)

Destabilization of Alfven eigenmodes by fast particles in W7-AS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zegenhagen, S.

2006-02-15

In the present thesis, a systematic study of beam driven Alfven eigenmodes in high-density and low-temperature plasmas of the W7-AS stellarator is performed. The goal of this thesis is twofold: (I) identification and description of fast particle driven Alfven instabilities in W7-AS, and (II) study of energetic particle losses induced by Alfven instabilities. A total of 133 different Alfven eigenmodes is studied in discharges from different experimental campaigns. The discharges are characterized by high density, n{sub e}=5 x 1019 m{sup -3} to 2.5 x 1020 m{sup -3} at relatively low temperatures of T{sub e}=T{sub i}=150..600 eV. Additional 13 events are found to have frequencies inside the EAE gap and could possibly be EAEs. Evidence for high-frequency Alfven eigenmodes (mirror- and helicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes) is seen, but can not be proven rigorously due to uncertain mode numbers and the complexity of the Alfven continuum. The remaining 41 Alfven eigenmodes can not be classified to be one of the above cases. (orig.)

Alfven wave. DOE Critical Review Series

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, A.; Uberoi, C.

1982-01-01

This monograph deals with the properties of Alfven waves and with their application to fusion. The book is divided into 7 chapters dealing with linear properties in homogeneous and inhomogeneous plasmas. Absorption is treated by means of kinetic theory. Instabilities and nonlinear processes are treated in Chapters 1 to 6, and the closing chapter is devoted to theory and experiments in plasma heating by Alfven waves

Beta-induced Alfven-acoustic Eigenmodes in NSTX and DIII-D Driven by Beam Ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N.N.; Van Zeeland, M.A.; Berk, H.L.; Crocker, N.A.; Darrow, D.; Fredrickson, E.; Fu, G.-Y.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Menard, J.; Nazikian, R.

2009-01-01

Kinetic theory and experimental observations of a special class of energetic particle driven instabilities called here Beta-induced Alfven-Acoustic Eigenmodes (BAAE) are reported confirming previous results [N.N. Gorelenkov H.L. Berk, N.A. Crocker et. al. Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 49 B371 (2007)] The kinetic theory is based on the ballooning dispersion relation where the drift frequency effects are retained. BAAE gaps are recovered in kinetic theory. It is shown that the observed certain low-frequency instabilities on DIII-D [J.L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42 614 (2002)] and National Spherical Torus Experiment [M. Ono, S.M. Kaye, Y.-K M. Peng et. al., Nucl. Fusion 40 3Y 557 (2000)] are consistent with their identification as BAAEs. BAAEs deteriorated the fast ion confinement in DIII-D and can have a similar effect in next-step fusion plasmas, especially if excited together with multiple global Toroidicity-induced shear Alfven Eigenmode (TAE) instabilities. BAAEs can also be used to diagnose safety factor profiles, a technique known as magnetohydrodynamic spectroscopy

Beta-induced Alfven-acousti Eigenmodes in NSTX and DIII-D Driven by Beam Ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorelenkov, N. N.; Van Zeeland, M. A.; Berk, H. L.; Crocker, N. A.; Darrow, D.; Fredrickson, E.; Fu, G. Y.; Heidbrink, W. W.; Menard, J.; Nazikian, R.

2009-03-06

Kinetic theory and experimental observations of a special class of energetic particle driven instabilities called here Beta-induced Alfven-Acoustic Eigenmodes (BAAE) are reported confirming previous results [N.N. Gorelenkov H.L. Berk, N.A. Crocker et. al. Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 49 B371 (2007)] The kinetic theory is based on the ballooning dispersion relation where the drift frequency effects are retained. BAAE gaps are recovered in kinetic theory. It is shown that the observed certain low-frequency instabilities on DIII-D [J.L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42 614 (2002)] and National Spherical Torus Experiment [M. Ono, S.M. Kaye, Y.-K M. Peng et. al., Nucl. Fusion 40 3Y 557 (2000)] are consistent with their identification as BAAEs. BAAEs deteriorated the fast ion confinement in DIII-D and can have a similar effect in next-step fusion plasmas, especially if excited together with multiple global Toroidicity-induced shear Alfven Eigenmode (TAE) instabilities. BAAEs can also be used to diagnose safety factor profiles, a technique known as magnetohydrodynamic spectroscopy.

Exact analytic expressions for the evolution of polarization for radiation propagating in a plasma with non uniformly sheared magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segre, S. E.

2001-01-01

The known analytic expressions for the evolution of the polarization of electromagnetic waves propagating in a plasma with uniformly sheared magnetic field are extended to the case where the shear is not constant. Exact analytic expressions are found for the case when the space variations of the medium are such that the magnetic field components and the plasma density satisfy a particular condition (eq. 13), possibly in a convenient reference frame of polarization space [it

Near-surface compressional and shear wave speeds constrained by body-wave polarization analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sunyoung; Ishii, Miaki

2018-06-01

A new technique to constrain near-surface seismic structure that relates body-wave polarization direction to the wave speed immediately beneath a seismic station is presented. The P-wave polarization direction is only sensitive to shear wave speed but not to compressional wave speed, while the S-wave polarization direction is sensitive to both wave speeds. The technique is applied to data from the High-Sensitivity Seismograph Network in Japan, and the results show that the wave speed estimates obtained from polarization analysis are compatible with those from borehole measurements. The lateral variations in wave speeds correlate with geological and physical features such as topography and volcanoes. The technique requires minimal computation resources, and can be used on any number of three-component teleseismic recordings, opening opportunities for non-invasive and inexpensive study of the shallowest (˜100 m) crustal structures.

The structure of ideal MHD Alfven modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turnbull, A.D.; Chu, M.S.; Lao, L.L.; Greene, J.M.; Strait, E.J.; Chance, M.S.

1991-01-01

Continuum Alfven modes have undergone a resurgence in interest with the recent realization that so-called Toroidicity-Induced Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE modes) can be destabilized either by energetic beam ions in a strongly heated plasma or by alpha particles in a burning plasma. The GATO Ideal MHD Stability code, which minimizes the potential energy according to a variational formulation, has now been modified to isolate and calculate stable continuum eigenmodes. The existence of the TAE mode and its associated gap has been verified, using this code, for a circular cross-section, finite aspect ratio equilibrium. Moreover, the eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes obtained from this variational calculation are found to be in extremely good quantitative agreement with those obtained from the non-variational NOVA code. A systematic survey of the stable continuum has further revealed a surprising diversity in the structure of the continuum Alfven modes; the logarithmic singularity can be so broad, in some cases, as to occupy the whole cross-section. This has important implications for heating experiments which aim to locally excite the plasma by rf waves in the Alfven frequency range. The structure of several representative examples is discussed. The Alfven continuum, in general, and the TAE mode and its associated gap, in particular, are also found to be strongly modified by cross-sectional shaping. The dependence of the spectrum on various shaping factors is explored

Stabilization of ballooning modes with sheared toroidal rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, R.L.; Waelbroeck, F.W.; Lao, L.L.; Taylor, T.S.

1994-11-01

A new code demonstrates the stabilization of MHD ballooning modes by sheared toroidal rotation. A shifted model is used to elucidate the physics and numerically reconstructed equilibria are used to analyze DIII-D discharges. In the ballooning representation, the modes shift periodically along the field line to the next point of unfavorable curvature. The shift frequency (dΩ/dq where Ω is the angular toroidal velocity and q is the safety factor) is proportional to the rotation shear and inversely proportional to the magnetic shear. Stability improves with increasing shift frequency and, in the shifted circle model, direct stable access to the second stability regime occurs when this frequency is a fraction of the Alfven frequency ω A = V A /qR. Shear stabilization is also demonstrated for an equilibrium reconstruction of a DIII-D VH-mode

Ion Acceleration in Plasmas with Alfven Waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolesnychenko, O.Ya.; Lutsenko, V.V.; White, R.B.

2005-01-01

Effects of elliptically polarized Alfven waves on thermal ions are investigated. Both regular oscillations and stochastic motion of the particles are observed. It is found that during regular oscillations the energy of the thermal ions can reach magnitudes well exceeding the plasma temperature, the effect being largest in low-beta plasmas (beta is the ratio of the plasma pressure to the magnetic field pressure). Conditions of a low stochasticity threshold are obtained. It is shown that stochasticity can arise even for waves propagating along the magnetic field provided that the frequency spectrum is non-monochromatic. The analysis carried out is based on equations derived by using a Lagrangian formalism. A code solving these equations is developed. Steady-state perturbations and perturbations with the amplitude slowly varying in time are considered

ULF Waves in the Ionospheric Alfven Resonator: Modeling of MICA Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Streltsov, A. V.; Tulegenov, B.

2017-12-01

We present results from a numerical study of physical processes responsible for the generation of small-scale, intense electromagnetic structures in the ultra-low-frequency range frequently observed in the close vicinity of bright discrete auroral arcs. In particular, our research is focused on the role of the ionosphere in generating these structures. A significant body of observations demonstrate that small-scale electromagnetic waves with frequencies below 1 Hz are detected at high latitudes where the large-scale, downward magnetic field-aligned current (FAC) interact with the ionosphere. Some theoretical studies suggest that these waves can be generated by the ionospheric feedback instability (IFI) inside the ionospheric Alfven resonator (IAR). The IAR is the region in the low-altitude magnetosphere bounded by the strong gradient in the Alfven speed at high altitude and the conducting bottom of the ionosphere (ionospheric E-region) at low altitude. To study ULF waves in this region we use a numerical model developed from reduced two fluid MHD equations describing shear Alfven waves in the ionosphere and magnetosphere of the earth. The active ionospheric feedback on structure and amplitude of magnetic FACs that interact with the ionosphere is implemented through the ionospheric boundary conditions that link the parallel current density with the plasma density and the perpendicular electric field in the ionosphere. Our numerical results are compared with the in situ measurements performed by the Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling in the Alfven Resonator (MICA) sounding rocket, launched on February 19, 2012 from Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska to measure fields and particles during a passage through a discreet auroral arc. Parameters of the simulations are chosen to match actual MICA parameters, allowing the comparison in the most precise and rigorous way. Waves generated in the numerical model have frequencies between 0.30 and 0.45 Hz, while MICA measured

Guided propagation of Alfven waves in a toroidal plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borg, G.G.; Brennan, M.H.; Cross, R.C.; Giannone, L.; Donnelly, I.J.

1985-01-01

Experimental results are presented which show that the Alfven wave is strongly guided by magnetic fields. The experiment was conducted in a Tokamak plasma using a small dipole loop antenna to generate a localised Alfven ray. The ray was observed, with magnetic probes, to propagate as a localised disturbance along the curved lines of the steady magnetic field without significant refraction due to the effects of finite frequency, resistivity or magnetic field gradients. These results agree with theoretical predictions and demonstrate that a localised Alfven wave may be excited, and may propagate, independently of the fast wave, as expected. The implication of these results for the Alfven wave heating scheme is discussed. (author)

Guided propagation of Alfven waves in a toroidal plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borg, G G; Brennan, M H; Cross, R C; Giannone, L.; Donnelly, I J

1985-10-01

Experimental results are presented which show that the Alfven wave is strongly guided by magnetic fields. The experiment was conducted in a Tokamak plasma using a small dipole loop antenna to generate a localised Alfven ray. The ray was observed, with magnetic probes, to propagate as a localised disturbance along the curved lines of the steady magnetic field without significant refraction due to the effects of finite frequency, resistivity or magnetic field gradients. These results agree with theoretical predictions and demonstrate that a localised Alfven wave may be excited, and may propagate, independently of the fast wave, as expected. The implication of these results for the Alfven wave heating scheme is discussed.

Energetic ion driven Alfven eigenmodes in Large Helical Device plasmas with three-dimensional magnetic structure and their impact on energetic ion transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toi, K; Yamamoto, S; Nakajima, N; Ohdachi, S; Sakakibara, S; Osakabe, M; Murakami, S; Watanabe, K Y; Goto, M; Kawahata, K; Kolesnichenko, Ya I; Masuzaki, S; Morita, S; Narihara, K; Narushima, Y; Takeiri, Y; Tanaka, K; Tokuzawa, T; Yamada, H; Yamada, I; Yamazaki, K

2004-01-01

In the Large Helical Device (LHD), energetic ion driven Alfven eigenmodes (AEs) and their impact on energetic ion transport have been studied. The magnetic configuration of the LHD is three-dimensional and has negative magnetic shear over a whole plasma radius in the low beta regime. These features introduce the characteristic structures of the shear Alfven spectrum. In particular, a core-localized type of toroidicity-induced AE (TAE) is most likely because the TAE gap frequency rapidly increases towards the plasma edge. Moreover, helicity-induced AEs (HAEs) can be generated through a toroidal mode coupling as well as poloidal one in the three-dimensional configuration. The following experimental results have been obtained in LHD plasmas heated by tangential neutral beam injection: (1) observation of core-localized TAEs having odd as well as even parity, (2) eigenmode transition of the core-localized TAE to global AEs (GAEs), which phenomenon is very similar to that in a reversed shear tokamak, (3) observation of HAEs of which the frequency is about eight times higher than the TAE gap frequency, (4) enhanced radial transport/loss of energetic ions caused by bursting TAEs in a relatively high beta regime, and (5) seed formation of internal transport barriers induced by TAE-induced energetic ion transport. These results will be important and interesting information for AE physics in toroidal plasmas

Zonal Flows Driven by Small-Scale Drift-Alfven Modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Dehui; Zhou Deng

2011-01-01

Generation of zonal flows by small-scale drift-Alfven modes is investigated by adopting the approach of parametric instability with the electron polarization drift included. The zonal mode can be excited by primary modes propagating at both electron and ion diamagnetic drift directions in contrast to the assertion in previous studies that only primary modes propagating in the ion diamagnetic drift directions can drive zonal instabilities. Generally, the growth rate of the driven zonal mode is in the same order as that in previous study. However, different from the previous work, the growth rate is no longer proportional to the difference between the diamagnetic drift frequencies of electrons and ions. (magnetically confined plasma)

Effect of Alfvenic fluctuations on the solar wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chien, T.H.

1974-01-01

The major source of microscale fluctuations in the interplanetary medium due to the outwardly propagating Alfven waves is considered. The effect of the Alfven waves on the supersonic expansion of the solar wind is studied under the assumption that the motion of the interplanetary medium can be resolved physically into a comparatively smooth and slowly varying mesoscale flow and field with very irregular disordered incompressible microscale Alfvenic fluctuations superposed on it. The important features of the solar wind such as heat conduction flux, spiral interplanetary magnetic field, and proton thermal anisotropy are included in the theory. For inviscid, steady state, spherically symmetrical model of the solar wind, the two-fluid formulation of the background mesoscale MHD equations is obtained. The results show that during the expansion process, fluctuation energy is converted into the kinetic energy of the solar wind. Due to the presence of the Alfvenic fluctuations, the velocity of the solar wind is about 5 percent higher than that without considering the fluctuations. (U.S.)

Nonlinear propagation of short wavelength drift-Alfven waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shukla, P. K.; Pecseli, H. L.; Juul Rasmussen, Jens

1986-01-01

Making use of a kinetic ion and a hydrodynamic electron description together with the Maxwell equation, the authors derive a set of nonlinear equations which governs the dynamics of short wavelength ion drift-Alfven waves. It is shown that the nonlinear drift-Alfven waves can propagate as two-dim...

Nonlinear two-fluid hydromagnetic waves in the solar wind: Rotational discontinuity, soliton, and finite-extent Alfven wave train solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyu, L.H.; Kan, J.R.

1989-01-01

Nonlinear one-dimensional constant-profile hydromagnetic wave solutions are obtained in finite-temperature two-fluid collisionless plasmas under adiabatic equation of state. The nonlinear wave solutions can be classified according to the wavelength. The long-wavelength solutions are circularly polarized incompressible oblique Alfven wave trains with wavelength greater than hudreds of ion inertial length. The oblique wave train solutions can explain the high degree of alignment between the local average magnetic field and the wave normal direction observed in the solar wind. The short-wavelength solutions include rarefaction fast solitons, compression slow solitons, Alfven solitons and rotational discontinuities, with wavelength of several tens of ion inertial length, provided that the upstream flow speed is less than the fast-mode speed

Interplay of energetic ions and Alfven modes in helical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Lutsenko, V.V.; Yakovenko, Yu.Y.; Yamazaki, K.; Nakajima, N.; Narushima, Y.; Toi, K.; Yamamoto, S.

2003-08-01

Alfven eigenmodes and their destabilization by energetic ions in stellarators, mainly, in the Large Helical Device (LHD) plasmas, are considered. A general expression for the instability growth rate is derived, which generalizes that obtained in Ref. [Ya.I. Kolesnichenko et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 517 (2002)] by taking into account the finite magnitude of the perturbed longitudinal magnetic field. The structures of the Alfven continuum and Alfven eigenmodes, as well as the resonances of the wave-particle interaction, are studied. A numerical simulation of the destabilization of Alfven waves with low mode numbers during neutral-beam injection in a particular LHD shot is carried out. The obtained solutions represent even and odd core-localized Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes, the calculated frequencies and the mode numbers being in agreement with experimental data. The growth rates of the instabilities are calculated. This work was done during the stay of Ya.I. Kolesnichenko in NIFS as a Guest Professor from January 26, 2003 to April 25, 2003. (author)

Alfven wave heating studies in Tokapole II tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kortbawi, D.; Witherspoon, F.D.; Zhu, S.Y.; Casavant, T.; Sprott, J.C.; Prager, S.C.

1984-01-01

In earlier experiments at low power on the Tokapole II tokamak using the internal divertor rings as a launching structure the authors have observed a resonance with properties consistent with those expected for a shear Alfven wave. With these encouraging results, a second phase of experiments has begun where, eventually, 4 discrete antennas, located ≅180 0 apart in both the toroidal and poloidal directions and phased to establish proper mode numbers are driven from a 1 MW source. A prototype antenna has been installed and tested. It is a 2 turn Faraday shielded loop extending 54 0 along a toroidal arc. This orientation was chosen for the antenna currents based on the earlier experiments and the simple MHD result that the component of the wage magnetic field perpendicular to the equilibrium field is most strongly divergent. To test this the antenna can be rotated +.45 0 . It can also be inserted radially up to 6 cm

Nonlinear evolution of astrophysical Alfven waves

Science.gov (United States)

Spangler, S. R.

1984-01-01

Nonlinear Alfven waves were studied using the derivative nonlinear Schrodinger equation as a model. The evolution of initial conditions, such as envelope solitons, amplitude-modulated waves, and band-limited noise was investigated. The last two furnish models for naturally occurring Alfven waves in an astrophysical plasma. A collapse instability in which a wave packet becomes more intense and of smaller spatial extent was analyzed. It is argued that this instability leads to enhanced plasma heating. In studies in which the waves are amplified by an electron beam, the instability tends to modestly inhibit wave growth.

Effects of flow shear and Alfven waves on two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Douglas, Jamie; Kim, Eun-jin; Thyagaraja, A.

2008-01-01

The suppression of turbulent transport by large scale mean shear flows and uniform magnetic fields is investigated in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence driven by a small-scale forcing with finite correlation time. By numerical integration the turbulent magnetic diffusivity D T is shown to be significantly quenched, with a scaling D T ∝B -2 Ω 0 -5/4 , which is much more severe than in the case of a short or delta correlated forcing typified by white noise, studied in E. Kim and B. Dubrulle [Phys. Plasmas 8, 813 (2001)]. Here B and Ω 0 are magnetic field strength and flow shear rate, respectively. The forcing with finite correlation time also leads to much stronger suppression of momentum transport through the cancellation of the Reynolds stress by the Maxwell stress with a positive small value of turbulent viscosity, ν T >0. While fluctuating kinetic and magnetic energies are unaffected by the magnetic field just as in the case of a delta correlated forcing, they are much more severely quenched by flow shear than in that of a delta correlated forcing. Underlying physical mechanisms for the reduction of turbulent transport and turbulence level by flow shear and magnetic field are discussed

Alpha effect of Alfven waves and current drive in reversed field pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litwin, C.; Prager, S.C.

1997-10-01

Circularly polarized Alfven waves give rise to an α-dynamo effect that can be exploited to drive parallel current. In a open-quotes laminarclose quotes magnetic the effect is weak and does not give rise to significant currents for realistic parameters (e.g., in tokamaks). However, in reversed field pinches (RFPs) in which magnetic field in the plasma core is stochastic, a significant enhancement of the α-effect occurs. Estimates of this effect show that it may be a realistic method of current generation in the present-day RFP experiments and possibly also in future RFP-based fusion reactors

Stable Alfven-wave dynamo action in the reversed-field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werley, K.A.

1984-01-01

Previous theoretical work has suggested that Alfven waves may be related to the anomalous toroidal magnetic flux generation and extended (over classical expectations) discharge times observed in the reversed-field pinch. This thesis examines the dynamo action of stable Alfven waves as a means of generating toroidal flux. Recent advances in linear resistive MHD stability analysis are used to calculate the quasi-linear dynamo mean electromotive force of Alfven waves. This emf is incorporated into a one-dimensional transport and mean-field evolution code. The changing equilibrium is then fed back to the stability code to complete a computational framework that self-consistently evaluates a dynamic plasma dynamo. This technique is readily extendable to other plasmas in which dynamic stable model action is of interest. Such plasmas include Alfven wave current-drive and plasma heating for fusion devices, as well as astrophysical and geophysical dynamo systems. This study also contains extensive studies of resistive Alfven wave properties. This includes behavior versus spectral location, magnetic Reynolds number and wave number

Alfven Eigenmode Control in DIII-D

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, W.; Olofsson, E.; Welander, A.; van Zeeland, M.; Collins, C.; Heidbrink, W.

2017-10-01

Alfven eigenmodes (AE) driven by fast ions from neutral beam and ion cyclotron heating are common in present day tokamak plasmas and are expected to be destabilized by alpha particles in future burning plasma experiments. Because these waves have been shown to cause loss and redistribution of fast ions which can impact plasma performance and potentially device integrity, developing control techniques for AEs is of paramount importance. In the DIII-D plasma control system, spectral analysis of real-time ECE data is used as a monitor of AE amplitude, frequency, and location. These values are then used for feedback control of the neutral beam power to control Alfven waves and reduce fast ion loss. This work describes tests of AE control experiments in the current ramp up phase, during which multiple Alfven eigenmodes are typically unstable and fast ion confinement is degraded significantly. Comparisons of neutron emission and confined fast ion profiles with and without active AE control will be made. Work supported by the U.S. Dept. of Energy under Award Number DE-FC02-04ER54698.

Alfven wave experiments in the Phaedrus-T tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majeski, R.; Probert, P.; Moroz, P.; Intrator, T.; Breun, R.; Brouchous, D.; Che, H.Y.; DeKock, J.R.; Diebold, D.; Doczy, M.; Fonck, R.; Hershkowitz, N.; Johnson, R.D.; Kishinevsky, M.; McKee, G.; Meyer, J.; Nonn, P.; Oliva, S.P.; Pew, J.; Sorensen, J.; Tanaka, T.; Vukovic, M.; Winz, G.

1993-01-01

Heating in the Alfven resonant regime has been demonstrated in the Phaedrus-T tokamak [Fusion Technol. 19, 1327 (1991)]. Electron heating during injection of radio-frequency (rf) power is indicated by a 30%--40% drop in loop voltage and modifications in sawtooth activity. Heating was observed at a frequency ω rf ∼0.7Ω i on axis, using a two-strap fast wave antenna operated at 7 and 9.2 MHz with 180 degree phasing (N parallel ∼100). Numerical modeling with the fast wave code FASTWA [Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 33, 417 (1991)] indicates that for Phaedrus-T parameters the kinetic Alfven wave is excited via mode conversion from a surface fast wave at the Alfven resonance and is subsequently damped on electrons

CORONAL HEATING BY SURFACE ALFVEN WAVE DAMPING: IMPLEMENTATION IN A GLOBAL MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS MODEL OF THE SOLAR WIND

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, R. M. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Space Weather Lab, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Opher, M. [Astronomy Department, Boston University, 675 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Oran, R.; Van der Holst, B.; Sokolov, I. V.; Frazin, R.; Gombosi, T. I. [Center for Space Environment Modeling, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Vasquez, A., E-mail: Rebekah.e.frolov@nasa.gov [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio (CONICET-UBA) and FCEN (UBA), CC 67, Suc 28, Ciudad de Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2012-09-10

The heating and acceleration of the solar wind is an active area of research. Alfven waves, because of their ability to accelerate and heat the plasma, are a likely candidate in both processes. Many models have explored wave dissipation mechanisms which act either in closed or open magnetic field regions. In this work, we emphasize the boundary between these regions, drawing on observations which indicate unique heating is present there. We utilize a new solar corona component of the Space Weather Modeling Framework, in which Alfven wave energy transport is self-consistently coupled to the magnetohydrodynamic equations. In this solar wind model, the wave pressure gradient accelerates and wave dissipation heats the plasma. Kolmogorov-like wave dissipation as expressed by Hollweg along open magnetic field lines was presented in van der Holst et al. Here, we introduce an additional dissipation mechanism: surface Alfven wave (SAW) damping, which occurs in regions with transverse (with respect to the magnetic field) gradients in the local Alfven speed. For solar minimum conditions, we find that SAW dissipation is weak in the polar regions (where Hollweg dissipation is strong), and strong in subpolar latitudes and the boundaries of open and closed magnetic fields (where Hollweg dissipation is weak). We show that SAW damping reproduces regions of enhanced temperature at the boundaries of open and closed magnetic fields seen in tomographic reconstructions in the low corona. Also, we argue that Ulysses data in the heliosphere show enhanced temperatures at the boundaries of fast and slow solar wind, which is reproduced by SAW dissipation. Therefore, the model's temperature distribution shows best agreement with these observations when both dissipation mechanisms are considered. Lastly, we use observational constraints of shock formation in the low corona to assess the Alfven speed profile in the model. We find that, compared to a polytropic solar wind model, the wave

Alfven continuum with toroidicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riyopoulos, S.; Mahajan, S.M.

1985-06-01

The symmetry property of the MHD wave propagation operator is utilized to express the toroidal eigenmodes as a superposition of the mutually orthogonal cylindrical modes. Because of the degeneracy among cylindrical modes with the same frequency but resonant surfaces of different helicity the toroidal perturbation produces a zeroth order mixing of the above modes. The toroidal eigenmodes of frequency ω 0 2 have multiple resonant surfaces, with each surface shifted relative to its cylindrical position and carrying a multispectral content. Thus a single helicity toroidal antenna of frequency ω 0 couples strongly to all different helicity resonant surfaces with matching local Alfven frequency. Zeroth order coupling between modes in the continuum and global Alfven modes also results from toroidicity and degeneracy. Our perturbation technique is the MHD counterpart of the quantum mechanical methods and is applicable through the entire range of the MHD spectrum

Discrete Alfven waves in the TORTUS tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amagishi, Y.; Ballico, M.J.; Cross, R.C.; Donnely, I.J.

1989-01-01

Discrete Alfven Waves (DAWs) have been observed as antenna resistance peaks and as enhanced edge fields in the TORTUS tokamak during Alfven wave heating experiments. A kinetic theory code has been used to calculate the antenna loading and the structure of the DAW fields for a range of plasma current and density profiles. There is fair agreement between the measured and predicted amplitude of the DAW fields in the plasma edge when both are normalized to the same antenna power

Comments on the Alfven wave spectrum as measured on the TCA tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puri, S.

1986-06-01

The heating in the TCA tokamak is ascribed to a combination of compressional Alfven wave heating (CAW) and discrete Alfven wave (DAW) heating. In this communication we invoke an alternative plasma heating mechanism by the direct excitation of torsional Alfven waves (TAW) to account for the observed features of the TCA experiment. (orig./GG)

The combined toroidicity, ellipticity and triangularity effects on the energy deposition of Alfven modes in pre-heated, low aspect ratio tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuperman, S. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel-Aviv (Israel); Bruma, C. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel-Aviv (Israel) and College of Judea and Samaria, 44837 Ariel (Israel)]. E-mail: edycb@post.tau.ac.il; Komoshvili, K. [School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel-Aviv (Israel); College of Judea and Samaria, 44837 Ariel (Israel)

2007-03-05

The combined plasma non-uniformity effects on the energy deposition of Alfven waves launched by an external antenna in pre-heated spherical tokamaks are investigated. The following relevant physical processes are here possible: (a) the emergence of gaps in the shear Alfven continuum spectrum and the generation of discrete global Alfven eigenmodes with frequencies inside the gaps; (b) multi-wave interactions, interactions of gaps of the same kind (e.g., toroidicity induced) and of different kinds (toroidicity, ellipticity and triangularity induced) as well as of secondary order gaps arising when a pair of modes is coupled to one or more modes through other coupling parameters; (c) basic wave-plasma interactions as propagation, reflection, mode-conversion, tunneling and deposition. Thus, we solved numerically the full 2D wave equations for the vector and scalar potentials, using a quite general two-fluid resistive tensor-operator, without any geometrical limitations. The results obtained indicate the existence of antenna-launched wave characteristics for which the power is most efficiently coupled in outer regions of plasmas, which is of special interest for low aspect ratio tokamaks, e.g., for the generation of non-inductive current drive as well as for turbulence suppression and transport barriers formation.

Sheared electric field-induced suppression of edge turbulence using externally driven R.F. waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craddock, G.G.; Diamond, P.H.

1991-01-01

Here the authors propose a novel method for active control and suppression of edge turbulence by sheared ExB flows driven by externally launched RF waves. The theory developed addresses the problem of open-quotes flow driveclose quotes, which is somewhat analogous to the problem of plasma current drive. As originally demonstrated for the case of spontaneously driven flows, a net difference in the gradient of the fluid and magnetic Reynolds' stresses produced by radially propagating waves can drive the plasma flow. For the prototypical case of the Alfven wave flow drive considered here, ρ 0 r v θ > - r B θ > is proportional to k perpendicular 2 ρ s 2 in the case of the kinetic Alfven wave, and [(ηk perpendicular 2 -vk perpendicular 2 )/ω] 2 in the case of resistive MHD. Both results reflect the dependence of flow drive on the net stress imbalance. The shear layer width is determined by the waves evanescence length (determined by dissipation) that sets the stress gradient scale length, while the direction of the flow is determined by the poloidal orientation of the launched waves. In particular, it should be noted that both positive and negative E r may be driven, so that enhanced confinement need not be accompanied by impurity accumulation, as commonly encountered in spontaneous H-modes. The efficiency is determined by the criterion that the radial electric field shear be large enough to suppress turbulence. For typical TEXT parameters, and unity efficiency, 300 kW of absorbed power is needed to suppress turbulence over 3 cm radially. For DIII-D, 300 kW over 4 cm is needed. Also, direct transport losses induced by RF have been shown to be small. Extensions of the theory to ICRF are underway and are discussed. They also discuss the analogous problem of current drive using kinetic Alfven waves. 2 refs

Resistivity effects in non-inductive RF current drive via helicity injection by Alfven waves: the case of conventional and small aspect ratio Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.; Komoshvili, K.

1996-01-01

Supplementary non-inductive current drive and heating are necessary to bring Tokamak plasmas into the ignition regime. The resonant excitation of shear Alfven waves (SAW) - in the continuum range (CR) or/and in the discrete global Alfven eigenmode spectrum (GAE's) - represents one potential, suitable method for this purpose. Within the framework of ideal MHD, the current drive (CD) via helicity injection in Tokamak plasmas has been considered by Cuperman et al (1996) and Komoshvili et al. (1996). This work is concerned with the investigation of the non-ideal resistive MHD effects on both the excitation of SAW's (CR's and GAE's) and the generation of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection in Tokamak plasmas. The research covers Tokamak aspect ratios ranging between large value cases (R/a = 10) and the very tight value case (R/ a = 1.2). (authors)

Alfven wave absorption in dissipative plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavrikov, M B; Taiurskii, A A

2017-01-01

We consider nonlinear absorption of Alfven waves due to dissipative effects in plasma and relaxation of temperatures of electrons and ions. This study is based on an exact solution of the equations of two-fluid electromagnetic hydrodynamics (EMHD) of plasma. It is shown that in order to study the decay of Alfven waves, it suffices to examine the behavior of their amplitudes whose evolution is described by a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) obtained in this paper. On finite time intervals, the system of equations on the amplitudes is studied numerically, while asymptotic integration (the Hartman-Grobman theorem) is used to examine its large-time behavior. (paper)

Numerical analysis of quasiperiodic perturbations for the Alfven wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamakoshi, Y.; Muto, K.; Yoshida, Z.

1994-01-01

The Alfven wave may have a localized eigenfunction when it propagates on a chaotic magnetic field. The Arnold-Beltrami-Childress (ABC) flow is a paradigm of chaotic stream lines and is a simple exact solution to the three-dimensional force-free plasma equilibrium equations. The three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field is represented by sinusoidal quasiperiodic modulation. The short wavelength Alfven wave equation for the ABC-flow magnetic field has a quasiperiodic potential term, which induces interference among ''Bragg-reflected'' waves with irregular phases. Then the eigenfunction decays at long distance and a point spectrum occurs. Two different types of short wavelength modes have numerically analyzed to demonstrate the existence of localized Alfven wave eigenmodes

Simulation study of energetic ion transport due to Alfven eigenmodes in LHD plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Yasushi; Nakajima, Noriyoshi; Osakabe, Masaki; Yamamoto, Satoshi; Spong, Donald A.

2008-01-01

The creation of holes and clumps in an energetic ion energy spectrum associated with Alfven eigenmodes was examined using the neutral particle analyzer (NPA) on the LHD shot no.47645. The difference in slowing-down times between the holes and clumps suggested that the energetic ions were transported over 10% of the plasma minor radius. The spatial profile and frequency of the Alfven eigenmodes were analyzed with the AE3D code. The phase space structures of the energetic ions on the NPA line-of-sight were investigated with Poincare plots, where an oscillating Alfven eigenmode was employed for earth plot. The phase space regions trapped by the Alfven eigenmodes appeared as islands in the Poincare plots. The radial width of the islands corresponded to the transport distance of the energetic ions. Since island width depends on Alfven eigenmode amplitude, it was found that Alfven eigenmodes with amplitude δB r /B - 10 -3 transported energetic ions over 10% of the minor radius. (author)

Current drive by Alfven waves in elongated cross section tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsypin, V.S.; Elfimov, A.G.; Nekrasov, F.M.; Azevedo, C.A.; Assis, A.S. de

1997-01-01

Full text. The problem of the noninductive current drive in cylindrical plasma model and in circular cross-section tokamaks had been already discussed intensively. At the beginning of the study of this problem it have been clear that there are significant difficulties in using of the current-drive in toroidal magnetic traps, especially in a tokamak reactor. Thus, in the case of the lower-hybrid current-drive the efficiency of this current-drive drops strongly as the plasma density increases. For the Alfven waves, there is an opinion that the efficiency of the current-drive drops as a result of waves absorption by the trapped particles 1,2. Okhawa proposed that the current in a magnetized plasma can be maintained also by means of forces, depending on the radiofrequency (rf) field amplitude gradients (the helicity injection). This idea was developed later, some new hopes appeared, connected with the possibility of the current-drive efficiency increasing. It was shown that for the cylindrical plasmas the local efficiency of Alfev wave current drive can be increased by one order of magnitude due to gradient forces, for the kinetic Alfven waves (KAW) and the global Alfven waves 9GAW) at some range of the phase velocity. For tokamaks, this additional nonresonant current drive does not depend on the trapped particle effects, which reduce strongly the Alfven current drive efficiency in tokamaks, as it is supposed. Now, the theory development of the Alfven wave (AW) current drive is very important in the cource of the future experiments on the TCA/BR tokamak (Brazil). In this paper, an attempt is made to clarify some general aspects of this problems for magnetic traps. For large aspects ratio tokamaks, with an elongated cross-section, some general formulas concerning the untrapped and trapped particles dynamics and their input to the Landau damping of the Alfven waves, are presented. They are supposed to be used for the further development of the Alfven current drive theory

Current drive by Alfven waves in elongated cross section tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsypin, V.S.; Elfimov, A.G.; Nekrasov, F.M.; Azevedo, C.A. [Universidade Federal, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica; Assis, A.S. de [Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

1997-12-31

Full text. The problem of the noninductive current drive in cylindrical plasma model and in circular cross-section tokamaks had been already discussed intensively. At the beginning of the study of this problem it have been clear that there are significant difficulties in using of the current-drive in toroidal magnetic traps, especially in a tokamak reactor. Thus, in the case of the lower-hybrid current-drive the efficiency of this current-drive drops strongly as the plasma density increases. For the Alfven waves, there is an opinion that the efficiency of the current-drive drops as a result of waves absorption by the trapped particles 1,2. Okhawa proposed that the current in a magnetized plasma can be maintained also by means of forces, depending on the radiofrequency (rf) field amplitude gradients (the helicity injection). This idea was developed later, some new hopes appeared, connected with the possibility of the current-drive efficiency increasing. It was shown that for the cylindrical plasmas the local efficiency of Alfev wave current drive can be increased by one order of magnitude due to gradient forces, for the kinetic Alfven waves (KAW) and the global Alfven waves (GAW) at some range of the phase velocity. For tokamaks, this additional nonresonant current drive does not depend on the trapped particle effects, which reduce strongly the Alfven current drive efficiency in tokamaks, as it is supposed. Now, the theory development of the Alfven wave (AW) current drive is very important in the cource of the future experiments on the TCA/BR tokamak (Brazil). In this paper, an attempt is made to clarify some general aspects of this problems for magnetic traps. For large aspects ratio tokamaks, with an elongated cross-section, some general formulas concerning the untrapped and trapped particles dynamics and their input to the Landau damping of the Alfven waves, are presented. They are supposed to be used for the further development of the Alfven current drive theory

Alfven waves and associated energetic ions downstream from Uranus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Ming; Belcher, J.W.; Richardson, J.D.; Smith, C.W.

1991-01-01

The authors report the observation of low-frequency waves in the solar wind downstream from Uranus. These waves are observed by the Voyager spacecraft for more than 2 weeks after the encounter with Uranus and are present during this period whenever the interplanetary magnetic field is oriented such that the field lines intersect the Uranian bow shock. The magnetic field and velocity components transverse to the background field are strongly correlated, consistent with the interpretation that these waves are Alfvenic and/or fast-mode waves. The waves have a spacecraft frame frequency of about 10 -3 Hz, and when first observed near the bow shock have an amplitude comparable to the background field. As the spacecraft moves farther from Uranus, the amplitude decays. The waves appear to propagate along the magnetic field lines outward from Uranus and are right-hand polarized. Theory suggests that these waves are generated in the upstream region by a resonant instability with a proton beam streaming along the magnetic field lines. The solar wind subsequently carries these waves downstream to the spacecraft location. These waves are associated with the presence of energetic (> 28 keV) ions observed by the low-energy charged particle instrument. These ions appear two days after the start of the wave activity and occur thereafter whenever the Alfven waves occur, increasing in intensity away from Uranus. The ions are argued to originate in the Uranian magnetosphere, but pitch-angle scattering in the upstream region is required to bring them downstream to the spacecraft location

Non-axial-symmetric Alfven waves in cylindrical, radial inhomogeneous plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raeuchle, E.

1978-08-01

The propagation of nonaxialsymmetric Alfven waves is investigated theoretically. Eigenfunctions and dispersion relations are calculated numerically for radial inhomogeneous cylindrical plasmas. In the MHD treatment resistivity, neutral particle loading and ion cyclotron effects are included. The investigations are of importance for plasma heating by Alfven waves. (orig.) [de

Tearing mode growth in a regime of weak magnetic shear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riyopoulos, S.; Hazeltine, R.D.

1987-06-01

The nonlinear growth for the m/n ≥ 2 resistive tearing mode is studied in case when the rational surface q(r 0 ) = m/n falls in a regime of weak magnetic shear, q'(r 0 ) ≅ 0. The island width is determined self-consistently from the nonlinear, zero-helicity component of the perturbed magnetic flux that provides the local shear. It is found that the magnetic perturbation keeps growing exponentially in the nonlinear regime on a hybrid resistive-Alfvenic time scale, while the island width and the vorticity grow on a much slower time scale. Accordingly, much faster release of magnetic energy results for modes growing near minima of hollow q profiles

Reflection of Alfven waves at an open magnetopause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, F.; Kan, J.R.

1990-01-01

Reflection of an Alfven wave incident on an open magnetopause form the magnetospheric side is examined. An open magnetopause, whose structure is different from the standard rotational discontinuity, is assumed to be a parameterized discontinuity with a nonzero normal field component. When an Alfven wave is incident on the open magnetopause, reflected and transmitted waves are generated. The emanating waves can be analyzed using linearized MHD conservation relations across the magnetopause, together with Snell's law. Under the assumption that the magnetic fields on the two sides of the open magnetopause are coplanar with the normal direction of the magnetopause, the governing equations are solved numerically. The results show that the electric fields of emanating Alfven waves depend mainly on the number density and the magnetic field jumps across the magnetopause. Under conditions representing the open magnetopause, it turns out that the open magnetopause behaves like a near perfect reflector. The corresponding reflection coefficient for the wave electric field can be approximated by R E = E r /E i ∼ -1 as has been deduced by Kan and Sun (1985) based on physical arguments. In other words, the solar wind flow is more or less unchanged by the loading effect of the Alfven wave incident on the magnetopause from the magnetospheric side. Therefore, under the assumptions of the model, the open magnetopause can be viewed as a constant voltage source

Shear-wave polarization analysis of the seismic swarm following the July 9th 1998 Faial (Azores) earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, N. A.; Matias, L.; Tellez, J.; Senos, L.; Gaspar, J. L.

2003-04-01

The Azores Islands, located at a tectonic triple Junction, geodynamically are a highly active place. The seismicity in this region occurs mainly in the form of two types of seismic swarms with tectonic and/or volcanic origins, lasting from hours to years. In some cases the swarm follows a main stronger shock, while in others the more energetic event occurs sometime after the beginning of the swarm. In order to understand the complex phenomena of this region, a multidisciplinary approach is needed, involving geophysical, geological and geochemical studies such as the one being carried under the MASHA project (POCTI/CTA/39158/2001), On July 9th 1998 an Mw=6.2 earthquake stroked the island of Faial, in the central group of the Azores archipelago, followed by a seismic swarm still active today. We will present some preliminary results of the shear-wave polarization analysis of a selected dataset of events of this swarm. These correspond to the 112 best- constrained events, record during the first 2 weeks by the seismic network deployed on the 3 islands surrounding the area of the main shock. The objective was to analyse the behaviour of the S wave polarization and the eventual relationship with the presence of seismic anisotropy under the seismic stations, and to correlate this with the regional structure and origin of the Azores plateau. Two main tectonic features are observable on the islands, one primarily orientated SE-NW and the other crossing it roughly with the WNW-ESE direction. The polarization direction observed in the majority of the seismic stations is not stable, varying from SE-NW to WSW-ENE, and showing also the presence in same cases of shear-wave splitting, indicating the presence of anisotropy. Part of the polarization seems to be coherent with the direction of the local tectonic features, but its instability suggest a more complex seismic anisotropy than that proposed by the model EDA of Crampin. Furthermore, the dataset revealed some limitations to

Polarization state of hydromagnetic fluctuations in the solar wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bavassano, B.; Dobrowolny, M.; Mariani, F.; Ness, N.F.

1981-01-01

From presently available observations one can infer that the Alfvenic turbulence measured in the solar wind, predominantly on trailing edges of high-speed streams, is a mixture of modes with two different polarizations, namely. Alfvenic modes and modes which are the incompressible limit of slow magnetosonic waves. Using Helios 2 magnetic data and a variance analysis, we have separated parallel (to the mean field) and perpendicular components of the fluctuations and studied the possible correlation between such components which would be predicted as a consequence of the imcompressible character of the turbulence. Correlations between eigenvalues of the variance matrix are also investigated and discussed

Alfven wave heating in ASDEX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Besson, G.; Borg, G.G.; Lister, J.B.; Marmillod, Ph.; Braun, F.; Murphy, A.B.; Noterdaeme, J.M.; Ryter, F.; Wesner, F.

1990-01-01

An experiment has been completed on ASDEX to study the response of the plasma to Alfven wave heating (AWH). Antenna excitation was provided by the old TCA rf generator with an output power capability of 500 kW. Two poloidal loop antennas were installed at the east and west ends of the tokamak allowing either N=1 or N=2 phasings. Since the largest antenna coupling to the Alfven resonance is provided by the m=1 surface wave, the antenna consisted only of a single element on the low field side, whereas in TCA the antennas are located on the top and the bottom of the torus. The antenna elements consisted of 2 parallel bars of inductance 730 nH and, as in TCA, were left unshielded. A typical antenna circulating current of 2 kA peak at 1.80 MHz was provided for the experiments. (author) 3 refs., 4 figs

Excitation of global Alfven Eigenmodes by RF heating in JET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kerner, W; Borba, D; Gormezano, C; Huysmans, G; Porcelli, F; Start, D [Commission of the European Communities, Abingdon (United Kingdom). JET Joint Undertaking; Fasoli, A [Ecole Polytechnique Federale, Lausanne (Switzerland). Centre de Recherche en Physique des Plasma (CRPP); Sharapov, S [Kurchatov Institute, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1994-07-01

The alpha-particle confinement of future D-T experiments at JET can be severely degraded by Global Alfven Eigenmodes (AE). Scenarios for the excitation of Alfven Eigenmodes in usual (e.g. D-D) plasmas are proposed, which provide a MHD diagnostic and allow the study of the transport of super-Alfvenic ions. Active studies with separate control of TAE amplitude and energetic particle destabilization, measuring the plasma response, give more information than passive studies, in particular concerning the damping mechanisms. The TAE excitation can be achieved by means of the saddle coil and the ICRH antenna. The experimental method is introduced together with a theoretical model for RF excitation. (authors). 6 refs., 3 figs.

ALFVEN WAVES IN A PARTIALLY IONIZED TWO-FLUID PLASMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soler, R.; Ballester, J. L.; Terradas, J. [Departament de Fisica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain); Carbonell, M., E-mail: roberto.soler@uib.es, E-mail: joseluis.ballester@uib.es, E-mail: jaume.terradas@uib.es, E-mail: marc.carbonell@uib.es [Departament de Matematiques i Informatica, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

2013-04-20

Alfven waves are a particular class of magnetohydrodynamic waves relevant in many astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. In partially ionized plasmas the dynamics of Alfven waves is affected by the interaction between ionized and neutral species. Here we study Alfven waves in a partially ionized plasma from the theoretical point of view using the two-fluid description. We consider that the plasma is composed of an ion-electron fluid and a neutral fluid, which interact by means of particle collisions. To keep our investigation as general as possible, we take the neutral-ion collision frequency and the ionization degree as free parameters. First, we perform a normal mode analysis. We find the modification due to neutral-ion collisions of the wave frequencies and study the temporal and spatial attenuation of the waves. In addition, we discuss the presence of cutoff values of the wavelength that constrain the existence of oscillatory standing waves in weakly ionized plasmas. Later, we go beyond the normal mode approach and solve the initial-value problem in order to study the time-dependent evolution of the wave perturbations in the two fluids. An application to Alfven waves in the low solar atmospheric plasma is performed and the implication of partial ionization for the energy flux is discussed.

On WKB expansions for Alfven waves in the solar wind

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollweg, J.V.

1990-01-01

The author reexamines the WKB expansion for toroidal Alfven waves in the solar wind, as described by equations (9) of Heinemann and Olbert (1980). His principal conclusions are as follows: (1) The WKB expansion used by Belcher (1971) and Hollweg (1973) is nonuniformly convergent. (2) Using the method of multiple scales (Nayfeh, 1981), he obtains an expansion which is uniform. (3) The uniform expansion takes into account the small modification to the Alfven wave phase speed due to spatial gradients of the background. (4) Both the uniform and nonuniform expansions reveal that each normal mode has both Elsaesser variables δz + ≠ 0 and δz - ≠ 0. Thus if δz - corresponds to the outgoing mode in a homogeneous background, an observation of δz + ≠ 0 does not necessarily imply the presence of the inward propagating mode, as is commonly assumed. (5) Even at the Alfven critical point (where V = υ A ) he finds that δz + ≠ 0. Thus incompressible MHD turbulence, which requires both δz + ≠ 0 and δz - ≠ 0, can proceed at the Alfven critical point (cf. Roberts, 1989). (6) With very few exceptions, the predictions of these calculations do not agree with recent observations (Marsch and Tu, 1990) of the power spectra of δz + and δz - in the solar wind. Thus the evolution of Alfven waves in the solar wind is governed by dynamics not included in the Heinemann and Olbert equations

Peculiarities of destabilization of Alfven modes by energetic ions in stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lutsenko, V.V.; Kolesnichenko, Ya.I.; Yakovenko, Yu.V.; Fesenyuk, O.P.; Weller, A.; Werner, A.; Wobig, H.

2003-01-01

Alfven Eigenmodes (AE) associated with the breaking of the axial symmetry in stellarators are considered. Specific calculations are carried out for the Helias reactor HSR4/18. An explanation of the temporal evolution of Alfvenic activity observed in experiments on W7-AS is suggested. (author)

Impulsive Alfven coupling between the magnetosphere and ionosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, R.V.; Watanabe, K.; Sato, T.; Watanabe, T.H.

1994-04-01

Basic properties of the impulsive Alfven interaction between the magnetosphere and ionosphere have been studied by means of a three-dimensional self-consistent simulation of the coupled magnetosphere and ionosphere system. It is found that the duration time of an impulsive perturbation at the magnetospheric equator, the latitudinal distribution of the Alfven propagation time along the field lines, and the ratio between the magnetospheric impedance and the ionospheric resistance is the main key factors that determine the propagation dynamics and the ionospheric responses for an impulsive MHD perturbation in the magnetosphere. (author)

Nonlinear hybrid simulation of toroidicity-induced alfven eigenmode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, G.Y.; Park, W.

1994-11-01

Gyrokinetic/Magnetohydrodynamics hybrid simulations have been carried out using MH3D-K code to study the nonlinear saturation of the toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmode driven by energetic particles in a tokamak plasma. It is shown that the wave particle trapping is the nonlinear saturation mechanism for the parameters considered. The corresponding density profile flattening of hot particles is observed. The saturation amplitude is proportional to the square of linear growth rate. In addition to TAE modes, a new n = 1, m = 0 global Alfven eigenmode is shown to be excited by the energetic particles

Neutrino induced vorticity, Alfven waves and the normal modes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhatt, Jitesh R. [Theory Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad (India); George, Manu [Theory Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad (India); Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Physics, Ahmedabad (India)

2017-08-15

We consider a plasma consisting of electrons and ions in the presence of a background neutrino gas and develop the magnetohydrodynamic equations for the system. We show that the electron neutrino interaction can induce vorticity in the plasma even in the absence of any electromagnetic perturbations if the background neutrino density is left-right asymmetric. This induced vorticity supports a new kind of Alfven wave whose velocity depends on both the external magnetic field and on the neutrino asymmetry. The normal mode analysis show that in the presence of neutrino background the Alfven waves can have different velocities. We also discuss our results in the context of dense astrophysical plasma such as magnetars and show that the difference in the Alfven velocities can be used to explain the observed pulsar kick. We discuss also the relativistic generalisation of the electron fluid in presence of an asymmetric neutrino background. (orig.)

Alfvenic resonant cavities in the solar atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollweg, J.V.

1984-01-01

We investigate the propagation of Alfven waves in a simple medium consisting of three uniform layers; each layer is characterized by a different value for the Alfven speed, νsub(A). We show how the central layer can act as a resonant cavity under quite general conditions. If the cavity is driven externally, by an incident wave in one of the outer layers, there result resonant transmission peaks, which allow large energy fluxes to enter the cavity from outside. The transmission peaks result from the destructive interference between a wave which leaks out of the cavity, and a directly reflected wave. We show that there are two types of resonances. The first type occurs when the cavity has the largest (or smallest) of the three Alfven speeds; this situation occurs on coronal loops. The second type occurs when the cavity Alfven speed is intermediate between the other two values of νsub(A); this situation may occur on solar spicules. Significant heating of the cavity can occur if the waves are damped. We show that if the energy lost to heat greatly exceeds the energy lost by leakage out of the cavity, then the cavity heating can be independent of the damping rate. This conclusion is shown to apply to coronal resonances and to the spicule resonances. This conclusion agrees with a point made by Ionson in connection with the coronal resonances. Except for a numerical factor of order unity, we recover Ionson's expression for the coronal heating rate. However, Ionson's qualities are much too large. For solar parameters, the maximum quality is of the order of 100, but the heating is independent of the damping rate only when dissipation reduces the quality to less than about 10. (WB)

Alfven wave heating in a tokamak reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borg, G.G.; Appert, K.; Knight, A.J.; Lister, J.B.; Vaclavik, J.

1990-01-01

A number of features of Alfven wave heating make it potentially attractive for use in large tokamak reactors. Among them are the availability and relativity low cost of the power supplies, the potential ability to act selectively on the current profile, and the probable absence of operational limits in size, fields or density. The physics of Alfven wave heating in a large tokamak is assessed. Present theoretical understanding of mode coupling and antenna loading is extrapolated to a large machine. The problem of a recessed antenna is analysed. Calculations of loading and discussion of various heating scenarios for the particular case of NET are also presented. (author). 23 refs, 18 figs, 4 tabs

Global Alfven Eigenmodes in DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turnbull, A.D.; Chu, M.S.; Strait, E.J.; Lao, L.L.; Greene, J.M.; Taylor, T.S.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Duong, H.; Chance, M.S.

1992-06-01

Global Alfven modes, such as the Toroidicity-Induced Alfven Eigenmode (TAE), pose a serious threat for strongly-heated tokamaks since they can result in saturation of the achievable beam β at moderate levels and they may also cause serious α-particle losses in future ignited devices. The DIII-D tokamak has a unique capability for study of the resonant excitation of these instabilities by energetic beam ions. TAE modes have now been observed in DIII-D over a wide range of operating conditions, including both circular cross-section and elongated (κ ∼ 1.8) discharges. Equilibrium reconstructions of several representative discharges, using all available external magnetic and internal profile data, have been done and analyzed in detail. The computed real mode frequencies of the TAE modes are in good agreement with the experimentally observed mode frequencies and differ significantly from the estimated kinetic ballooning mode frequencies. The TAE calculations include coupling to the Alfven and acoustic continuum branches of the MHD spectrum and generally indicate that the simplified circular cross-section, large aspect-ratio assumptions made in analytic calculations are poor approximations to the actual TAE mode structures. In particular, the global TAE modes are almost always coupled to one or more continuum branches by toroidicity, poloidal shaping, and finite β effects. Estimates of the various resonant excitation and damping mechanisms, including continuum damping, have been made and the total is found to be in reasonable agreement with the experimental threshold

Ion temperature in plasmas with intrinsic Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, C. S.; Yoon, P. H.; Wang, C. B.

2014-01-01

This Brief Communication clarifies the physics of non-resonant heating of protons by low-frequency Alfvenic turbulence. On the basis of general definition for wave energy density in plasmas, it is shown that the wave magnetic field energy is equivalent to the kinetic energy density of the ions, whose motion is induced by the wave magnetic field, thus providing a self-consistent description of the non-resonant heating by Alfvenic turbulence. Although the study is motivated by the research on the solar corona, the present discussion is only concerned with the plasma physics of the heating process

Interplanetary Alfvenic fluctuations: A stochastic model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, A.

1981-01-01

The strong alignment of the average directions of minimum magnetic variance and mean magnetic field in interplanetary Alfvenic fluctuations is inconsistent with the usual wave-propagation models. We investigate the concept of minimum variance for nonplanar Alfvenic fluctuations in which the field direction varies stochastically. It is found that the tendency of the minimum variance and mean field directions to be aligned may be purely a consequence of the randomness of the field direction. In particular, a well-defined direction of minimum variance does not imply that the fluctuations are necessarily planar. The fluctuation power spectrum is a power law for frequencies much higher than the inverse of the correlation time. The probability distribution of directions a randomly fluctuating field of constant magnitude is calculated. A new approach for observational studies of interplanetary fluctuations is suggested

Alfven wave. [Book on linear and nonlinear properties for fusion applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hasegawa, A.; Uberoi, C.

1978-11-01

Seven chapters are included. Chapters 1 and 2 introduce the Alfven wave and describe its linear properties in a homogeneous medium. Chapters 3 and 4 cover the effects of inhomogeneities on these linear properties. Particular emphasis is placed on the appearance of a continuum spectrum and the associated absorption of the Alfven wave which arise due to the inhomogeneity. The explanation of the physical origin of absorption is given using kinetic theory. Chapter 5 is devoted to the associated plasma instabilities. Nonlinear effects discussed in Chapter 6 include quasilinear diffusion, decay, a solitary wave, and a modulational instability. The principles of Alfven wave heating, a design example and present-day experimental results are described in Chapter 7.

Destabilization of hydromagnetic drift-Alfven waves in a finite pressure collisional plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, J.T.

1974-01-01

In a finite beta (β = 8πn 0 kT 0 /B 0 2 ) plasma, where the plasma pressure n 0 kT 0 is an appreciable fraction of the confining magnetic field energy-density B 0 2 /8π, density-gradient driven drift waves couple with Alfven waves when the phase velocities of the two waves become comparable. The resulting hydromagnetic drift-Alfven waves separate into two branches--a drift mode and an Alfven mode, with both modes exhibiting magnetic field and localized density fluctuations near the coupling point. The dispersion relation of the collisional drift-Alfven wave is derived by using a slab-geometry, two-fluid model which includes finite beta, electron-ion collisions, ion-ion collisions, finite ion larmar radius, temperature fluctuations, and an axial electron current. A hydromagnetic drift mode is found to be unstable in a moderately dense plasma. A localized ''Alfven'' mode is destabilized only with the passage of an axial current along the plasma column. In order to check the theoretical predictions an experiment is performed in a finite-beta plasma of density n 0 = 10 13 -10 15 cm -3 and temperature T/sub e/ approximately T/sub i/ = 1-7 eV. (U.S.)

The cause of high-intensity long-duration continuous AE activity (HILDCAAS): interplanetary Alfven wave trains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsurutani, B.T.; Gonzalez, W.D.

1987-01-01

It is shown that high intensity (AE > 1,000 nT), long duration (T > 2 d) continuous auroral activity (HILDCAA) events are caused by outward (from the sun) propagating interplanetary Alfven wave trains. The Alfven waves are often (but not always) detected several days after major interplanetary events, such as shocks and solar wind density enhancements. Presumably magnetic reconnection between the southward components of the Alfven wave magnetic fields and magnetospheric fields is the mechanism for transfer of solar wind energy to the magnetosphere. If the stringent requirements for HILDCAA events are relaxed, there are many more AE events of this type. A brief inspection indicates that these are also related to interplanetary Alfvenic fluctuations. We therefore suggest that most auroral activity may be caused by reconnection associated with Alfven waves in the interplanetary medium. (author)

Excitation of short wavelength Alfven oscillations by high energy ions in tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beasley, C.O. Jr.; Lominadze, J.G.; Mikhailovskii, A.B.

1975-08-01

The excitation of Alfven waves by fast untrapped ions in axisymmetric tokamaks is described by the dispersion relation epsilon 11 - c 2 k/sub parallel bars/ 2 /ω 2 = 0. Using this relation a new class of instability connected with the excitation of Alfven oscillations is described. (U.S.)

Influence of gyroradius and dissipation on the Alfven-wave continuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connor, J.W.; Tang, W.M.; Taylor, J.B.

1982-01-01

It is well known that in ideal magnetohydrodynamics there is a continuous spectrum of real frequencies associated with a singularity of the shear Alfven waves on the surface k/sub parallel to/v/sub A/ = omega. It is also known that the introduction of first-order gyroradius effects eliminates the continuum. In the present work we examine the influence of the full gyroradius response and of dissipation on the continuum. In the absence of dissipation we first confirm that if only first-order gyroradius effects are incorporated, the continuum disappears. However, when the full gyroradius response is included, this discrete spectrum vanishes, and a new continuum (associated with singularities at k/sub parallel to/v/sub A/ = 0) appears. The introduction of collisional dissipation removes the original MHD continuum leaving discrete modes whose frequency tends to zero with the collision rate as ν/sup 1/3/. collisions also remove the new continuum of the full gyroradius model leaving discrete modes whose frequency tends to zero as (log ν) -1 . Collisionless Landau damping has a similar effect

TURBULENCE IN THE SUB-ALFVENIC SOLAR WIND DRIVEN BY REFLECTION OF LOW-FREQUENCY ALFVEN WAVES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verdini, A.; Velli, M.; Buchlin, E.

2009-01-01

We study the formation and evolution of a turbulent spectrum of Alfven waves driven by reflection off the solar wind density gradients, starting from the coronal base up to 17 solar radii, well beyond the Alfvenic critical point. The background solar wind is assigned and two-dimensional shell models are used to describe nonlinear interactions. We find that the turbulent spectra are influenced by the nature of the reflected waves. Close to the base, these give rise to a flatter and steeper spectrum for the outgoing and reflected waves, respectively. At higher heliocentric distance both spectra evolve toward an asymptotic Kolmogorov spectrum. The turbulent dissipation is found to account for at least half of the heating required to sustain the background imposed solar wind and its shape is found to be determined by the reflection-determined turbulent heating below 1.5 solar radii. Therefore, reflection and reflection-driven turbulence are shown to play a key role in the acceleration of the fast solar wind and origin of the turbulent spectrum found at 0.3 AU in the heliosphere.

On the Generation of Transport Suppression Barriers by Externally Driven Alfven Waves in D-Shaped, Low Aspect Ratio Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.

2003-01-01

We investigate quantitatively the possibility of turbulence suppression through the generation of transport barriers in pre-heated low aspect ratio tokamaks (LARTs) by the sheared electric fields generated by externally driven rf waves in the frequency range ω A ≅ ci (ω A and ω ci are, respectively, Alfven and ion cyclotron frequencies). To this aim the following sequential steps are followed: (1) Solutions of the resistive two-fluid model full wave equation for a realistic LART configuration (D-shape cross-section and aspect ratio, R/a ∼> 1; as well as suitably located low field side, LFS, antenna) upon using a quite general dielectric tensor operator; (2) Calculation of the ponderomotive forces and their magnetic surface averages; (3) Solution of a strongly non-linear differential equation for the quasi-stationary radial electric field, including the particle orbit squeezing effects, based on the results of steps (1) and (2); and (4) Calculation of the radial flow shear, S perpend ; for both banana and potato collisional regimes

Stable Alfven wave dynamo action in the reversed field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werley, K.A.

1984-01-01

Recent advances in linear resistive MHD stability analysis are used to calculate the quasi-linear dynamo mean electromotive force of Alfven waves. This emf is incorporated into a one-dimensional transport and mean-field evolution code. The changing equilibrium is then fed back to the stability code to complete a computational framework that self-consistently evaluates a dynamic plasma dynamo. Static quasi-linear Alfven wave calculations have shown that dynamo emfs on the order of eta vector J are possible. This suggested a possible explanation of RFP behavior and a new (externally driven) mechanism for extending operation and controlling field profiles (possibly reducing plasma transport). This thesis demonstrates that the dynamo emf can quickly induce plasma currents whose emf cancels the dynamo effect. This thesis also contains extensive studies of resistive Alfven wave properties. This includes behavior versus spectral location, magnetic Reynolds number and wave number

Alfven waves in dusty plasmas with plasma particles described by anisotropic kappa distributions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galvao, R. A.; Ziebell, L. F. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Caixa Postal 15051, CEP: 91501-970, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil); Gaelzer, R. [Instituto de Fisica e Matematica, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Caixa Postal 354-Campus UFPel, CEP: 96010-900 Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil); Juli, M. C. de [Centro de Radio-Astronomia e Astrofisica Mackenzie-CRAAM, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, Rua da Consolacao 896, CEP: 01302-907 Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

2012-12-15

We utilize a kinetic description to study the dispersion relation of Alfven waves propagating parallelly to the ambient magnetic field in a dusty plasma, taking into account the fluctuation of the charge of the dust particles, which is due to inelastic collisions with electrons and ions. We consider a plasma in which the velocity distribution functions of the plasma particles are modelled as anisotropic kappa distributions, study the dispersion relation for several combinations of the parameters {kappa}{sub Parallel-To} and {kappa}{sub Up-Tack }, and emphasize the effect of the anisotropy of the distributions on the mode coupling which occurs in a dusty plasma, between waves in the branch of circularly polarized waves and waves in the whistler branch.

Non-linear modulation of short wavelength compressional Alfven eigenmodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fredrickson, E. D.; Gorelenkov, N. N.; Podesta, M.; Gerhardt, S. P.; Bell, R. E.; Diallo, A.; LeBlanc, B. [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States); Bortolon, A. [University of California, Irvine, California 92697 (United States); Crocker, N. A. [University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States); Levinton, F. M.; Yuh, H. [Nova Photonics, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

2013-04-15

Most Alfvenic activity in the frequency range between toroidal Alfven eigenmodes and roughly one half of the ion cyclotron frequency on National Spherical Torus eXperiment [Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)], that is, approximately 0.3 MHz up to Almost-Equal-To 1.2 MHz, are modes propagating counter to the neutral beam ions. These have been modeled as Compressional and Global Alfven Eigenmodes (CAE and GAE) and are excited through a Doppler-shifted cyclotron resonance with the beam ions. There is also a class of co-propagating modes at higher frequency than the counter-propagating CAE and GAE. These modes have been identified as CAE, and are seen mostly in the company of a low frequency, n = 1 kink-like mode. In this paper, we present measurements of the spectrum of these high frequency CAE (hfCAE) and their mode structure. We compare those measurements to a simple model of CAE and present a predator-prey type model of the curious non-linear coupling of the hfCAE and the low frequency kink-like mode.

Alfven eigenmode observations on DIII-D via two-colour CO2 interferometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeeland, M A van; Kramer, G J; Nazikian, R; Berk, H L; Carlstrom, T N; Solomon, W M

2005-01-01

Measurements are presented of toroidicity-induced (TAEs) and reverse shear (RSAEs) Alfven eigenmodes made using the standard two-colour CO 2 interferometer on DIII-D modified for increased bandwidth. Typical values of the effective line-integrated density perturbation in DIII-D are found to be d(nL)/nL ∼ 10 -3 , and comparisons are made with NOVA calculations as well as magnetic measurements. There is a strong difference in the measured power spectrum between vertical and radial chords through the plasma. On average, vertical views are characterized by a larger line-integrated density perturbation due to TAEs than radial chords. Radial chords, however, can be used much more reliably than vertical chords to identify the presence of RSAEs in the plasma-a result found to be due to the radially localized nature of these modes. In general, the apparent amplitude of the observed modes for both TAE and RSAE is found to be highly dependent on viewing location. (letter to the editor)

Small amplitude Kinetic Alfven waves in a superthermal electron-positron-ion plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Adnan, Muhammad; Mahmood, Sahahzad; Qamar, Anisa; Tribeche, Mouloud

2016-11-01

We are investigating the propagating properties of coupled Kinetic Alfven-acoustic waves in a low beta plasma having superthermal electrons and positrons. Using the standard reductive perturbation method, a nonlinear Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) type equation is derived which describes the evolution of Kinetic Alfven waves. It is found that nonlinearity and Larmor radius effects can compromise and give rise to solitary structures. The parametric role of superthermality and positron content on the characteristics of solitary wave structures is also investigated. It is found that only sub-Alfvenic and compressive solitons are supported in the present model. The present study may find applications in a low β electron-positron-ion plasma having superthermal electrons and positrons.

Nonlinear Evolution of Alfvenic Wave Packets

Science.gov (United States)

Buti, B.; Jayanti, V.; Vinas, A. F.; Ghosh, S.; Goldstein, M. L.; Roberts, D. A.; Lakhina, G. S.; Tsurutani, B. T.

1998-01-01

Alfven waves are a ubiquitous feature of the solar wind. One approach to studying the evolution of such waves has been to study exact solutions to approximate evolution equations. Here we compare soliton solutions of the Derivative Nonlinear Schrodinger evolution equation (DNLS) to solutions of the compressible MHD equations.

Convective cell excitation by inertial Alfven waves in a low density plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pokhotelov, O.A.; Onishchenko, O.G.; Sagdeev, R.Z.; Srenflo, L.; Balikhin, M.A.

2005-01-01

The parametric interaction of inertial Alfven waves with large-scale convective cells in a low-density plasma is investigated. It is shown that, in plasmas where the Alfven velocity is comparable to or exceeds the speed of light, the parametric interaction is substantially suppressed. A compact expression for the optimal scale and instability growth rate of the fastest growing mode is obtained [ru

Dissipation of Alfven waves in compressible inhomogeneous media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malara, F.; Primavera, L.; Veltri, P.

1997-01-01

In weakly dissipative media governed by the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations, any efficient mechanism of energy dissipation requires the formation of small scales. Using numerical simulations, we study the properties of Alfven waves propagating in a compressible inhomogeneous medium, with an inhomogeneity transverse to the direction of wave propagation. Two dynamical effects, energy pinching and phase mixing, are responsible for the small-scales formation, similarly to the incompressible case. Moreover, compressive perturbations, slow waves and a static entropy wave are generated; the former are subject to steepening and form shock waves, which efficiently dissipate their energy, regardless of the Reynolds number. Rough estimates show that the dissipation times are consistent with those required to dissipate Alfven waves of photospheric origin inside the solar corona

Low-frequency current drive and helicity injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, V.S.; Miller, R.L.; Ohkawa, T.

1990-01-01

For ω much-lt Ω i , where Ω i is the ion cyclotron frequency, circularly polarized waves can drive current far exceeding the current resulting from linearly polarized waves. Further, the efficiency can be independent of plasma density. In some cases, this circular polarization may be interpreted in terms of helicity injection. For tokamak applications, where the wavenumber in the toroidal direction is a real quantity, wave helicity is injected only with finite E z waves, where z is the direction of the static magnetic field. The Alfven waves are possible current drive candidates but, in the cylindrical model considered, the compressional wave is weakly damped because E z =0, while the shear Alfven wave is totally absorbed at the surface because of finite E z . A mixture of the two modes is shown to drive an oscillatory surface current even though the efficiency is high and independent of density. A more promising current drive candidate is a fast wave that propagates to the plasma interior and is damped by the minority cyclotron resonance. Near the minority mode conversion region, the fast wave is left-handed circularly polarized and it has a small but finite E z component at high electron temperatures. The current drive efficiency, although not as high as that of the Alfven wave, is still good and independent of density, making it attractive for fusion reactors

On the quantum inverse problem for a new type of nonlinear Schroedinger equation for Alfven waves in plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, S.; Roy Chowdhury, A.

1989-06-01

The nonlinear Alfven waves are governed by the Vector Derivative nonlinear Schroedinger (VDNLS) equation, which for parallel or quasi parallel propagation reduces to the Derivative Nonlinear Schroedinger (DNLS) equation for the circularly polarized waves. We have formulated the Quantum Inverse problem for a new type of Nonlinear Schroedinger Equation which has many properties similar to the usual NLS problem but the structure of classical and quantum R matrix are distinctly different. The commutation rules of the scattering data are obtained and the Algebraic Bethe Ansatz is formulated to derive the eigenvalue equation for the energy of the excited states. 10 refs

Global structures of Alfven-ballooning modes in magnetospheric plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vetoulis, G.; Chen, Liu.

1994-03-01

The authors show that a steep plasma pressure gradient can lead to radially localized Alfven modes, which are damped through coupling to filed line resonances. These have been called drift Alfven balloning modes (DABM) and are the prime candidates to explain Pc4-Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations observed during storms. A strong dependence of the damping rate on the azimuthal wave number m is established, as well as on the equilibrium profile. A minimum azimuthal mode number can be found for the DABM to be radially trapped. The authors find that higher m DABMs are better localized, which is consistent with high-m observations

Resonant Alfven wave instabilities driven by streaming fast particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zachary, A.

1987-01-01

A plasma simulation code is used to study the resonant interactions between streaming ions and Alfven waves. The medium which supports the Alfven waves is treated as a single, one-dimensional, ideal MHD fluid, while the ions are treated as kinetic particles. The code is used to study three ion distributions: a cold beam; a monoenergetic shell; and a drifting distribution with a power-law dependence on momentum. These distributions represent: the field-aligned beams upstream of the earth's bow shock; the diffuse ions upstream of the bow shock; and the cosmic ray distribution function near a supernova remnant shock. 92 refs., 31 figs., 12 tabs

On generation of Alfvenic-like fluctuations by drift wave-zonal flow system in large plasma device experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horton, W.; Correa, C.; Chagelishvili, G. D.; Avsarkisov, V. S.; Lominadze, J. G.; Perez, J. C.; Kim, J.-H.; Carter, T. A.

2009-01-01

According to recent experiments, magnetically confined fusion plasmas with ''drift wave-zonal flow turbulence'' (DW-ZF) give rise to broadband electromagnetic waves. Sharapov et al. [Europhysics Conference Abstracts, 35th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics, Hersonissos, 2008, edited by P. Lalousis and S. Moustaizis (European Physical Society, Switzerland, 2008), Vol. 32D, p. 4.071] reported an abrupt change in the magnetic turbulence during L-H transitions in Joint European Torus [P. H. Rebut and B. E. Keen, Fusion Technol. 11, 13 (1987)] plasmas. A broad spectrum of Alfvenic-like (electromagnetic) fluctuations appears from ExB flow driven turbulence in experiments on the large plasma device (LAPD) [W. Gekelman et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 62, 2875 (1991)] facility at UCLA. Evidence of the existence of magnetic fluctuations in the shear flow region in the experiments is shown. We present one possible theoretical explanation of the generation of electromagnetic fluctuations in DW-ZF systems for an example of LAPD experiments. The method used is based on generalizing results on shear flow phenomena from the hydrodynamics community. In the 1990s, it was realized that fluctuation modes of spectrally stable nonuniform (sheared) flows are non-normal. That is, the linear operators of the flows modal analysis are non-normal and the corresponding eigenmodes are not orthogonal. The non-normality results in linear transient growth with bursts of the perturbations and the mode coupling, which causes the generation of electromagnetic waves from the drift wave-shear flow system. We consider shear flow that mimics tokamak zonal flow. We show that the transient growth substantially exceeds the growth of the classical dissipative trapped-particle instability of the system.

Wall effects on the propagation of compressional Alfven waves in a cylindrical plasma with two-ion species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akiyama, H.; Hayler, M.O.; Kristiansen, M.

1985-01-01

The dispersion relations for the compressional Alfven waves in a two-ion species plasma of deuterium and hydrogen are calculated for a configuration which includes a vacuum layer between the cylindrical plasma and the conducting wall. The presence of the vacuum layer strongly affects the propagation of the compressional Alfven wave, permitting some branches to propagate and penetrate the plasma column over most frequencies in the ion-cyclotron range. Basic Alfven-wave propagation and heating experiments in two-ion species consequently should be possible using tokamak and mirror devices with minor radii smaller than the Alfven wavelength

Reconstruction of a Broadband Spectrum of Alfvenic Fluctuations

Science.gov (United States)

Vinas, Adolfo F.; Fuentes, Pablo S. M.; Araneda, Jaime A.; Maneva, Yana G.

2014-01-01

Alfvenic fluctuations in the solar wind exhibit a high degree of velocities and magnetic field correlations consistent with Alfven waves propagating away and toward the Sun. Two remarkable properties of these fluctuations are the tendencies to have either positive or negative magnetic helicity (-1 less than or equal to sigma(sub m) less than or equal to +1) associated with either left- or right- topological handedness of the fluctuations and to have a constant magnetic field magnitude. This paper provides, for the first time, a theoretical framework for reconstructing both the magnetic and velocity field fluctuations with a divergence-free magnetic field, with any specified power spectral index and normalized magnetic- and cross-helicity spectrum field fluctuations for any plasma species. The spectrum is constructed in the Fourier domain by imposing two conditions-a divergence-free magnetic field and the preservation of the sense of magnetic helicity in both spaces-as well as using Parseval's theorem for the conservation of energy between configuration and Fourier spaces. Applications to the one-dimensional spatial Alfvenic propagation are presented. The theoretical construction is in agreement with typical time series and power spectra properties observed in the solar wind. The theoretical ideas presented in this spectral reconstruction provide a foundation for more realistic simulations of plasma waves, solar wind turbulence, and the propagation of energetic particles in such fluctuating fields.

Compact toroids with Alfvenic flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhehui; Tang, X.Z.

2004-01-01

The Chandrasekhar equilibria form a class of stationary ideal magnetohydrodynamics equilibria stabilized by magnetic-field-aligned Alfvenic flows. Analytic solutions of the Chandrasekhar equilibria are explicitly constructed for both field-reversed configurations and spheromaks. Favorable confinement property of nested closed flux surfaces and the ideal magnetohydrodynamic stability of the compact toroids are of interest for both magnetic trapping of high energy electrons in astrophysics and confinement of high temperature plasmas in laboratory

The compressional Alfven instability in ECRH plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Nadi, A.

1982-01-01

It is shown that the hot electron component present in an electron cyclotron resonance heated plasma can destabilize the compressional Alfven wave if β of the background plasma exceeds a certain limit. The relevance of the result to the Elmo Bumpy Torus experiment is discussed. (author)

On the Generation of Transport Suppression Barriers by Externally Driven Alfven Waves in D-Shaped, Low Aspect Ratio Tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). School of Physics and Astronomy; Komoshvili, K. [The College of Judea and Samaria, Ariel (Israel)

2003-05-01

We investigate quantitatively the possibility of turbulence suppression through the generation of transport barriers in pre-heated low aspect ratio tokamaks (LARTs) by the sheared electric fields generated by externally driven rf waves in the frequency range {omega}{sub A} {approx_equal} <{omega}{sub ci} ({omega}{sub A} and {omega}{sub ci} are, respectively, Alfven and ion cyclotron frequencies). To this aim the following sequential steps are followed: (1) Solutions of the resistive two-fluid model full wave equation for a realistic LART configuration (D-shape cross-section and aspect ratio, R/a {approx}> 1; as well as suitably located low field side, LFS, antenna) upon using a quite general dielectric tensor operator; (2) Calculation of the ponderomotive forces and their magnetic surface averages; (3) Solution of a strongly non-linear differential equation for the quasi-stationary radial electric field, including the particle orbit squeezing effects, based on the results of steps (1) and (2); and (4) Calculation of the radial flow shear, S{sub perpend}; for both banana and potato collisional regimes.

Alfven waves in the auroral ionosphere: A numerical model compared with measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knudsen, D.J.; Kelley, M.C.; Vickrey, J.F.

1992-01-01

The authors solve a linear numerical model of Alfven waves reflecting from the high-latitude ionosphere, both to better understanding the role of the ionosphere in the magnetosphere/ionosphere coupling process and to compare model results with in situ measurements. They use the model to compute the frequency-dependent amplitude and phase relations between the meridional electric and the zonal magnetic fields due to Alfven waves. These relations are compared with measurements taken by an auroral sounding rocket flow in the morningside oval and by the HILAT satellite traversing the oval at local noon. The sounding rocket's trajectory was mostly parallel to the auroral oval, and is measured enhanced fluctuating field energy in regions of electron precipitation. The rocket-measured phase data are in excellent agreement with the Alfven wave model, and the relation between the modeled and the measured by HILAT are related by the height-integrated Pedersen conductivity Σ p , indicating that the measured field fluctuations were due mainly to structured field-aligned current systems. A reason for the relative lack of Alfven wave energy in the HILAT measurements could be the fact that the satellite traveled mostly perpendicular to the oval and therefore quickly traversed narrow regions of electron precipitation and associated wave activity

Nonlinear self-precession and wavenumber shift of electromagnetic waves under resonance and of Alfven waves in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharyya, B.; Chakraborty, B.

1979-01-01

Nonlinear corrections of a left and a right circularly polarized electromagnetic wave of the same frequency, propagating in the direction of a static and uniform magnetic field in a cold and collisionally damped two-component plasma, have been evaluated. The nonlinearly correct dispersion relation, self-generating nonlinear precessional rotation of the polarization ellipse of the wave and the shift in a wave parameter depend on linear combinations of products of the amplitude components taken two at a time and hence on the energies of the waves. Both in the low frequency resonance (that is when the ion cyclotron frequency equals the wave frequency) and in the high frequency resonance (that is when the electron cyclotron frequency equals the wave frequency), the self-precessional rate and wavenumber shift are found to be large and so have the possibility of detection in laboratory experiments. Moreover, for the limit leading to Alfven waves, these nonlinear effects have been found to have some interesting and significant properties. (Auth.)

Alfven Wave Reflection Model of Field-Aligned Currents at Mercury

Science.gov (United States)

Lyatsky, Wladislaw; Khazanov, George V.; Slavin, James

2010-01-01

An Alfven Wave Reflection (AWR) model is proposed that provides closure for strong field-aligned currents (FACs) driven by the magnetopause reconnection in the magnetospheres of planets having no significant ionospheric and surface electrical conductance. The model is based on properties of the Alfven waves, generated at high altitudes and reflected from the low-conductivity surface of the planet. When magnetospheric convection is very slow, the incident and reflected Alfven waves propagate along approximately the same path. In this case, the net field-aligned currents will be small. However, as the convection speed increases. the reflected wave is displaced relatively to the incident wave so that the incident and reflected waves no longer compensate each other. In this case, the net field-aligned current may be large despite the lack of significant ionospheric and surface conductivity. Our estimate shows that for typical solar wind conditions at Mercury, the magnitude of Region 1-type FACs in Mercury's magnetosphere may reach hundreds of kilo-Amperes. This AWR model of field-aligned currents may provide a solution to the long-standing problem of the closure of FACs in the Mercury's magnetosphere. c2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Wind Velocity Driven by Alfven Waves on the Line Profiles for 32 CYG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyung-Mee Kim

1996-06-01

Full Text Available We calculate the theoretical line profiles for 32 Cyg in order to investigate the influence of various velocity fields. Line profiles are calculated with wind accelerations driven by Alfven waves and described by velocity parameters. The results for Alfvenic wave model show weakened line profiles. For the orbital phases ¥÷=0.78 and ¥÷=0.06 the Alfvenic models show strong absorption part due to very low densities at the surface of the supergiant. Hence, we conclude the velocity gradient of the wind near the supergiant could influence on the theoretical line formation.

Theory and observation of compressional Alfven eigenmodes in low aspect ratio plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N.N.

2002-01-01

A new theory of radially and poloidally localized Compressional Alfven Eigenmodes (CAE) in low aspect ratio plasma is reported. The theory is applied to identify recently observed instabilities in the MHz frequency range in National Spherical Torus experiments (NSTX). The frequency of observed CAEs is correlated with the characteristic Alfven velocity of the plasma. The observed high frequency modes are explained as CAEs driven by energetic beam ions. The CAE frequency is determined by the Alfven frequency at the mode location on the low field side of the plasma and is given approximately by ω CAE v A m=r, where m is the poloidal mode number, and r is the local minor radius. CAEs are destabilized by free energy in the energetic ion velocity space gradient via Doppler shifted cyclotron resonance with beam ions. Properties of the CAE instability driven by different NBI ion distributions are presented. (author)

Three-dimensional stability of solitary kinetic Alfven waves and ion-acoustic waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, G.; Das, K.P.

1994-01-01

Starting from a set of equations that lead to a linear dispersion relation coupling kinetic Alfven waves and ion-acoustic waves, three-dimensional KdV equations are derived for these waves. These equations are then used to investigate the three-dimensional stability of solitary kinetic Alfven waves and ion-acoustic waves by the small-k perturbation expansion method of Rowlands and Infeld. For kinetic Alfven waves it is found that there is instability if the direction of the plane-wave perturbation lies inside a cone, and the growth rate of the instability attains a maximum when the direction of the perturbation lies in the plane containing the external magnetic field and the direction of propagation of the solitary wave. For ion-acoustic waves the growth rate of instability attains a maximum when the direction of the perturbation lies in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the solitary wave. (Author)

Three-dimensional polarization characteristics of magnetic variations in the Pc 5 frequency range at conjugate areas near L=4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukunishi, H.; Lanzerotti, L.J.; MaClennan, C.G.

1975-01-01

By using magnetic data measured at a network of stations extending from L approx. 3.2 to L approx. 4.4 and at a station in the conjugate area, ellipticities in the three orthogonal planes (H-D, H-Z, and D-Z) for the frequency range 2-5 mHz were computed continuously by the cross-spectral matrix method over 10 days with various levels of magnetic activity. The ellipticity diagrams in the H-D plane show that, except for the time interval during the main phase of a major magnetic storm, the sense of polarization reverses every day across local noon, with a left-hand polarization observed during local morning hours and a right-hand polarization observed during local evening hours, regardless of the level of magnetic activity. The second reversal of the sense of polarization occurs generally around approx. 2000 LT. The ellipticity diagrams in the H-Z plane show a predominantly clockwise polarization throughout the day, while the diurnal variation of the ellipticity in the D-Z plane tends to be confused. As to the latitude dependence of the wave phase, it is found that the D component oscillations are almost in phase at all latitudes, while the H component oscillations have advanced phase shifts at the lower-latitude stations. As to the conjugate dependence of wave phase, it is found that the D component oscillations are almost out of phase, while the H component oscillations are almost in phase atthe conjugate pair stations. These polarization characteristics are discussed in terms of external driving sources coupling to the shear Alfven waves of the local resonant field lines. Possible energy sources of Pc 5 waves are also discussed on the basis of the local time dependence of the sense of polarization

Investigation of global Alfven instabilities in TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, K.L.; Paul, S.F.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Nazikian, R.; Park, H.K.; Bell, M.; Bretz, N.L.; Budny, R.; Cheng, C.Z.; Cohen, S.; Hammett, G.W.; Jobes, F.C.; Johnson, L.; Meade, D.M.; Medley, S.S.; Mueller, D.; Nagayama, Y.; Owens, D.K.; Synakowski, E.J.; Roberts, D.R.; Sabbagh, S.

1992-01-01

Toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE) were excited by the energetic neutral beam ions tangentially injected into TFTR plasmas at low magnetic field such that the injection velocities were comparable to the Alfven speed. The modes were identified by measurements from Mirnov coils and beam emission spectroscopy (BES). TAE modes appear in bursts whose repetition rate increases with beam power. The neutron emission rate exhibits sawtooth-like behavior and the crashes always coincide with TAE bursts. This indicates ejection of fast ions from the plasma until these modes are stabilized. The dynamics of growth and stabilization was investigated at various plasma current and magnetic field. The results indicate that the instability can effectively clamp the number of energetic ions in the plasma. The observed instability threshold is discussed in the light of recent theories. In addition to these TAE modes, intermittent oscillations at three times the fundamental TAE frequency were observed by Mirnov coils, but no corresponding signal was found in BES. It appears that these high frequency oscillations do not have direct effect on the plasma neutron source strength

Alfven-wave particle interaction in finite-dimensional self-consistent field model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padhye, N.; Horton, W.

1998-01-01

A low-dimensional Hamiltonian model is derived for the acceleration of ions in finite amplitude Alfven waves in a finite pressure plasma sheet. The reduced low-dimensional wave-particle Hamiltonian is useful for describing the reaction of the accelerated ions on the wave amplitudes and phases through the self-consistent fields within the envelope approximation. As an example, the authors show for a single Alfven wave in the central plasma sheet of the Earth's geotail, modeled by the linear pinch geometry called the Harris sheet, the time variation of the wave amplitude during the acceleration of fast protons

Basic principles approach for studying nonlinear Alfven wave-alpha particle dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berk, H.L.; Breizman, B.N.; Pekker, M.

1994-01-01

An analytical model and a numerical procedure are presented which give a kinetic nonlinear description of the Alfven-wave instabilities driven by the source of energetic particles in a plasma. The steady-state and bursting nonlinear scenarios predicted by the analytical theory are verified in the test numerical simulation of the bump-on-tail instability. A mathematical similarity between the bump-on-tail problem for plasma waves and the Alfven wave problem gives a guideline for the interpretation of the bursts in the wave energy and fast particle losses observed in the tokamak experiments with neutral beam injection

The stationary Alfven wave in laboratory and space regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Finnegan, S. M.

In this thesis, a non-linear, collisional, two-fluid model of uniform plasma convection across field-aligned current (FAC) sheets, describing stationary Alfven (StA) waves is developed in support of laboratory experiments performed to test the hypothesis that a stationary inertial Alfven wave pattern forms within a channel of parallel electron current across which plasma is convected. In a previous work, Knudsen (D. J. Knudsen, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 10,761 (1996)) showed that, for cold, collisionless plasma, stationary inertial Alfven (StIA) waves can accelerate electrons parallel to a background magnetic field and cause large, time-independent plasma-density variations having spatial periodicity in the direction of the convective flow over a broad range of spatial scales and energies. Here, Knudsen's model has been generalized for warm, collisional, anisotropic plasma. The inclusion of parallel electron thermal pressure introduces dispersive effects which extend the model to the kinetic (beta > me/mi) regime. The effects of both ion-neutral and electron-ion collisional resistivity on StIA and stationary kinetic Alfven (StKA) wave solutions is studied. Conditions for both periodic and solitary wave solutions are identified. In the small amplitude limit, it is shown that the StA wave equation reduces to the differential equation describing the behavior of a forced harmonic oscillator. Analytical solutions are obtained for both a step and impulse, of finite width, forcing functions. Plasma rotation experiments in the West Virginia University Q-machine (WVUQ) demonstrate that an electron-emitting spiral electrode produces controllable, parabolic radial profile of floating potential, while the space potential showed no such structure. Laser-induced fluorescence measurements confirmed that the azimuthal ion drift velocity is inconsistent with a drift due to a gradient in the space potential. Experiments designed to produce StIA wave signatures were performed in the

A KINETIC ALFVEN WAVE AND THE PROTON DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION IN THE FAST SOLAR WIND

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xing; Lu Quanming; Chen Yao; Li Bo; Xia Lidong

2010-01-01

Using one-dimensional test particle simulations, the effect of a kinetic Alfven wave on the velocity distribution function (VDF) of protons in the collisionless solar wind is investigated. We first use linear Vlasov theory to numerically obtain the property of a kinetic Alfven wave (the wave propagates in the direction almost perpendicular to the background magnetic field). We then numerically simulate how the wave will shape the proton VDF. It is found that Landau resonance may be able to generate two components in the initially Maxwellian proton VDF: a tenuous beam component along the direction of the background magnetic field and a core component. The streaming speed of the beam relative to the core proton component is about 1.2-1.3 Alfven speed.

Remote control of Alfven eigenmode sensing system on the large helical device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, T.; Toi, K.; Matsunaga, G.

2008-01-01

An active sensing system of Alfven eigenmodes (AEs), which consists of a set of toroidally distributed loop antennas and several bi-polar power supplies, has been developed in the large helical device (LHD). The power supplies are controlled with a function generator receiving a control pattern of antenna current and the driving frequency from a personal computer (PC) in an LHD control room. This sensing method is based on the analysis of the frequency dependence of a transfer function that is derived by the ratio of the Fourier-transformed magnetic probe signal ('plasma response') to antenna current one ('exciter signal'). Typically, the driving frequency of the antenna current is swept linearly in time from 10 kHz to 500 kHz for 2 s in the LHD experiment. The sensing system is fully controlled through Ethernet LAN with easy extendable GUI. Configuration and control scheme of the active sensing system of AEs are presented in this paper. An initial result of the system operation is also described

Evolution of symmetric reconnection layer in the presence of parallel shear flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu Haoyu [Space Science Institute, School of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China); Sate Key Laboratory of Space Weather, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Cao Jinbin [Space Science Institute, School of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China)

2011-07-15

The development of the structure of symmetric reconnection layer in the presence of a shear flow parallel to the antiparallel magnetic field component is studied by using a set of one-dimensional (1D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. The Riemann problem is simulated through a second-order conservative TVD (total variation diminishing) scheme, in conjunction with Roe's averages for the Riemann problem. The simulation results indicate that besides the MHD shocks and expansion waves, there exist some new small-scale structures in the reconnection layer. For the case of zero initial guide magnetic field (i.e., B{sub y0} = 0), a pair of intermediate shock and slow shock (SS) is formed in the presence of the parallel shear flow. The critical velocity of initial shear flow V{sub zc} is just the Alfven velocity in the inflow region. As V{sub z{infinity}} increases to the value larger than V{sub zc}, a new slow expansion wave appears in the position of SS in the case V{sub z{infinity}} < V{sub zc}, and one of the current densities drops to zero. As plasma {beta} increases, the out-flow region is widened. For B{sub y0} {ne} 0, a pair of SSs and an additional pair of time-dependent intermediate shocks (TDISs) are found to be present. Similar to the case of B{sub y0} = 0, there exists a critical velocity of initial shear flow V{sub zc}. The value of V{sub zc} is, however, smaller than the Alfven velocity of the inflow region. As plasma {beta} increases, the velocities of SS and TDIS increase, and the out-flow region is widened. However, the velocity of downstream SS increases even faster, making the distance between SS and TDIS smaller. Consequently, the interaction between SS and TDIS in the case of high plasma {beta} influences the property of direction rotation of magnetic field across TDIS. Thereby, a wedge in the hodogram of tangential magnetic field comes into being. When {beta}{yields}{infinity}, TDISs disappear and the guide magnetic field becomes constant.

Nonlinear surface Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cramer, N.F.

1991-01-01

The problem of nonlinear surface Alfven waves propagating on an interface between a plasma and a vacuum is discussed, with dispersion provided by the finite-frequency effect, i.e. the finite ratio of the frequency to the ion-cyclotron frequency. A set of simplified nonlinear wave equations is derived using the method of stretched co-ordinates, and another approach uses the generation of a second-harmonic wave and its interaction with the first harmonic to obtain a nonlinear dispersion relation. A nonlinear Schroedinger equation is then derived, and soliton solutions found that propagate as solitary pulses in directions close to parallel and antiparallel to the background magnetic field. (author)

Experiments and Observations on Intense Alfven Waves in the Laboratory and in Space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gekelman, W.; VanZeeland, M.; Vincena, S.; Pribyl, P.

2003-01-01

There are many situations, which occur in space (coronal mass ejections, supernovas), or are man-made (upper atmospheric detonations) in which a dense plasma expands into a background magnetized plasma that can support Alfven waves. The LArge Plasma Device (LAPD) is a machine, at UCLA, in which Alfven wave propagation in homogeneous and inhomogeneous plasmas has been studied. These will be briefly reviewed. A new class of experiments which involve the expansion of a dense (initially, δn/no>>1) laser-produced plasma into an ambient highly magnetized background plasma capable of supporting Alfven waves will be presented. Measurements are used to estimate the coupling efficiency of the laser energy and kinetic energy of the dense plasma into wave energy. The wave generation mechanism is due to field aligned return currents, coupled to the initial electron current, which replace fast electrons escaping the initial blast

Characterization of Alfvenic fluctuations in the magnetopause boundary layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rezeau, L.; Morane, A.; Perraut, S.; Roux, A.; Schmidt, R.

1989-01-01

The European Space Agency GEOS 2 spacecraft happened to cross the magnetopause several times, at various local times. Intense electric and magnetic fluctuations, in the ultralow-frequency (ULF) range (0-10 Hz) have been detected during each such crossing, with a peak at the magnetopause and still large amplitudes in the adjacent magnetosheath and magnetopause boundary layer. By applying spectral analysis and correlations to the electric and magnetic fluctuations, and a minimum variance analysis to the magnetic fluctuations, the authors investigate the nature of these fluctuations which appear as short-lasting bursts in the spacecraft frame. Having reviewed possible interpretations, they show that the observed electric and magnetic signatures are consistent with small-scale (L ∼ ion Larmor radius) Alfvenic field-aligned structures passing by the spacecraft at high speed. It is suggested that these structures correspond to nonlinear Alfvenic structures

The spectrum of axisymmetric torsional Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sy, W.N.

1977-03-01

The spectrum of axisymmetric torsional Alfven waves propagating in a cylindrical, non-uniform, resistive plasma waveguide has been analysed by a method of singular perturbations. A simple condition has been derived which predicts whether the spectrum is continuous or discrete under given physical conditions. Application of this result to resolve an apparent discrepancy in experimental observations is briefly discussed. (Author)

Suppression of Alfven Modes on the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade with Outboard Beam Injection [Suppression of Alfven Modes on the NSTX-U with Outboard Beam Injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fredrickson, E. D.; Belova, E. V.; Battaglia, D. J.

2017-01-01

In this paper we present data from experiments on the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade, where it is shown for the first time that small amounts of high pitch-angle beam ions can strongly suppress the counterpropagating global Alfven eigenmodes (GAE). GAE have been implicated in the redistribution of fast ions and modification of the electron power balance in previous experiments on NSTX. The ability to predict the stability of Alfven modes, and developing methods to control them, is important for fusion reactors like the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor, which are heated by a large population of nonthermal, super-Alfvenic ions consisting of fusion generated alpha's and beam ions injected for current profile control. We present a qualitative interpretation of these observations using an analytic model of the Doppler-shifted ion-cyclotron resonance drive responsible for GAE instability which has an important dependence on k(perpendicular to rho L). A quantitative analysis of this data with the HYM stability code predicts both the frequencies and instability of the GAE prior to, and suppression of the GAE after the injection of high pitch-angle beam ions.

Fast-ion transport during repetitive burst phenomena of toroidal Alfven eigenmodes in the Large Helical Device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishiura, M.; Isobe, M.; Yamamoto, S.

2008-10-01

Alfven instabilities induced fast-ion losses have been directly observed for the first time by a newly developed scintillator lost ion probe (SLIP) in the Large Helical Device (LHD). The SLIP can measure the pitch angle and gyro radius of escaped fast ions toward loss region. Neutral beam driven Alfven Eigenmodes (AEs) are excited under the reactor relevant conditions: the ratio of fast ion (beam) speed υ b and Alfven speed υ A is more than 0.3 - 4.0. The beta value for fast ions is considered roughly to be ∼10%. Non-linear phenomena related to Alfven instabilities are observed under such conditions. During repetitive Toroidal Alfven Eigenmode (TAE) bursts, synchronized fast ion losses are observed by SLIP. From the orbit calculation the measured fast ion with pitch angle of 130 degrees and beam energy of 150 keV surely pass through the locations of TAE gaps. The orbit analysis found that the observed fast ions interact strongly with the excited TAEs. This result becomes the first experimental evidence of radial transport of fast ions predicted theoretically during TAE activities. In addition, from the correlation between stored energy degradation and fast-ion loss rate, it is found that fast-ion losses induced by TAE activities with low toroidal mode numbers categorize two phenomena without and with fast- ion loss enhancements, which indicate the fast-ion redistribution and loss. (author)

Propagation of large amplitude Alfven waves in the solar wind current sheet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malara, Francesco; Primavera, Leonardo; Veltri, Pierluigi

1996-01-01

The time evolution of Alfvenic perturbations in the Solar Wind current sheet is studied by using numerical simulations of the compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. The simulations show that the interaction between the large amplitude Alfvenic pertubation and the solar wind current sheet decreases the correlation between velocity and magnetic field fluctuations and produces compressive fluctuations. The characteristics of these compressive fluctuations compare rather well with spatial observations. The behavior of the correlation between density and magnetic field intensity fluctuations and of the their spectra are well reproduced so that the physical mechanisms giving rise to these behaviors can be identified

Nonlinear Propagation of Alfven Waves Driven by Observed Photospheric Motions: Application to the Coronal Heating and Spicule Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Takuma; Shibata, Kazunari

We have performed MHD simulations of Alfven wave propagation along an open ux tube in the solar atmosphere. In our numerical model, Alfven waves are generated by the photospheric granular motion. As the wave generator, we used a derived temporal spectrum of the photo-spheric granular motion from G-band movies of Hinode/SOT. It is shown that the total energy ux at the corona becomes larger and the transition region height becomes higher in the case when we use the observed spectrum rather than white/pink noise spectrum as the wave gener-ator. This difference can be explained by the Alfven wave resonance between the photosphere and the transition region. After performing Fourier analysis on our numerical results, we have found that the region between the photosphere and the transition region becomes an Alfven wave resonant cavity. We have conrmed that there are at least three resonant frequencies, 1, 3 and 5 mHz, in our numerical model. Alfven wave resonance is one of the most effective mechanisms to explain the dynamics of the spicules and the sufficient energy ux to heat the corona.

Energy densities of Alfven waves between 0.7 and 1.6 AU. [in interplanetary medium

Science.gov (United States)

Belcher, J. W.; Burchsted, R.

1974-01-01

Plasma and field data from Mariner 4 and 5 between 0.7 and 1.6 AU are used to study the radial dependence of the levels of microscale fluctuation associated with interplanetary Alfven waves. The observed decrease of these levels with increasing distance from the sun is consistent with little or no local generation or damping of the ambient Alfven waves over this range of radial distance.

Remote control of Alfven eigenmode sensing system on the large helical device

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ito, T. [Nagoya University, Department of Energy Engineering and Science, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi (Japan)], E-mail: ito.takafumi@lhd.nifs.ac.jp; Toi, K. [Nagoya University, Department of Energy Engineering and Science, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi (Japan); National Institute for Fusion Science, 322-6 Oroshicho, Toki, Gifu (Japan); Matsunaga, G. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 801-1 Mukouyama, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan)

2008-04-15

An active sensing system of Alfven eigenmodes (AEs), which consists of a set of toroidally distributed loop antennas and several bi-polar power supplies, has been developed in the large helical device (LHD). The power supplies are controlled with a function generator receiving a control pattern of antenna current and the driving frequency from a personal computer (PC) in an LHD control room. This sensing method is based on the analysis of the frequency dependence of a transfer function that is derived by the ratio of the Fourier-transformed magnetic probe signal ('plasma response') to antenna current one ('exciter signal'). Typically, the driving frequency of the antenna current is swept linearly in time from 10 kHz to 500 kHz for 2 s in the LHD experiment. The sensing system is fully controlled through Ethernet LAN with easy extendable GUI. Configuration and control scheme of the active sensing system of AEs are presented in this paper. An initial result of the system operation is also described.

Shear induced orientation of edible fat and chocolate crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzanti, Gianfranco; Welch, Sarah E.; Marangoni, Alejandro G.; Sirota, Eric B.; Idziak, Stefan H. J.

2003-03-01

Shear-induced orientation of fat crystallites was observed during crystallization of cocoa butter, milk fat, stripped milk fat and palm oil. This universal effect was observed in systems crystallized under high shear. The minor polar components naturally present in milk fat were found to decrease the shear-induced orientation effect in this system. The competition between Brownian and shear forces, described by the Peclet number, determines the crystallite orientation. The critical radius size, from the Gibbs-Thomson equation, provides a tool to understand the effect of shear at the onset stages of crystallization.

Alfven wave experiments on the TORTUS tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballico, M.J.; Bowden, M.; Brand, G.F.; Brennan, M.H.; Cross, R.C.; Fekete, P.; James, B.W.

1989-01-01

Results are presented on the first observations of the Discrete Alfven Wave (DAW) and the first measurements of laser scattering off the kinetic Alfven wave in the TORTUS tokamak. TORTUS is a relatively small device, with major radius R=0.44m, minor radius 0.1m and has previously been operated routinely with B Φ =0.7T, I p =20 kA and n e ∼ 1x10 19 m -3 . Under these conditions, and over a wide frequency range (1-14 MHz), there has been no evidence of the DAW modes observed on TCA. Recently, a minor upgrade of TORTUS has permitted routine operation at B Φ =1.0 T, I p =39 kA, q(a)∼5 and n e ∼1-4 x 10 19 m -3 . At the operating frequency, 3.2 MHz, chosen for this study, DAW modes are observed clearly at both low and high densities. The appearance of DAW modes appears to be due to a steeper current profile at the higher plasma currents now generated in TORTUS. The general behaviour of DAW modes is in fact quite sensitive to the density and current profiles, indicating that DAW modes should provide a useful current profile diagnostic. (author) 6 refs., 2 figs

Differential field equations for the MHD waves and wave equation of Alfven; Las ecuaciones diferenciales de campo para las ondas MHD y la ecuacion de onda de Alfven

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fierros Palacios, Angel [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Temixco, Morelos (Mexico)

2001-02-01

In this work the complete set of differential field equations which describes the dynamic state of a continuos conducting media which flow in presence of a perturbed magnetic field is obtained. Then, the thermic equation of state, the wave equation and the conservation law of energy for the Alfven MHD waves are obtained. [Spanish] Es este trabajo se obtiene el conjunto completo de ecuaciones diferenciales de campo que describen el estado dinamico de un medio continuo conductor que se mueve en presencia de un campo magnetico externo perturbado. Asi, se obtiene la ecuacion termica de estado, la ecuacion de onda y la ley de la conservacion de la energia para las ondas de Alfven de la MHD.

Sheared Electroconvective Instability

Science.gov (United States)

Kwak, Rhokyun; Pham, Van Sang; Lim, Kiang Meng; Han, Jongyoon

2012-11-01

Recently, ion concentration polarization (ICP) and related phenomena draw attention from physicists, due to its importance in understanding electrochemical systems. Researchers have been actively studying, but the complexity of this multiscale, multiphysics phenomenon has been limitation for gaining a detailed picture. Here, we consider electroconvective(EC) instability initiated by ICP under pressure-driven flow, a scenario often found in electrochemical desalinations. Combining scaling analysis, experiment, and numerical modeling, we reveal unique behaviors of sheared EC: unidirectional vortex structures, its size selection and vortex propagation. Selected by balancing the external pressure gradient and the electric body force, which generates Hagen-Poiseuille(HP) flow and vortical EC, the dimensionless EC thickness scales as (φ2 /UHP)1/3. The pressure-driven flow(or shear) suppresses unfavorably-directed vortices, and simultaneously pushes favorably-directed vortices with constant speed, which is linearly proportional to the total shear of HP flow. This is the first systematic characterization of sheared EC, which has significant implications on the optimization of electrodialysis and other electrochemical systems.

Nonlinear interaction of fast particles with Alfven waves in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Candy, J.; Borba, D.; Huysmans, G.T.A.; Kerner, W.; Berk, H.L.

1996-01-01

A numerical algorithm to study the nonlinear, resonant interaction of fast particles with Alfven waves in tokamak geometry has been developed. The scope of the formalism is wide enough to describe the nonlinear evolution of fishbone modes, toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes and ellipticity-induced Alfven eigenmodes, driven by both passing and trapped fast ions. When the instability is sufficiently weak, it is known that the wave-particle trapping nonlinearity will lead to mode saturation before wave-wave nonlinearities are appreciable. The spectrum of linear modes can thus be calculated using a magnetohydrodynamic normal-mode code, then nonlinearly evolved in time in an efficient way according to a two-time-scale Lagrangian dynamical wave model. The fast particle kinetic equation, including the effect of orbit nonlinearity arising from the mode perturbation, is simultaneously solved of the deviation, δf = f - f 0 , from an initial analytic distribution f 0 . High statistical resolution allows linear growth rates, frequency shifts, resonance broadening effects, and nonlinear saturation to be calculated quickly and precisely. The results have been applied to an ITER instability scenario. Results show that weakly-damped core-localized modes alone cause negligible alpha transport in ITER-like plasmas--even with growth rates one order of magnitude higher than expected values. However, the possibility of significant transport in reactor-type plasmas due to weakly unstable global modes remains an open question

Influence of the Alfven wave spectrum on the scrape-off layer of the TCA tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, Y.; Hollenstein, C.

1989-01-01

The study of the scrape-off layer (SOL) during Alfven wave heating may lead to a better understanding of the antenna-plasma interaction. The scrape-off layer of the TCA tokamak has been widely investigated by means of Langmuir probes. The aim of this work is to present measurements on the influence of the Alfven wave spectrum on the scrape-off layer. These experiments have shown that the plasma boundary layer is strongly affected by the wave field, in particular the ion saturation current and the floating potential. In TCA, as the spectrum evolves due to a density rise, the passage of the Alfven continua and their associated eigenmodes, the Discrete Alfven Wave (DAW) induces a strong depletion in the edge density of up to 70% during the continuum part and a density increase during the crossing of an eigenmode. The floating potential becomes negative during the continua and even more negative crossing the eigenmodes. In case of MHD mode activity, this behaviour changes for power exceeding 100 kW. The profiles of basic parameters are modified, depending on the wave spectrum. MHD mode activity which can occur during the RF (radio frequency) phase considerably alters the behaviour mentioned above. Finally, the modulation of the RF power allows us to characterize the coupling between RF power and typical edge parameters. (orig.)

Attractors of magnetohydrodynamic flows in an Alfvenic state

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nunez, Manuel; Sanz, Javier [Departamento de Analisis Matematico, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid (Spain)

1999-08-13

We present a simplified form of the magnetohydrodynamic system which describes the evolution of a plasma where the small-scale velocity and magnetic field are aligned in the form of Alfven waves, such as happens in several turbulent situations. Bounds on the dimension of the global attractor are found, and are shown to be an improvement of the standard ones for the full magnetohydrodynamic equations. (author)

MONTE CARLO SIMULATION MODEL OF ENERGETIC PROTON TRANSPORT THROUGH SELF-GENERATED ALFVEN WAVES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Afanasiev, A.; Vainio, R., E-mail: alexandr.afanasiev@helsinki.fi [Department of Physics, University of Helsinki (Finland)

2013-08-15

A new Monte Carlo simulation model for the transport of energetic protons through self-generated Alfven waves is presented. The key point of the model is that, unlike the previous ones, it employs the full form (i.e., includes the dependence on the pitch-angle cosine) of the resonance condition governing the scattering of particles off Alfven waves-the process that approximates the wave-particle interactions in the framework of quasilinear theory. This allows us to model the wave-particle interactions in weak turbulence more adequately, in particular, to implement anisotropic particle scattering instead of isotropic scattering, which the previous Monte Carlo models were based on. The developed model is applied to study the transport of flare-accelerated protons in an open magnetic flux tube. Simulation results for the transport of monoenergetic protons through the spectrum of Alfven waves reveal that the anisotropic scattering leads to spatially more distributed wave growth than isotropic scattering. This result can have important implications for diffusive shock acceleration, e.g., affect the scattering mean free path of the accelerated particles in and the size of the foreshock region.

Non-linear Dynamics Of Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes On The National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podesta, M.; Bell, R.E.; Crocker, N.A.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Gorelenkov, N.N.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Kubota, S.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Yu, H.

2011-01-01

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX, (M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000))) routinely operates with neutral beam injection as the primary system for heating and current drive. The resulting fast ion population is super-Alfvenic, with velocities 1 fast /v Alfven < 5. This provides a strong drive for toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs). As the discharge evolves, the fast ion population builds up and TAEs exhibit increasing bursts in amplitude and down-chirps in frequency, which eventually lead to a so-called TAE avalanche. Avalanches cause large (∼<30%) fast ion losses over ∼ 1 ms, as inferred from the neutron rate. The increased fast ion losses correlate with a stronger activity in the TAE band. In addition, it is shown that a n = 1 mode with frequency well below the TAE gap appears in the Fourier spectrum of magnetic fluctuations as a result of non-linear mode coupling between TAEs during avalanche events. The non-linear coupling between modes, which leads to enhanced fast ion transport during avalanches, is investigated.

Non-linear dynamics of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes on the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podesta, M.; Bell, R.E.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Gorelenkov, N.N.; LeBlanc, B.P.; Crocker, N.A.; Kubota, S.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Yuh, H.

2011-01-01

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX, (Ono et al 2000 Nucl. Fusion 40 557)) routinely operates with neutral beam injection as the primary system for heating and current drive. The resulting fast ion population is super-Alfvenic, with velocities 1 fast /v Alfven < 5. This provides a strong drive for toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs). As the discharge evolves, the fast ion population builds up and TAEs exhibit increasing bursts in amplitude and down-chirps in frequency, which eventually lead to a so-called TAE avalanche. Avalanches cause large (∼<30%) fast ion losses over ∼1 ms, as inferred from the neutron rate. The increased fast ion losses correlate with a stronger activity in the TAE band. In addition, it is shown that a n = 1 mode with frequency well below the TAE gap appears in the Fourier spectrum of magnetic fluctuations as a result of non-linear mode coupling between TAEs during avalanche events. The non-linear coupling between modes, which leads to enhanced fast ion transport during avalanches, is investigated.

Predications and Observations of Global Beta-induced Alfven-acoustic Modes in JET and NSTX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N.N.

2008-01-01

In this paper we report on observations and interpretations of a new class of global MHD eigenmode solutions arising in gaps in the low frequency Alfven-acoustic continuum below the geodesic acoustic mode frequency. These modes have been just reported (Gorelenkov et al 2007 Phys. Lett. 370 70-7) where preliminary comparisons indicate qualitative agreement between theory and experiment. Here we show a more quantitative comparison emphasizing recent NSTX experiments on the observations of the global eigenmodes, referred to as beta-induced Alfven-acoustic eigenmodes (BAAEs), which exist near the extrema of the Alfven-acoustic continuum. In accordance to the linear dispersion relations, the frequency of these modes may shift as the safety factor, q, profile relaxes. We show that BAAEs can be responsible for observations in JET plasmas at relatively low beta 20%. In NSTX plasma observed magnetic activity has the same properties as predicted by theory for the mode structure and the frequency. Found numerically in NOVA simulations BAAEs are used to explain the observed properties of relatively low frequency experimental signals seen in NSTX and JET tokamaks

Kinetic Alfven wave in the presence of kappa distribution function in plasma sheet boundary layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shrivastava, G., E-mail: geetphy9@gmail.com; Ahirwar, G. [School of Studies in Physics, Vikram University, Ujjain India (India); Shrivastava, J., E-mail: jayashrivastava2007@gmail.com [Dronacharya Group of Institutions, Greater Noida-India (India)

2015-07-31

The particle aspect approach is adopted to investigate the trajectories of charged particles in the electromagnetic field of kinetic Alfven wave. Expressions are found for the dispersion relation, damping/growth rate and associated currents in the presence of kappa distribution function. Kinetic effect of electrons and ions are included to study kinetic Alfven wave because both are important in the transition region. It is found that the ratio β of electron thermal energy density to magnetic field energy density and the ratio of ion to electron thermal temperature (T{sub i}/T{sub e}), and kappa distribution function affect the dispersion relation, damping/growth rate and associated currents in both cases(warm and cold electron limit).The treatment of kinetic Alfven wave instability is based on assumption that the plasma consist of resonant and non resonant particles. The resonant particles participate in an energy exchange process, whereas the non resonant particles support the oscillatory motion of the wave.

Direct excitation of resonant torsional Alfven waves by footpoint motions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruderman, M. S.; Berghmans, D.; Goossens, M.; Poedts, S.

1997-01-01

The present paper studies the heating of coronal loops by linear resonant Alfven waves that are excited by the motions of the photospheric footpoints of the magnetic field lines. The analysis is restricted to torsionally polarised footpoint motions in an axially symmetric system so that only

Plasma mass density, species mix and fluctuation diagnostics using fast Alfven wave

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikezi, H.; deGrassie, J.S.; Pinsker, R.I.; Snider, R.T.

1996-06-01

The authors propose to employ a fast Alfven wave interferometer and reflectometer as a tokamak diagnostic to measure the plasma mass density, D-T species mix profile, and density fluctuations. Utilize the property that the phase velocity of the fast wave propagating across the magnetic field is the Alfven speed with thermal correction, this fast wave interferometer on the DIII-D tokamak was successfully used to obtain the line integrated density. Since the position of the ion-ion hybrid cut-off in tokamaks is uniquely determined by the species mix ratio and the wave frequency, the reflectometer arrangement finds the species mix profile. The inversion method of reflectometry is discussed. The multiple chord interferometer also measures the mass density fluctuation profile

Plasma mass density, species mix and fluctuation diagnostics using fast Alfven wave

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikezi, H.; deGrassie, J.S.; Pinsker, R.I.; Snider, R.T.

1996-06-01

The authors propose to employ a fast Alfven wave interferometer and reflectometer as a tokamak diagnostic to measure the plasma mass density, D-T species mix profile, and density fluctuations. Utilize the property that the phase velocity of the fast wave propagating across the magnetic field is the Alfven speed with thermal correction, this fast wave interferometer on the DIII-D tokamak was successfully used to obtain the line integrated density. Since the position of the ion-ion hybrid cut-off in tokamaks is uniquely determined by the species mix ratio and the wave frequency, the reflectometer arrangement finds the species mix profile. The inversion method of reflectometry is discussed. The multiple chord interferometer also measures the mass density fluctuation profile.

Fast-ion losses induced by ACs and TAEs in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. García-Muñoz,; Hicks, N.; van Voornveld, R.; Classen, I.G.J.; Bilato, R.; Bobkov, V.; Brambilla, M.; Bruedgam, M.; Fahrbach, H. U.; Igochine, V.; Jaemsae, S.; Maraschek, M.; Sassenberg, K.

2010-01-01

The phase-space of convective and diffusive fast-ion losses induced by shear Alfven eigenmodes has been characterized in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. Time-resolved energy and pitch-angle measurements of fast-ion losses correlated in frequency and phase with toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) and Alfven

Non-gyrotropic pressure anisotropy induced by velocity shear.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenerani, A.; Del Sarto, D.; Pegoraro, F.; Califano, F.

2015-12-01

We discuss how, in a collisionless magnetized plasma, a sheared velocity field may lead to the anisotropization of an initial Maxwellian state. By including the full pressure tensor dynamics in a fluid plasma model, we show, analytically and numerically, that a sheared velocity field makes an initial isotropic state anisotropic and non-gyrotropic [1], i.e., makes the plasma pressure tensor anisotropic also in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field. The propagation of transverse magneto-elastic waves in the anisotropic plasma affects the process of formation of a non-gyrotropic pressure and can lead to its spatial filamentation. This plasma dynamics implies in particular that isotropic MHD equilibria cease to be equilibria in presence of a stationary sheared flow. Similarly, in the case of turbulence, where small-scale spatial inhomogeneities are naturally developed during the direct cascade, we may expect that isotropic turbulent states are not likely to exist whenever a full pressure tensor evolution is accounted for. These results may be relevant to understanding the agyrotropic pressure configurations which are well documented in solar wind measurements and possibly correlated to plasma flows (see e.g. Refs.[2,3]), and which have also been measured in Vlasov simulations of Alfvenic turbulence [4]. [1] D. Del Sarto, F. Pegoraro, F. Califano, "Pressure anisotropy and small spatial scales induced by a velocity shear", http://arxiv.org/abs/1507.04895 [2] H.F. Astudillo, E. Marsch, S. Livi, H. Rosenbauer, "TAUS measurements of non-gyrotropic distribution functions of solar wind alpha particles", AIP Conf. Proc. 328, 289 (1996). [3] A. Posner, M.W. Liemhon, T.H. Zurbuchen, "Upstream magnetospheric ion flux tube within a magnetic cloud: Wind/STICS", Geophys. Res. Lett. 30, (2003). [4] S. Servidio, F. Valentini, F. Califano, P. Veltri, "Local kinetic effects in Two-Dimensional Plasma Turbulence", Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 045001 (2012).

Alfven. Symphony No 5 in A minor, Op. 54 / Robert Layton

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Layton, Robert

1994-01-01

Uuest heliplaadist "Alfven. Symphony No 5 in A minor, Op. 54. The Mountain King - Suite, Gustav II Adolf, Op. 49 - Elegy. Royal Stockholm Philarmonic Orchestra / Neeme Järvi. BIS CD 585 (68 minutes) Recorded in association with Trygg Hansa"

Influence of the Alfven wave spectrum on the scrape-off layer of the TCA tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, Y.; Hollenstein, Ch.

1988-01-01

The study of the Scrape-Off Layer (SOL) during Alfven wave heating may lead to a better understanding of the antenna-plasma interaction. The SOL of the TCA tokamak has been widely investigated by means of Langmuir probes. The aim of the present work is to present in detail the influence of the Alfven wave spectrum on the SOL. The experiments have shown that the plasma boundary layer is strongly affected by the RF, in particular the ion density, the electron temperature and the floating potential. In TCA, as the spectrum evolves due to a density rise, the passage of the Alfven continua and their associated eigenmodes (DAW) induces a strong depletion in the edge density of up to 70% during the continuum part and a density increase during the crossing of an eigenmode. The floating potential becomes negative during the continua and even more negative crossing the eigenmodes. This behaviour changes as a function of the power transmitted to the plasma through the antennae, especially we have found with MHD modes a change around 100 kW. The profiles of the basic parameters are modified, depending on the wave spectrum. MHD mode activity which can occur during the RF phase considerably alters the behaviour mentioned above. Finally, the modulation of the RF power allows us to characterize the difference in coupling, for the continua and the eigenmodes, between the Alfven wave field and the scrape-off layer. (author) 5 figs., 6 refs

Dissipation of Alfven Waves at Fluid Scale through Parametric Decay Instabilities in Low-beta Turbulent Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, X.; Li, H.; Guo, F.; Li, X.; Roytershteyn, V.

2017-12-01

The solar wind is a turbulent magnetized plasma extending from the upper atmosphere of the sun to the edge of the heliosphere. It carries charged particles and magnetic fields originated from the Sun, which have great impact on the geomagnetic environment and human activities in space. In such a magnetized plasma, Alfven waves play a crucial role in carrying energy from the surface of the Sun, injecting into the solar wind and establishing power-law spectra through turbulent energy cascades. On the other hand, in compressible plasmas large amplitude Alfven waves are subject to a parametric decay instability (PDI) which converts an Alfven wave to another counter-propagating Alfven wave and an ion acoustic wave (slow mode). The counter-propagating Alfven wave provides an important ingredient for turbulent cascade, and the slow-mode wave provides a channel for solar wind heating in a spatial scale much larger than ion kinetic scales. Growth and saturation of PDI in quiet plasma have been intensively studied using linear theory and nonlinear simulations in the past. Here using 3D hybrid simulations, we show that PDI is still effective in turbulent low-beta plasmas, generating slow modes and causing ion heating. Selected events in WIND data are analyzed to identify slow modes in the solar wind and the role of PDI, and compared with our simulation results. We also investigate the validity of linear Vlasov theory regarding PDI growth and slow mode damping in turbulent plasmas. Since PDI favors low plasma beta, we expect to see more evidence of PDI in the solar wind close to the Sun, especially from the upcoming NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission which will provide unprecedented wave and plasma data as close as 8.5 solar radii from the Sun.

Longitudinal propagation of nonlinear surface Alfven waves at a magnetic interface in a compressible atmosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruderman, M S

1988-08-01

Nonlinear Alfven surface wave propagation at a magnetic interface in a compressible fluid is considered. It is supposed that the magnetic field directions at both sides of the interface and the direction of wave propagation coincide. The equation governing time-evolution of nonlinear small-amplitude waves is derived by the method of multiscale expansions. This equation is similar to the equation for nonlinear Alfven surface waves in an incompressible fluid derived previously. The numerical solution of the equation shows that a sinusoidal disturbance overturns, i.e. infinite gradients arise.

Alfven Eigenmode Stability with Beams in ITER-like Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N.N.; Berk, H.L.; Budny, R.V.

2004-01-01

Toroidicity Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE) in ITER can be driven unstable by two groups of energetic particles, the 3.5 MeV α-particle fusion products and the tangentially injected 1MeV beam ions. Stability conditions are established using the perturbative NOVA/NOVA-K codes. A quasi-linear diffusion model is then used to assess the induced redistribution of energetic particles

Evidence for fast-electron-driven Alfvenic modes in the HSX stellarator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brower, D.L.; Deng, C.; Spong, D.A.; Abdou, A.; Almagri, A.F.; Anderson, D.T.; Anderson, F.S.B.; Guttenfelder, W.; Likin, K.; Oh, S.; Sakaguchi, V.; Talmadge, J.N.; Zhai, K.

2005-01-01

The helically-symmetric experiment (HSX) stellarator device is the first of a new generation of stellarators that exploit the concept of quasi-symmetric magnetic fields. In HSX, the plasma is both produced and heated by use of electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) at the 2nd harmonic X-mode resonance. This heating configuration generates a nonthermal energetic electron population. Herein, we report on the first experimental evidence for fast-electron-driven Global Alfven Eigenmodes (GAE). This mode has previously been observed in both tokamaks and stellarators but it was always driven by energetic ions, not electrons. Evidence for this instability is obtained from quasi-helically symmetric HSX plasmas. Potential consequences of these measurements are twofold; (1) fast electrons can drive the GAE instability, and (2) quasi-symmetry makes a difference by better confining the particles that drive the instability as compared to the conventional stellarator configuration. We report on several features of this fluctuation. It is a coherent mode that is experimentally observed in the plasma core and edge by external magnetic coils, interferometry, ECE and Langmuir probes diagnostics. Fluctuations are observed in the frequency range of 20-120 kHz and scale with ion mass density according to expectations for Alfvenic modes. The mode is observed to be global with odd poloidal mode number (inferred from interferometry, possibly m=1) and is present in quasi-helically symmetric HSX plasmas. When quasi-helical symmetry is broken, the mode is no longer observed. Theory predicts a GAE mode in the gap below the Alfven continua can be excited in the frequency range of the measured fluctuations. By employing a biased electrode inserted deep into the plasma, flows can be generated. Under these conditions, the Alfvenic mode amplitude can increase and the fluctuation is even observed in the conventional stellarator configuration. Shifts in the measured frequency can be used to

Origin of the Sheared Magnetic Fields that Erupt in Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Ronald L.; Sterling, Alphonse C.

2006-01-01

From a search of the Yohkoh/SXT whole-Sun movie in the years 2000 and 2001, we found 37 flare-arcade events for which there were full-disk magnetograms from SOHO/MDI, coronagraph movies from SOHO/LASCO, and before and after full-disk chromospheric images from SOHOBIT and/or from ground-based observatories. For each event, the observations show or strongly imply that the flare arcade was produced in the usual way by the eruption of sheared core field (as a flux rope) from along the neutral line inside a mature bipolar magnetic arcade. Two-thirds (25) of these arcades had the normal leading-trailing magnetic polarity arrangement of the active regions in the hemisphere of the arcade, but the other third (12) had reversed polarity, their leading flux being the trailing-polarity remnant of one or more old active regions and their trailing flux being the leading-polarity remnant of one or more other old active regions. From these observations, we conclude: (1) The sheared core field in a reversed-polarity arcade must be formed by processes in and above the photosphere, not by the emergence of a twisted flux rope bodily from below the photosphere. (2) The sheared core fields in the normal-polarity arcades were basically the same as those in the reversed-polarity arcades: both showed similar sigmoidal form and produced similar explosions (similar flares and CMEs). (3) Hence, the sheared core fields in normal-polarity mature arcades are likely formed mainly by the same processes as in reversed-polarity arcades. (4) These processes should be discernible in high-resolution magnetogram sequences and movies of the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona such those to come from Solar-B

Predictions and observations of global beta-induced Alfven-acoustic modes in JET and NSTX

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorelenkov, N N [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States); Berk, H L [Institute for Fusion Studies, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Crocker, N A [Institute of Plasma and Fusion Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1354 (United States); Fredrickson, E D [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States); Kaye, S [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States); Kubota, S [Institute of Plasma and Fusion Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1354 (United States); Park, H [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08543 (United States); Peebles, W [Institute of Plasma and Fusion Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1354 (United States); Sabbagh, S A [Department of Applied Physics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027-6902 (United States); Sharapov, S E [Euroatom/UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Stutmat, D [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Tritz, K [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Levinton, F M [Nova Photonics, One Oak Place, Princeton, NJ 08540 (United States); Yuh, H [Nova Photonics, One Oak Place, Princeton, NJ 08540 (United States)

2007-12-15

In this paper we report on observations and interpretations of a new class of global MHD eigenmode solutions arising in gaps in the low frequency Alfven-acoustic continuum below the geodesic acoustic mode frequency. These modes have been just reported (Gorelenkov et al 2007 Phys. Lett. 370 70-7) where preliminary comparisons indicate qualitative agreement between theory and experiment. Here we show a more quantitative comparison emphasizing recent NSTX experiments on the observations of the global eigenmodes, referred to as beta-induced Alfven-acoustic eigenmodes (BAAEs), which exist near the extrema of the Alfven-acoustic continuum. In accordance to the linear dispersion relations, the frequency of these modes may shift as the safety factor, q, profile relaxes. We show that BAAEs can be responsible for observations in JET plasmas at relatively low beta <2% as well as in NSTX plasmas at relatively high beta >20%. In NSTX plasma observed magnetic activity has the same properties as predicted by theory for the mode structure and the frequency. Found numerically in NOVA simulations BAAEs are used to explain the observed properties of relatively low frequency experimental signals seen in NSTX and JET tokamaks.

The analysis of Alfven wave current drive and plasma heating in TCABR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruchko, L.F.; Lerche, E.A.; Galvao, R.M.O.; Elfimov, A.G.; Nascimento, I.C.; Sa, W.P. de; Sanada, E.; Elizondo, J.I.; Ferreira, A.A.; Saettone, E.A.; Severo, J.H.F.; Bellintani, V.; Usuriaga, O.N.

2002-01-01

The results of experiments on Alfven wave current drive and plasma heating in the TCABR tokamak are analyzed with the help of a numerical code for simulation of the diffusion of the toroidal electric field. It permits to find radial distributions of plasma current density and conductivity, which match the experimentally measured total plasma current and loop voltage changes, and thus to study the performance of the RF system during Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive experiments. Regimes with efficient RF power input in TCABR have been analyzed and revealed the possibility of noninductive current generation with magnitudes up to ∼8 kA. The increase of plasma energy content due to RF power input is consistent with the diamagnetic measurements. (author)

Spectral dependence, efficiency and localization of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C. [Tel Aviv Univ. (Israel). Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences

1997-04-01

A systematic study of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven eigenmode (GAE) waves is carried out. For illustration, the first radial mode of the discrete resonant GAE spectrum is considered. The following aspects are given special attention: spectral analysis, radial dependence and efficiency - all of these functions of the characteristics of the waves launched by an external, concentric antenna (i.e. wave frequency and poloidal and toroidal wavenumbers). The tokamak plasma is simulated by a current-carrying cylindrical plasma column surrounded by a helical sheet current and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell, with incorporation of equilibrium (simulated) toroidal field, magnetic shear and a relatively large poloidal magnetic field component. Within the framework of low-{beta} MHD model equations and for typical tokamak physical parameters, the following basic results are obtained: (1) in the range of poloidal wavenumbers -3{<=} m {<=} 3 and toroidal wavenumbers -20{<=} n {<=}20, resonant GAE peaks below the Alfven continuum are found; (2) the power absorption (P), current drive (I) and corresponding frequency of the GAE modes depend strongly on the sets of (m,n) values considered; (3) the `net` current drive is positive (i.e. flows in the direction of the equilibrium current j{sub 0z} for m = -1, -2, -3 and -20 {<=} n {<=} -1 as well as for m +1, +2, +3 and n > 10); (4) in the cases m = -1, -2, -3, the efficiency of current drive, I/P, increases with /m/ and I/n/; (5) the radial localization of the current drive in each of the cases considered is determined and tabulated. (Author).

Spectral dependence, efficiency and localization of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven waves in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.

1997-01-01

A systematic study of non-inductive current drive via helicity injection by global Alfven eigenmode (GAE) waves is carried out. For illustration, the first radial mode of the discrete resonant GAE spectrum is considered. The following aspects are given special attention: spectral analysis, radial dependence and efficiency - all of these functions of the characteristics of the waves launched by an external, concentric antenna (i.e. wave frequency and poloidal and toroidal wavenumbers). The tokamak plasma is simulated by a current-carrying cylindrical plasma column surrounded by a helical sheet current and situated inside a perfectly conducting shell, with incorporation of equilibrium (simulated) toroidal field, magnetic shear and a relatively large poloidal magnetic field component. Within the framework of low-β MHD model equations and for typical tokamak physical parameters, the following basic results are obtained: (1) in the range of poloidal wavenumbers -3≤ m ≤ 3 and toroidal wavenumbers -20≤ n ≤20, resonant GAE peaks below the Alfven continuum are found; (2) the power absorption (P), current drive (I) and corresponding frequency of the GAE modes depend strongly on the sets of (m,n) values considered; (3) the 'net' current drive is positive (i.e. flows in the direction of the equilibrium current j 0z for m = -1, -2, -3 and -20 ≤ n ≤ -1 as well as for m +1, +2, +3 and n > 10; (4) in the cases m = -1, -2, -3, the efficiency of current drive, I/P, increases with /m/ and I/n/; (5) the radial localization of the current drive in each of the cases considered is determined and tabulated. (Author)

How to turn gravity waves into Alfven waves and other such tricks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newington, Marie E; Cally, Paul S

2011-01-01

Recent observations of travelling gravity waves at the base of the chromosphere suggest an interplay between gravity wave propagation and magnetic field. Our aims are: to explain the observation that gravity wave flux is suppressed in magnetic regions; to understand why we see travelling waves instead of standing waves; and to see if gravity waves can undergo mode conversion and couple to Alfven waves in regions where the plasma beta is of order unity. We model gravity waves in a VAL C atmosphere, subject to a uniform magnetic field of various orientations, considering both adiabatic and radiatively damped propagation. Results indicate that in the presence of a magnetic field, the gravity wave can propagate as a travelling wave, with the magnetic field orientation playing a crucial role in determining the wave character. For the majority of magnetic field orientations, the gravity wave is reflected at low heights as a slow magneto-acoustic wave, explaining the observation of reduced flux in magnetic regions. In a highly inclined magnetic field, the gravity wave undergoes mode conversion to either field guided acoustic waves or Alfven waves. The primary effect of incorporating radiative damping is a reduction in acoustic and magnetic fluxes measured at the top of the integration region. By demonstrating the mode conversion of gravity waves to Alfven waves, this work identifies a possible pathway for energy transport from the solar surface to the upper atmosphere.

Wave-Particle Energy Exchange Directly Observed in a Kinetic Alfven-Branch Wave

Science.gov (United States)

Gershman, Daniel J.; F-Vinas, Adolfo; Dorelli, John C.; Boardsen, Scott A. (Inventor); Avanov, Levon A.; Bellan, Paul M.; Schwartz, Steven J.; Lavraud, Benoit; Coffey, Victoria N.; Chandler, Michael O.;

Polarization of electron cyclotron emission spectra in LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vries, P.C. de; Nagayama, Y.; Kawahata, K.; Inagaki, S.; Sasao, H.; Nagasaki, K.

1999-07-01

Electron cyclotron emission (ECE) can be used to determine the electron temperature profile in magnetized plasmas. The complex structure of the magnetic field configuration in the Large Helical Device (LHD), which has a large shear, complicates the analysis of the ECE spectrum. In a sheared magnetic field the propagation of X and O-mode polarization through the plasma are coupled, causing mode conversion and polarization rotation. Mode scrambling is also caused by wall reflections. In this report, this mode conversion in LHD is numerically analyzed. It was found that at low density mode conversion scrambles the ECE spectra. However, at higher density (n eo > 1.0·10 19 m -3 ) the polarization mode is found to rotate with the sheared magnetic field, yielding only a negligible mode conversion. Wall reflections are found to depolarize the ECE spectrum. Notwithstanding the LHD magnetic configuration, it is shown that temperature profiles could be revealed from the ECE spectra. (author)

Finite amplitude solitary Alfven waves in a low-β plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalita, M.K.; Kalita, B.C.

1985-01-01

Different exact forms of Alfven solitons were found recently in low-beta plasmas by different assumptions. The present paper studies the case of parallel ion inertia and current density. Both super and sub-Alfvenian rarefactive solitons were found to exist depending on the angle of inclination of the propagation vector with the magnetic field. (D.Gy.)

Focusing of Shear Shock Waves

Science.gov (United States)

Giammarinaro, Bruno; Espíndola, David; Coulouvrat, François; Pinton, Gianmarco

2018-01-01

Focusing is a ubiquitous way to transform waves. Recently, a new type of shock wave has been observed experimentally with high-frame-rate ultrasound: shear shock waves in soft solids. These strongly nonlinear waves are characterized by a high Mach number, because the shear wave velocity is much slower, by 3 orders of magnitude, than the longitudinal wave velocity. Furthermore, these waves have a unique cubic nonlinearity which generates only odd harmonics. Unlike longitudinal waves for which only compressional shocks are possible, shear waves exhibit cubic nonlinearities which can generate positive and negative shocks. Here we present the experimental observation of shear shock wave focusing, generated by the vertical motion of a solid cylinder section embedded in a soft gelatin-graphite phantom to induce linearly vertically polarized motion. Raw ultrasound data from high-frame-rate (7692 images per second) acquisitions in combination with algorithms that are tuned to detect small displacements (approximately 1 μ m ) are used to generate quantitative movies of gel motion. The features of shear shock wave focusing are analyzed by comparing experimental observations with numerical simulations of a retarded-time elastodynamic equation with cubic nonlinearities and empirical attenuation laws for soft solids.

Optimization of incident EC wave polarization in real-time polarization scan experiments on LHD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsujimura, Toru I.; Mizuno, Yoshinori; Makino, Ryohei

2016-01-01

Real-time polarization scan experiments were performed on the Large Helical Device (LHD) to search an optimal incident wave polarization for electron cyclotron resonance heating. The obtained optimal polarization state to maximize the power absorption to the LHD plasma is compared with the ray-tracing code that includes mode content analyses, which indicates that the calculated results are generally in good agreement with the experimental results. The analyses show that optimal coupling to plasma waves requires a fine adjustment for an incident wave polarization even for perpendicular injection due to the finite density profile and the magnetic shear at the peripheral region. (author)

Alfven wave stability in D-III-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, R.B.; Samec, T.K.

1989-09-01

Within the framework of the global Alfven eigenmode theory in a cylindrical background plasma, I examine the excitation of global Alfven eigenmodes by intense neutral beam injection in the D III-D tokamak operating at General Atomics. I have considered two separate sets of experimental conditions, a ''low power'' set of cases using 10MW of hydrogen beams, and a ''high power'' shot of 20MW of deuterium beams. My results are particularly sensitive to the background density profile. For parabolic background density profiles, n 0 x (1 - (r/a) 2 ), I have determined that the plasma is stable to all toroidal and poloidal mode numbers for both high and low power cases. For density profiles which are of the form n 0 x (1 - (r/a) 2 ) 1/2 , for the same n 0 , my calculation indicates that the m = -1, l = 0 mode is unstable in each case. The high power case has a considerably higher growth rate at the baseline conditions, which motivated me to study this case more extensively. The results are also sensitive to the beam source radial scalelength, L s , and the electron temperature T e . By narrowing the source from the baseline 36 cm to 20 cm, the growth rate of the (0,-1) actually decreases, but the (0,-2) mode appears with a substantial growth rate. If the source could be made even narrower, L s ∼ 10 cm, the (1,-1) mode would appear, also with a large growth rate. 12 refs., 16 figs., 6 tabs

EFFECTS OF ALFVEN WAVES ON ELECTRON CYCLOTRON MASER EMISSION IN CORONAL LOOPS AND SOLAR TYPE I RADIO STORMS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, G. Q.; Chen, L.; Wu, D. J. [Purple Mountain Observatory, CAS, Nanjing 210008 (China); Yan, Y. H., E-mail: djwu@pmo.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Solar Activity, National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, Beijing 100012 (China)

2013-06-10

Solar type I radio storms are long-lived radio emissions from the solar atmosphere. It is believed that these type I storms are produced by energetic electrons trapped within a closed magnetic structure and are characterized by a high ordinary (O) mode polarization. However, the microphysical nature of these emissions is still an open problem. Recently, Wu et al. found that Alfven waves (AWs) can significantly influence the basic physics of wave-particle interactions by modifying the resonant condition. Taking the effects of AWs into account, this work investigates electron cyclotron maser emission driven by power-law energetic electrons with a low-energy cutoff distribution, which are trapped in coronal loops by closed solar magnetic fields. The results show that the emission is dominated by the O mode. It is proposed that this O mode emission may possibly be responsible for solar type I radio storms.

Energy balance in the TCA tokamak plasma with Alfven wave heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Ning; Qu Wenxiao; Huang Li; Long Yongxing; Qiu Xiaoming

1993-01-01

The energy balance in TCA tokamak plasma with Alfven wave heating is studied, in which the equivalent electron thermal conductivity is determined by using the profile consistency principle. The results are in good agreement with experiments. It is shown that this method is applicable to various devices and other heating methods

Differential equation for Alfven ion cyclotron waves in finite-length plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, D.C.; Fateman, R.J.; Baldwin, D.E.

1977-01-01

One finds the fourth-order differential equation describing an Alfven-ion-cyclotron wave propagating along a magnetic field of varying intensity. The equation is self-adjoint and possesses non-trivial turning points. The final form of the equation is checked using MACSYMA, a system for performing algebra on a computer

Magnetospheric pulsations: Models and observations of compressional waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Xiaoming.

1989-01-01

The first part of the dissertation models ultralow frequency (ULF) waves in a simplified geometry in order to understand the physics of the mode coupling between the compressional and shear Alfven waves in an inhomogeneous magnetized plasma. Wave mode coupling occurs when a field line resonant frequency (defined by the shear Alfven mode) matches the global mode frequency (defined by the compressional mode). Large wave amplitudes occur near the resonant field line. Although the wave amplitude of the global mode is small away from resonant field lines, significant wave energy is stored in the wave mode due to its large scale nature. It serves as a reservoir to continuously feed energy to resonant field lines. This mechanism may explain why some field line resonances can last for times longer than that predicted from the ionospheric Joule dissipation. A nonmonotonic Alfven velocity divides the magnetosphere into two or more cavities by the local maxima of the Alfven velocity. The global mode is typically localized in one of the cavities except at some preferred frequencies, the global mode can extend through more than one cavity. This may explain ULF wave excitations in the low latitude magnetosphere. The second part of the dissertation is devoted to study compressional waves in the outer magnetosphere using magnetic field and plasma data. Statistical information on the distribution of compressional Pc 5 waves in the outer magnetosphere is obtained. Large amplitude, long period compressional Pc 5 pulsations are found very common near the magnetic equator. They are polarized mainly in a meridian plane with comparable compressional and transverse amplitudes. Close correlation between compressional wave amplitude and plasma β is also found. Several case studies show that compressional waves are quenched in the region where β < 1

Design of the RF system for Alfven wave heating and current drive in a TCA/BR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruchko, L.; Andrade, M.L.; Ozono, E.; Galvao, R.M.O.; Degaspari, F.T.; Nascimento, I.C.

1995-01-01

The advanced RF system for Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive in TCA/BR tokamak is presented. The antenna system is capable of exciting the standing and travelling wave M = -1,N = 1,N =-4,-6 with single helicity and thus provides the possibility to improve Alfven wave plasma heating efficiency in TCA/BR tokamak and to increase input power level up to P ≅ 1 MW, without the uncontrolled density rise which was encountered in previous TCA (Switzerland) experiments. (author). 4 refs., 3 figs

Kelvin-Helmholtz instability as a possible cause of edge localized modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strauss, H.R.

1992-01-01

Edge localized modes may be a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability caused by the sheared rotation of H-mode plasmas. The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is stabilized by coupling to Alfven waves. There is a critical velocity gradient, of the order of the Alfven velocity divided by the magnetic shear length. This is verified in a numerical simulation. The critical velocity shear is consistent with experiment. A non-linear simulation shows how the Kelvin-Helmholtz mode can cause oscillations of the velocity profile. (author). Letter-to-the-editor. 13 refs, 6 figs

Stability of Global Alfven Waves (Tae, Eae) in Jet Tritium Discharges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kerner, W.; Borba, D.; Huysmans, G. T. A.; Porcelli, F.; Poedts, S.; Goedbloed, J. P.; Betti, R.

1994-01-01

The interaction of alpha-particles in JET tritium discharges with global Alfven waves via inverse Landau damping is analysed. It is found that alpha-particle driven eigenmodes were stable in the PTE1 and should also be stable in a future 50:50 deuterium-tritium mix discharge aiming at Q(DT) = 1,

Particle simulations of nonlinear whistler and Alfven wave instabilities - Amplitude modulation, decay, soliton and inverse cascading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omura, Yoshiharu; Matsumoto, Hiroshi.

1989-01-01

Past theoretical and numerical studies of the nonlinear evolution of electromagnetic cyclotron waves are reviewed. Such waves are commonly observed in space plasmas such as Alfven waves in the solar wind or VLF whistler mode waves in the magnetosphere. The use of an electromagnetic full-particle code to study an electron cyclotron wave and of an electromagnetic hybrid code to study an ion cyclotron wave is demonstrated. Recent achievements in the simulations of nonlinear revolution of electromagnetic cyclotron waves are discussed. The inverse cascading processes of finite-amplitude whistler and Alfven waves is interpreted in terms of physical elementary processes. 65 refs

Coronal heating by Alfven waves dissipation in compressible nonuniform media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malara, Francesco; Primavera, Leonardo; Veltri, Pierluigi

1996-01-01

The possibility to produce small scales and then to efficiently dissipate energy has been studied by Malara et al. [1992b] in the case of MHD disturbances propagating in an weakly dissipative incompressible and inhomogeneous medium, for a strictly 2D geometry. We extend this work to include both compressibility and the third component for vector quantities. Numerical simulations show that, when an Alfven wave propagates in a compressible nonuniform medium, the two dynamical effects responsible for the small scales formation in the incompressible case are still at work: energy pinching and phase-mixing. These effects give rise to the formation of compressible perturbations (fast and slow waves or a static entropy wave). Some of these compressive fluctuations are subject to the steepening of the wave front and become shock waves, which are extremely efficient in dissipating their energy, their dissipation being independent of the Reynolds number. Rough estimates of the typical times the various dynamical processes take to produce small scales show that these times are consistent with those required to dissipate inside the solar corona the energy of Alfven waves of photospheric origin

Warm-ion drift Alfven turbulence and the L-H transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, B.

1998-01-01

Computations of fluid drift turbulence treating ions and electrons on equal footing, including both temperatures, are conducted in a model toroidal geometry. The resulting 'ion mixing mode' turbulence bears features of both electron drift-Alfven and ion temperature gradient turbulence, and nonlinear sensitivity to the relative strengths of the density and temperature gradients provides a possible route to the bifurcation needed for the L-H transition. (author)

The effect of compressibility on the Alfven spatial resonance heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azevedo, C.A.

1984-01-01

The effect of compressibility of magnetic field line on the damping rate of Alfven spatial resonance heating for a high beta plasma (Kinetic pressure/magnetic pressure) was analysed, using the ideal MHD (Magnetohydrodynamic) model in cylindrical geometry for a diffuse θ-pinch with conducting wall. The dispersion relation was obtained solving the equation of motion in the plasma and vacuum regions together with boundary conditions. (Author) [pt

Particle acceleration by Alfven wave turbulence in radio galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eilek, J.A.

1986-01-01

Radio galaxies show evidence for acceleration of relativistic electrons locally within the diffuse radio luminous plasma. One likely candidate for the reacceleration mechanism is acceleration by magnetohydrodynamic turbulence which exists within the plasma. If Alfven waves are generated by a fluid turbulent cascade described by a power law energy-wavenumber spectrum, the particle spectrum in the presence of synchrotron losses will evolve towards an asymptotic power law which agrees with the particle spectra observed in these sources

The calculation for energy balance of heating plasmas by Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long Yongxing; Ding Ning; He Qibing; Qu Wenxiao; Huang Lin; Qiu Xiaoming

1992-10-01

A numerical method for computing the energy balance of heating tokamak plasmas by Alfven waves is introduced. The results are in agreement with experiments. This method is not only simpler and more distinct but also considerably saving time in computation. It also can be used in kinetic problems with other types of radio frequency (RF) heating

Electromagnetic waves in dusty magnetoplasmas using two-potential theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zubia, K.; Jamil, M.; Salimullah, M.

2009-01-01

The low-frequency long wavelength electromagnetic waves, viz., shear Alfven waves in a cold dusty plasma, have been examined employing two-potential theory and plasma fluid model. The presence of the unmagnetized dust particles and magnetized plasma components gives rise to a new ion-dust lower hybrid cutoff frequency for the electromagnetic shear Alfven wave propagation. The importance and relevance of the present work to the space dusty plasma environments are also pointed out.

Research activities and plan of electron cyclotron wave startup and Alfven wave current drive at SUNIST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhe; He Yexi; Tan Yi

2009-01-01

Using electromagnetic waves to startup and sustain plasma current takes a important role in the research program of the SUNIST spherical tokamak. Electron cyclotron ware (ECW) current startup have been investigated and revealed two totally different regimes. In the regime of very low working pressure, a plasma current of about 2 kA is obtained with a steadily applied vertical field of 12 Gauss and 40 kW/2.45 GHz microwave injection. In addition, the physics of the transient process during ECW startup in the relatively high working pressure regime is analyzed. The hardware preparation for the experimental research of Alfven wave current drive is being performed. The Alfven wave antenna system consists of four models in toroidal direction and two antenna straps in poloidal direction for each module and the rf generator has been designed as a four-phase oscillator (4x100 kW, 0.5 - 1 Mhz).The impedance spectrum of the antenna system is roughly evaluated by 1-D cylindrical magneto-hydrodynamic calculation. To investigate the wave-plasma interaction in ECW startup and Alfven wave current drive, upgrade of the device, especially in equilibrium control and diagnostics, is ongoing. (author)

Oscillations in sunspot umbras due to trapped Alfven waves excited by overstability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchida, Yutaka; Sakurai, Takashi.

1975-01-01

Oscillations observed in sunspot umbras are interpreted as a vertical motion in the atmosphere induced by a standing Alfven wave trapped in the region between the overstable layer under the photosphere and the chromosphere-corona transition layer. The Alfven wave motion is considered to be excited by the overstable convection occurring at the bottom of the abovementioned oscillating layer, and waves with special frequencies are selected as eigen-mode waves standing in the ''cavity,'' while other waves which are out of phase with themselves after reflections will disappear. It is shown by solving the eigen-value problem that the fundamental eigen frequency falls in a range around 0.04 rad s -1 (corresponding to 140-180 s) for the condition in the umbra of a typical spot, and also that the eigen frequencies do not depend greatly on the circumstantial physical or geometric parameters of the model atmosphere, such as the temperature in the layer, or the height of the transition layer, etc. The eigen frequencies, however, depend on the Alfven velocity at the base of the oscillating layer (or at the top of the overstable layer), but the latter quantity, which represents the stiffness of the magnetic tube of force against the overturning motion, takes roughly a common value for different sunspots according to SAVAGE's (1969) stability analysis of the umbral atmosphere against thermal convection, and thus gives a comparatively narrow range of resonant frequencies. In addition to the selection mechanism for oscillations of 140-180-s period, some other aspects of the oscillation, such as the relation to the running penumbral waves, are discussed. (auth.)

Improved model of quasi-particle turbulence (with applications to Alfven and drift wave turbulence)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendonca, J. T.; Hizanidis, K.

2011-01-01

We consider the classical problem of wave stability and dispersion in a turbulent plasma background. We adopt a kinetic description for the quasi-particle turbulence. We describe an improved theoretical approach, which goes beyond the geometric optics approximation and retains the recoil effects associated with the emission and absorption of low frequency waves by nearly resonant quasi-particles. We illustrate the present approach by considering two particular examples. One is the excitation of zonal flows by drift wave turbulence or driftons. The other is the coupling between ion acoustic waves and Alfven wave turbulence, eventually leading to saturation of Alfven wave growth. Both examples are relevant to anomalous transport in magnetic fusion devices. Connection with previous results is established. We show that these results are recovered in the geometric optics approximation.

Alfven, Hugo. Die drei Schwedischen Rhapsodien op. 19, 24 und 47 / Andreas Meyer

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Meyer, Andreas

1995-01-01

Uuest heliplaadist "Alfven, Hugo. Die drei Schwedischen Rhapsodien op. 19, 24 und 47, En skärgardssägen op. 20, Suite aus Der Berkönig. Königliche Stockholmer Philharmoniker, Neeme Järvi". AD: 1987-1992. BIS?Disco-Center CD 725 (WD: 77'00")

Alfven wave coupling in large tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borg, G.G.; Knight, A.J.; Lister, J.B.; Appert, K.; Vaclavik, J.

1988-01-01

Supplementary plasma heating by Alfven waves (AWH) has been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally for small, low temperature plasmas. However, only a few studies of AWH have been performed for fusion plasmas. In this paper the cylindrical kinetic code ISMENE is used to address problems af AWH in a large tokamak. The results of calculations are presented which show that the antenna loading scales with frequency and vessel dimensions according to ideal MHD theory. A sample scaling of the experimental antenna loading measured in TCA to the loading predicted for a fusion plasma is presented. We discuss whether this loading leads to a realistic antenna design. The choice of a suitable antenna configuration, mode number and operating frequency is presented for NET parameters with a typical operating scenario. (author) 6 figs., 8 refs

Plasma physics research (Tokapole II). Technical progress report, October 1, 1981-December 31, 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

Progress during the 27-month period, October 1, 1981 to December 31, 1983 on Tokapole II research is described. Tokapole II is a 4-node poloidal divertor tokamak that can also be run as an octupole. Research during this period has concentrated on studies of discharges with safety factor q less than one and on the identification of the shear Alfven wave resonance. Other topics include measurements of the loop voltage reduction through ECRH startup, plasma gun refueling, fluctuations and transport, pumped limiter studies, plasma-wall interactions, diagnostic development, polarization of electron cyclotron emission, and poloidal ohmic heating

Seismic shear waves as Foucault pendulum

Science.gov (United States)

Snieder, Roel; Sens-Schönfelder, Christoph; Ruigrok, Elmer; Shiomi, Katsuhiko

2016-03-01

Earth's rotation causes splitting of normal modes. Wave fronts and rays are, however, not affected by Earth's rotation, as we show theoretically and with observations made with USArray. We derive that the Coriolis force causes a small transverse component for P waves and a small longitudinal component for S waves. More importantly, Earth's rotation leads to a slow rotation of the transverse polarization of S waves; during the propagation of S waves the particle motion behaves just like a Foucault pendulum. The polarization plane of shear waves counteracts Earth's rotation and rotates clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. The rotation rate is independent of the wave frequency and is purely geometric, like the Berry phase. Using the polarization of ScS and ScS2 waves, we show that the Foucault-like rotation of the S wave polarization can be observed. This can affect the determination of source mechanisms and the interpretation of observed SKS splitting.

The effect of shear flow and the density gradient on the Weibel instability growth rate in the dense plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Amininasab, S.; Sadighi-Bonabi, R.; Khodadadi Azadboni, F.

2018-02-01

Shear stress effect has been often neglected in calculation of the Weibel instability growth rate in laser-plasma interactions. In the present work, the role of the shear stress in the Weibel instability growth rate in the dense plasma with density gradient is explored. By increasing the density gradient, the shear stress threshold is increasing and the range of the propagation angles of growing modes is limited. Therefore, by increasing steps of the density gradient plasma near the relativistic electron beam-emitting region, the Weibel instability occurs at a higher stress flow. Calculations show that the minimum value of the stress rate threshold for linear polarization is greater than that of circular polarization. The Wiebel instability growth rate for linear polarization is 18.3 times circular polarization. One sees that for increasing stress and density gradient effects, there are smaller maximal growth rates for the range of the propagation angles of growing modes /π 2 propagation angles of growing modes /π 2 < θ m i n < π and /3 π 2 < θ m i n < 2 π in circular polarized plasma.

Detection of layup errors in prepreg laminates using shear ultrasonic waves

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, David K.; Fischer, Brent A.

1996-11-01

The highly anisotropic elastic properties of the plies in a composite laminate manufactured from unidirectional prepregs interact strongly with the polarization direction of shear ultrasonic waves propagating through its thickness. The received signals in a 'crossed polarizer' transmission configuration are particularly sensitive to ply orientation and layup sequence in a laminate. Such measurements can therefore serve as an NDE tool for detecting layup errors. For example, it was shown experimentally recently that the sensitivity for detecting the presence of misoriented plies is better than one ply out of a 48-ply laminate of graphite epoxy. A physical model based on the decomposition and recombination of the shear polarization vector has been constructed and used in the interpretation and prediction of test results. Since errors should be detected early in the manufacturing process, this work also addresses the inspection of 'green' composite laminates using electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMAT). Preliminary results for ply error detection obtained with EMAT probes are described.

Analysis and design of the Alfven wave antenna system for the SUNIST spherical tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan Yi; Gao Zhe; He Yexi

2009-01-01

Analysis and design of the Alfven wave antenna system for the SUNIST spherical tokamak are presented. Two candidate antenna concepts, folded and unfolded, are analyzed and compared with each other. In the frequency range of Alfven resonance the impedance spectrums of both two concept antennas for major modes are numerically calculated in a 1-D MHD framework. The folded concept is chosen for engineering design. The antenna system is designed to be simple and requires least modification to the vacuum vessel. The definition of the antenna shape is guided by the analyses with constraints of existing hardware layouts. Each antenna unit consists of two stainless steel straps with a thickness of 1 mm. A number of boron nitride tiles are assembled together as the side limiters for plasma shielding. Estimation shows that the structure is robust enough to withstand the electromagnetic force and the heat load for typical discharge duty cycles.

Effect of alpha particles on Toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berk, H.L.

1992-11-01

An overview is given of the analytic structure for the linear theory of the Toroidal Alfven Eigenmode (TAE), where multiple gap structures occur. A discussion is given of the alpha particle drive and the various dissipation mechanisms that can stabilize the system. A self-consistent calculation of the TAE mode, for a low-beta high-aspect-ratio plasma, indicates that though the alpha particle drive is comparable to the dissipation mechanisms, overall stability is still achieved for ignited ITER-like plasma. A brief discussion is given of the nonlinear theory for the TAE mode and how nonlinear alpha particle dynamics can be treated by mapping methods

Ion Heating by Fast Particle Induced Alfven Turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gates, D.; Gorelenkov, N.; White, R.B.

2001-01-01

A novel mechanism that directly transfers energy from Super-Alfvenic energetic ions to thermal ions in high-beta plasmas is described. The mechanism involves the excitation of compressional Alfvin eigenmodes (CAEs) in the frequency range with omega less than or approximately equal to omega(subscript ci). The broadband turbulence resulting from the large number of excited modes causes stochastic diffusion in velocity space, which transfers wave energy to thermal ions. This effect may be important on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX), and may scale up to reactor scenarios. This has important implications for low aspect ratio reactor concepts, since it potentially allows for the modification of the ignition criterion

Dynamics of the quiet polar cap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlson, H.C. Jr.

1990-01-01

Work in the past has established that a few percent of the time, under northward interplanetary magnetic field and thus magnetically quiet conditions, sun aligned arcs are found in the polar cap with intensities greater than the order of a kilo Rayleigh in the visible. Here we extend this view. We first note that imaging systems with sensitivity down to tens of Rayleighs in the visible find sun aligned arcs in the polar cap far more often, closer to half the time than a few percent. Furthermore, these sun aligned arcs have simple electrodynamics. They mark boundaries between rapid antisunward flow of ionospheric plasma on their dawn side and significantly slower flow, or even sunward flow, on their dusk side. Since the sun aligned arcs are typically the order of 1000 km to transpolar in the sun-earth direction, and the order of 100 km or less in the dawn-dusk direction, they demarcate lines of strongly anisotropic ionospheric flow shears or convection cells. The very quiet polar cap (strongly northward IMF) is in fact characterized by the presence of sun aligned arcs and multiple highly anisotropic ionospheric flow shears. Sensitive optical images are a valuable diagnostic with which to study polar ionospheric convection under these poorly understood conditions. (author)

Spectrum of resistive MHD modes in cylindrical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, C.M.; Grimm, R.C.

1983-07-01

A numerical study of the normal modes of a compressible resistive MHD fluid in cylindrical geometry is presented. Resistivity resolves the shear Alfven and slow magnetosonic continua of ideal MHD into discrete spectra and gives rise to heavily damped modes whose frequencies lie on specific lines in the complex plane. Fast magnetosonic waves are less affected but are also damped. Overstable modes arise from the shear Alfven spectrum. The stabilizing effect of favorable average curvature is shown. Eigenfunctions illustrating the nature of typical normal modes are displayed

Interaction of the precessional wave with free-boundary Alfven surface waves in tandem mirrors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berk, H.L.; Kaiser, T.B.

1984-04-01

We consider a symmetric tandem mirror plugging a long central cell, with plugs stabilized by a hot component plasma. The system is taken to have a flat pressure profile with a steep edge gradient. We then consider the interaction of the precessional mode with Alfven waves generated in the central cell. This analysis is non-eikonal and is valid when mΔ/r < 1 (m is the azimuthal mode number. r the plasma radius and Δ the radial gradient scale length) for long-wavelength radial modes. We find that without FLR effects the precessional mode is always destabilized by the excitation of the Alfven waves for m greater than or equal to 2. For m=1, it is possible to achieve stabilization with conducting walls. A discussion is given of how FLR affects stabilization of the m greater than or equal to 2 long-wavelength modes and of finite-Larmor-radius stabilization of modes described in the eikonal approximation

Fast wave absorption at the Alfven resonance during ion cyclotron resonance heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heikkinen, J.A.; Hellsten, T.; Alava, M.J.

1991-01-01

For ICRH scenarii where the majority cyclotron resonance intersects the plasma core, mode conversion of the fast magnetosonic wave to an Alfven wave takes place at the plasma boundary on the high field side. Simple analytical estimates of the converted power for this mode conversion process are derived and compared with numerical calculations including finite electron inertia and kinetic effects. The converted power is found to depend on the local value of the wave field as well as on plasma parameters at the Alfven wave resonance. The interference with the reflected wave will therefore modify the mode conversion. If the conversion layer is localized near the wall, the conversion will be strongly reduced. The conversion coefficient is found to be strongest for small density gradients and high density and it is sensitive to the value of the parallel wave number. Whether it increases or decreases with the latter depends on the ion composition. Analysis of this problem for ICRH in JET predicts that a large fraction of the power is mode converted at the plasma boundary for first harmonic heating of tritium in a deuterium-tritium plasma. (author). 13 refs, 10 figs, 1 tab

Unified theory of damping of linear surface Alfven waves in inhomogeneous incompressible plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruderman, M.S.; Goossens, M.

1996-01-01

The viscous damping of surface Alfven waves in a non-uniform plasma is studied in the context of linear and incompressible MHD. It is shown that damping due to resonant absorption and damping on a true discontinuity are two limiting cases of the continuous variation of the damping rate with respect to the dimensionless number Rg = Δλ 2 Re, where Δ is the relative variation of the local Alfven velocity, λ is the ratio of the thickness of the inhomogeneous layer to the wavelength, and Re is the viscous Reynolds number. The analysis is restricted to waves with wavelengths that are long in comparison with the extent of the non-uniform layer (λ '' >'' 1) values of Rg. For very small values of Rg, the damping rate agrees with that found for a true discontinuity, while for very large values of Rg, it agrees with the damping rate due to resonant absorption. The dispersion relation is subsequently studied numerically over a wide range of values of Rg, revealing a continuous but non-monotonic variation of the damping rate with respect to Rg. (Author)

Fluid Effects on Shear Waves in Finely Layered Porous Media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berryman, J G

2004-01-01

Although there are five effective shear moduli for any layered VTI medium, one and only one effective shear modulus for the layered system contains all the dependence of pore fluids on the elastic or poroelastic constants that can be observed in vertically polarized shear waves. Pore fluids can increase the magnitude the shear energy stored by this modulus by a term that ranges from the smallest to the largest shear moduli of the VTI system. But, since there are five shear moduli in play, the increase in shear energy overall is reduced by a factor of about 5 in general. We can therefore give definite bounds on the maximum increase of shear modulus, being about 20% of the permitted range, when gas is fully replaced by liquid. An attendant increase of density (depending on porosity and fluid density) by approximately 5 to 10% partially offsets the effect of this shear modulus increase. Thus, an increase of shear wave speed on the order of 5 to 10% is shown to be possible when circumstances are favorable - i.e., when the shear modulus fluctuations are large (resulting in strong anisotropy), and the medium behaves in an undrained fashion due to fluid trapping. At frequencies higher than seismic (such as sonic and ultrasonic waves for well-logging or laboratory experiments), short response times also produce the requisite undrained behavior and, therefore, fluids also affect shear waves at high frequencies by increasing rigidity

Effect of periodic fluctuation of soil particle rotation resistance on interface shear behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebrahimian, Babak; Noorzad, Asadollah

2010-01-01

The interface behaviour between infinite extended narrow granular layer and bounding structure is numerically investigated using finite element method. The micro-polar (Cosserat) continuum approach within the framework of elasto-plasticity is employed to remove the numerical difficulties caused by strain-softening of materials in classical continuum mechanics. Mechanical properties of cohesionless granular soil are described with Lade's model enhanced with polar terms including Cosserat rotations, curvatures and couple stresses via mean grain diameter as the internal length. The main attention of paper is laid on the influence of spatial periodic fluctuation of rotation resistance of soil particles interlocked with the surface of bounding structure on evolution and location of shear band developed inside granular body. The finite element results demonstrate that the location and evolution of shear localization in granular body is strongly affected by prescribed non-uniform micro-polar kinematic boundary conditions along the interface.

Fokker-Planck simulation study of Alfven eigenmode burst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Y.; Watanabe, T.; Park, Hyoung-Bin; Sato, T.

2001-01-01

Recurrent bursts of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) are reproduced with a Fokker-Planck-magnetohydrodynamic simulation where a fast-ion source and slowing down are incorporated self-consistently. The bursts take place at regular time intervals and the behaviors of all the TAEs are synchronized. The fast-ion transport due to TAE activity spatially broadens the classical fast-ion distribution and significantly reduces its peak value. Only a small change of the distribution takes place with each burst, leading to loss of a small fraction of the fast ions. The system stays close to the marginal stability state established through the interplay of the fast-ion source, slowing down, and TAE activity. (author)

Alfven-wave current drive and magnetic field stochasticity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litwin, C.; Hegna, C.C.

1993-01-01

Propagating Alfven waves can generate parallel current through an alpha effect. In resistive MHD however, the dynamo field is proportional to resistivity and as such cannot drive significant currents for realistic parameters. In the search for an enhancement of this effect the authors investigate the role of magnetic field stochasticity. They show that the presence of a stochastic magnetic field, either spontaneously generated by instabilities or induced externally, can enhance the alpha effect of the wave. This enhancement is caused by an increased wave dissipation due to both current diffusion and filamentation. For the range of parameters of current drive experiments at Phaedrus-T tokamak, a moderate field stochasticity leads to significant modifications in the loop voltage

Expansion of parameter space for Toroidal Alfven Eigenmode experiments in TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, K.L.; Wilson, J.R.; Chang, Z.Y.; Fredrickson, E.; Hammett, G.W.; Bush, C.; Nazikian, R.; Phillips, C.K.; Snipes, J.; Taylor, G.

1993-05-01

Several techniques were used to excite toroidal Alfven Eigenmodes in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) at magnetic fields above 10 kG. These involve pellet injection to raise the plasma density, variation of plasma current to change the energetic ion orbit and the q-profile, and ICRF heating to produce energetic hydrogen ions at velocities comparable to 3.5 MeV alpha particles. These experimental results are presented and relevance to fusion reactors are discussed

Nonlinear coupled Alfven and gravitational waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaellberg, Andreas; Brodin, Gert; Bradley, Michael

2004-01-01

In this paper we consider nonlinear interaction between gravitational and electromagnetic waves in a strongly magnetized plasma. More specifically, we investigate the propagation of gravitational waves with the direction of propagation perpendicular to a background magnetic field and the coupling to compressional Alfven waves. The gravitational waves are considered in the high-frequency limit and the plasma is modeled by a multifluid description. We make a self-consistent, weakly nonlinear analysis of the Einstein-Maxwell system and derive a wave equation for the coupled gravitational and electromagnetic wave modes. A WKB-approximation is then applied and as a result we obtain the nonlinear Schroedinger equation for the slowly varying wave amplitudes. The analysis is extended to 3D wave pulses, and we discuss the applications to radiation generated from pulsar binary mergers. It turns out that the electromagnetic radiation from a binary merger should experience a focusing effect, that in principle could be detected

Wave anisotropy of shear viscosity and elasticity

Science.gov (United States)

Rudenko, O. V.; Sarvazyan, A. P.

2014-11-01

The paper presents the theory of shear wave propagation in a "soft solid" material possessing anisotropy of elastic and dissipative properties. The theory is developed mainly for understanding the nature of the low-frequency acoustic characteristics of skeletal muscles, which carry important diagnostic information on the functional state of muscles and their pathologies. It is shown that the shear elasticity of muscles is determined by two independent moduli. The dissipative properties are determined by the fourth-rank viscosity tensor, which also has two independent components. The propagation velocity and attenuation of shear waves in muscle depend on the relative orientation of three vectors: the wave vector, the polarization vector, and the direction of muscle fiber. For one of the many experiments where attention was distinctly focused on the vector character of the wave process, it was possible to make a comparison with the theory, estimate the elasticity moduli, and obtain agreement with the angular dependence of the wave propagation velocity predicted by the theory.

Parallel inhomogeneity and the Alfven resonance. 1: Open field lines

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, P. J.; Harrold, B. G.

1994-01-01

In light of a recent demonstration of the general nonexistence of a singularity at the Alfven resonance in cold, ideal, linearized magnetohydrodynamics, we examine the effect of a small density gradient parallel to uniform, open ambient magnetic field lines. To lowest order, energy deposition is quantitatively unaffected but occurs continuously over a thickened layer. This effect is illustrated in a numerical analysis of a plasma sheet boundary layer model with perfectly absorbing boundary conditions. Consequences of the results are discussed, both for the open field line approximation and for the ensuing closed field line analysis.

Contained modes in mirrors with sheared rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fetterman, Abraham J.; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2010-01-01

In mirrors with ExB rotation, a fixed azimuthal perturbation in the laboratory frame can appear as a wave in the rotating frame. If the rotation frequency varies with radius, the plasma-frame wave frequency will also vary radially due to the Doppler shift. A wave that propagates in the high rotation plasma region might therefore be evanescent at the plasma edge. This can lead to radially localized Alfven eigenmodes with high azimuthal mode numbers. Contained Alfven modes are found both for peaked and nonpeaked rotation profiles. These modes might be useful for alpha channeling or ion heating, as the high azimuthal wave number allows the plasma wave frequency in the rotating frame to exceed the ion cyclotron frequency.

Frequency chirpings in Alfven continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ge; Berk, Herb; Breizman, Boris; Zheng, Linjin

2017-10-01

We have used a self-consistent mapping technique to describe both the nonlinear wave-energetic particle resonant interaction and its spatial mode structure that depends upon the resonant energetic particle pressure. At the threshold for the onset of the energetic particle mode (EPM), strong chirping emerges in the lower continuum close to the TAE gap and then, driven by strong continuum damping, chirps rapidly to lower frequencies in the Alfven continuum. An adiabatic theory was developed that accurately replicated the results from the simulation where the nonlinearity was only due to the EPM resonant particles. The results show that the EPM-trapped particles have their action conserved during the time of rapid chirping. This adiabaticity enabled wave trapped particles to be confined within their separatrix, and produce even larger resonant structures, that can produce a large amplitude mode far from linearly predicted frequencies. In the present work we describe the effect of additional MHD nonlinearity to this calculation. We studied how the zonal flow component and its nonlinear feedback to the fundamental frequency and found that the MHD nonlinearity doesn't significantly alter the frequency chirping response that is predicted by the calculation that neglects the MHD nonlinearity.

Kinetic effects in Alfven wave heating Part 2 propagation and absorption with a single minority species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Wann-Quan; Ross, D.W.; Mahajan, Swadesh M.

1989-06-01

Kinetic effects of Alfven wave spatial resonances near the plasma edge are investigated numerically and analytically in a cylindrical tokamak model. In Part 1, cold plasma surface Alfven eigenmodes (SAE's) in a pure plasma are examined. Numerical calculations of antenna-driven waves exhibiting absorption resonances at certain discrete frequencies are first reviewed. From a simplified kinetic equation, an analytical dispersion relation is then obtained with the antenna current set equal to zero. The real and imaginary parts of its roots, which are the complex eigenfrequencies, agree with the central frequencies and widths, respectively, of the numerical antenna-driven resonances. These results serve as an introduction to the companion paper, in which it is shown that, in the presence of a minority species, certain SAE's, instead of heating the plasma exterior, can dissipate substantial energy in the two-ion hybrid layer near the plasma center. 11 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

Alfv?nic Instabilities and Fast Ion Transport in the DIII-D Tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Zeeland, M; Heidbrink, W; Nazikian, R; Austin, M; Berk, H; Gorelenkov, N; Holcomb, C; Kramer, G; Lohr, J; Luo, Y; Makowski, M; McKee, G; Petty, C; Prater, R; Solomon, W; White, R

2008-10-14

Neutral beam injection into reversed magnetic shear DIII-D plasmas produces a variety of Alfvenic activity including Toroidicity and Ellipticity induced Alfven Eigenmodes (TAE/EAE, respectively) and Reversed Shear Alfven Eigenmodes (RSAE) as well as their spatial coupling. These modes are typically studied during the discharge current ramp phase when incomplete current penetration results in a high central safety factor and strong drive due to multiple higher order resonances. During this same time period Fast-Ion D{sub {alpha}} (FIDA) spectroscopy shows that the central fast ion profile is flattened, the degree of which depends on the Alfven eigenmode amplitude. Interestingly, localized electron cyclotron heating (ECH) near the mode location stabilizes RSAE activity and results in significantly improved fast ion confinement relative to discharges with ECH deposition on axis. In these discharges, RSAE activity is suppressed when ECH is deposited near the radius of the shear reversal point and enhanced with deposition near the axis. To simulate the observed neutral beam ion redistribution, NOVA calculations of the 3D eigenmode structures are matched with experimental measurements and used in combination with the ORBIT guiding center following code. For fixed frequency eigenmodes, it is found that ORBIT calculations cannot explain the observed beam ion transport with experimentally measured mode amplitudes. Possible explanations are considered including recent simulation results incorporating eigenmodes with time dependent frequencies.

Effect of Landau damping on kinetic Alfven and ion-acoustic solitary waves in a magnetized nonthermal plasma with warm ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandyopadhyay, Anup; Das, K.P.

2002-01-01

The evolution equations describing both kinetic Alfven wave and ion-acoustic wave in a nonthermal magnetized plasma with warm ions including weak nonlinearity and weak dispersion with the effect of Landau damping have been derived. These equations reduce to two coupled equations constituting the KdV-ZK (Korteweg-de Vries-Zakharov-Kuznetsov) equation for both kinetic Alfven wave and ion-acoustic wave, including an extra term accounting for the effect of Landau damping. When the coefficient of the nonlinear term of the evolution equation for ion-acoustic wave vanishes, the nonlinear behavior of ion-acoustic wave, including the effect of Landau damping, is described by two coupled equations constituting the modified KdV-ZK (MKdV-ZK) equation, including an extra term accounting for the effect of Landau damping. It is found that there is no effect of Landau damping on the solitary structures of the kinetic Alfven wave. Both the macroscopic evolution equations for the ion-acoustic wave admits solitary wave solutions, the former having a sech 2 profile and the latter having a sech profile. In either case, it is found that the amplitude of the ion-acoustic solitary wave decreases slowly with time

Kinetic effects in Alfven and ion-cyclotron-wave propagation: Surface eigenmodes and impurity effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Wannquan.

1989-01-01

In a circular cylindrical geometry, the author solves a fourth-order set of differential equations numerically for the perturbed fields E τ and E perpendicular . The model takes into account the equilibrium current, magnetic shear, finite ω/ω c1 effect, mode conversion effects like finite ion gyroradius and electron inertia, and various dissipative mechanisms such as electron Landau and collisional damping, and minority fundamental and majority second harmonic cyclotron absorption. To illustrate the results, the author plots the perturbed electric fields and the energy absorbed by each species. He first examines cold plasma surface Alfven eigenmodes analytically and numerically in a pure plasma. The motivation for this work is to investigate how to avoid the undesirable edge absorption and introduce the methods for the study of impurity effects. In the two-species plasmas, he considers three special examples: (1) minority oxygen in hydrogen in PRETEXT, (2) minority T or H in deuterium in TFTR. He adopts two models: (i) a radially varying minority charge, or (ii) a radially varying magnetic field to investigate the minority gyroresonance heating. The model (ii) is used to examine these three examples. But the model (i) is only applied to the first one. In model (i), it is found that surface modes can induce the eigenmodes and dissipate substantial energy near the hybrid layer in the interior. Some cases analytically manageable are given an interpretation of why there is large or small energy deposition in this layer. It is shown that this strongly depends on poloidal mode numbers, minority concentrations, and minority charge profiles

On the definition of the momentum of an Alfven wave packet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khudik, V.N.

1993-01-01

The different definitions of the momentum of a wave disturbance are considered, corresponding to the invariance of the Lagrangian with respect to different kinds of translation in magnetohydrodynamics. It is shown that the value of the momentum of an Alfven wave packet calculated using the definition accepted in the electrodynamics of continuous media is not the same as the total momentum of the particles in the medium and the electromagnetic field in the region within which the packet is localized. 5 refs., 2 figs

Shear effects on crystallization behaviors and structure transitions of isotactic poly-1-butene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Jingqing; Guan, Peipei; Zhang, Yao

2014-01-01

Different melt pre-shear conditions were applied to isotactic poly-1-butene (iP-1-B) and the effect on the crystallization behaviors and the crystalline structure transitions of iP-1-B were investigated. The polarized optical microscope observations during isothermal crystallization process...... revealed that the applied melt pre-shear within the experimental range could enhance the nucleation of crystal II and accelerate the diameter growth of the formed spherulites. If the applied melt pre-shear rate was large enough, Shish-Kebabs structure could be formed. After the isothermal crystallization...... was formed in the melt pre-sheared iP-1-B samples. Further investigations were applied with synchrotron radiation instruments. Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) after the crystal transition showed that the applied melt pre-shear could result in orientated fine...

Contained Modes In Mirrors With Sheared Rotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fetterman, Abraham J.; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

2010-01-01

In mirrors with E x B rotation, a fixed azimuthal perturbation in the lab frame can appear as a wave in the rotating frame. If the rotation frequency varies with radius, the plasma-frame wave frequency will also vary radially due to the Doppler shift. A wave that propagates in the high rotation plasma region might therefore be evanescent at the plasma edge. This can lead to radially localized Alfven eigenmodes with high azimuthal mode numbers. Contained Alfven modes are found both for peaked and non-peaked rotation profiles. These modes might be useful for alpha channeling or ion heating, as the high azimuthal wave number allows the plasma wave frequency in the rotating frame to exceed the ion cyclotron frequency.

Contained Modes In Mirrors With Sheared Rotation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abraham J. Fetterman and Nathaniel J. Fisch

2010-10-08

In mirrors with E × B rotation, a fixed azimuthal perturbation in the lab frame can appear as a wave in the rotating frame. If the rotation frequency varies with radius, the plasma-frame wave frequency will also vary radially due to the Doppler shift. A wave that propagates in the high rotation plasma region might therefore be evanescent at the plasma edge. This can lead to radially localized Alfven eigenmodes with high azimuthal mode numbers. Contained Alfven modes are found both for peaked and non-peaked rotation profiles. These modes might be useful for alpha channeling or ion heating, as the high azimuthal wave number allows the plasma wave frequency in the rotating frame to exceed the ion cyclotron frequency. __________________________________________________

Shear viscosity and spin-diffusion coefficient of a two-dimensional Fermi gas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruun, Georg

2012-01-01

Using kinetic theory, we calculate the shear viscosity and the spin-diffusion coefficient as well as the associated relaxation times for a two-component Fermi gas in two dimensions, as a function of temperature, coupling strength, polarization, and mass ratio of the two components. It is demonstr......Using kinetic theory, we calculate the shear viscosity and the spin-diffusion coefficient as well as the associated relaxation times for a two-component Fermi gas in two dimensions, as a function of temperature, coupling strength, polarization, and mass ratio of the two components....... It is demonstrated that the minimum value of the viscosity decreases with the mass ratio, since Fermi blocking becomes less efficient. We furthermore analyze recent experimental results for the quadrupole mode of a two-dimensional gas in terms of viscous damping, obtaining a qualitative agreement using no fitting...

Measurement of the ion temperature by analysing the neutral particles in TCA (Tokamak Chauffage Alfven)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chambrier, A. de; Heym, A.; Hofmann, F.; Joye, B.; Keller, R.; Lietti, A.; Lister, J.B.; Pochelon, A.; Simm, W.

1983-01-01

The aim of the TCA project is to investigate the heating effects of resonant absorption of Alfven waves in a Tokamak plasma. In TCA, the ion temperature increases linearly with the heating. Depending on the conditions, the ion temperature rises from 150 eV to 225 eV. (Auth./G.T.H.)

Drift-Alfven eigenmodes in inhomogeneous electron-positron-ion plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haque, Q; Ahmad, Ali [Theoretical Plasma Physics Division, PINSTECH, PO Nilore, Islamabad (Pakistan); Yamin, S, E-mail: qamar@pinstech.org.pk [Physics Division, PO Nilore, Islamabad (Pakistan)

2011-03-15

An analytical description of drift-Alfven modes in nonuniform bounded magnetized electron-positron-ion plasmas is presented here. In the linear domain, linearized equations are solved by considering the Gaussian density profile in the radial direction. For this bounded plasma, the condition for the quantization of the modes is found. We note that the condition depends upon the density ratios of different plasma species. The full set of nonlinear equations is also solved, yielding stationary rotating solutions in terms of Bessel functions. We also note that the behavior of the nonlinear structures can be affected by the concentration of the positrons in the system. The importance of the present results with respect to astrophysical plasmas is pointed out.

Scrape-off measurements during Alfven wave heating in the TCA tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofmann, F.; Hollenstein, C.; Joye, B.; Lietti, A.; Lister, J.B.; Pochelon, A.; Gimzewski, J.K.; Veprek, S.

1984-01-01

Plasma parameters and impurity fluxes in the scrape-off layer of the TCA tokamak have been measured during Alfven wave heating. Langmuir probes are used to measure electron density, electron temperature and plasma potential. Collection probes, in conjunction with XPS surface analysis, are used to determine impurity fluxes and ion impact energies. During RF heating, the electron edge temperature rises, the plasma potential drops and impurity fluxes are enhanced. Probe erosion due to impurity sputtering is clearly observed. The measurements are correlated with other diagnostics on TCA. (orig.)

Flare research with the NASA/MSFC vector magnetograph - Observed characteristics of sheared magnetic fields that produce flares

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, R. L.; Hagyard, M. J.; Davis, J. M.

1987-01-01

The present MSFC Vector Magnetograph has sufficient spatial resolution (2.7 arcsec pixels) and sensitivity to the transverse field (the noise level is about 100 gauss) to map the transverse field in active regions accurately enough to reveal key aspects of the sheared magnetic fields commonly found at flare sites. From the measured shear angle along the polarity inversion line in sites that flared and in other shear sites that didn't flare, evidence is found that a sufficient condition for a flare to occur in 1000 gauss fields in and near sunspots is that both: (1) the maximum shear angle exceed 85 degrees; and (2) the extent of strong shear (shear angle of greater than 80 degrees) exceed 10,000 km.

Determination of central q and effective mass on textor based on discrete Alfven wave (DAW) spectrum measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Descamps, P.; Wassenhove, G. van; Koch, R.; Messiaen, A.M.; Vandenplas, P.E.; Lister, J.B.; Marmillod, P.

1990-01-01

The use of the discrete Alfven wave spectrum to determine the current density profile and the effective mass density of the plasma in the TEXTOR tokamak is studied; the measurement, the validity of which is discussed, confirms independently the central q(r=0)<1 already obtained by polarimetry. (orig.)

Piecewise parabolic method for simulating one-dimensional shear shock wave propagation in tissue-mimicking phantoms

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, B. B.; Espíndola, D.; Pinton, G. F.

2017-11-01

The recent discovery of shear shock wave generation and propagation in the porcine brain suggests that this new shock phenomenology may be responsible for a broad range of traumatic injuries. Blast-induced head movement can indirectly lead to shear wave generation in the brain, which could be a primary mechanism for injury. Shear shock waves amplify the local acceleration deep in the brain by up to a factor of 8.5, which may tear and damage neurons. Currently, there are numerical methods that can model compressional shock waves, such as comparatively well-studied blast waves, but there are no numerical full-wave solvers that can simulate nonlinear shear shock waves in soft solids. Unlike simplified representations, e.g., retarded time, full-wave representations describe fundamental physical behavior such as reflection and heterogeneities. Here we present a piecewise parabolic method-based solver for one-dimensional linearly polarized nonlinear shear wave in a homogeneous medium and with empirical frequency-dependent attenuation. This method has the advantage of being higher order and more directly extendable to multiple dimensions and heterogeneous media. The proposed numerical scheme is validated analytically and experimentally and compared to other shock capturing methods. A Riemann step-shock problem is used to characterize the numerical dissipation. This dissipation is then tuned to be negligible with respect to the physical attenuation by choosing an appropriate grid spacing. The numerical results are compared to ultrasound-based experiments that measure planar polarized shear shock wave propagation in a tissue-mimicking gelatin phantom. Good agreement is found between numerical results and experiment across a 40 mm propagation distance. We anticipate that the proposed method will be a starting point for the development of a two- and three-dimensional full-wave code for the propagation of nonlinear shear waves in heterogeneous media.

The Ion Cyclotron, Lower Hybrid, and Alfven Wave Heating Methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, R.

2004-01-01

This lecture covers the practical features and experimental results of the three heating methods. The emphasis is on ion cyclotron heating. First, we briefly come back to the main non-collisional heating mechanisms and to the particular features of the quasilinear coefficient in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF). The specific case of the ion-ion hybrid resonance is treated, as well as the polarisation issue and minority heating scheme. The various ICRF scenarios are reviewed. The experimental applications of ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) systems are outlined. Then, the lower hybrid and Alfven wave heating and current drive experimental results are covered more briefly. Where applicable, the prospects for ITER are commented

A Hammer-Impact, Aluminum, Shear-Wave Seismic Source

Science.gov (United States)

Haines, Seth

2007-01-01

Near-surface seismic surveys often employ hammer impacts to create seismic energy. Shear-wave surveys using horizontally polarized waves require horizontal hammer impacts against a rigid object (the source) that is coupled to the ground surface. I have designed, built, and tested a source made out of aluminum and equipped with spikes to improve coupling. The source is effective in a variety of settings, and it is relatively simple and inexpensive to build.

Shear Elasticity and Shear Viscosity Imaging in Soft Tissue

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yiqun

In this thesis, a new approach is introduced that provides estimates of shear elasticity and shear viscosity using time-domain measurements of shear waves in viscoelastic media. Simulations of shear wave particle displacements induced by an acoustic radiation force are accelerated significantly by a GPU. The acoustic radiation force is first calculated using the fast near field method (FNM) and the angular spectrum approach (ASA). The shear waves induced by the acoustic radiation force are then simulated in elastic and viscoelastic media using Green's functions. A parallel algorithm is developed to perform these calculations on a GPU, where the shear wave particle displacements at different observation points are calculated in parallel. The resulting speed increase enables rapid evaluation of shear waves at discrete points, in 2D planes, and for push beams with different spatial samplings and for different values of the f-number (f/#). The results of these simulations show that push beams with smaller f/# require a higher spatial sampling rate. The significant amount of acceleration achieved by this approach suggests that shear wave simulations with the Green's function approach are ideally suited for high-performance GPUs. Shear wave elasticity imaging determines the mechanical parameters of soft tissue by analyzing measured shear waves induced by an acoustic radiation force. To estimate the shear elasticity value, the widely used time-of-flight method calculates the correlation between shear wave particle velocities at adjacent lateral observation points. Although this method provides accurate estimates of the shear elasticity in purely elastic media, our experience suggests that the time-of-flight (TOF) method consistently overestimates the shear elasticity values in viscoelastic media because the combined effects of diffraction, attenuation, and dispersion are not considered. To address this problem, we have developed an approach that directly accounts for all

Shear machines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astill, M.; Sunderland, A.; Waine, M.G.

1980-01-01

A shear machine for irradiated nuclear fuel elements has a replaceable shear assembly comprising a fuel element support block, a shear blade support and a clamp assembly which hold the fuel element to be sheared in contact with the support block. A first clamp member contacts the fuel element remote from the shear blade and a second clamp member contacts the fuel element adjacent the shear blade and is advanced towards the support block during shearing to compensate for any compression of the fuel element caused by the shear blade (U.K.)

Resistive vs. total power depositions by Alfven modes in pre-heated low aspect ratio tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

2004-01-01

The power deposition of fast waves launched by a LFS located antenna in a pre-heated, strongly non-uniform low aspect ratio tokamak (START) is investigated. The rigorous computational results indicate a total power deposition by far larger than that predicted for Alfven continuum eigenmodes in cylindrical plasmas. For toroidal wave numbers |N| > 1, the resistive and total power depositions are almost equal. (author)

Wafer defect detection by a polarization-insensitive external differential interference contrast module.

Science.gov (United States)

Nativ, Amit; Feldman, Haim; Shaked, Natan T

2018-05-01

We present a system that is based on a new external, polarization-insensitive differential interference contrast (DIC) module specifically adapted for detecting defects in semiconductor wafers. We obtained defect signal enhancement relative to the surrounding wafer pattern when compared with bright-field imaging. The new DIC module proposed is based on a shearing interferometer that connects externally at the output port of an optical microscope and enables imaging thin samples, such as wafer defects. This module does not require polarization optics (such as Wollaston or Nomarski prisms) and is insensitive to polarization, unlike traditional DIC techniques. In addition, it provides full control of the DIC shear and orientation, which allows obtaining a differential phase image directly on the camera (with no further digital processing) while enhancing defect detection capabilities, even if the size of the defect is smaller than the resolution limit. Our technique has the potential of future integration into semiconductor production lines.

Use of Dual-Polarization Radar Variables to Assess Low-Level Wind Shear in Severe Thunderstorm Near-storm Environments in the Tennessee Valley

Science.gov (United States)

Crowe, Christina C.; Schultz, Christopher J.; Kumjian, Matthew; Carey, Lawerence D.; Petersen, Walter A.

2011-01-01

The upgrade of the National Weather Service (NWS) network of S ]band dual-polarization radars is currently underway, and the incorporation of polarimetric information into the real ]time forecasting process will enhance the forecaster fs ability to assess thunderstorms and their near ]storm environments. Recent research has suggested that the combination of polarimetric variables differential reflectivity (ZDR) and specific differential phase (KDP) can be useful in the assessment of low level wind shear within a thunderstorm. In an environment with strong low ]level veering of the wind, ZDR values will be largest along the right inflow edge of the thunderstorm near a large gradient in horizontal reflectivity (indicative of large raindrops falling with a relative lack of smaller drops), and take the shape of an arc. Meanwhile, KDP values, which are proportional to liquid water content and indicative of a large number of smaller drops, are maximized deeper into the forward flank precipitation shield than the ZDR arc as the smaller drops are being advected further from the updraft core by the low level winds than the larger raindrops. Using findings from previous work, three severe weather events that occurred in North Alabama were examined in order to assess the utility of these signatures in determining the potential for tornadic activity. The first case is from October 26, 2010, where a large number of storms indicated tornadic potential from a standard reflectivity and velocity analysis but very few storms actually produced tornadoes. The second event is from February 28, 2011, where tornadic storms were present early on in the event, but as the day progressed, the tornado threat transitioned to a high wind threat. The third case is from April 27, 2011, where multiple rounds of tornadic storms ransacked the Tennessee Valley. This event provides a dataset including multiple modes of tornadic development, including QLCS and supercell structures. The overarching goal

Possible accuracy of the Cotton-Mouton polarimetry in a sheared toroidal plasma conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kravtsov, Y.A.; Chrzanowski, J.

2011-01-01

The Cotton-Mouton effect in the sheared plasma with helical magnetic lines is studied, using the equation for the complex amplitude ratio (CAR). A simple model for helical magnetic lines in plasma of toroidal configuration is suggested. Equation for CAR is solved perturbatively, treating the shear angle variations as a small perturbation, caused by the spiral form of the magnetic lines. It is shown that the uncertainty of the polarization measurements in the toroidal plasma with a spiral form of the magnetic lines does not exceed 1.0-2.0%, which determines the limiting accuracy of the Cotton-Mouton polarimetry. It is furthermore pointed out that the method of a priori subtraction of the '' sheared '' term may significantly improve the accuracy of the Cotton-Mouton polarimetry. (authors)

Resonant interaction of energetic ions with Alfven-like perturbations in stellarators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karulin, N.; Wobig, H.

1994-04-01

The modification of passing guiding center orbits of 3.5 MeV alpha particles and 45 keV protons in the presence of global Alfven eigenmodes (GAE's) is studied in modular advanced stellarators. It is found that if resonances between particles and waves occur, drift surfaces form a set of island structures. The mode numbers of the perturbations, which are dangerous for the energetic particle confinement, are discussed for two particular stellarators (Helias reactor and Wendelstein 7-AS). The perturbation amplitudes corresponding to the onset of orbit stochasticity are studied numerically. The coefficient of the collisionless stochastic diffusion is estimated using the island width derived analytically. (orig.)

Nonlinear gyrokinetic equations for low-frequency electromagnetic waves in general plasma equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frieman, E.A.; Chen, L.

1981-10-01

A nonlinear gyrokinetic formalism for low-frequency (less than the cyclotron frequency) microscopic electromagnetic perturbations in general magnetic field configurations is developed. The nonlinear equations thus derived are valid in the strong-turbulence regime and contain effects due to finite Larmor radius, plasma inhomogeneities, and magentic field geometries. The specific case of axisymmetric tokamaks is then considered, and a model nonlinear equation is derived for electrostatic drift waves. Also, applying the formalism to the shear Alfven wave heating sceme, it is found that nonlinear ion Landau damping of kinetic shear-Alfven waves is modified, both qualitatively and quantitatively, by the diamagnetic drift effects. In particular, wave energy is found to cascade in wavenumber instead of frequency

MHD-Vlasov simulation of the toroidal Alfven eigenmode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Y.; Sato, T.; Watanabe, K.; Watanabe, T.H.; Horiuchi, R.

1994-11-01

A new simulation method has been developed to investigate the excitation and saturation processes of toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAE modes). The background plasma is described by a full-MHD fluid model, while the kinetic evolution of energetic alpha particles is followed by the drift kinetic equation. The magnetic fluctuation of n = 2 mode develops and saturates at the level of 1.8x10 -3 of the equilibrium field when the initial beta of alpha particles is 2% at the magnetic axis. After saturation, the TAE mode amplitude shows an oscillatory behavior with a frequency corresponding to the bounce frequency of the alpha particles trapped by the TEA mode. The decrease of the power transfer rate from the alpha particles to the TAE mode, which is due to the trapped particle effect of a finite-amplitude wave, causes the saturation. From the linear growth rate the saturation level can be estimated. (author)

Recent progress of nonlinear simulation on the toroidal Alfven eigenmode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Yasushi; Sato, Tetsuya

1998-01-01

Linear and nonlinear particle-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation codes are developed to study interactions between energetic ions and MHD modes. Energetic alpha particles with a slowing-down distribution are considered and the behavior of n=2 toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAE modes) is investigated with the parameters pertinent to the present large tokamaks. The linear simulation reveals the resonance condition between alpha particles and TAE mode. In the nonlinear simulation two n=2 TAE modes are destabilized and alpha particle losses induced by these TAE modes take place. Counter-passing particles are lost when they cross the passing-trapped boundary as a result of the interaction with the TAE modes. They are the major part of lost particles, but trapped particles are also lost appreciably. (author)

ALFVEN WAVE REFLECTION AND TURBULENT HEATING IN THE SOLAR WIND FROM 1 SOLAR RADIUS TO 1 AU: AN ANALYTICAL TREATMENT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandran, Benjamin D. G.; Hollweg, Joseph V.

2009-01-01

We study the propagation, reflection, and turbulent dissipation of Alfven waves in coronal holes and the solar wind. We start with the Heinemann-Olbert equations, which describe non-compressive magnetohydrodynamic fluctuations in an inhomogeneous medium with a background flow parallel to the background magnetic field. Following the approach of Dmitruk et al., we model the nonlinear terms in these equations using a simple phenomenology for the cascade and dissipation of wave energy and assume that there is much more energy in waves propagating away from the Sun than waves propagating toward the Sun. We then solve the equations analytically for waves with periods of hours and longer to obtain expressions for the wave amplitudes and turbulent heating rate as a function of heliocentric distance. We also develop a second approximate model that includes waves with periods of roughly one minute to one hour, which undergo less reflection than the longer-period waves, and compare our models to observations. Our models generalize the phenomenological model of Dmitruk et al. by accounting for the solar wind velocity, so that the turbulent heating rate can be evaluated from the coronal base out past the Alfven critical point-that is, throughout the region in which most of the heating and acceleration occurs. The simple analytical expressions that we obtain can be used to incorporate Alfven-wave reflection and turbulent heating into fluid models of the solar wind.

Synchrotron Study on Crystallization Kinetics of Milk Fat under Shear Flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazzanti, G.; Marangoni, A.; Idziak, S.

2009-01-01

A detailed synchrotron X-ray diffraction study on the kinetics of crystallization of anhydrous milk fat (AMF) and milk fat triacylglycerols (MFT) was done in a Couette cell at 17 C, 17.5 C and 20 C under shear rates between 0 and 2880 s-1. We observed shear-induced acceleration of the transition from phase ? to ?? and the presence of crystalline orientation, but no effect of shear on the onset time of phase ? was observed. A two stage regime was observed for the growth of phase ??. The first stage follows a series-parallel system of differential equations describing the conversion between liquid and crystalline phases. The second stage follows a diffusion-controlled regime. These mechanisms are consistent with the crystalline orientation, the growth of the crystalline domains and the observed displacement of the diffraction peak positions. The absence of the polar lipids explains the faster kinetics of MFT.

Ion beam generation at the plasma sheet boundary layer by kinetic Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moghaddam-Taaheri, E.; Goertz, C.K.; Smith, R.A.

1989-01-01

The kinetic Alfven wave, an Alfven wave with a perpendicular wavelength comparable to the ion gyroradius, can diffuse ions both in velocity and coordinate spaces with comparable transport rates. This may lead to the generation of ion beams in the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL). To investigate the ion beam generation process numerically, a two-dimensional quasi-linear code was constructed. Assuming that the plasma β (the ratio of plasma pressure to the magnetic pressure) varies from β = 1 to β << 1 across the magnetic field, the dynamics of the ion beam generation in the PSBL was studied. It was found that if your start with an ion distribution function which monotonically decreases with velocity along the magnetic field and a density gradient across the magnetic field, ions diffuse in velocity-coordinate space until nearly a plateau is established along the diffusion path. Depending on the topology of the magnetic field at the lobe side of the simulation system, i.e., open or closed field lines, the ion distribution function may or may not reach a steady state. If the field lines are open there, i.e., if the diffusion extends into the lobe, the double diffusion process may provide a mechanism for continuously transferring the ions from the central plasma sheet to the lobe. The authors comment on the effect of the particle loss on the establishment of the pressure balance in the plasma sheet

Measurements of upper mantle shear wave anisotropy from a permanent network in southern Mexico

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Benthem, S.A.C.; Valenzuela, R.W.; Ponce, G.J.

2013-01-01

Upper mantle shear wave anisotropy under stations in southern Mexico was measured using records of SKS phases. Fast polarization directions where the Cocos plate subducts subhorizontally are oriented in the direction of the relative motion between the Cocos and North American plates, and are

Fast particle effects on the internal kink, fishbone and Alfven modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N.N.; Bernabei, S.; Cheng, C.Z.; Fu, G.Y.; Hill, K.; Kaye, S.; Kramer, G.J.; Nazikian, R.; Park, W.; Kusama, Y.; Shinokhara, K.; Ozeki, T.

2001-01-01

The issues of linear stability of low frequency perturbative and nonperturbative modes in advanced tokamak regimes are addressed based on recent developments in theory, computational methods, and progress in experiments. Perturbative codes NOVA and ORBIT are used to calculate the effects of TAEs on fast particle population in spherical tokamak NSTX. Nonperturbative analysis of chirping frequency modes in experiments on TFTR and JT-60U is presented using the kinetic code HINST, which identified such modes as a separate branch of Alfven modes - resonance TAE (R-TAE). Internal kink mode stability in the presence of fast particles is studied using the NOVA code and hybrid kinetic-MHD nonlinear code M3D. (author)

Fast Particle Effects on the Internal Kink, Fishbone and Alfven Modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorelenkov, N.N.; Bernabei, S.; Cheng, C.Z.; Fu, G.Y.; Hill, K.; Kaye, S.; Kramer, G.J.; Kusama, Y.; Shinohara, K.; Nazikian, R.; Ozeki, T.; Park, W.

2000-01-01

The issues of linear stability of low frequency perturbative and nonperturbative modes in advanced tokamak regimes are addressed based on recent developments in theory, computational methods, and progress in experiments. Perturbative codes NOVA and ORBIT are used to calculate the effects of TAEs on fast particle population in spherical tokamak NSTX. Nonperturbative analysis of chirping frequency modes in experiments on TFTR and JT-60U is presented using the kinetic code HINST, which identified such modes as a separate branch of Alfven modes - resonance TAE (R-TAE). Internal kink mode stability in the presence of fast particles is studied using the NOVA code and hybrid kinetic-MHD nonlinear code M3D

How to derotate the cosmic microwave background polarization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamionkowski, Marc

2009-03-20

If the linear polarization of the cosmic microwave background is rotated in a frequency-independent manner as it propagates from the surface of last scatter, it may introduce a B-mode polarization. Here I show that measurement of higher-order TE, EE, EB, and TB correlations induced by this rotation can be used to reconstruct the rotation angle as a function of position on the sky. This technique can be used to distinguish primordial B modes from those induced by rotation. The effects of rotation can be distinguished geometrically from similar effects due to cosmic shear.

Satellite and Ground Signatures of Kinetic and Inertial Scale ULF Alfven Waves Propagating in Warm Plasma in Earth's Magnetosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Rankin, R.; Sydorenko, D.

2015-12-01

Results from a 3D global numerical model of Alfven wave propagation in a warm multi-species plasma in Earth's magnetosphere are presented. The model uses spherical coordinates, accounts for a non-dipole magnetic field, vertical structure of the ionosphere, and an air gap below the ionosphere. A realistic density model is used. Below the exobase altitude (2000 km) the densities and the temperatures of electrons, ions, and neutrals are obtained from the IRI and MSIS models. Above the exobase, ballistic (originating from the ionosphere and returning to ionosphere) and trapped (bouncing between two reflection points above the ionosphere) electron populations are considered similar to [Pierrard and Stegen (2008), JGR, v.113, A10209]. Plasma parameters at the exobase provided by the IRI are the boundary conditions for the ballistic electrons while the [Carpenter and Anderson (1992), JGR, v.97, p.1097] model of equatorial electron density defines parameters of the trapped electron population. In the simulations that are presented, Alfven waves with frequencies from 1 Hz to 0.01 Hz and finite azimuthal wavenumbers are excited in the magnetosphere and compared with Van Allen Probes data and ground-based observations from the CARISMA array of ground magnetometers. When short perpendicular scale waves reflect form the ionosphere, compressional Alfven waves are observed to propagate across the geomagnetic field in the ionospheric waveguide [e.g., Lysak (1999), JGR, v.104, p.10017]. Signals produced by the waves on the ground are discussed. The wave model is also applied to interpret recent Van Allen Probes observations of kinetic scale ULF waves that are associated with radiation belt electron dynamics and energetic particle injections.

Shaping of an ion cloud's velocity field by differential braking due to Alfven wave dissipation in the ionosphere, 1. Coupling with an infinite ionosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nalesso, G.F.; Jacobson, A.R.

1988-01-01

We study the interaction of a plasma cloud, jetting across the geomagnetic field with the surrounding ionosphere. The cloud is assumed of finite extension in the direction normal to both the direction of motion and the magnetic field, while the ionosphere is considered a collisional anisotropic magnetized plasma. It is shown that two main mechanisms contribute to the cloud's braking: momentum exchange with the ionosphere via Alfven waves and momentum dissipation due to resistive currents. Due to the finite size of the cloud a differential braking of the different transverse harmonics of the Alfven wave appears when the momentum exchange mechanism is dominant. The result is a sharpening of the cloud's velocity field. copyright American Geophysical Union 1988

The effect of broad-band Alfven-cyclotron waves spectra on the preferential heating and differential acceleration of He{sup ++} ions in the solar wind

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maneva, Y. G. [Department of Physics, Catholic University of America, Washington DC, 20064 (United States) and Heliophysics Science Devision, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Ofman, L. [Department of Physics, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064 (United States) and Heliophysics Science Devision, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Vinas, A. F. [Heliophysics Science Devision, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2013-06-13

In anticipation of results from inner heliospheric missions such as the Solar Orbiter and the Solar Probe we present the results from 1.5D hybrid simulations to study the role of magnetic fluctuations for the heating and differential acceleration of He{sup ++} ions in the solar wind. We consider the effects of nonlinear Alfven-cyclotron waves at different frequency regimes. Monochromatic nonlinear Alfven-alpha-cyclotron waves are known to preferentially heat and accelerate He{sup ++} ions in collisionless low beta plasma. In this study we demonstrate that these effects are preserved when higherfrequency monochromatic and broad-band spectra of Alfven-proton-cyclotron waves are considered. Comparison between several nonlinear monochromatic waves shows that the ion temperatures, anisotropies and relative drift are quantitatively affected by the shift in frequency. Including a broad-band wave-spectrum results in a significant reduction of both the parallel and the perpendicular temperature components for the He{sup ++} ions, whereas the proton heating is barely influenced, with the parallel proton temperature only slightly enhanced. The differential streaming is strongly affected by the available wave power in the resonant daughter ion-acoustic waves. Therefore for the same initial wave energy, the relative drift is significantly reduced in the case of initial wave-spectra in comparison to the simulations with monochromatic waves.

Shear Resistance Variations in Experimentally Sheared Mudstone Granules: A Possible Shear-Thinning and Thixotropic Mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Wei; Xu, Qiang; Wang, Gonghui; Scaringi, Gianvito; Mcsaveney, Mauri; Hicher, Pierre-Yves

2017-11-01

We present results of ring shear frictional resistance for mudstone granules of different size obtained from a landslide shear zone. Little rate dependency of shear resistance was observed in sand-sized granules in any wet or dry test, while saturated gravel-sized granules exhibited significant and abrupt reversible rate-weakening (from μ = 0.6 to 0.05) at about 2 mm/s. Repeating resistance variations occurred also under constant shear displacement rate. Mudstone granules generate mud as they are crushed and softened. Shear-thinning and thixotropic behavior of the mud can explain the observed behavior: with the viscosity decreasing, the mud can flow through the coarser soil pores and migrate out from the shear zone. This brings new granules into contact which produces new mud. Thus, the process can start over. Similarities between experimental shear zones and those of some landslides in mudstone suggest that the observed behavior may play a role in some landslide kinematics.

Advanced antenna system for Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive in TCABR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruchko, L.F.; Ozono, E.; Galvao, R.M.O.; Nascimento, I.C.; Degasperi, F.T.; Lerche, E.

1998-01-01

An advanced antenna system that has been developed for investigation of Alfven wave plasma heating and current drive in the TCABR tokamak is described. The main goal was the development of such a system that could insure the excitation of travelling single helicity modes with predefined wave mode numbers M and N. The system consists of four similar modules with poloidal windings. The required spatial spectrum is formed by proper phasing of the RF feeding currents. The impedance matching of the antenna with the four-phase oscillator is accomplished by resonant circuits which form one assembly unit with the RF feeders. The characteristics of the antenna system design with respect to the antenna-plasma coupling and plasma wave excitation, for different phasing of the feeding currents, are summarised. The antenna complex impedance Z=Z R +Z I is calculated taking into account both the plasma response to resonant excitation of fast Alfven waves and the nonresonant excitation of vacuum magnetic fields in conducting shell. The matching of the RF generator with the antenna system during plasma heating is simulated numerically, modelling the plasma response with mutually coupled effective inductances with corresponding active Z R and reactive Z I impedances. The results of the numerical simulation of the RF system performance, including both the RF magnetic field spectrum analysis and the modeling of the RF generator operation with plasma load, are presented. (orig.)

Antenna analysis and boundary conditions for Alfven wave studies in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, D.W.; Li Yanming; Mahajan, S.M.; Michie, R.B.

1986-01-01

Previous studies of Alfven wave heating which employed kinetic theory are extended in order to take into account antenna configurations, in cylindrical geometry, consisting of arbitrary shell currents and their associated radial feeders. For each Fourier component of the form exp [-i(lzeta-mtheta)], the shell current consists of a divergence-free part having the helicity of the mode (l, m), plus an orthogonal part requiring the feeders. It is shown, both analytically and by including the full current in the numerical code, that only the divergence-free part of the current contributes significantly to the plasma response and antenna loading. The important effect of the feeders is to cancel the contribution from the surface current perpendicular to the helicity. This explicitly verifies results reported previously. (author)

Antenna analysis and boundary conditions for Alfven wave studies in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, D.W.; Li, Y.M.; Mahajan, S.M.; Michie, R.B.

1985-07-01

Previous studies of Alfven wave heating which employed kinetic theory are extended to take into account antenna configurations, in cylindrical geometry, consisting of arbitrary shell currents and their associated radial feeders. For each Fourier component of the form esp/-i(l zeta - m theta)/, the shell current consists of a divergence-free part having the helicity of the mode (l,m), plus an orthogonal part requiring the feeders. It is shown, both analtically and by including the full current in the numerical code, that only the divergence-free part of the current contributes significantly to the plasma response and antenna loading. The important effect of the feeders is to cancel the contribution from the surface current perpendicular to the helicity. This explicitly verifies results reported previously

Instability of a Lamellar Phase under Shear Flow: Formation of Multilamellar Vesicles

Science.gov (United States)

Courbin, L.; Delville, J. P.; Rouch, J.; Panizza, P.

2002-09-01

The formation of closed-compact multilamellar vesicles (referred to in the literature as the ``onion texture'') obtained upon shearing lamellar phases is studied using small-angle light scattering and cross-polarized microscopy. By varying the shear rate γ ˙, the gap cell D, and the smectic distance d, we show that: (i)the formation of this structure occurs homogeneously in the cell at a well-defined wave vector qi, via a strain-controlled process, and (ii)the value of qi varies as (dγ ˙/D)1/3. These results strongly suggest that formation of multilamellar vesicles may be monitored by an undulation (buckling) instability of the membranes, as expected from theory.

Study on shear properties of coral sand under cyclic simple shear condition

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Wendong; Zhang, Yuting; Jin, Yafei

2018-05-01

In recent years, the ocean development in our country urgently needs to be accelerated. The construction of artificial coral reefs has become an important development direction. In this paper, experimental studies of simple shear and cyclic simple shear of coral sand are carried out, and the shear properties and particle breakage of coral sand are analyzed. The results show that the coral sand samples show an overall shear failure in the simple shear test, which is more accurate and effective for studying the particle breakage. The shear displacement corresponding to the peak shear stress of the simple shear test is significantly larger than that corresponding to the peak shear stress of the direct shear test. The degree of particle breakage caused by the simple shear test is significantly related to the normal stress level. The particle breakage of coral sand after the cyclic simple shear test obviously increases compared with that of the simple shear test, and universal particle breakage occurs within the whole particle size range. The increasing of the cycle-index under cyclic simple shear test results in continuous compacting of the sample, so that the envelope curve of peak shearing force increases with the accumulated shear displacement.

Shear strength of non-shear reinforced concrete elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoang, Cao linh

1997-01-01

The paper deals with the plastic shear strength of non shear reinforced T-beams.The influence of an un-reinforced flange on the shear capacity is investigated by considering a failure mechanism involving crack sliding in the web and a kind of membrane action over an effective width of the flange...

Successive X-class Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections Driven by Shearing Motion and Sunspot Rotation in Active Region NOAA 12673

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, X. L.; Wang, J. C.; Pan, G. M.; Kong, D. F.; Xue, Z. K.; Yang, L. H.; Li, Q. L.; Feng, X. S.

2018-03-01

We present a clear case study on the occurrence of two successive X-class flares, including a decade-class flare (X9.3) and two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) triggered by shearing motion and sunspot rotation in active region NOAA 12673 on 2017 September 6. A shearing motion between the main sunspots with opposite polarities began on September 5 and lasted even after the second X-class flare on September 6. Moreover, the main sunspot with negative polarity rotated around its umbral center, and another main sunspot with positive polarity also exhibited a slow rotation. The sunspot with negative polarity at the northwest of the active region also began to rotate counterclockwise before the onset of the first X-class flare, which is related to the formation of the second S-shaped structure. The successive formation and eruption of two S-shaped structures were closely related to the counterclockwise rotation of the three sunspots. The existence of a flux rope is found prior to the onset of two flares by using nonlinear force-free field extrapolation based on the vector magnetograms observed by Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Image. The first flux rope corresponds to the first S-shaped structures mentioned above. The second S-shaped structure was formed after the eruption of the first flux rope. These results suggest that a shearing motion and sunspot rotation play an important role in the buildup of the free energy and the formation of flux ropes in the corona that produces solar flares and CMEs.

An experimental study of Alfven wave heating using electrostatically shielded antennas in TCA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borg, G.G.; Joye, B.

1990-01-01

Despite the wide acceptance of electrostatic screens in ICRH for the protection of the plasma from the near fields of rf antennas, it has always been considered that low voltages at low frequency have made such screens unnecessary in Alfven wave heating (AWH). Despite this, AWH performs rather poorly as a heating method; the results being confused by a density rise up to 300 % of the target density. It is known that the density increase arises neither from impurity injection nor from a change in recycling. In addition, an extensive range of phenomena have been observed in the plasma scrape-off layer (SOL). During AWH, the SOL density is observed to decrease, the SOL floating potential is perturbed in a way that reflects the Alfven wave spectrum, the antennas charge negatively and draw a large current from the plasma and harmonics have been observed on the edge wave fields. The cause and correlation of these effects with each other and their impression on the bulk plasma response was not known. Experimental results from the TORTUS tokamak have indicated that the density increase might be eliminated by electrostatic screens. In their case, two AWH experiments were performed. In the first, an unshielded OFHC copper loop antenna was excited at a given power and, in the second, the same antenna was excited at the same power after installation of an aluminium, TiN coated, slotted screen. The density increase in the first case was shown to be completely eliminated in the second, although spectroscopic measurements revealed a difference in the plasma O(II) and Cu(I) content for each case. (author) 2 refs., 3 figs

Structure and parameters dependences of Alfven wave current drive generated in the low-field side of simulated spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

1999-01-01

Theoretical results on the wave-plasma interactions in simulated toroidal configurations are presented. The study covers the cases of large to low aspect ratio tokamaks, in the pre-heated stage. Fast waves emitted from an external antenna with different wave numbers and frequencies are considered. The non-inductive Alfven wave current drive is evaluated and discussed. (author)

Structure and parameters dependences of Alfven wave current drive generated in the low-field side of simulated spherical tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.; Komoshvili, K.

2001-01-01

Theoretical results on the wave-plasma interactions in simulated toroidal configurations are presented. The study covers the cases of large to low aspect ratio tokamaks, in the pre-heated stage. Fast waves emitted from an external antenna with different wave numbers and frequencies are considered. The non-inductive Alfven wave current drive is evaluated and discussed. (author)

Observations of neutral beam and ICRF tail ion losses due to Alfven modes in TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darrow, D.S.; Zweben, S.J.; Chang, Z.

1996-04-01

Fast ion losses resulting from MHD modes at the Alfven frequency, such as the TAE, have been observed in TFTR. The modes have been driven both by neutral beam ions, at low B T , and by H-minority ICRF tail ions at higher B T . The measurements indicate that the loss rate varies linearly with the mode amplitude, and that the fast ion losses during the mode activity can be significant, e.g. up to 10% of the input power is lost in the worst case

Mode structure and continuum damping of high-n toroidal Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenbluth, M.N.; Berk, H.L.; Van Dam, J.W.; Lindberg, D.M.

1992-02-01

An asymptotic theory is described for calculating the mode structure and continuum damping of short wave-length toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAE). The formalism somewhat resembles the treatment used for describing low-frequency toroidal modes with singular structure at a rational surface, where an inner solution, which for the TAE mode has toroidal coupling, is matched to an outer toroidally uncoupled solution. A three-term recursion relation among coupled poloidal harmonic amplitudes is obtained, whose solution gives the structure of the global wavefunction and the complex eigenfrequency, including continuum damping. Both analytic and numerical solutions are presented. The magnitude of the damping is essential for determining the thresholds for instability driven by the spatial gradients of energetic particles (e.g., neutral beam-injected ions or fusion-product alpha particles) contained in a tokamak plasma

Kinetic-magnetohydrodynamic simulation study of fast ions and toroidal Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Y.; Sato, T.

2001-01-01

Particle-magnetohydrodynamic and Fokker-Planck-magnetohydrodynamic simulations of fast ions and toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE modes) have been carried out. Alpha particle losses induced by TAE mode are investigated with particle-magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Trapped particles near the passing-trapped boundary in the phase space are also lost appreciably in addition to the counter-passing particles. In Fokker-Planck-magnetohydrodynamic simulation source and slowing-down of fast ions are considered. A coherent pulsating behavior of multiple TAE modes, which occurs in neutral beam injection experiments, is observed when the slowing-down time is much longer than the damping time of the TAE modes and the fast-ion pressure is sufficiently high. For a slowing-down time comparable to the damping time, the TAE modes reach steady saturation levels. (author)

Kinetic-magnetohydrodynamic simulation study of fast ions and toroidal Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Y.; Sato, T.

1999-01-01

Particle-magnetohydrodynamic and Fokker-Planck-magnetohydrodynamic simulations of fast ions and toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE modes) have been carried out. Alpha particle losses induced by TAE mode are investigated with particle-magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Trapped particles near the passing-trapped boundary in the phase space are also lost appreciably in addition to the counter-passing particles. In Fokker-Planck-magnetohydrodynamic simulation source and slowing-down of fast ions are considered. A coherent pulsating behavior of multiple TAE modes, which occurs in neutral beam injection experiments, is observed when the slowing-down time is much longer than the damping time of the TAE modes and the fast-ion pressure is sufficiently high. For a slowing-down time comparable to the damping time, the TAE modes reach steady saturation levels. (author)

How do closed-compact multi-lamellar droplets form under shear flow? A possible mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Courbin, L.; Pons, R.; Rouch, J.; Panizza, P.

2003-01-01

The formation of closed-compact multi-lamellar droplets obtained upon shearing both a lamellar phase (Lα) and a two-phase separated lamellar-sponge (Lα-L3) mixture is investigated as a function of the shear rate dot gamma, using small-angle light scattering (SALS) and cross-polarized optical microscopy. In both systems the formation of droplets occurs homogeneously in the cell at a well-defined wave vector qe propto dot gamma1/3 via a strain-controlled process. These results suggest that the formation of droplets may be monitored in both systems by a buckling instability of the lamellae as predicted from a recent theory.

Electric-current Neutralization, Magnetic Shear, and Eruptive Activity in Solar Active Regions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Yang; Sun, Xudong [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4085 (United States); Török, Tibor; Titov, Viacheslav S. [Predictive Science Inc., 9990 Mesa Rim Road, Suite 170, San Diego, CA 92121 (United States); Leake, James E. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2017-09-01

The physical conditions that determine whether or not solar active regions (ARs) produce strong flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are not yet well understood. Here, we investigate the association between electric-current neutralization, magnetic shear along polarity inversion lines (PILs), and eruptive activity in four ARs: two emerging and two well-developed ones. We find that the CME-producing ARs are characterized by a strongly non-neutralized total current, while the total current in the ARs that did not produce CMEs is almost perfectly neutralized. The difference in the PIL shear between these two groups is much less pronounced, which suggests that the degree of current neutralization may serve as a better proxy for assessing the ability of ARs to produce CMEs.

Nanoscale characterization of isolated individual type I collagen fibrils: polarization and piezoelectricity.

Science.gov (United States)

Minary-Jolandan, Majid; Yu, Min-Feng

2009-02-25

Piezoresponse force microscopy was applied to directly study individual type I collagen fibrils with diameters of approximately 100 nm isolated from bovine Achilles tendon. It was revealed that single collagen fibrils behave predominantly as shear piezoelectric materials with a piezoelectric coefficient on the order of 1 pm V(-1), and have unipolar axial polarization throughout their entire length. It was estimated that, under reasonable shear load conditions, the fibrils were capable of generating an electric potential up to tens of millivolts. The result substantiates the nanoscale origin of piezoelectricity in bone and tendons, and implies also the potential importance of the shear load-transfer mechanism, which has been the principle basis of the nanoscale mechanics model of collagen, in mechanoelectric transduction in bone.

Core localized toroidal Alfven eigenmodes destabilized by energetic ions in the CHS heliotron/torsatron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takechi, M.; Matsunaga, G.; Takagi, S.

1999-09-01

Toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAE) destabilized by the pressure gradient of energetic alpha particles may expel the alpha particles before thermalization. TAE is important for tokamaks, and for helical systems (stellarators) as well. In CHS (compact helical system) TAE localized in the plasma core are destabilized when the plasma current is induced by co-injection of neutral beams. The observed TAE exhibits a ballooning nature. The internal structure of TAE was measured with a soft X-ray detector. The soft X-ray fluctuations level for TAE is too low to obtain the radial profiles of fluctuation intensities. (Tanaka, M.)

Finite Larmor radius effects on Alfven wave current drive in low-aspect ratio tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komoshvili, K.; Cuperman, S.; Bruma, C.

1998-01-01

Alfven wave current drive (AWCD) in low-aspect ratio (A≡R/a=1/ε > or approx. 1) tokamaks (LARTs) is studied numerically. For this, the full-wave equation (E parallel ≠0) with a Vlasov-based dielectric tensor is solved by relaxation techniques, subject to appropriate boundary conditions at the plasma centre and at the plasma-vacuum interface, as well as the concentric antenna current sheet and at the external metallic wall. A systematic investigation of the physical characteristics of the AWCD generated in LARTs when kinetic effects are considered is carried out and illustrative results are presented and discussed. (author)

Experimental investigations of driven Alfven wave resonances in a tokamak plasma using carbon dioxide laser interferometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, T.E.

1984-09-01

The first direct observation of the internal structure of driven global Alfven eigenmodes in a tokamak plasma is presented. A carbon dioxide laser scattering/interferometer has been designed, built, and installed on the PRETEXT tokamak. By using this diagnostic system in the interferometer configuration, we have for the first time, thoroughly investigated the resonance conditions required for, and the spatial wave field structure of, driven plasma eigenmodes at frequencies below the ion cyclotron frequency in a confined, high temperature, tokamak plasma

Shear-Wave Splitting Within the Southeastern Carpathian Arc, Transylvanian Basin, Romania

Science.gov (United States)

Stanciu, A. C.; Russo, R. M.; Mocanu, V. I.; Munteanu, L.

2012-12-01

We present 75 new measurements of shear wave splitting at 4 temporary broadband seismic stations that we deployed in the Transylvanian Basin within the Carpathian Arc, Romania. The Tisza-Dacia terranes, which form the basement of this basin, were accommodated in the space between the thick, old, rigid and cold East European Platform and the Moesian Platform during the Miocene. This movement was driven by the subduction of a part of the Tethys Ocean, which led to the formation of Carpathian orogen system. In Romania, the mountains are divided into the Eastern Carpathians, at the limit of Transylvanian Basin and the East European Platform along the Tornquist-Teisseyre Suture Zone, and the Southern Carpathians, at the limit with Moesian Platform. They connect to the West of the Carpathian Bend Zone where a very active high velocity seismic body generates intermediate depth earthquakes between 70 and 200 km beneath the Vrancea seismogenic zone. We analyzed splitting of SKS and SKKS phases recorded at epicentral distances between 87 and 150 degrees using the method of Silver and Chan (1991). We estimated splitting parameters, fast shear polarization azimuth and delay time, using both weighted averages of individual splitting measurements (Helffrich et al., 1994) and simultaneous linearization of all clearly recorded SK(K)S waves (Wolfe and Silver, 1998). For COMD, located at the contact of the Carpathian Bend Zone and Transylvanian Basin, we obtained a fast shear polarization azimuth trending NE-SW, parallel to the contact and to the strike of the Vrancea seismic body. For 10 suitable events recorded at IACB, at the contact of the Neogene Volcanic zone with the Eastern Carpathians, we did not observe any splitting; we consider the station splitting to be null. The fast shear polarization azimuth for PMAR, at the limit between Tisza-Dacia block and Southern Carpathians thrust belt, and at CHDM, within the Transylvanian Basin, is NW-SE similar to a regional splitting

Polarization plasma spectroscopy (PPS) viewed from plasma physics and fusion research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ida, Katsumi

1998-01-01

Recently the measurements of poloidal magnetic field become important in plasma physics and nuclear fusion research, since an improved confinement mode associating with a negative magnetic shear has been found. The polarization plasma spectroscopy is recognized to be a useful tool to measure poloidal magnetic field and pitch angle of magnetic field. (author)

Experimental study of shear rate dependence in perpetually sheared granular matter

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Sophie Yang; Guillard, François; Marks, Benjy; Rognon, Pierre; Einav, Itai

2017-06-01

We study the shear behaviour of various granular materials by conducting novel perpetual simple shear experiments over four orders of magnitude of relatively low shear rates. The newly developed experimental apparatus employed is called "3D Stadium Shear Device" which is an extended version of the 2D Stadium Shear Device [1]. This device is able to provide a non-radial dependent perpetual shear flow and a nearly linear velocity profile between two oppositely moving shear walls. Using this device, we are able to test a large variety of granular materials. Here, we demonstrate the applicability of the device on glass beads (diameter 1 mm, 3 mm, and 14 mm) and rice. We particularly focus on studying these materials at very low inertial number I ranging from 10-6 to 10-2. We find that, within this range of I, the friction coefficient μ of glass beads has no shear rate dependence. A particularly appealing observation comes from testing rice, where the attainment of critical state develops under much longer duration than in other materials. Initially during shear we find a value of μ similar to that found for glass beads, but with time this value decreases gradually towards the asymptotic critical state value. The reason, we believe, lies in the fact that rice grains are strongly elongated; hence the time to achieve the stable μ is primarily controlled by the time for particles to align themselves with respect to the shear walls. Furthermore, the initial packing conditions of samples also plays a role in the evolution of μ when the shear strain is small, but that impact will eventually be erased after sufficient shear strain.

Drift-Alfven waves induced optical emission fluctuations in Aditya tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manchanda, R.; Ghosh, J.; Chattopadhyay, P. K.; Chowdhuri, M. B.; Banerjee, Santanu; Ramasubramanian, N.; Patel, Ketan M.; Kumar, Vinay; Vasu, P.; Tanna, R. L.; Paradkar, B.; Gupta, C. N.; Bhatt, S. B.; Raju, D.; Jha, R.; Atrey, P. K.; Joisa, S.; Rao, C. V. S.; Saxena, Y. C.

2010-01-01

In Aditya tokamak [S. B. Bhatt et al. Indian J. Pure Appl. Phys. 27, 710 (1989)], an increase in the H α and C 2+ intensity fluctuations from the edge region is observed with an increase in the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) activity. Very small fluctuation amplitudes of H α and C 2+ intensity are observed in discharges where there is no MHD activity compared to the discharges with MHD activity. These fluctuations in the H α and C 2+ , measured by optical filter--photomultiplier tube combination--are modulated by Mirnov oscillations having a dominant peak with a common frequency ∼7-10 kHz. Further investigation reveals the presence of strong coherent fluctuations in density and floating potential at same frequency as well. These observations indicate the existence of a nonelectrostatic instability, which may be based on the coupled mode of the drift mode and the Alfven mode. The coherent density fluctuations give rise to the experimentally observed coherent H α and C 2+ intensity fluctuations.

Experimental study of shear rate dependence in perpetually sheared granular matter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Sophie Yang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We study the shear behaviour of various granular materials by conducting novel perpetual simple shear experiments over four orders of magnitude of relatively low shear rates. The newly developed experimental apparatus employed is called “3D Stadium Shear Device” which is an extended version of the 2D Stadium Shear Device [1]. This device is able to provide a non-radial dependent perpetual shear flow and a nearly linear velocity profile between two oppositely moving shear walls. Using this device, we are able to test a large variety of granular materials. Here, we demonstrate the applicability of the device on glass beads (diameter 1 mm, 3 mm, and 14 mm and rice. We particularly focus on studying these materials at very low inertial number I ranging from 10−6 to 10−2. We find that, within this range of I, the friction coefficient μ of glass beads has no shear rate dependence. A particularly appealing observation comes from testing rice, where the attainment of critical state develops under much longer duration than in other materials. Initially during shear we find a value of μ similar to that found for glass beads, but with time this value decreases gradually towards the asymptotic critical state value. The reason, we believe, lies in the fact that rice grains are strongly elongated; hence the time to achieve the stable μ is primarily controlled by the time for particles to align themselves with respect to the shear walls. Furthermore, the initial packing conditions of samples also plays a role in the evolution of μ when the shear strain is small, but that impact will eventually be erased after sufficient shear strain.

Observations of intense velocity shear and associated electrostatic waves near an auroral arc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelley, M.C.; Carlson, C.W.

1977-01-01

An intense shear in plasma flow velocity of magnitude 20 (m/s)m -1 has been detected at the edge of an auroral arc. The region of shear appears to display structure with two characteristic scale sizes. The larger structures were of the order of a few kilometers in size and were identified by a deviation of the direction of the charge sheets crossed by the rocket from a direction parallel to the visible arc. As is shown in the companion paper (Carlson and Kelley, 1977), the average (undisturbed) charge sheet was parallel to the arc. These observations are consistent with television studies which often display such structures propagating along the edges of auroral forms. Additional intense irregularities were detected with characteristic wavelengths smaller than the scale size of the shear. The irregularities are discussed in light of the branches of a velocity shear driven instability suggested by several workers: the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability operating at the longest wavelengths and the drift shear instability at the shorter. Neither mode has wavelengths as short as those observed however. A velocity shear mechanism operating at wavelengths short in comparison with the shear scale length, such as those observed here, would be of significant geophysical importance. For example, it could be responsible for production of high-latitude irregularities which exist throughout the polar cap and for the short-wavelength waves responsible for intense 3-m backscatter during equatorial spread F conditions. Since the wavelengths produced by the short-wavelength mode are in the range of typical auroral E region radars, such data must be carefully checked for F region contamination

Re-ionization of a partially ionized plasma by an Alfven wave of moderate amplitude

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brennan, M.H.; Sawley, M.L.

1980-01-01

The use of forced magnetic-acoustic oscillations to investigate the effect of a torsional hydromagnetic (Alfven) wave pulse of moderate amplitude on the properties of a partially ionized afterglow helium plasma is reported. Observations of the magnetic flux associated with the oscillations, measured at a number of frequencies are used to determine radial density profiles and to provide estimates of plasma temperature. The torsional wave is shown to cause significant re-ionization of the plasma with no corresponding increase in the plasma temperature. The presence of a number of energetic particles is evidenced by the production of a significant number of doubly charged helium ions. (author)

Kinetic Alfven wave with density variation and loss-cone distribution function of multi-ions in PSBL region

Science.gov (United States)

Tamrakar, Radha; Varma, P.; Tiwari, M. S.

2018-05-01

Kinetic Alfven wave (KAW) generation due to variation of loss-cone index J and density of multi-ions (H+, He+ and O+) in the plasma sheet boundary layer region (PSBL) is investigated. Kinetic approach is used to derive dispersion relation of wave using Vlasov equation. Variation of frequency with respect to wide range of k⊥ρi (where k⊥ is wave vector across the magnetic field, ρi is gyroradius of ions and i denotes H+, He+ and O+ ions) is analyzed. It is found that each ion gyroradius and number density shows different effect on wave generation with varying width of loss-cone. KAW is generated with multi-ions (H+, He+ and O+) over wide regime for J=1 and shows dissimilar effect for J=2. Frequency is reduced with increasing density of gyrating He+ and O+ ions. Wave frequency is obtained within the reported range which strongly supports generation of kinetic Alfven waves. A sudden drop of frequency is also observed for H+ and He+ ion which may be due to heavy penetration of these ions through the loss-cone. The parameters of PSBL region are used for numerical calculation. The application of these results are in understanding the effect of gyrating multi-ions in transfer of energy and Poynting flux losses from PSBL region towards ionosphere and also describing the generation of aurora.

Shear thinning and shear thickening of a confined suspension of vesicles

Science.gov (United States)

Nait Ouhra, A.; Farutin, A.; Aouane, O.; Ez-Zahraouy, H.; Benyoussef, A.; Misbah, C.

2018-01-01

Widely regarded as an interesting model system for studying flow properties of blood, vesicles are closed membranes of phospholipids that mimic the cytoplasmic membranes of red blood cells. In this study we analyze the rheology of a suspension of vesicles in a confined geometry: the suspension, bound by two planar rigid walls on each side, is subject to a shear flow. Flow properties are then analyzed as a function of shear rate γ ˙, the concentration of the suspension ϕ , and the viscosity contrast λ =ηin/ηout , where ηin and ηout are the fluid viscosities of the inner and outer fluids, respectively. We find that the apparent (or effective viscosity) of the suspension exhibits both shear thinning (decreasing viscosity with shear rate) or shear thickening (increasing viscosity with shear rate) in the same concentration range. The shear thinning or thickening behaviors appear as subtle phenomena, dependant on viscosity contrast λ . We provide physical arguments on the origins of these behaviors.

Reconnection During Periods of Large IMF By Producing Shear Instabilities at the Dayside Convection Reversal Boundary

Science.gov (United States)

Qamar, S.; Clauer, C. R.; Hartinger, M.; Xu, Z.

2017-12-01

During periods of large interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By component and small negative Bz (GSM Coordinates), the ionospheric polar electric potential system is distorted so as to produce large east-west convection shears across local noon. Past research has shown examples of ULF waves with periods of approximately 10 - 20 minutes observed at this convection shear by the Greenland west coast chain of magnetometers. Past work has shown examples of these waves and associated them with conditions in the solar wind and IMF, particularly periods of large IMF By component. Here we report the results of a search of several years of solar wind data to identify periods when the IMF By component is large and the magnetometer chains along the 40-degree magnetic meridian (Greenland west coast and conjugate Antarctic chains) are within a few hours of local noon. We test here the hypothesis that large IMF By reconnection leads to large convection shears across local noon that generate ULF waves through, presumably, a shear instability such as Kelvin-Helmholtz.

Particle energization by inertial Alfven wave in auroral ionosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, S.

2017-12-01

The role of inertial Alfven wave in auroral acceleration region and in the inertial regime to energize the plasma particles is an interesting field and widely discussed observationally as well as theoretically in recent years. In this work, we present the density perturbations by inertial Alfvén wave (AW) in the auroral ionosphere. We obtain dynamical equations for inertial AW and fast mode of AW using two-fluid model and then solve them numerically in order to analyze the localized structures and cavity formation. The ponderomotive force due to the high frequency inertial AW changes the background density and is believed to be responsible for the wave localization or for the formation of density cavities in auroral ionosphere. These density cavities are believed to be the sites for particle energization. This perturbed density channel grow with time until the modulation instability acquires steady state. We find that the density cavities are accompanied by the high amplitude magnetic fields. The amplitude of the strongest density cavity is estimated as ˜ 0.26n0 (n0 is unperturbed plasma number density). The results presented here are found consistent with the observational studies using FAST spacecraft.

Detection and monitoring of shear crack growth using S-P conversion of seismic waves

Science.gov (United States)

Modiriasari, A.; Bobet, A.; Pyrak-Nolte, L. J.

2017-12-01

A diagnostic method for monitoring shear crack initiation, propagation, and coalescence in rock is key for the detection of major rupture events, such as slip along a fault. Active ultrasonic monitoring was used in this study to determine the precursory signatures to shear crack initiation in pre-cracked rock. Prismatic specimens of Indiana limestone (203x2101x638x1 mm) with two pre-existing parallel flaws were subjected to uniaxial compression. The flaws were cut through the thickness of the specimen using a scroll saw. The length of the flaws was 19.05 mm and had an inclination angle with respect to the loading direction of 30o. Shear wave transducers were placed on each side of the specimen, with polarization parallel to the loading direction. The shear waves, given the geometry of the flaws, were normally incident to the shear crack forming between the two flaws during loading. Shear crack initiation and propagation was detected on the specimen surface using digital image correlation (DIC), while initiation inside the rock was monitored by measuring full waveforms of the transmitted and reflected shear (S) waves across the specimen. Prior to the detection of a shear crack on the specimen surface using DIC, transmitted S waves were converted to compressional (P) waves. The emergence of converted S-P wave occurs because of the presence of oriented microcracks inside the rock. The microcracks coalesce and form the shear crack observed on the specimen surface. Up to crack coalescence, the amplitude of the converted waves increased with shear crack propagation. However, the amplitude of the transmitted shear waves between the two flaws did not change with shear crack initiation and propagation. This is in agreement with the conversion of elastic waves (P- to S-wave or S- to P-wave) observed by Nakagawa et al., (2000) for normal incident waves. Elastic wave conversions are attributed to the formation of an array of oriented microcracks that dilate under shear stress

The importance of strain localisation in shear zones

Science.gov (United States)

Bons, Paul D.; Finch, Melanie; Gomez-Rivas, Enrique; Griera, Albert; Llorens, Maria-Gema; Steinbach, Florian; Weikusat, Ilka

2016-04-01

The occurrence of various types of shear bands (C, C', C'') in shear zones indicate that heterogeneity of strain is common in strongly deformed rocks. However, the importance of strain localisation is difficult to ascertain if suitable strain markers are lacking, which is usually the case. Numerical modelling with the finite-element method has so far not given much insight in the development of shear bands. We suggest that this is not only because the modelled strains are often not high enough, but also because this technique (that usually assumes isotropic material properties within elements) does not properly incorporate mineral deformation behaviour. We simulated high-strain, simple-shear deformation in single- and polyphase materials with a full-field theory (FFT) model coupled to the Elle modelling platform (www.elle.ws; Lebensohn 2001; Bons et al. 2008). The FFT-approach simulates visco-plastic deformation by dislocation glide, taking into account the different available slip systems and their critical resolved shear stresses in relations to the applied stresses. Griera et al. (2011; 2013) have shown that this approach is particularly well suited for strongly anisotropic minerals, such as mica and ice Ih (Llorens 2015). We modelled single- and polyphase composites of minerals with different anisotropies and strengths, roughly equivalent to minerals such as ice Ih, mica, quartz and feldspar. Single-phase polycrystalline aggregates show distinct heterogeneity of strain rate, especially in case of ice Ih, which is mechanically close to mica (see also Griera et al. 2015). Finite strain distributions are heterogeneous as well, but the patterns may differ from that of the strain rate distribution. Dynamic recrystallisation, however, usually masks any strain and strain rate localisation (Llorens 2015). In case of polyphase aggregates, equivalent to e.g. a granite, we observe extensive localisation in both syn- and antithetic shear bands. The antithetic shear bands

Finite orbit energetic particle linear response to toroidal Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berk, H.L.; Ye Huanchun; Breizman, B.N.

1992-01-01

The linear response of energetic particles of the TAE modes is calculated taking into account their finite orbit excursion from the flux surfaces. The general expression reproduces the previously derived theory for small banana width; when the banana width Δ b is much larger than the mode thickness Δ m , we obtain a new compact expression for the linear power transfer. When Δ m /Δ b m /Δ b from that predicted by the narrow orbit theory. A comparison is made of the contribution to the TAE growth rate of energetic particles with a slowing-down distribution arising from an isotropic source, and a balanced-injected beam source when the source speed is close to the Alfven speed. For the same stored energy density, the contribution from the principal resonances (vertical strokev parallel vertical stroke=v A ) is substantially enhanced in the beam case compared to the isotropic case, while the contribution at the higher sidebands (vertical strokev parallel vertical stroke=v A /(2l-1) with l≥2) is substantially reduced. (orig.)

A study on crustal shear wave splitting in the western part of the Banda arc-continent collision

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Syuhada, E-mail: hadda9@gmail.com [Graduate Research on Earthquake and Active Tectonics-ITB, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132 (Indonesia); Research Centre for Physics - Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Puspiptek Serpong 15314,Indonesia (Indonesia); Hananto, Nugroho D. [Research Centre for Geotechnology -LIPI, Jl. Sangkuriang (Kompleks LIPI) Bandung 40135 (Indonesia); Puspito, Nanang T.; Yudistira, Tedi [Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering ITB, Jalan Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132 (Indonesia); Anggono, Titi [Research Centre for Physics - Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Puspiptek Serpong 15314,Indonesia (Indonesia)

2016-03-11

We analyzed shear wave splitting parameters from local shallow (< 30 km) earthquakes recorded at six seismic stations in the western part of the Banda arc-continent collision. We determined fast polarization and delay time for 195 event-stations pairs calculated from good signal-to-noise ratio waveforms. We observed that there is evidence for shear wave splitting at all stations with dominant fast polarization directions oriented about NE-SW, which are parallel to the collision direction of the Australian plate. However, minor fast polarization directions are oriented around NW-SE being perpendicular to the strike of Timor through. Furthermore, the changes in fast azimuths with the earthquake-station back azimuth suggest that the crustal anisotropy in the study area is not uniform. Splitting delay times are within the range of 0.05 s to 0.8 s, with a mean value of 0.29±0.18 s. Major seismic stations exhibit a weak tendency increasing of delay times with increasing hypocentral distance suggesting the main anisotropy contribution of the shallow crust. In addition, these variations in fast azimuths and delay times indicate that the crustal anisotropy in this region might not only be caused by extensive dilatancy anisotropy (EDA), but also by heterogeneity shallow structure such as the presence of foliations in the rock fabric and the fracture zones associated with active faults.

Shear strength of non-shear reinforced concrete elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoang, Cao linh

1997-01-01

The paper deals with the shear strength of prestressed hollow-core slabs determined by the theory of plasticity. Two failure mechanisms are considered in order to derive the solutions.In the case of sliding failure in a diagonal crack, the shear strength is determined by means of the crack sliding...

Experimental study of toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmode (TAE) stability at high q(0)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batha, S.H.; Levinton, F.M.; Spong, D.A.

1995-07-01

Experiments to destabilize the Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmode (TAE) by energetic alpha particles were performed on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor using deuterium and tritium fuel. To decrease the alpha particle pressure instability threshold, discharges with an elevated value of q(0) > 1.5 were used. By raising q(0), the radial location of the low toroidal-mode-number TAE gaps moves toward the magnetic axis and into alignment with the region of maximum alpha pressure gradient, thereby (in theory) lowering the value of β α (0) required for instability. No TAE activity was observed when the central alpha particle β α reached 0.08% in a discharge with fusion power of 2.4 MW. Calculations show that the fusion power is within a factor of 1.5 to 3 of the instability threshold

Continuous shear - a method for studying material elements passing a stationary shear plane

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindegren, Maria; Wiwe, Birgitte; Wanheim, Tarras

2003-01-01

circumferential groove. Normally shear in metal forming processes is of another nature, namely where the material elements move through a stationary shear zone, often of small width. In this paper a method enabling the simulation of this situation is presented. A tool for continuous shear has beeen manufactured...... and tested with AlMgSil and copper. The sheared material has thereafter been tested n plane strain compression with different orientation concerning the angle between the shear plane and the compression direction....

Rocket measurements within a polar cap arc - Plasma, particle, and electric circuit parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, E. J.; Ballenthin, J. O.; Basu, S.; Carlson, H. C.; Hardy, D. A.; Maynard, N. C.; Kelley, M. C.; Fleischman, J. R.; Pfaff, R. F.

1989-01-01

Results are presented from the Polar Ionospheric Irregularities Experiment (PIIE), conducted from Sondrestrom, Greenland, on March 15, 1985, designed for an investigation of processes which lead to the generation of small-scale (less than 1 km) ionospheric irregularities within polar-cap F-layer auroras. An instrumented rocket was launched into a polar cap F layer aurora to measure energetic electron flux, plasma, and electric circuit parameters of a sun-aligned arc, coordinated with simultaneous measurements from the Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radar and the AFGL Airborne Ionospheric Observatory. Results indicated the existence of two different generation mechanisms on the dawnside and duskside of the arc. On the duskside, parameters are suggestive of an interchange process, while on the dawnside, fluctuation parameters are consistent with a velocity shear instability.

Driving reconnection in sheared magnetic configurations with forced fluctuations

Science.gov (United States)

Pongkitiwanichakul, Peera; Makwana, Kirit D.; Ruffolo, David

2018-02-01

We investigate reconnection of magnetic field lines in sheared magnetic field configurations due to fluctuations driven by random forcing by means of numerical simulations. The simulations are performed with an incompressible, pseudo-spectral magnetohydrodynamics code in 2D where we take thick, resistively decaying, current-sheet like sheared magnetic configurations which do not reconnect spontaneously. We describe and test the forcing that is introduced in the momentum equation to drive fluctuations. It is found that the forcing does not change the rate of decay; however, it adds and removes energy faster in the presence of the magnetic shear structure compared to when it has decayed away. We observe that such a forcing can induce magnetic reconnection due to field line wandering leading to the formation of magnetic islands and O-points. These reconnecting field lines spread out as the current sheet decays with time. A semi-empirical formula is derived which reasonably explains the formation and spread of O-points. We find that reconnection spreads faster with stronger forcing and longer correlation time of forcing, while the wavenumber of forcing does not have a significant effect. When the field line wandering becomes large enough, the neighboring current sheets with opposite polarity start interacting, and then the magnetic field is rapidly annihilated. This work is useful to understand how forced fluctuations can drive reconnection in large scale current structures in space and astrophysical plasmas that are not susceptible to reconnection.

Shear response of Fe-bearing MgSiO3 post-perovskite at lower mantle pressures

Science.gov (United States)

METSUE, Arnaud; TSUCHIYA, Taku

2013-01-01

We investigate the shear response of possible slip systems activated in pure and Fe-bearing MgSiO3 post-perovskite (PPv) through ab initio generalized stacking fault (GSF) energy calculations. Here we show that the [100](001) slip system has the easiest response to plastic shear among ten possible slip systems investigated. Incorporation of Fe2+ decreases the strength of all slip systems but does not change the plastic anisotropy style. Therefore, pure and Fe-bearing MgSiO3 PPv should demonstrate similar LPO patterns with a strong signature of the [100](001) slip system. An aggregate with this deformation texture is expected to produce a VSH > VSV type polarization anisotropy, being consistent with seismological observations. PMID:23318681

Shear Wave Splitting analysis of borehole microseismic reveals weak azimuthal anisotropy hidden behind strong VTI fabric of Lower Paleozoic shales in northern Poland

Science.gov (United States)

Gajek, Wojciech; Verdon, James; Malinowski, Michał; Trojanowski, Jacek

2017-04-01

Azimuthal anisotropy plays a key-role in hydraulic fracturing experiments, since it provides information on stress orientation and pre-existing fracture system presence. The Lower Paleozoic shale plays in northern Poland are characterized by a strong (15-18%) Vertical Transverse Isotropy (VTI) fabric which dominates weak azimuthal anisotropy being of order of 1-2%. A shear wave travelling in the subsurface after entering an anisotropic medium splits into two orthogonally polarized waves travelling with different velocities. Splitting parameters which can be assessed using a microseismic array are polarization of the fast shear wave and time delay between two modes. Polarization of the fast wave characterizes the anisotropic system on the wave path while the time delay is proportional to the magnitude of anisotropy. We employ Shear Wave Splitting (SWS) technique using a borehole microseismic dataset collected during a hydraulic stimulation treatment located in northern Poland, to image fracture strike masked by a strong VTI signature. During the inversion part, the VTI background parameters were kept constant using information from 3D seismic (VTI model used for pre-stack depth migration). Obtained fracture azimuths averaged over fracturing stages are consistent with the available XRMI imager logs from the nearby vertical well, however they are different from the large-scale maximum stress direction (by 40-45 degrees). Inverted Hudson's crack density (ca. 2%) are compatible with the low shear-wave anisotropy observed in the cross-dipole sonic logs (1-2%). This work has been funded by the Polish National Centre for Research and Development within the Blue Gas project (No BG2/SHALEMECH/14). Data were provided by the PGNiG SA. Collaboration with University of Bristol was supported within TIDES COST Action ES1401.

Numerical investigations of two-degree-of-freedom vortex-induced vibration in shear flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Hui; Liu, Mengke; Han, Yang; Li, Jian; Gui, Mingyue; Chen, Zhihua, E-mail: zhanghui1902@hotmail.com [Science and Technology on Transient Physics Laboratory, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China)

2017-06-15

Exponential-polar coordinates attached to a moving cylinder are used to deduce the stream function-vorticity equations for two-degree-of-freedom vortex-induced vibration, the initial and boundary conditions, and the distribution of the hydrodynamic force, which consists of the vortex-induced force, inertial force, and viscous damping force. The fluid-structure interactions occurring from the motionless cylinder to the steady vibration are investigated numerically, and the variations of the flow field, pressure, lift/drag, and cylinder displacement are discussed. Both the dominant vortex and the cylinder shift, whose effects are opposite, affect the shear layer along the transverse direction and the secondary vortex along the streamwise direction. However, the effect of the cylinder shift is larger than that of the dominant vortices. Therefore, the former dominates the total effects of the flow field. Moreover, the symmetry of the flow field is broken with the increasing shear rate. With the effect of the background vortex, the upper vortices are strengthened, and the lower vortices are weakened; thus, the shear layer and the secondary vortices induced by the upper shedding vortices are strengthened, while the shear layer and the secondary vortices induced by the lower shedding vortices are weakened. Therefore, the amplitudes of the displacement and drag/lift dominated by the upper vortex are larger than those of the displacement and drag/lift dominated by the lower vortex. (paper)

A polarized digital shearing speckle pattern interferometry system based on temporal wavelet transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Ziang; Gao, Zhan; Zhang, Xiaoqiong; Wang, Shengjia; Yang, Dong; Yuan, Hao; Qin, Jie

2015-09-01

Digital shearing speckle pattern interferometry (DSSPI) has been recognized as a practical tool in testing strain. The DSSPI system which is based on temporal analysis is attractive because of its ability to measure strain dynamically. In this paper, such a DSSPI system with Wollaston prism has been built. The principles and system arrangement are described and the preliminary experimental result of the displacement-derivative test of an aluminum plate is shown with the wavelet transformation method and the Fourier transformation method. The simulations have been conducted with the finite element method. The comparison of the results shows that quantitative measurement of displacement-derivative has been realized.

Grain refinement of AZ91D alloy by intensive melt shearing and its persistence after remelting and isothermal holding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zuo Yubo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Intensive melt shearing has a significant grain refining effect on some light alloys. However, the persistence of the grain refining effect during isothermal holding and remelting is still unclear, although it is very important for the practical application. In this study, intensive melt shearing was achieved in a twin-screw mechanism to investigate its grain refining effect on AZ91D magnesium alloy. The refinement mechanism was discussed and the persistence of grain refinement after remelting and isothermal holding was also studied. A Zeiss imaging system with polarized light was used for quantitative measurement of grain size. The results show that the intensive melt shearing has a significant grain refining effect on AZ91D magnesium alloy. With the application of intensive melt shearing, the grain size of AZ91D magnesium alloy can be reduced from 530 μm (for a typical as-cast microstructure to 170 μm, which is about 70% size reduction. The grain refinement achieved by the intensive melt shearing can be partially kept after isothermal holding and remelting. It is believed that the refinement effect was mainly due to the finer and well dispersed oxide particles formed by high intensive shearing. The smaller size of oxide particles and their slow motion velocity in the sheared melt could make important contributions to the remained grain refinement.

Separate structure of two branches of sheared slab ηi mode and effects of plasma rotation shear in weak magnetic shear region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiquan Li; Kishimoto, Y.; Tuda, T.

2000-01-01

The separate structure of two branches of the sheared slab η i mode near the minimum-q magnetic surface is analysed and the effects of plasma rotation shears are considered in the weak magnetic shear region. Results show that the separation condition depends on the non-monotonous q profile and the deviation of rational surface from the minimum-q surface. Furthermore, it is found that the diamagnetic rotation shear may suppress the perturbation of the sheared slab η i mode at one side of the minimum-q surface, the poloidal rotation shear from the sheared E-vector x B-vector flow has a similar role to the slab mode structure when it possesses a direction same as the diamagnetic shear. A plausible interrelation between the separate structures of the two branches of the sheared slab mode and the discontinuity or gap of the radially global structure of the drift wave near the minimum-q surface observed in the toroidal particle simulation (Kishimoto Y et al 1998 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 40 A663) is discussed. It seems to support such a viewpoint: the double or/and global branches of the sheared slab η i mode near the minimum-q surface may become a bridge to connect the radially global structures of the drift wave at two sides of the minimum-q surface and the discontinuity may originate from the separate structures of these slab modes for a flatter q profile. (author)

The brittle-viscous-plastic evolution of shear bands in the South Armorican Shear Zone

Science.gov (United States)

Bukovská, Zita; Jeřábek, Petr; Morales, Luiz F. G.; Lexa, Ondrej; Milke, Ralf

2014-05-01

Shear bands are microscale shear zones that obliquely crosscut an existing anisotropy such as a foliation. The resulting S-C fabrics are characterized by angles lower than 45° and the C plane parallel to shear zone boundaries. The S-C fabrics typically occur in granitoids deformed at greenschist facies conditions in the vicinity of major shear zones. Despite their long recognition, mechanical reasons for localization of deformation into shear bands and their evolution is still poorly understood. In this work we focus on microscale characterization of the shear bands in the South Armorican Shear Zone, where the S-C fabrics were first recognized by Berthé et al. (1979). The initiation of shear bands in the right-lateral South Armorican Shear Zone is associated with the occurrence of microcracks crosscutting the recrystallized quartz aggregates that define the S fabric. In more advanced stages of shear band evolution, newly formed dominant K-feldspar, together with plagioclase, muscovite and chlorite occur in the microcracks, and the shear bands start to widen. K-feldspar replaces quartz by progressively bulging into the grain boundaries of recrystallized quartz grains, leading to disintegration of quartz aggregates and formation of fine-grained multiphase matrix mixture. The late stages of shear band development are marked by interconnection of fine-grained white mica into a band that crosscuts the original shear band matrix. In its extremity, the shear band widening may lead to the formation of ultramylonites. With the increasing proportion of shear band matrix from ~1% to ~12%, the angular relationship between S and C fabrics increases from ~30° to ~40°. The matrix phases within shear bands show differences in chemical composition related to distinct evolutionary stages of shear band formation. The chemical evolution is well documented in K-feldspar, where the albite component is highest in porphyroclasts within S fabric, lower in the newly formed grains within

Shear Capacity of C-Shaped and L-Shaped Angle Shear Connectors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farzad Tahmasbi

Full Text Available This paper investigates the behaviour of C-shaped and L-shaped angle shear connectors embedded in solid concrete slabs. An effective finite element model is proposed to simulate the push out tests of these shear connectors that encompass nonlinear material behaviour, large displacement and damage plasticity. The finite element models are validated against test results. Parametric studies using this nonlinear model are performed to investigate the variations in concrete strength and connector dimensions. The finite element analyses also confirm the test results that increasing the length of shear connector increases their shear strength proportionately. It is observed that the maximum stress in L-shaped angle connectors takes place in the weld attachment to the beam, whereas in the C-shaped angle connectors, it is in the attached leg. The location of maximum concrete compressive damage is rendered in each case. Finally, a new equation for prediction of the shear capacity of C-shaped angle connectors is proposed.

Shear Capacity of C-Shaped and L-Shaped Angle Shear Connectors

Science.gov (United States)

Tahmasbi, Farzad; Maleki, Shervin; Shariati, Mahdi; Ramli Sulong, N. H.; Tahir, M. M.

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the behaviour of C-shaped and L-shaped angle shear connectors embedded in solid concrete slabs. An effective finite element model is proposed to simulate the push out tests of these shear connectors that encompass nonlinear material behaviour, large displacement and damage plasticity. The finite element models are validated against test results. Parametric studies using this nonlinear model are performed to investigate the variations in concrete strength and connector dimensions. The finite element analyses also confirm the test results that increasing the length of shear connector increases their shear strength proportionately. It is observed that the maximum stress in L-shaped angle connectors takes place in the weld attachment to the beam, whereas in the C-shaped angle connectors, it is in the attached leg. The location of maximum concrete compressive damage is rendered in each case. Finally, a new equation for prediction of the shear capacity of C-shaped angle connectors is proposed. PMID:27478894

Excitation of the shear horizontal mode in a monolayer by inelastic helium atom scattering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruch, L. W.; Hansen, Flemming Yssing

2005-01-01

Inelastic scattering of a low-energy atomic helium beam (HAS) by a physisorbed monolayer is treated in the one-phonon approximation using a time-dependent wave,packet formulation. The calculations show that modes with shear horizontal polarization can be excited near high symmetry azimuths....... The diffraction and inelastic processes arise from a strong coupling of the incident atom to the target and the calculated results show large departures from expectations based on analogies to inelastic thermal neutron scattering....

Finite orbit energetic particle linear response to toroidal Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berk, H.L.; Ye, Huanchun; Breizman, B.N.

1991-07-01

The linear response of energetic particles to the TAE modes is calculated taking into account their finite orbit excursion from the flux surfaces. The general expression reproduces the previously derived theory for small banana width: when the banana width triangle b is much larger than the mode thickness triangle m , we obtain a new compact expression for the linear power transfer. When triangle m /triangle b much-lt 1, the banana orbit effect reduces the power transfer by a factor of triangle m /triangle b from that predicted by the narrow orbit theory. A comparison is made of the contribution to the TAE growth rate of energetic particles with a slowing-down distribution arising from an isotropic source, and a balance-injected beam source when the source speed is close to the Alfven speed. For the same stored energy density, the contribution from the principal resonances (|υ parallel | = υ A is substantially enhanced in the beam case compared to the isotropic case, while the contribution at the higher sidebands (|υ parallel |) = υ A /(2 ell - 1) with ell ≥ 2) is substantially reduced. 10 refs

Plasticity Approach to Shear Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoang, Cao Linh; Nielsen, Mogens Peter

1998-01-01

The paper presents some plastic models for shear design of reinforced concrete beams. Distinction is made between two shear failure modes, namely web crushing and crack sliding. The first mentioned mode is met in beams with large shear reinforcement degrees. The mode of crack sliding is met in non......-shear reinforced beams as well as in lightly shear reinforced beams. For such beams the shear strength is determined by the recently developed crack sliding model. This model is based upon the hypothesis that cracks can be transformed into yield lines, which have lower sliding resistance than yield lines formed...... in uncracked concrete. Good agree between theory and tests has been found.Keywords: dsign, plasticity, reinforced concrete, reinforcement, shear, web crushing....

Turbulence suppression by E x B shear in JET optimized shear pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beer, M.A.; Budny, R.V.; Challis, C.D.; Conway, G.

2000-01-01

The authors calculate microinstability growth rates in JET optimized shear plasmas with a comprehensive gyrofluid model, including sheared E x B flows, trapped electrons, and all dominant ion species in realistic magnetic geometry. They find good correlation between E x B shear suppression of microinstabilities and both the formation and collapse of the internal transport barrier

Shear Strains, Strain Rates and Temperature Changes in Adiabatic Shear Bands

Science.gov (United States)

1980-05-01

X14A. It has been found that when bainitic and martensitic steels are sheared adiabatically, a layer of material within ths shear zone is altezed and...Sooiety for Metals, Metals Park, Ohio, 1978, pp. 148-0. 21 TABLE II SOLID-STATE TRANSFORMATIONS IN BAINITIC STEEL TRANSFORMATION TRANSFORMATION...shear, thermoplastic, plasticity, plastic deformation, armor, steel IL AnSRACT ( -=nba asoa.tm a naeoesM iN faity by bleak n bet/2972 Experiments

On the stochastic interaction of monochromatic Alfven waves with toroidally trapped particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krlin, L.; Pavlo, P.; Tluchor, Z.; Gasek, Z.

1987-07-01

Monochromatic Alfven wave interaction with toroidaly trapped particles in the intrinsic stochasticity regime is discussed. Both the diffusion in velocities and in the radial position of bananas is studied. Using a suitable Hamiltonian formalism, the effect of wave parallel components E-tilde paral and B-tilde paral is investigated. The stochasticity threshold is estimated for plasma electrons and for thermonuclear alpha-particles (neglecting the effect of B-tilde paral ) by means of direct numerical integration of the corresponding canonical equations. Stochasticity causes transfer between trapped and untrapped regimes and the induced radial diffusion of bananas. The latter effect can considerably exceed neoclassical diffusion. The effect of B-tilde paral was only estimated analytically. It consisted in frequency modulation of the banana periodic motion coupled with a possible Mathieu instability. Nevertheless, for B-tilde paral corresponding to E-tilde paral , the effect seems to be weaker than the effect of E-tilde paral when the thermonuclear regime is considered. (author). 14 figs., 36 refs

The dominant mode of standing Alfven waves at the synchronous orbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cummings, W.D.; Countee, C.; Lyons, D.; Wiley, W. III

1975-01-01

Low-frequency oscillations of the earth's magnetic field recorded by the University of California at Los Angeles magnetometer on board ATS 1 have been examined for the 6-month interval January-June 1968. Using evidence from Ogo 5 and ATS 5 as well as the data from ATS 1, we argue that the dominant mode at ATS 1 must be the fundamental rather than the second harmonic of a standing Alfven wave. We also conclude that these transverse oscillations are more accurately associated with magnetically disturbed days than with quiet days. Both of these results represent changes of tentative conclusions based on our initial analysis. From 14 instances when oscillations of distinctly different periods occurred during the same time interval at ATS 1 we also conclude that higher harmonics can exist. The period ratio in seven of the 14 cases corresponds to the simultaneous occurrence of the second harmonic with the fundamental, and four other cases could be identified as the simultaneous occurrence of the fourth harmonic with the fundamental

Energy Decay Laws in Strongly Anisotropic Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bigot, Barbara; Galtier, Sebastien; Politano, Helene

2008-01-01

We investigate the influence of a uniform magnetic field B 0 =B 0 e parallel on energy decay laws in incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. The nonlinear transfer reduction along B 0 is included in a model that distinguishes parallel and perpendicular directions, following a phenomenology of Kraichnan. We predict a slowing down of the energy decay due to anisotropy in the limit of strong B 0 , with distinct power laws for energy decay of shear- and pseudo-Alfven waves. Numerical results from the kinetic equations of Alfven wave turbulence recover these predictions, and MHD numerical results clearly tend to follow them in the lowest perpendicular planes

Magnetoelastic shear wave propagation in pre-stressed anisotropic media under gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Kumari, Nirmala; Chattopadhyay, Amares; Singh, Abhishek K.; Sahu, Sanjeev A.

2017-03-01

The present study investigates the propagation of shear wave (horizontally polarized) in two initially stressed heterogeneous anisotropic (magnetoelastic transversely isotropic) layers in the crust overlying a transversely isotropic gravitating semi-infinite medium. Heterogeneities in both the anisotropic layers are caused due to exponential variation (case-I) and linear variation (case-II) in the elastic constants with respect to the space variable pointing positively downwards. The dispersion relations have been established in closed form using Whittaker's asymptotic expansion and were found to be in the well-agreement to the classical Love wave equations. The substantial effects of magnetoelastic coupling parameters, heterogeneity parameters, horizontal compressive initial stresses, Biot's gravity parameter, and wave number on the phase velocity of shear waves have been computed and depicted by means of a graph. As a special case, dispersion equations have been deduced when the two layers and half-space are isotropic and homogeneous. The comparative study for both cases of heterogeneity of the layers has been performed and also depicted by means of graphical illustrations.

Relative viscosity of emulsions in simple shear flow: Temperature, shear rate, and interfacial tension dependence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Se Bin; Lee, Joon Sang [Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei Unversity, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-08-15

We simulate an emulsion system under simple shear rates to analyze its rheological characteristics using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). We calculate the relative viscosity of an emulsion under a simple shear flow along with changes in temperature, shear rate, and surfactant concentration. The relative viscosity of emulsions decreased with an increase in temperature. We observed the shear-thinning phenomena, which is responsible for the inverse proportion between the shear rate and viscosity. An increase in the interfacial tension caused a decrease in the relative viscosity of the decane-in-water emulsion because the increased deformation caused by the decreased interfacial tension significantly influenced the wall shear stress.

Shear banding, discontinuous shear thickening, and rheological phase transitions in athermally sheared frictionless disks

Science.gov (United States)

Vâgberg, Daniel; Olsson, Peter; Teitel, S.

2017-05-01

We report on numerical simulations of simple models of athermal, bidisperse, soft-core, massive disks in two dimensions, as a function of packing fraction ϕ , inelasticity of collisions as measured by a parameter Q , and applied uniform shear strain rate γ ˙. Our particles have contact interactions consisting of normally directed elastic repulsion and viscous dissipation, as well as tangentially directed viscous dissipation, but no interparticle Coulombic friction. Mapping the phase diagram in the (ϕ ,Q ) plane for small γ ˙, we find a sharp first-order rheological phase transition from a region with Bagnoldian rheology to a region with Newtonian rheology, and show that the system is always Newtonian at jamming. We consider the rotational motion of particles and demonstrate the crucial importance that the coupling between rotational and translational degrees of freedom has on the phase structure at small Q (strongly inelastic collisions). At small Q , we show that, upon increasing γ ˙, the sharp Bagnoldian-to-Newtonian transition becomes a coexistence region of finite width in the (ϕ ,γ ˙) plane, with coexisting Bagnoldian and Newtonian shear bands. Crossing this coexistence region by increasing γ ˙ at fixed ϕ , we find that discontinuous shear thickening can result if γ ˙ is varied too rapidly for the system to relax to the shear-banded steady state corresponding to the instantaneous value of γ ˙.

Analysis of the Shear Behavior of Stubby Y-Type Perfobond Rib Shear Connectors for a Composite Frame Structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sang-Hyo; Kim, Kun-Soo; Lee, Do-Hoon; Park, Jun-Seung; Han, Oneil

2017-11-22

Shear connectors are used in steel beam-concrete slabs of composite frame and bridge structures to transfer shear force according to design loads. The existing Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors are designed for girder slabs of composite bridges. Therefore, the rib and transverse rebars of the conventional Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors are extremely large for the composite frames of building structures. Thus, this paper proposes stubby Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors, redefining the existing connectors, for composite frames of building structures; these were used to perform push-out tests. These shear connectors have relatively small ribs compared to the conventional Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors. To confirm the shear resistance of these stubby shear connectors, we performed an experiment by using transverse rebars D13 and D16. The results indicate that these shear connectors have suitable shear strength and ductility for application in composite frame structures. The shear strengths obtained using D13 and D16 were not significantly different. However, the ductility of the shear connectors with D16 was 45.1% higher than that of the shear connectors with D13.

Evaluation of Intrinsic Shear Piezoelectric Coefficient d15 of c-Axis Oriented Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 Films

Science.gov (United States)

Kanno, Isaku; Akama, Kenji; Wasa, Kiyotaka; Kotera, Hidetoshi

2009-09-01

Piezoelectric shear strain was measured for c-axis oriented epitaxial Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films. The PZT films, with a composition near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), were epitaxially grown on (001) MgO substrates and then microfabricated into a rectangular shape by wet etching of the films. Lateral electrodes were deposited on both sides of the PZT films, to apply an external electric field perpendicular to the polarization. A sinusoidal input voltage of 100 kHz was applied between the lateral electrodes, and in-plane shear vibration was measured by a laser Doppler vibrometer. In-plane displacement due to shear mode piezoelectric vibration was clearly observed and increased proportionally with the voltage. Finite element method (FEM) analysis was conducted to determine the horizontal electric field in the PZT film, and the piezoelectric coefficient d15 was calculated to be 440×10-12 m/V. The d15 of the PZT film represents the intrinsic shear piezoelectric effect, which is slightly smaller than that of bulk PZT, due to the absence of extrinsic effects such as longitudinal and transverse piezoelectric strain or domain rotation.

Comparison of direct shear and simple shear responses of municipal solid waste in USA

KAUST Repository

Fei, Xunchang; Zekkos, Dimitrios

2017-01-01

Although large-size simple shear (SS) testing of municipal solid waste (MSW) may arguably provide a more realistic estimate of the shear strength (τ ) of MSW than the most commonly used direct shear (DS) testing, a systematic comparison between

The relaxed-polar mechanism of locally optimal Cosserat rotations for an idealized nanoindentation and comparison with 3D-EBSD experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Fischle, Andreas; Neff, Patrizio; Raabe, Dierk

2017-08-01

The rotation {{polar}}(F) \\in {{SO}}(3) arises as the unique orthogonal factor of the right polar decomposition F = {{polar}}(F) U of a given invertible matrix F \\in {{GL}}^+(3). In the context of nonlinear elasticity Grioli (Boll Un Math Ital 2:252-255, 1940) discovered a geometric variational characterization of {{polar}}(F) as a unique energy-minimizing rotation. In preceding works, we have analyzed a generalization of Grioli's variational approach with weights (material parameters) μ > 0 and μ _c ≥ 0 (Grioli: μ = μ _c). The energy subject to minimization coincides with the Cosserat shear-stretch contribution arising in any geometrically nonlinear, isotropic and quadratic Cosserat continuum model formulated in the deformation gradient field F :=\

Fast-ion losses induced by ACs and TAEs in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

GarcIa-Munoz, M.; Hicks, N.; Classen, I.G.J.; Bilato, R.; Bobkov, V.; Brambilla, M.; Bruedgam, M.; Fahrbach, H.-U.; Igochine, V.; Maraschek, M.; Sassenberg, K.; Van Voornveld, R.; Jaemsae, S.

2010-01-01

The phase-space of convective and diffusive fast-ion losses induced by shear Alfven eigenmodes has been characterized in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. Time-resolved energy and pitch-angle measurements of fast-ion losses correlated in frequency and phase with toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) and Alfven cascades (ACs) have allowed to identify both loss mechanisms. While single ACs and TAEs eject resonant fast-ions in a convective process, the overlapping of AC and TAE spatial structures leads to a large fast-ion diffusion and loss. The threshold for diffusive fast-ion losses depends on the ion energy (gyroradius). Diffusive fast-ion losses with gyroradius ∼70 mm have been observed with a single TAE for local radial displacements of the magnetic field lines larger than ∼2 mm. Multiple frequency chirping ACs cause an enhancement of the diffusive losses. The ACs and TAEs radial structures have been reconstructed by means of cross-correlation techniques between the fast-ion loss detector and the electron cyclotron emission radiometer.

Semiconductor laser shearing interferometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ming Hai; Li Ming; Chen Nong; Xie Jiaping

1988-03-01

The application of semiconductor laser on grating shearing interferometry is studied experimentally in the present paper. The method measuring the coherence of semiconductor laser beam by ion etching double frequency grating is proposed. The experimental result of lens aberration with semiconductor laser shearing interferometer is given. Talbot shearing interferometry of semiconductor laser is also described. (author). 2 refs, 9 figs

Comparison of direct shear and simple shear responses of municipal solid waste in USA

KAUST Repository

Fei, Xunchang

2017-10-25

Although large-size simple shear (SS) testing of municipal solid waste (MSW) may arguably provide a more realistic estimate of the shear strength (τ ) of MSW than the most commonly used direct shear (DS) testing, a systematic comparison between the shear responses of MSW obtained from the two testing methods is lacking. In this study, a large-size shear device was used to test identical MSW specimens sampled in USA in DS and SS. Eight DS tests and 11 SS tests were conducted at vertical effective stresses of 50–500 kPa. The stress–displacement response of MSW in SS testing was hyperbolic and a maximum shear stress was reached, whereas a maximum shear stress was not reached in most DS tests. The τ, effective friction angle (ϕ ′) and cohesion (c ′) of MSW were obtained from DS and SS tests by using a displacement failure criterion of 40 mm. τ in SS testing was found to be equal to or lower than τ in DS testing with ratios of τ between 73 and 101%. SS testing resulted in higher ϕ ′ but lower c ′ than DS testing. The shear strength parameters were lower than those obtained in previous studies from DS tests at 55 mm displacement.

Experimental investigations into the shear behavior of self-compacting RC beams with and without shear reinforcement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ammar N. HANOON

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Self-compacting concrete (SCC is a new generation of high-performance concrete, known for its excellent deformability and high resistance to segregation and bleeding. Nonetheless, SCC may be incapable of resisting shear because the shear resistance mechanisms of this concrete are uncertain, especially the aggregate interlock mechanism. This uncertainty is attributed to the fact that SCC contains a smaller amount of coarse aggregates than normal concrete (NC does. This study focuses on the shear strength of self-compacting reinforced concrete (RC beams with and without shear reinforcement. A total of 16 RC beam specimens was manufactured and tested in terms of shear span-to-depth ratio and flexural and shear reinforcement ratio. The test results were compared with those of the shear design equations developed by ACI, BS, CAN and NZ codes. Results show that an increase in web reinforcement enhanced cracking strength and ultimate load. Shear-tension failure was the control failure in all tested beams.

Confocal microscopy of colloidal dispersions in shear flow using a counter-rotating cone-plate shear cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derks, Didi; Wisman, Hans; Blaaderen, Alfons van; Imhof, Arnout

2004-01-01

We report on novel possibilities for studying colloidal suspensions in a steady shear field in real space. Fluorescence confocal microscopy is combined with the use of a counter-rotating cone-plate shear cell. This allows imaging of individual particles in the bulk of a sheared suspension in a stationary plane. Moreover, this plane of zero velocity can be moved in the velocity gradient direction while keeping the shear rate constant. The colloidal system under study consists of rhodamine labelled PMMA spheres in a nearly density and refractive index matched mixture of cyclohexylbromide and cis-decalin. We show measured flow profiles in both the fluid and the crystalline phase and find indications for shear banding in the case of a sheared crystal. Furthermore, we show that, thanks to the counter-rotating principle of the cone-plate shear cell, a layer of particles in the bulk of a sheared crystalline suspension can be imaged for a prolonged time, with the result that their positions can be tracked

Initial state with shear in peripheral heavy ion collisions

Science.gov (United States)

Magas, V. K.; Gordillo, J.; Strottman, D.; Xie, Y. L.; Csernai, L. P.

2018-06-01

In the present work we propose a new way of constructing the initial state for further hydrodynamic simulation of relativistic heavy ion collisions based on Bjorken-like solution applied streak by streak in the transverse plane. Previous fluid dynamical calculations in Cartesian coordinates with an initial state based on a streak by streak Yang-Mills field led for peripheral higher energy collisions to large angular momentum, initial shear flow and significant local vorticity. Recent experiments verified the existence of this vorticity via the resulting polarization of emitted Λ and Λ ¯ particles. At the same time parton cascade models indicated the existence of more compact initial state configurations, which we are going to simulate in our approach. The proposed model satisfies all the conservation laws, including conservation of a strong initial angular momentum, which is present in noncentral collisions. As a consequence of this large initial angular momentum we observe the rotation of the whole system as well as the fluid shear in the initial state, which leads to large flow vorticity. Another advantage of the proposed model is that the initial state can be given in both [t,x,y,z] and [τ ,x ,y ,η ] coordinates and thus can be tested by all 3+1D hydrodynamical codes which exist in the field.

MHD waves, reconnection, and plasma transport at the dayside magnetopause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, J.R.; Cheng, C.Z.

1996-01-01

The magnetic field of the Earth creates a huge cavity in the solar wind known as the magnetosphere. The transition region between the solar wind plasma and magnetosphere plasma is of substantial interest because many magnetospheric processes are governed by the transport of particles, momentum and energy across that boundary. At this boundary, the magnetopause, there is an abrupt decrease in plasma bulk flow, density and pressure, and large increase in temperature and magnetic field. Throughout this region the plasmas is large. Large amplitude compressional waves are nearly always found in the region just outside of the magnetopause. These waves are either intrinsic solar wind fluctuations or they may be global mirror modes which are generated in a localized region of large pressure anisotropy just outside the magnetopause. The substantial background gradients observed at the magnetopause strongly couple the compressional waves with kinetic Alfven waves near the Alfven resonance location, leading to substantial particle transport. Moreover, for a sheared background magnetic field, as is found at times of southward interplanetary magnetic field, the mode converted kinetic Alfven waves can propagate to the location where k parallel = 0 and generate islands in phase space. We present a solution of the kinetic-MHD wave equations for the magnetic field structure based on a realistic steady state profile which includes: a sheared magnetic field; magnetic curvature; and gradients in the background density, pressure and magnetic field. We incorporate wave-particle resonance interactions for electrons and ions to obtain the dissipation. The background magnetic Keld curvature and gradient give rise to drifts which alter the resonance condition for the various particle species (ω - k circ V d - k parallel v parallel ) and reduces the Landau damping of the kinetic Alfven wave, allowing it to propagate to the k parallel = 0 location

Excited waves in shear layers

Science.gov (United States)

Bechert, D. W.

1982-01-01

The generation of instability waves in free shear layers is investigated. The model assumes an infinitesimally thin shear layer shed from a semi-infinite plate which is exposed to sound excitation. The acoustical shear layer excitation by a source further away from the plate edge in the downstream direction is very weak while upstream from the plate edge the excitation is relatively efficient. A special solution is given for the source at the plate edge. The theory is then extended to two streams on both sides of the shear layer having different velocities and densities. Furthermore, the excitation of a shear layer in a channel is calculated. A reference quantity is found for the magnitude of the excited instability waves. For a comparison with measurements, numerical computations of the velocity field outside the shear layer were carried out.

Internal Transport Barrier Driven by Redistribution of Energetic Ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, K.L.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Ruskov, E.; Petty, C.C.; Greenfield, C.M.; Nazikian, R.; Budny, R.

2004-01-01

Alfven instabilities excited by energetic ions are used as a means to reduce the central magnetic shear in a tokamak via redistribution of energetic ions. When the central magnetic shear is low enough, ballooning modes become stable for any plasma pressure gradient and an internal transport barrier (ITB) with a steep pressure gradient can exist. This mechanism can sustain a steady-state ITB as demonstrated by experimental data from the DIII-D tokamak. It can also produce a shear in toroidal and poloidal plasma rotation. Possible application of this technique to use the energetic alpha particles for improvement of burning plasma performance is discussed

Computing the damping and destabilization of global Alfven waves in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerner, W.; Keegan, B.; Goedbloed, J.P.; Huysmans, G.T.A.

1991-01-01

The role of ideal MHD in magnetic fusion is in the first place to discover magnetic geometries with favourable equilibrium and stability properties. Non-ideal effects cause slower and weaker instabilities leading to enhanced transport and often to violent disruptions. MHD spectroscopy, i.e. the identification of ideal and dissipative MHD modes for the purpose of diagnosing tokamaks and optimising their stability properties, requires a numerical tool which accurately calculates the dissipative MHD spectra for measured equilibria. The new spectral code CASTOR (Complex Alfven Spectrum for TORoidal Plasmas), together with the equilibrium solver HELENA, provides such a tool. In CASTOR, the fluid variables ρ, v, T, and b are discretized by means of a combination of cubic Hermite and quadratic finite elements for the radial direction and Fourier modes for the poloidal coordinate. The equilibrium in non-orthogonal flux coordinates ψ, θ, φ with straight field lines is computed using isoparametric bicubic Hermite elements, resulting in a very accurate representation of the metric elements. Finally, for analysis of JET discharges the equilibrium solver HELENA is interfaced with the equilibrium identification code IDENTC(D). (author) 5 refs., 5 figs

Shear strength of non-shear reinforced concrete elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoang, Cao linh

1997-01-01

is based upon the hypothesis that cracks can be transformed into yield lines, which have lower sliding resistance than yield lines formed in uncracked concrete.Proposals have been made on how the derived standard solutions may be applied to more complicated cases, such as continuous beams, beams......The report deals with the shear strength of statically indeterminate reinforced concrete beams without shear reinforcement. Solutions for a number of beams with different load and support conditions have been derived by means of the crack sliding model developed by Jin- Ping Zhang.This model...

Experiments on sheet metal shearing

OpenAIRE

Gustafsson, Emil

2013-01-01

Within the sheet metal industry, different shear cutting technologies are commonly used in several processing steps, e.g. in cut to length lines, slitting lines, end cropping etc. Shearing has speed and cost advantages over competing cutting methods like laser and plasma cutting, but involves large forces on the equipment and large strains in the sheet material.Numerical models to predict forces and sheared edge geometry for different sheet metal grades and different shear parameter set-ups a...

Experimental observation of shear thickening oscillation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nagahiro, Shin-ichiro; Nakanishi, Hiizu; Mitarai, Namiko

2013-01-01

We report experimental observations of the shear thickening oscillation, i.e. the spontaneous macroscopic oscillation in the shear flow of severe shear thickening fluid. Using a density-matched starch-water mixture, in the cylindrical shear flow of a few centimeters flow width, we observed...

Shear behaviour of reinforced phyllite concrete beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adom-Asamoah, Mark; Owusu Afrifa, Russell

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Phyllite concrete beams often exhibited shear with anchorage bond failure. ► Different shear design provisions for reinforced phyllite beams are compared. ► Predicted shear capacity of phyllite beams must be modified by a reduction factor. -- Abstract: The shear behaviour of concrete beams made from phyllite aggregates subjected to monotonic and cyclic loading is reported. First diagonal shear crack load of beams with and without shear reinforcement was between 42–58% and 42–92% of the failure loads respectively. The phyllite concrete beams without shear links had lower post-diagonal cracking shear resistance compared to corresponding phyllite beams with shear links. As a result of hysteretic energy dissipation, limited cyclic loading affected the stiffness, strength and deformation of the phyllite beams with shear reinforcement. Generally, beams with and without shear reinforcement showed anchorage bond failure in addition to the shear failure due to high stress concentration near the supports. The ACI, BS and EC codes are conservative for the prediction of phyllite concrete beams without shear reinforcement but they all overestimate the shear strength of phyllite concrete beams with shear reinforcement. It is recommended that the predicted shear capacity of phyllite beams reinforced with steel stirrups be modified by a reduction factor of 0.7 in order to specify a high enough safety factor on their ultimate strength. It is also recommended that susceptibility of phyllite concrete beams to undergo anchorage bond failure is averted in design by the provision of greater anchorage lengths than usually permitted.

Stable operating regimes in NET with respect to Alfven wave instabilities during neutral beam current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckhartt, D.

1989-01-01

Supra-thermal ions can contribute to the steady-state current in future large tokamak machines like NET or ITER. The fast-ion population is generated by collisional slowing-down of high-energy ions which were injected as neutral atoms in quasi-tangential direction and ionized by plasma interactions. Depending on the initial beam shape these fast ions can excite microinstabilities of the Alfven-wave type which are driven by the gradients in velocity-space. The ensuring plasma turbulence is expected to slow down the fast ions very quickly. This effect reduces the current drive efficiency which otherwise is comparable to that of other current drive schemes like lower hybrid waves where the toroidal current is carried by high-energy resonant electrons. (author) 3 refs., 1 fig

The effect of sheared axial flow on nonlinear Z-pinch dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kassapakis, N.

2000-01-01

A two dimensional Eulerian fluid code has been used to study three problems related to Z-pinch and laser produced plasmas. a) The nonlinear evolution of a localised m=0 MHD mode neck is studied in order to extract some scaling laws for the size and form of the artificial neck. We examine whether the ubiquitous m=0 instability could be beneficially used to assist in the formation of a transient localised dense plasma. The results obtained were in satisfactory agreement with experiments and other theoretical work where available. b) The development of the m=0 instability on a Z-pinch although beneficial in the previous case, is detrimental from a stability point of view and thus to the utilisation of the device as a fusion reactor by itself. This is because the timescales of the instability development are faster than the confinement time needed for fusion to occur. Sheared axial flow is a proposed mechanism for the non-linear saturation of this particular instability. Indeed the linear growth rate also can be substantially reduced. It is hoped that it can inhibit the growth of the instabilities or at least delay their development sufficiently for fusion to take place. The numerical study of the effect of sheared axial flow on the nonlinear dynamics of the Z-pinch carried out, demonstrates that sheared flow with velocity u z z >4 Alfven speed other modes, of the Kelvin-Helmholtz type, are excited which take over from the fastest growing mode in the static case. c) The expansion of the ablated plasma in laser-solid interactions is an important phenomenon for a plethora of reasons one of which is ICF. The simulations were in direct agreement with previous experimental work regarding the bulk properties of the ablation surface. They also provided justification for some assumptions made during the analysis of the observations and helped to confirm the calibration of the diagnostics timewise. The most striking feature of the experiments, namely the density dip on the

To determine the slow shearing rate for consolidation drained shear box tests

Science.gov (United States)

Jamalludin, Damanhuri; Ahmad, Azura; Nordin, Mohd Mustaqim Mohd; Hashim, Mohamad Zain; Ibrahim, Anas; Ahmad, Fauziah

2017-08-01

Slope failures always occur in Malaysia especially during the rainy seasons. They cause damage to properties and fatalities. In this study, a total of 24 one dimensional consolidation tests were carried out on soil samples taken from 16 slope failures in Penang Island and in Baling, Kedah. The slope failures in Penang Island are within the granitic residual soil while in Baling, Kedah they are situated within the sedimentary residual soil. Most of the disturbed soil samples were taken at 100mm depth from the existing soil surface while some soil samples were also taken at 400, 700 and 1000mm depths from the existing soil surface. They were immediately placed in 2 layers of plastic bag to prevent moisture loss. Field bulk density tests were also carried out at all the locations where soil samples were taken. The field bulk density results were later used to re-compact the soil samples for the consolidation tests. The objective of the research is to determine the slow shearing rate to be used in consolidated drained shear box for residual soils taken from slope failures so that the effective shear strength parameters can be determined. One dimensional consolidation tests were used to determine the slow shearing rate. The slow shearing rate found in this study to be used in the consolidated drained shear box tests especially for Northern Malaysian residual soils was 0.286mm/minute.

Possible evidence for the driving of the winds of hot stars by Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Underhill, A.B.

1983-01-01

Ultraviolet spectra of the supergiants α Cam (09.5 Ia), HD 105056 (ON9.7 Iae), and 15 Sgr (09.7 Lab) are compared, and it is shown that the terminal outflow velocity ν/sub infinity/, of HD 105056 is one-half that of the other two stars even though HD 105056 has the highest effective temperature of the three stars. This anomaly, together with the fact that the observed ν/sub infinity/ values for early-type stars scatter about an empirical correlation between ν/sub infinity/ and log T/sub eff/ by an amount which is larger than the amount which is larger than the amount expected according to the observational errors in determining ν/sub infinity/ and log T/sub eff/, leads to the conclusion that an agent in addition to radiation. Alfven waves, is driving the winds of early-type stars

Fifty years of shear zones

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Rodney

2017-04-01

We are here, of course, because 1967 saw the publication of John Ramsay's famous book. Two years later a memorable field trip from Imperial College to the Outer Hebrides saw John on a bleak headland on the coast of North Uist where a relatively undeformed metadolerite within Lewisian (Precambrian) gneisses contained ductile shear zones with metamorphic fabrics in amphibolite facies. One particular outcrop was very special - a shear zone cutting otherwise completely isotropic, undeformed metadolerite, with an incremental foliation starting to develop at 45° to the deformation zone, and increasing in intensity as it approached the shear direction. Here was proof of the process of simple shear under ductile metamorphic conditions - the principles of simple shear outlined in John Ramsay's 1967 book clearly visible in nature, and verified by Ramsay's mathematical proofs in the eventual paper (Ramsay and Graham, 1970). Later work on the Lewisian on the mainland of Scotland, in South Harris, in Africa, and elsewhere applied Ramsay's simple shear principles more liberally, more imprecisely and on larger scale than at Caisteal Odair, but in retrospect it documented what seems now to be the generality of mid and lower crustal deformation. Deep seismic reflection data show us that on passive margins hyper-stretched continental crust (whether or not cloaked by Seaward Dipping Reflectors) seems to have collapsed onto the mantle. Crustal faults mostly sole out at or above the mantle - so the Moho is a detachment- an 'outer marginal detachment', if you like, and, of course, it must be a ductile shear. On non-volcanic margins this shear zone forms the first formed ocean floor before true sea floor spreading gets going to create real oceanic crust. Gianreto Manatschal, Marcel Lemoine and others realised that the serpentinites described in parts of the Alps are exposed remnants of this ductile shear zone. Associated ophicalcite breccias tell of sea floor exposure, while high

High strength semi-active energy absorbers using shear- and mixedmode operation at high shear rates

Science.gov (United States)

Becnel, Andrew C.

This body of research expands the design space of semi-active energy absorbers for shock isolation and crash safety by investigating and characterizing magnetorheological fluids (MRFs) at high shear rates ( > 25,000 1/s) under shear and mixed-mode operation. Magnetorheological energy absorbers (MREAs) work well as adaptive isolators due to their ability to quickly and controllably adjust to changes in system mass or impact speed while providing fail-safe operation. However, typical linear stroking MREAs using pressure-driven flows have been shown to exhibit reduced controllability as impact speed (shear rate) increases. The objective of this work is to develop MREAs that improve controllability at high shear rates by using pure shear and mixed shear-squeeze modes of operation, and to present the fundamental theory and models of MR fluids under these conditions. A proof of concept instrument verified that the MR effect persists in shear mode devices at shear rates corresponding to low speed impacts. This instrument, a concentric cylinder Searle cell magnetorheometer, was then used to characterize three commercially available MRFs across a wide range of shear rates, applied magnetic fields, and temperatures. Characterization results are presented both as flow curves according to established practice, and as an alternate nondimensionalized analysis based on Mason number. The Mason number plots show that, with appropriate correction coefficients for operating temperature, the varied flow curve data can be collapsed to a single master curve. This work represents the first shear mode characterization of MRFs at shear rates over 10 times greater than available with commercial rheometers, as well as the first validation of Mason number analysis to high shear rate flows in MRFs. Using the results from the magnetorheometer, a full scale rotary vane MREA was developed as part of the Lightweight Magnetorheological Energy Absorber System (LMEAS) for an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter

Mantle Flow Implications across Easter and Southern Africa from Shear Wave Splitting Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, C.; Nyblade, A.; Bagley, B. C.; Mulibo, G. D.; Tugume, F.; Wysession, M. E.; Wiens, D.; van der Meijde, M.

2015-12-01

In this study, we present new shear wave splitting results from broadband seismic stations in Botswana and Namibia, and combine them with previous results from stations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Angola to further examine the pattern of seismic anisotropy across southern Africa. The new results come from stations in northern Namibia and Botswana, which help to fill in large gaps in data coverage. Our preliminary results show that fast polarization directions overall trend in a NE orientation. The most noticeable measurements that deviate from this pattern are located around the Archean Tanzania Craton in eastern Africa. The general NE pattern of fast polarization directions is attributed to mantle flow linked to the African superplume. Smaller scale variations from this general direction can be explained by shape anisotropy in the lithosphere in magmatic regions in the East African rift system and to fossil anisotropy in the Precambrian lithosphere.

Computer simulations of anomalous transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, W.W.; Okuda, H.

1980-07-01

Numerical plasma simulations have been carried out to study: (1) the turbulent spectrum and anomalous plasma transport associated with a steady state electrostatic drift turbulence; and (2) the anomalous energy transport of electrons due to shear-Alfven waves in a finite-β plasma. For the simulation of the steady state drift turbulence, it is observed that, in the absence of magnetic shear, the turbulence is quenched to a low level when the rotational transform is a rational number, while the turbulent level remains high for an irrational rotational transform

Experimental observations of surface electrostatic wave on KT-5B tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Shiyao; Han Shensheng

1991-01-01

Shear Alfven waves have been successfully excited in KT-5B small tokamak by means of the one turn longitudinal loop antenna located in the shadow area. The measured antenna loadings show their rich structure, and the loadings are also found to be sensitive to the plasma current. Preliminary evidence of surface electrostatic wave was observed

A Piezoelectric Shear Stress Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Taeyang; Saini, Aditya; Kim, Jinwook; Gopalarathnam, Ashok; Zhu, Yong; Palmieri, Frank L.; Wohl, Christopher J.; Jiang, Xiaoning

2016-01-01

In this paper, a piezoelectric sensor with a floating element was developed for shear stress measurement. The piezoelectric sensor was designed to detect the pure shear stress suppressing effects of normal stress generated from the vortex lift-up by applying opposite poling vectors to the: piezoelectric elements. The sensor was first calibrated in the lab by applying shear forces and it showed high sensitivity to shear stress (=91.3 +/- 2.1 pC/Pa) due to the high piezoelectric coefficients of PMN-33%PT (d31=-1330 pC/N). The sensor also showed almost no sensitivity to normal stress (less than 1.2 pC/Pa) because of the electromechanical symmetry of the device. The usable frequency range of the sensor is 0-800 Hz. Keywords: Piezoelectric sensor, shear stress, floating element, electromechanical symmetry

The dynamics of a shear band

Science.gov (United States)

Giarola, Diana; Capuani, Domenico; Bigoni, Davide

2018-03-01

A shear band of finite length, formed inside a ductile material at a certain stage of a continued homogeneous strain, provides a dynamic perturbation to an incident wave field, which strongly influences the dynamics of the material and affects its path to failure. The investigation of this perturbation is presented for a ductile metal, with reference to the incremental mechanics of a material obeying the J2-deformation theory of plasticity (a special form of prestressed, elastic, anisotropic, and incompressible solid). The treatment originates from the derivation of integral representations relating the incremental mechanical fields at every point of the medium to the incremental displacement jump across the shear band faces, generated by an impinging wave. The boundary integral equations (under the plane strain assumption) are numerically approached through a collocation technique, which keeps into account the singularity at the shear band tips and permits the analysis of an incident wave impinging a shear band. It is shown that the presence of the shear band induces a resonance, visible in the incremental displacement field and in the stress intensity factor at the shear band tips, which promotes shear band growth. Moreover, the waves scattered by the shear band are shown to generate a fine texture of vibrations, parallel to the shear band line and propagating at a long distance from it, but leaving a sort of conical shadow zone, which emanates from the tips of the shear band.

Simulations of Granular Particles Under Cyclic Shear

Science.gov (United States)

Royer, John; Chaikin, Paul

2012-02-01

We perform molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of spherical grains subjected to cyclic, quasi-static shear in a 3D parallelepiped shear cell. This virtual shear cell is constructed out of rough, bumpy walls in order to minimize wall-induced ordering and has an open top surface to allow the packing to readily dilate or compact. Using a standard routine for MD simulations of frictional grains, we simulate over 1000 shear cycles, measuring grain displacements, the local packing density and changes in the contact network. Varying the shear amplitude and the friction coefficient between grains, we map out a phase diagram for the different types of behavior exhibited by these sheared grains. With low friction and high enough shear, the grains can spontaneously order into densely packed crystals. With low shear and increasing friction the packing remains disordered, yet the grains arrange themselves into configurations which exhibit limit cycles where all grains return to the same position after each full shear cycle. At higher shear and friction there is a transition to a diffusive state, where grains continue rearrange and move throughout the shear cell.

CAT LIDAR wind shear studies

Science.gov (United States)

Goff, R. W.

1978-01-01

The studies considered the major meteorological factors producing wind shear, methods to define and classify wind shear in terms significant from an aircraft perturbation standpoint, the significance of sensor location and scan geometry on the detection and measurement of wind shear, and the tradeoffs involved in sensor performance such as range/velocity resolution, update frequency and data averaging interval.

Experimental studies of Alfven modes stability on the JET tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Testa, D.; Fasoli, A.; Borba, D.N.

2002-01-01

The linear stability properties of Alfven modes are studied on JET using an active excitation technique. The Saddle Coils drive low amplitude, vertical bar δB/B vertical bar ∼ 10 -6 , stable plasma modes with toroidal mode number n=0 / 2. The diagnostic technique uses repetitive sweeps of the driving frequency in a pre-defined range, controlled in real-time. The plasma response is extracted from background noise using synchronous detection, and is used to identify in real-time the resonance corresponding to a global mode. When a resonance is found, the real-time controller locks to that frequency and tracks the mode. This provides a direct evaluation of the mode damping rate, γ/ω from the width of the frequency sweep. Two systems are used to measure fast fluctuation data. The KC1F system is a 8-channel, 1MHz/4s continuous digitizer used to analyze magnetic and reflectometry data in the frequency range 5≤f(kHz) ≤500. This system is particularly suitable to follow the time evolution of the instability. The CATS system collects and digitizes a large number of channels generally using short time snapshots. This system is useful to determine the position of the instability using the cross-correlation between the magnetic and other radially localized measurements, such as soft X-rays, reflectometry or electron cyclotron emission

Shear flow effect on ion temperature gradient vortices in plasmas with sheared magnetic field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chakrabarti, N.; Juul Rasmussen, J.

1999-01-01

The effect of velocity shear on ion temperature gradient (ITG) driven vortices in a nonuniform plasma in a curved, sheared magnetic field is investigated. In absence of parallel ion dynamics, vortex solutions for the ITG mode are studied analytically. It is shown that under certain conditions...... and ultimately lead to a dominating monopolar form. The effects of magnetic shear indicate it may destroy these structures. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics....

Friction of Shear-Fracture Zones

Science.gov (United States)

Riikilä, T. I.; Pylväinen, J. I.; Åström, J.

2017-12-01

A shear fracture of brittle solids under compression undergoes a substantial evolution from the initial microcracking to a fully formed powder-filled shear zone. Experiments covering the entire process are relatively easy to conduct, but they are very difficult to investigate in detail. Numerically, the large strain limit has remained a challenge. An efficient simulation model and a custom-made experimental device are employed to test to what extent a shear fracture alone is sufficient to drive material to spontaneous self-lubrication. A "weak shear zone" is an important concept in geology, and a large number of explanations, specific for tectonic conditions, have been proposed. We demonstrate here that weak shear zones are far more general, and that their emergence only demands that a microscopic, i.e., fragment-scale, stress relaxation mechanism develops during the fracture process.

Successive Homologous Coronal Mass Ejections Driven by Shearing and Converging Motions in Solar Active Region NOAA 12371

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vemareddy, P.

2017-01-01

We study the magnetic field evolution in AR 12371, related to its successive eruptive nature. During the disk transit of seven days, the active region (AR) launched four sequential fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are associated with long duration M-class flares. Morphological study delineates a pre-eruptive coronal sigmoid structure above the polarity inversion line (PIL) similar to Moore et al.’s study. The velocity field derived from tracked magnetograms indicates persistent shear and converging motions of polarity regions about the PIL. While these shear motions continue, the crossed arms of two sigmoid elbows are being brought to interaction by converging motions at the middle of the PIL, initiating the tether-cutting reconnection of field lines and the onset of the CME explosion. The successive CMEs are explained by a cyclic process of magnetic energy storage and release referred to as “sigmoid-to-arcade-to-sigmoid” transformation driven by photospheric flux motions. Furthermore, the continued shear motions inject helicity flux with a dominant negative sign, which contributes to core field twist and its energy by building a twisted flux rope (FR). After a limiting value, the excess coronal helicity is expelled by bodily ejection of the FR, which is initiated by some instability as realized by intermittent CMEs. This AR is in contrast with the confined AR 12192 with a predominant negative sign and larger helicity flux, but much weaker (−0.02 turns) normalized coronal helicity content. While predominant signed helicity flux is a requirement for CME eruption, our study suggests that the magnetic flux normalized helicity flux is a necessary condition accommodating the role of background flux and appeals to a further study of a large sample of ARs.

Successive Homologous Coronal Mass Ejections Driven by Shearing and Converging Motions in Solar Active Region NOAA 12371

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vemareddy, P., E-mail: vemareddy@iiap.res.in [Indian Institute of Astrophysics, II Block, Koramangala, Bengalure-560034 (India)

2017-08-10

We study the magnetic field evolution in AR 12371, related to its successive eruptive nature. During the disk transit of seven days, the active region (AR) launched four sequential fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are associated with long duration M-class flares. Morphological study delineates a pre-eruptive coronal sigmoid structure above the polarity inversion line (PIL) similar to Moore et al.’s study. The velocity field derived from tracked magnetograms indicates persistent shear and converging motions of polarity regions about the PIL. While these shear motions continue, the crossed arms of two sigmoid elbows are being brought to interaction by converging motions at the middle of the PIL, initiating the tether-cutting reconnection of field lines and the onset of the CME explosion. The successive CMEs are explained by a cyclic process of magnetic energy storage and release referred to as “sigmoid-to-arcade-to-sigmoid” transformation driven by photospheric flux motions. Furthermore, the continued shear motions inject helicity flux with a dominant negative sign, which contributes to core field twist and its energy by building a twisted flux rope (FR). After a limiting value, the excess coronal helicity is expelled by bodily ejection of the FR, which is initiated by some instability as realized by intermittent CMEs. This AR is in contrast with the confined AR 12192 with a predominant negative sign and larger helicity flux, but much weaker (−0.02 turns) normalized coronal helicity content. While predominant signed helicity flux is a requirement for CME eruption, our study suggests that the magnetic flux normalized helicity flux is a necessary condition accommodating the role of background flux and appeals to a further study of a large sample of ARs.

Drift-Alfven wave mediated particle transport in an elongated density depression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vincena, Stephen; Gekelman, Walter

2006-01-01

Cross-field particle transport due to drift-Alfven waves is measured in an elongated density depression within an otherwise uniform, magnetized helium plasma column. The depression is formed by drawing an electron current to a biased copper plate with cross-field dimensions of 28x0.24 ion sound-gyroradii ρ s =c s /ω ci . The process of density depletion and replenishment via particle flux repeats in a quasiperiodic fashion for the duration of the current collection. The mode structure of the wave density fluctuations in the plane perpendicular to the background magnetic field is revealed using a two-probe correlation technique. The particle flux as a function of frequency is measured using a linear array of Langmuir probes and the only significant transport occurs for waves with frequencies between 15%-25% of the ion cyclotron frequency (measured in the laboratory frame) and with perpendicular wavelengths k perpendicular ρ s ∼0.7. The frequency-integrated particle flux is in rough agreement with observed increases in density in the center of the depletion as a function of time. The experiments are carried out in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) [Gekelman et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 62, 2875 (1991)] at the Basic Plasma Science Facility located at the University of California, Los Angeles

Magnetorheological dampers in shear mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wereley, N M; Cho, J U; Choi, Y T; Choi, S B

2008-01-01

In this study, three types of shear mode damper using magnetorheological (MR) fluids are theoretically analyzed: linear, rotary drum, and rotary disk dampers. The damping performance of these shear mode MR dampers is characterized in terms of the damping coefficient, which is the ratio of the equivalent viscous damping at field-on status to the damping at field-off status. For these three types of shear mode MR damper, the damping coefficient or dynamic range is derived using three different constitutive models: the Bingham–plastic, biviscous, and Herschel–Bulkley models. The impact of constitutive behavior on shear mode MR dampers is theoretically presented and compared

IMAGE ANALYSIS FOR MODELLING SHEAR BEHAVIOUR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philippe Lopez

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Through laboratory research performed over the past ten years, many of the critical links between fracture characteristics and hydromechanical and mechanical behaviour have been made for individual fractures. One of the remaining challenges at the laboratory scale is to directly link fracture morphology of shear behaviour with changes in stress and shear direction. A series of laboratory experiments were performed on cement mortar replicas of a granite sample with a natural fracture perpendicular to the axis of the core. Results show that there is a strong relationship between the fracture's geometry and its mechanical behaviour under shear stress and the resulting damage. Image analysis, geostatistical, stereological and directional data techniques are applied in combination to experimental data. The results highlight the role of geometric characteristics of the fracture surfaces (surface roughness, size, shape, locations and orientations of asperities to be damaged in shear behaviour. A notable improvement in shear understanding is that shear behaviour is controlled by the apparent dip in the shear direction of elementary facets forming the fracture.

Plasma Physics Department annual report, 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The main fields in which researches have been carried out during 1990 at the Wills Plasma Physics Department are briefly discussed. These include investigations of shear Alfven waves at frequencies above the ion cyclotron frequency; the use of submillimetre lasers to detect by far forward scattering density fluctuation associated with waves in Tortus during Alfven wave heating experiments; basic physics of laser induced fluorescence in plasma and in particular the process which determine the population of excited states, as well as magnetron discharge studies and application of the vacuum arc as ion sources for accelerators and as sputtering device for producing thin film coating. A list of publications and papers presented at various conferences by the members of the Department is given in the Appendix

Design and implementation of a shearing apparatus for the experimental study of shear displacement in rocks

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Johnathan; Crandall, Dustin; Gill, Magdalena; Brown, Sarah; Tennant, Bryan

2018-04-01

Fluid flow in the subsurface is not well understood in the context of "impermeable" geologic media. This is especially true of formations that have undergone significant stress fluctuations due to injection or withdrawal of fluids that alters the localized pressure regime. When the pressure regime is altered, these formations, which are often already fractured, move via shear to reduce the imbalance in the stress state. While this process is known to happen, the evolution of these fractures and their effects on fluid transport are still relatively unknown. Numerous simulation and several experimental studies have been performed that characterize the relationship between shearing and permeability in fractures; while many of these studies utilize measurements of fluid flow or the starting and ending geometries of the fracture to characterize shear, they do not characterize the intermediate stages during shear. We present an experimental apparatus based on slight modifications to a commonly available Hassler core holder that allows for shearing of rocks, while measuring the hydraulic and mechanical changes to geomaterials during intermediate steps. The core holder modification employs the use of semi-circular end caps and structural supports for the confining membrane that allow for free movement of the sheared material while preventing membrane collapse. By integrating this modified core holder with a computed tomography scanner, we show a new methodology for understanding the interdependent behavior between fracture structure and flow properties during intermediate steps in shearing. We include a case study of this device function which is shown here through shearing of a fractured shale core and simultaneous observation of the mechanical changes and evolution of the hydraulic properties during shearing.

Mean wall-shear stress measurements using the micro-pillar shear-stress sensor MPS3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Große, S; Schröder, W

2008-01-01

A new sensor to measure the mean turbulent wall-shear stress in turbulent flows is described. The wall-shear stress sensor MPS 3 has been tested in a well-defined fully developed turbulent pipe flow at Reynolds numbers Re b based on the bulk velocity U b and the pipe diameter D in the range of Re b = 10 000–20 000. The results demonstrate a convincing agreement of the mean wall-shear stress obtained with the new sensor technique with analytical and experimental results from the literature. The sensor device consists of a flexible micro-pillar that extends from the wall into the viscous sublayer. Bending due to the exerting fluid forces, the pillar-tip deflection serves as a measure for the local wall-shear stress. The sensor concept, calibration techniques, the achievable accuracy and error estimates, the fields of application and the sensor limits will be discussed. Furthermore, a first estimate of the pillar dynamic response will be derived showing the potential of the sensor to also measure the turbulent fluctuating wall-shear stress

Microstructural evolution of a model, shear-banding micellar solution during shear startup and cessation.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Barrón, Carlos R; Gurnon, A Kate; Eberle, Aaron P R; Porcar, Lionel; Wagner, Norman J

2014-04-01

We present direct measurements of the evolution of the segmental-level microstructure of a stable shear-banding polymerlike micelle solution during flow startup and cessation in the plane of flow. These measurements provide a definitive, quantitative microstructural understanding of the stages observed during flow startup: an initial elastic response with limited alignment that yields with a large stress overshoot to a homogeneous flow with associated micellar alignment that persists for approximately three relaxation times. This transient is followed by a shear (kink) band formation with a flow-aligned low-viscosity band that exhibits shear-induced concentration fluctuations and coexists with a nearly isotropic band of homogenous, highly viscoelastic micellar solution. Stable, steady banding flow is achieved only after approximately two reptation times. Flow cessation from this shear-banded state is also found to be nontrivial, exhibiting an initial fast relaxation with only minor structural relaxation, followed by a slower relaxation of the aligned micellar fluid with the equilibrium fluid's characteristic relaxation time. These measurements resolve a controversy in the literature surrounding the mechanism of shear banding in entangled wormlike micelles and, by means of comparison to existing literature, provide further insights into the mechanisms driving shear-banding instabilities in related systems. The methods and instrumentation described should find broad use in exploring complex fluid rheology and testing microstructure-based constitutive equations.

Inductive shearing of drilling pipe

Science.gov (United States)

Ludtka, Gerard M.; Wilgen, John; Kisner, Roger; Mcintyre, Timothy

2016-04-19

Induction shearing may be used to cut a drillpipe at an undersea well. Electromagnetic rings may be built into a blow-out preventer (BOP) at the seafloor. The electromagnetic rings create a magnetic field through the drillpipe and may transfer sufficient energy to change the state of the metal drillpipe to shear the drillpipe. After shearing the drillpipe, the drillpipe may be sealed to prevent further leakage of well contents.

Nonperturbative effects of energetic ions on Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Y.; Nakajima, N.; Shinohara, K.; Takechi, M.; Ishikawa, M.; Yamamoto, S.

2005-01-01

Linear properties and nonlinear evolutions of an energetic-ion driven instability in a JT-60U plasma were investigated using a simulation code for magnetohydrodynamics and energetic particles. The spatial profile of the unstable mode peaks near the plasma center where the safety factor profile is flat. The unstable mode is not a toroidal Alfven eigenmode (TAE) because the spatial profile deviates from the expected location of TAE and the spatial profile consists of a single primary harmonic m/n = 2/1 where m, n are poloidal and toroidal mode numbers. The real frequency of the unstable mode is close to the experimental starting frequency of the fast frequency sweeping mode. The simulation results demonstrate that the energetic ion orbit width and the energetic ion pressure significantly broaden radial profile of the unstable mode. For the smallest value among the investigated energetic ion orbit width, the unstable mode is localized within 20% of the minor radius. This gives an upper limit of the spatial profile width of the unstable mode which the magnetohydrodynamic effects alone can induce. For the experimental condition of the JT-60U plasma, the energetic ions broaden the spatial profile of the unstable mode by a factor of 3 compared with the smallest orbit width case. The unstable mode is primarily induced by the energetic particles. It is demonstrated that the frequency shifts both upward and downward in the nonlinear evolution at the rate close to that of the fast frequency sweeping mode. In addition to the energetic particle mode in the JT-60U plasma, an investigation of TAE in an LHD-like plasma using the simulation code for the helical coordinate system is reported. (author)

Nonperturbative effects of energetic ions on Alfven eigenmodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todo, Y.; Nakajima, N.; Shinohara, Kouji; Takechi, Manabu; Ishikawa, Masao

2005-01-01

Linear properties and nonlinear evolutions of an energetic-ion driven instability in a JT-60U plasma were investigated using a simulation code for magnetohydrodynamics and energetic particles. The spatial profile of the unstable mode peaks near the plasma center where the safety factor profile is flat. The unstable mode is not a toroidal Alfven eigenmode (TAE) because the spatial profile deviates from the expected location of TAE and the spatial profile consists of a single primary harmonic m/n=2/1 where m, n are poloidal and toroidal mode numbers. The real frequency of the unstable mode is close to the experimental starting frequency of the fast frequency sweeping mode. The simulation results demonstrate that the energetic ion orbit width and the energetic ion pressure significantly broaden radial profile of the unstable mode. For the smallest value among the investigated energetic ion orbit width, the unstable mode is localized within 20% of the minor radius. This gives an upper limit of the spatial profile width of the unstable mode which the magnetohydrodynamic effects alone can induce. For the experimental condition of the JT-60U plasma, the energetic ions broaden the spatial profile of the unstable mode by a factor of 3 compared with the smallest orbit width case. The unstable mode is primarily induced by the energetic particles. It is demonstrated that the frequency shifts both upward and downward in the nonlinear evolution at the rate close to that of the fast frequency sweeping mode. In addition to the energetic particle mode in the JT-60U plasma, an investigation of TAE in an LHD-like plasma using the simulation code for the helical coordinate system is reported. (author)

Non-homogeneous flow profiles in sheared bacterial suspensions

Science.gov (United States)

Samanta, Devranjan; Cheng, Xiang

Bacterial suspensions under shear exhibit interesting rheological behaviors including the remarkable ``superfluidic'' state with vanishing viscosity at low shear rates. Theoretical studies have shown that such ``superfluidic'' state is linked with non-homogeneous shear flows, which are induced by coupling between nematic order of active fluids and hydrodynamics of shear flows. However, although bulk rheology of bacterial suspensions has been experimentally studied, shear profiles within bacterial suspensions have not been explored so far. Here, we experimentally investigate the flow behaviors of E. coli suspensions under planar oscillatory shear. Using confocal microscopy and PIV, we measure velocity profiles across gap between two shear plates. We find that with increasing shear rates, high-concentration bacterial suspensions exhibit an array of non-homogeneous flow behaviors like yield-stress flows and shear banding. We show that these non-homogeneous flows are due to collective motion of bacterial suspensions. The phase diagram of sheared bacterial suspensions is systematically mapped as functions of shear rates an bacterial concentrations. Our experiments provide new insights into rheology of bacterial suspensions and shed light on shear induced dynamics of active fluids. Chemical Engineering and Material Science department.

Exponential Shear Flow of Linear, Entangled Polymeric Liquids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Neergaard, Jesper; Park, Kyungho; Venerus, David C.

2000-01-01

A previously proposed reptation model is used to interpret exponential shear flow data taken on an entangled polystyrenesolution. Both shear and normal stress measurements are made during exponential shear using mechanical means. The model iscapable of explaining all trends seen in the data......, and suggests a novel analysis of the data. This analysis demonstrates thatexponential shearing flow is no more capable of stretching polymer chains than is inception of steady shear at comparableinstantaneous shear rates. In fact, all exponential shear flow stresses measured are bounded quantitatively...

Determination of Focal Mechanisms of Non-Volcanic Tremors Based on S-Wave Polarization Data Corrected for the Effects of Anisotropy

Science.gov (United States)

Imanishi, K.; Uchide, T.; Takeda, N.

2014-12-01

We propose a method to determine focal mechanisms of non-volcanic tremors (NVTs) based on S-wave polarization angles. The successful retrieval of polarization angles in low S/N tremor signals owes much to the observation that NVTs propagate slowly and therefore they do not change their location immediately. This feature of NVTs enables us to use a longer window to compute a polarization angle (e.g., one minute or longer), resulting in a stack of particle motions. Following Zhang and Schwartz (1994), we first correct for the splitting effect to recover the source polarization angle (anisotropy-corrected angle). This is a key step, because shear-wave splitting distorts the particle motion excited by a seismic source. We then determine the best double-couple solution using anisotropy-corrected angles of multiple stations. The present method was applied to a tremor sequence at Kii Peninsula, southwest Japan, which occurred at the beginning of April 2013. A standard splitting and polarization analysis were subject to a one-minute-long moving window to determine the splitting parameters as well as anisotropy-corrected angles. A grid search approach was performed at each hour to determine the best double-couple solution satisfying one-hour average polarization angles. Most solutions show NW-dipping low-angle planes consistent with the plate boundary or SE-dipping high-angle planes. Because of 180 degrees ambiguity in polarization angles, the present method alone cannot distinguish compressional quadrant from dilatational one. Together with the observation of very low-frequency earthquakes near the present study area (Ito et al., 2007), it is reasonable to consider that they represent shear slip on low-angle thrust faults. It is also noted that some of solutions contain strike-slip component. Acknowledgements: Seismograph stations used in this study include permanent stations operated by NIED (Hi-net), JMA, Earthquake Research Institute, together with Geological Survey of

Far-from-equilibrium sheared colloidal liquids: Disentangling relaxation, advection, and shear-induced diffusion

KAUST Repository

Lin, Neil Y. C.

2013-12-01

Using high-speed confocal microscopy, we measure the particle positions in a colloidal suspension under large-amplitude oscillatory shear. Using the particle positions, we quantify the in situ anisotropy of the pair-correlation function, a measure of the Brownian stress. From these data we find two distinct types of responses as the system crosses over from equilibrium to far-from-equilibrium states. The first is a nonlinear amplitude saturation that arises from shear-induced advection, while the second is a linear frequency saturation due to competition between suspension relaxation and shear rate. In spite of their different underlying mechanisms, we show that all the data can be scaled onto a master curve that spans the equilibrium and far-from-equilibrium regimes, linking small-amplitude oscillatory to continuous shear. This observation illustrates a colloidal analog of the Cox-Merz rule and its microscopic underpinning. Brownian dynamics simulations show that interparticle interactions are sufficient for generating both experimentally observed saturations. © 2013 American Physical Society.

Far-from-equilibrium sheared colloidal liquids: Disentangling relaxation, advection, and shear-induced diffusion

KAUST Repository

Lin, Neil Y. C.; Goyal, Sushmit; Cheng, Xiang; Zia, Roseanna N.; Escobedo, Fernando A.; Cohen, Itai

2013-01-01

Using high-speed confocal microscopy, we measure the particle positions in a colloidal suspension under large-amplitude oscillatory shear. Using the particle positions, we quantify the in situ anisotropy of the pair-correlation function, a measure of the Brownian stress. From these data we find two distinct types of responses as the system crosses over from equilibrium to far-from-equilibrium states. The first is a nonlinear amplitude saturation that arises from shear-induced advection, while the second is a linear frequency saturation due to competition between suspension relaxation and shear rate. In spite of their different underlying mechanisms, we show that all the data can be scaled onto a master curve that spans the equilibrium and far-from-equilibrium regimes, linking small-amplitude oscillatory to continuous shear. This observation illustrates a colloidal analog of the Cox-Merz rule and its microscopic underpinning. Brownian dynamics simulations show that interparticle interactions are sufficient for generating both experimentally observed saturations. © 2013 American Physical Society.

Polarization measurement for internal polarized gaseous targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Zhenyu; Ye Yunxiu; Lv Haijiang; Mao Yajun

2004-01-01

The authors present an introduction to internal polarized gaseous targets, polarization method, polarization measurement method and procedure. To get the total nuclear polarization of hydrogen atoms (including the polarization of the recombined hydrogen molecules) in the target cell, authors have measured the parameters relating to atomic polarization and polarized hydrogen atoms and molecules. The total polarization of the target during our measurement is P T =0.853 ± 0.036. (authors)

Study of shear thickening behavior in colloidal suspensions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N Maleki Jirsaraee

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We studied the shear thickening behavior of the nano silica suspension (silica nanoparticles 12 nm in size suspended in ethylene glycol under steady shear. The critical shear rate for transition into shear thickening phase was determined at different concentrations and temperatures. The effect of temperature and concentration was studied on the shear thickening behavior. In silica suspension, it was observed that all the samples had a transition into shear thickening phase and also by increasing the temperature, critical shear rate increased and viscosity decreased. Our observations showed that movement in silica suspension was Brownian and temperature could cause a delay in transition into shear thickening phase. Yet, we observed that increasing the concentration would decrease critical shear rate and increase viscosity. Increasing temperature increased Brownian forces and increasing concentration increased hydrodynamic forces, confirming the contrast between these two forces for transition into shear thickening phase for the suspensions containing nano particles

Onset of shear thinning in glassy liquids: Shear-induced small reduction of effective density.

Science.gov (United States)

Furukawa, Akira

2017-01-01

We propose a simple mechanism for describing the onset of shear thinning in a high-density glassy liquid. In a shear flow, along the compression axis, the overlap between neighboring particles is more enhanced than that at equilibrium, meaning that the "effective" size is reduced along this axis. On the other hand, along the extension axis perpendicular to the compression axis, the average structural configurations are stretched, but it does not indicate the expansion of the "effective" size itself. This asymmetric shear flow effect for particles results in a small reduction of the "effective" density. Because, in glass-forming liquids, the structural relaxation time τ_{α} strongly depends on the density ρ, even a very small reduction of the effective density should lead to a significant decrease of the relaxation time under shear flow. We predict that the crossover shear rate from Newtonian to non-Newtonian flow behaviors is given by γ[over ̇]_{c}=[ρ(∂τ_{α}/∂ρ)]^{-1}, which can be much smaller than 1/τ_{α} near the glass transition point. It is shown that this prediction is consistent with the results of molecular dynamics simulations.

Effect of Boundary Condition on the Shear Behaviour of Rock Joints in the Direct Shear Test

Science.gov (United States)

Bahaaddini, M.

2017-05-01

The common method for determination of the mechanical properties of the rock joints is the direct shear test. This paper aims to study the effect of boundary condition on the results of direct shear tests. Experimental studies undertaken in this research showed that the peak shear strength is mostly overestimated. This problem is more pronounced for steep asperities and under high normal stresses. Investigation of the failure mode of these samples showed that tensile cracks are generated at the boundary of sample close to the specimen holders and propagated inside the intact materials. In order to discover the reason of observed failure mechanism in experiments, the direct shear test was simulated using PFC2D. Results of numerical models showed that the gap zone size between the upper and lower specimen holders has a significant effect on the shear mechanism. For the high gap size, stresses concentrate at the vicinity of the tips of specimen holders and result in generation and propagation of tensile cracks inside the intact material. However, by reducing the gap size, stresses are concentrated on asperities, and damage of specimen at its boundary is not observed. Results of this paper show that understanding the shear mechanism of rock joints is an essential step prior to interpreting the results of direct shear tests.

Dilatancy of Shear Transformations in a Colloidal Glass

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Y. Z.; Jiang, M. Q.; Lu, X.; Qin, Z. X.; Huang, Y. J.; Shen, J.

2018-01-01

Shear transformations, as fundamental rearrangement events operating in local regions, hold the key of plastic flow of amorphous solids. Despite their importance, the dynamic features of shear transformations are far from clear, which is the focus of the present study. Here, we use a colloidal glass under shear as the prototype to directly observe the shear-transformation events in real space. By tracing the colloidal-particle rearrangements, we quantitatively determine two basic properties of shear transformations: local shear strain and dilatation (or free volume). It is revealed that the local free volume undergoes a significantly temporary increase prior to shear transformations, eventually leading to a jump of local shear strain. We clearly demonstrate that shear transformations have no memory of the initial free volume of local regions. Instead, their emergence strongly depends on the dilatancy ability of these local regions, i.e., the dynamic creation of free volume. More specifically, the particles processing the high dilatancy ability directly participate in subsequent shear transformations. These results experimentally enrich Argon's statement about the dilatancy nature of shear transformations and also shed insight into the structural origin of amorphous plasticity.

Rheometry-PIV of shear-thickening wormlike micelles.

Science.gov (United States)

Marín-Santibañez, Benjamín M; Pérez-Gonzalez, José; de Vargas, Lourdes; Rodríguez-Gonzalez, Francisco; Huelsz, Guadalupe

2006-04-25

The shear-thickening behavior of an equimolar semidilute aqueous solution of 40 mM/L cetylpyridinium chloride and sodium salicylate was studied in this work by using a combined method of rheometry and particle image velocimetry (PIV). Experiments were conducted at 27.5 degrees C with Couette, vane-bob, and capillary rheometers in order to explore a wide shear stress range as well as the effect of boundary conditions and time of flow on the creation and destruction of shear-induced structures (SIS). The use of the combined method of capillary rheometry with PIV allowed the detection of fast spatial and temporal variations in the flow kinematics, which are related to the shear-thickening behavior and the dynamics of the SIS but are not distinguished by pure rheometrical measurements. A rich-in-details flow curve was found for this solution, which includes five different regimes. Namely, at very low shear rates a Newtonian behavior was found, followed by a shear thinning one in the second regime. In the third, shear banding was observed, which served as a precursor of the SIS and shear-thickening. The fourth and fifth regimes in the flow curve were separated by a spurtlike behavior, and they clearly evidenced the existence of shear-thickening accompanied by stick-slip oscillations at the wall of the rheometer, which subsequently produced variations in the shear rate under shear stress controlled flow. Such a stick-slip phenomenon prevailed up to the highest shear stresses used in this work and was reflected in asymmetric velocity profiles with spatial and temporal variations linked to the dynamics of creation and breakage of the SIS. The presence of apparent slip at the wall of the rheometer provides an energy release mechanism which leads to breakage of the SIS, followed by their further reformation during the stick part of the cycles. In addition, PIV measurements allowed the detection of apparent slip at the wall, as well as mechanical failures in the bulk of the

Behavior of Tilted Angle Shear Connectors

Science.gov (United States)

Khorramian, Koosha; Maleki, Shervin; Shariati, Mahdi; Ramli Sulong, N. H.

2015-01-01

According to recent researches, angle shear connectors are appropriate to transfer longitudinal shear forces across the steel-concrete interface. Angle steel profile has been used in different positions as L-shaped or C-shaped shear connectors. The application of angle shear connectors in tilted positions is of interest in this study. This study investigates the behaviour of tilted-shaped angle shear connectors under monotonic loading using experimental push out tests. Eight push-out specimens are tested to investigate the effects of different angle parameters on the ultimate load capacity of connectors. Two different tilted angles of 112.5 and 135 degrees between the angle leg and steel beam are considered. In addition, angle sizes and lengths are varied. Two different failure modes were observed consisting of concrete crushing-splitting and connector fracture. By increasing the size of connector, the maximum load increased for most cases. In general, the 135 degrees tilted angle shear connectors have a higher strength and stiffness than the 112.5 degrees type. PMID:26642193

Behavior of Tilted Angle Shear Connectors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koosha Khorramian

Full Text Available According to recent researches, angle shear connectors are appropriate to transfer longitudinal shear forces across the steel-concrete interface. Angle steel profile has been used in different positions as L-shaped or C-shaped shear connectors. The application of angle shear connectors in tilted positions is of interest in this study. This study investigates the behaviour of tilted-shaped angle shear connectors under monotonic loading using experimental push out tests. Eight push-out specimens are tested to investigate the effects of different angle parameters on the ultimate load capacity of connectors. Two different tilted angles of 112.5 and 135 degrees between the angle leg and steel beam are considered. In addition, angle sizes and lengths are varied. Two different failure modes were observed consisting of concrete crushing-splitting and connector fracture. By increasing the size of connector, the maximum load increased for most cases. In general, the 135 degrees tilted angle shear connectors have a higher strength and stiffness than the 112.5 degrees type.

The Role of Kinetic Alfven Waves in Plasma Transport in an Ion-scale Flux Rope

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, B.; Li, W.; Wang, C.; Dai, L.

2017-12-01

Magnetic flux ropes, if generated by multiply X-line reconnections, would be born as a crater type one, meaning the plasma density within is relatively high. They will then evolve into typical flux ropes as plasma are transported away along the magnetic field lines [Zhang et al., 2010]. In this study, we report an ion-scale flux rope observed by MMS on November 28, 2016, which is accompanied by strong kinetic Alfven waves (KAW). The related wave parallel electric field can effectively accelerate electrons inside the flux rope by Landau resonance, resulting into a significant decrease of the electron at 90° pitch angle. The change of electron pitch angle distribution would cause the rapid plasma transport along the magnetic field lines, and help the flux rope evolve into a strong magnetic core in a short time. This wave-particle interaction would be a candidate mechanism to explain the rareness of crater flux ropes in reality.

Generation of electromagnetic waves and Alfven waves during coalescence of magnetic islands in pair plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakai, J.I.; Haruki, T.; Kazimura, Y.

2000-01-01

It is shown by using a 2-D fully relativistic electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) code that the tearing instability in a current sheet of pair plasmas is caused by Landau resonances of both electrons and positrons. Strong magnetic flux can be generated during coalescence of magnetic islands in the nonlinear phase of the tearing instability. The magnetic flux produced in an O-type magnetic island is caused from the counter-streaming instability found by Kazimura et al. (1998). It is also shown that charge separation with a quadrupole-like structure is generated from the localized strong magnetic flux. During the decay of the quadrupole-like charge structure as well as the magnetic flux, there appear wave emission with high-frequency electromagnetic waves and Alfven waves as well as Langmuir waves. We also show by using a 3-D PIC code that current filaments associated with the O-type magnetic islands become unstable against the kink instability during the coalescence of current filaments. (orig.)

Anchored LH2 complexes in 2D polarization imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Tubasum, Sumera; Sakai, Shunsuke; Dewa, Takehisa; Sundström, Villy; Scheblykin, Ivan G; Nango, Mamoru; Pullerits, Tõnu

2013-09-26

Protein is a soft material with inherently large structural disorder. Consequently, the bulk spectroscopies of photosynthetic pigment protein complexes provide averaged information where many details are lost. Here we report spectroscopy of single light-harvesting complexes where fluorescence excitation and detection polarizations are both independently rotated. Two samples of peripheral antenna (LH2) complexes from Rhodopseudomonas acidophila were studied. In one, the complexes were embedded in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film; in the other, they were anchored on the glass surface and covered by the PVA film. LH2 contains two rings of pigment molecules-B800 and B850. The B800 excitation polarization properties of the two samples were found to be very similar, indicating that orientation statistics of LH2s are the same in these two very different preparations. At the same time, we found a significant difference in B850 emission polarization statistics. We conclude that the B850 band of the anchored sample is substantially more disordered. We argue that both B800 excitation and B850 emission polarization properties can be explained by the tilt of the anchored LH2s due to the spin-casting of the PVA film on top of the complexes and related shear forces. Due to the tilt, the orientation statistics of two samples become similar. Anchoring is expected to orient the LH2s so that B850 is closer to the substrate. Consequently, the tilt-related strain leads to larger deformation and disorder in B850 than in B800.

Periodic Viscous Shear Heating Instability in Fine-Grained Shear Zones: Possible Mechanism for Intermediate Depth Earthquakes and Slow Earthquakes?

Science.gov (United States)

Kelemen, P. B.; Hirth, G.

2004-12-01

Localized ductile shear zones with widths of cm to m are observed in exposures of Earth's shallow mantle (e.g., Kelemen & Dick JGR 95; Vissers et al. Tectonophys 95) and dredged from oceanic fracture zones (e.g., Jaroslow et al. Tectonophys 96). These are mylonitic (grain size 10 to 100 microns) and record mineral cooling temperatures from 1100 to 600 C. Pseudotachylites in a mantle shear zone show that shear heating temperatures can exceed the mantle solidus (e.g., Obata & Karato Tectonophys 95). Simple shear, recrystallization, and grain boundary sliding all decrease the spacing between pyroxenes, so olivine grain growth at lower stress is inhibited; thus, once formed, these shear zones do not "heal" on geological time scales. Reasoning that grain-size sensitive creep will be localized within these shear zones, rather than host rocks (grain size 1 to 10 mm), and inspired by the work of Whitehead & Gans (GJRAS 74), we thought these might undergo repeated shear heating instabilities. In this view, as elastic stress increases, the shear zone weakens via shear heating; rapid deformation of the weak shear zone releases most stored elastic stress; lower stress and strain rate coupled with diffusion of heat into host rocks leads to cooling and strengthening, after which the cycle repeats. We constructed a simple numerical model incorporating olivine flow laws for dislocation creep, diffusion creep, grain boundary sliding, and low T plasticity. We assumed that viscous deformation remains localized in shear zones, surrounded by host rocks undergoing elastic deformation. We fixed the velocity along one side of an elastic half space, and calculated stress due to elastic strain. This stress drives viscous deformation in a shear zone of specified width. Shear heating and thermal diffusion control temperature evolution in the shear zone and host rocks. A maximum of 1400 C (where substantial melting of peridotite would occur) is imposed. Grain size evolves during dislocation

Radial energy transport by magnetospheric ULF waves: Effects of magnetic curvature and plasma pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Kouznetsov, Igor; Lotko, William

1995-01-01

The 'radial' transport of energy by internal ULF waves, stimulated by dayside magnetospheric boundary oscillations, is analyzed in the framework of one-fluid magnetohydrodynamics. (the term radial is used here to denote the direction orthogonal to geomagnetic flux surfaces.) The model for the inhomogeneous magnetospheric plasma and background magnetic field is axisymmetric and includes radial and parallel variations in the magnetic field, magnetic curvature, plasma density, and low but finite plasma pressure. The radial mode structure of the coupled fast and intermediate MHD waves is determined by numerical solution of the inhomogeneous wave equation; the parallel mode structure is characterized by a Wentzel-Kramer-Brillouin (WKB) approximation. Ionospheric dissipation is modeled by allowing the parallel wave number to be complex. For boudnary oscillations with frequencies in the range from 10 to 48 mHz, and using a dipole model for the background magnetic field, the combined effects of magnetic curvature and finite plasma pressure are shown to (1) enhance the amplitude of field line resonances by as much as a factor of 2 relative to values obtained in a cold plasma or box-model approximation for the dayside magnetosphere; (2) increase the energy flux delivered to a given resonance by a factor of 2-4; and (3) broaden the spectral width of the resonance by a factor of 2-3. The effects are attributed to the existence of an 'Alfven buoyancy oscillation,' which approaches the usual shear mode Alfven wave at resonance, but unlike the shear Alfven mode, it is dispersive at short perpendicular wavelengths. The form of dispersion is analogous to that of an internal atmospheric gravity wave, with the magnetic tension of the curved background field providing the restoring force and allowing radial propagation of the mode. For nominal dayside parameters, the propagation band of the Alfven buoyancy wave occurs between the location of its (field line) resonance and that of the

Effects of ExB velocity shear and magnetic shear on turbulence and transport in magnetic confinement devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burrell, K.H.

1996-11-01

One of the scientific success stories of fusion research over the past decade is the development of the ExB shear stabilization model to explain the formation of transport barriers in magnetic confinement devices. This model was originally developed to explain the transport barrier formed at the plasma edge in tokamaks after the L (low) to H (high) transition. This concept has the universality needed to explain the edge transport barriers seen in limiter and divertor tokamaks, stellarators, and mirror machines. More recently, this model has been applied to explain the further confinement improvement from H (high)-mode to VH (very high)-mode seen in some tokamaks, where the edge transport barrier becomes wider. Most recently, this paradigm has been applied to the core transport barriers formed in plasmas with negative or low magnetic shear in the plasma core. These examples of confinement improvement are of considerable physical interest; it is not often that a system self-organizes to a higher energy state with reduced turbulence and transport when an additional source of free energy is applied to it. The transport decrease that is associated with ExB velocity shear effects also has significant practical consequences for fusion research. The fundamental physics involved in transport reduction is the effect of ExB shear on the growth, radial extent and phase correlation of turbulent eddies in the plasma. The same fundamental transport reduction process can be operational in various portions of the plasma because there are a number ways to change the radial electric field Er. An important theme in this area is the synergistic effect of ExB velocity shear and magnetic shear. Although the ExB velocity shear appears to have an effect on broader classes of microturbulence, magnetic shear can mitigate some potentially harmful effects of ExB velocity shear and facilitate turbulence stabilization

The Effect of Thermal History on the Fast Crystallization of Poly(l-Lactide with Soluble-Type Nucleators and Shear Flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tianfeng Shen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The N1,N1ʹ-(ethane-1,2-diylbis(N2-phenyloxalamide (OXA is a soluble-type nucleator with a dissolving temperature of 230 °C in poly(l-lactic acid (PLLA matrix. The effect of thermal history and shear flow on the crystallization behavior of the PLLA/OXA samples was investigated by rheometry, polarized optical microscopy (POM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The crystallization process of the PLLA/OXA-240 sample (i.e., pre-melted at 240 °C was significantly promoted by applying a shear flow, e.g., the onset crystallization time (tonset of the PLLA at 155 °C was reduced from 1600 to 200 s after shearing at 0.4 rad/s for even as short as 1.0 s, while the crystallinity (Xc was increased to 40%. Moreover, the tonset of the PLLA/OXA-240 sample is 60%–80% lower than that of the PLLA/OXA-200 sample (i.e., pre-melted at 200 °C with a total shear angle of 2 rad, indicating a much higher crystallization rate of the PLLA/OXA-240 sample. A better organization and uniformity of OXA fibrils can be obtained due to a complete pre-dissolution in the PLLA matrix followed by shear and oscillation treatments. The well dispersed OXA fibrils and flow-induced chain orientation are mainly responsible for the fast crystallization of the PLLA/OXA-240 samples. In addition, the shear flow created some disordered α′-form crystals in the PLLA/OXA samples regardless of the thermal history (200 or 240 °C.

Low-rise shear wall failure modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrar, C.R.; Hashimoto, P.S.; Reed, J.W.

1991-01-01

A summary of the data that are available concerning the structural response of low-rise shear walls is presented. This data will be used to address two failure modes associated with the shear wall structures. First, data concerning the seismic capacity of the shear walls with emphasis on excessive deformations that can cause equipment failure are examined. Second, data concerning the dynamic properties of shear walls (stiffness and damping) that are necessary to compute the seismic inputs to attached equipment are summarized. This case addresses the failure of equipment when the structure remains functional. 23 refs

Chirality-specific lift forces of helix under shear flows: Helix perpendicular to shear plane.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qi-Yi

2017-02-01

Chiral objects in shear flow experience a chirality-specific lift force. Shear flows past helices in a low Reynolds number regime were studied using slender-body theory. The chirality-specific lift forces in the vorticity direction experienced by helices are dominated by a set of helix geometry parameters: helix radius, pitch length, number of turns, and helix phase angle. Its analytical formula is given. The chirality-specific forces are the physical reasons for the chiral separation of helices in shear flow. Our results are well supported by the latest experimental observations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Microstructure evolution of pure copper during a single pass of simple shear extrusion (SSE): role of shear reversal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bagherpour, E., E-mail: e.bagherpour@semnan.ac.ir [Faculty of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Mechanical Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610–0394 (Japan); Qods, F., E-mail: qods@semnan.ac.ir [Faculty of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ebrahimi, R., E-mail: ebrahimy@shirazu.ac.ir [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Miyamoto, H., E-mail: hmiyamot@mail.doshisha.ac.jp [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610–0394 (Japan)

2016-06-01

In the present paper the role of shear reversal on microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of pure copper during a single pass of the simple shear extrusion (SSE) process was investigated. For SSE processing an appropriate die with a linear die profile was designed and constructed, which imposes forward shear in the first half and reverse shear in the second half channels. Electron back-scattering diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) were used to evaluate the microstructure of the deformed samples. The geometrical nature of this process imposes a distribution of strain results in the inhomogeneous microstructure and the hardness throughout the plane perpendicular to the extrusion direction. Strain reversal during the process results in a slight reduction in dislocation density, the hardness and mean disorientation angle of the samples, and an increase in the grain size. After a complete pass of SSE, dislocation density decreased by ~14% if compared to the middle of the process. This suggests that the dislocation annihilation occurred by the reversal of the shear strain. The simple shear textures were formed gradually and the strongest simple shear textures were observed on the middle of the SSE channel. The degree of the simple shear textures decreases with the distance from the middle plane where the shear is reversed, but the simple shear textures are still the major components after exit of the channel. Hardness variation was modeled by contributions from dislocation strengthening and grain boundary strengthening, where dislocation density is approximated by the misorientation angle of LAGBs which are regarded as dislocation cell boundaries. As a result, the hardness can be predicted successfully by the microstructural features, i.e. the low-angle boundaries, the mean misorientation angle and the fraction of high-angle grain boundaries.

Modeling combined tension-shear failure of ductile materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Partom, Y

2014-01-01

Failure of ductile materials is usually expressed in terms of effective plastic strain. Ductile materials can fail by two different failure modes, shear failure and tensile failure. Under dynamic loading shear failure has to do with shear localization and formation of adiabatic shear bands. In these bands plastic strain rate is very high, dissipative heating is extensive, and shear strength is lost. Shear localization starts at a certain value of effective plastic strain, when thermal softening overcomes strain hardening. Shear failure is therefore represented in terms of effective plastic strain. On the other hand, tensile failure comes about by void growth under tension. For voids in a tension field there is a threshold state of the remote field for which voids grow spontaneously (cavitation), and the material there fails. Cavitation depends on the remote field stress components and on the flow stress. In this way failure in tension is related to shear strength and to failure in shear. Here we first evaluate the cavitation threshold for different remote field situations, using 2D numerical simulations with a hydro code. We then use the results to compute examples of rate dependent tension-shear failure of a ductile material.

Role of E x B Shear and Magnetic Shear in the Formation of Transport Barriers in DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burrell, K.H.

2005-01-01

Development of the E x B shear stabilization model to explain the formation of transport barriers in magnetic confinement devices is a major achievement of fusion research. This concept has the universality needed to explain the H-mode edge transport barriers seen in limiter and divertor tokamaks, stellarators, and mirror machines; the broader edge transport barrier seen in VH-mode plasmas; and the core transport barriers formed in tokamaks with low or negative magnetic shear. These examples of confinement improvement are of considerable physical interest; it is not often that a system self-organizes to reduce transport when an additional source of free energy is applied to it. The transport decrease associated with E x B velocity shear is also of great practical benefit to fusion research. The fundamental physics involved in transport reduction is the effect of E x B shear on the growth, radial extent, and phase correlation of turbulent eddies in the plasma. The same basic transport reduction process can be operational in various portions of the plasma because there are a number of ways to change the radial electric field E r . An important theme in this area is the synergistic effect of E x B velocity shear and magnetic shear. Although the E x B velocity shear appears to have an effect on broader classes of microturbulence, magnetic shear can mitigate some potentially harmful effects of E x B velocity shear and facilitate turbulence stabilization. The experimental results on DIII-D and other devices are generally consistent with the basic theoretical models

Polar Spacecraft Observations of the Turbulent Outer Cusp/Magnetopause Boundary Layer of Earth

Science.gov (United States)

Pickett, J. S.; Menietti, J. D.; Dowell, J. H.; Gurnett, D. A.; Scudder, J. D.

1999-01-01

The orbit of the Polar spacecraft has been ideally suited for studying the turbulent region of the cusp that is located near or just outside the magnetopause current sheet at 7-9 R(sub E). The wave data obtained in this region show that electromagnetic turbulence is dominant in the frequency range 1-10 Hz. The waves responsible for this turbulence usually propagate perpendicular to the local magnetic field and have an index of refraction that generally falls between the estimated cold plasma theoretical values of the electromagnetic lower hybrid and whistler modes and may be composed of both modes in concert with kinetic Alfven waves and/or fast magnetosonic waves. Fourier spectra of the higher frequency wave data also show the electromagnetic turbulence at frequencies up to and near the electron cyclotron frequency. This higher frequency electromagnetic turbulence is most likely associated with whistler mode waves. The lower hybrid drift and current gradient instabilities are suggested as possible mechanisms for producing the turbulence. The plasma and field environment of this turbulent region is examined and found to be extremely complex. Some of the wave activity is associated with processes occurring locally, such as changes in the DC magnetic field, while others are associated with solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field changes.

Non-linear Dynamics Of Toroidicity-induced Alfven Eigenmodes On The National Spherical Torus Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Podesta, M; Crocker, N A; Fredrickson, E D; Gorelenkov, N N; Heidbrink, W W; Kubota, S; LeBlanc, B P

2011-04-26

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX, [M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)]) routinely operates with neutral beam injection as the primary system for heating and current drive. The resulting fast ion population is super-Alfv enic, with velocities 1 < vfast=vAlfven < 5. This provides a strong drive for toroidicity-induced Alfv en eigenmodes (TAEs). As the discharge evolves, the fast ion population builds up and TAEs exhibit increasing bursts in amplitude and down-chirps in frequency, which eventually lead to a so-called TAE avalanche. Avalanches cause large (≤ 30%) fast ion losses over ~ 1 ms, as inferred from the neutron rate. The increased fast ion losses correlate with a stronger activity in the TAE band. In addition, it is shown that a n = 1 mode with frequency well below the TAE gap appears in the Fourier spectrum of magnetic fluctuations as a result of non-linear mode coupling between TAEs during avalanche events. The non-linear coupling between modes, which leads to enhanced fast ion transport during avalanches, is investigated.

Discontinuities and the magnetospheric phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajaram, R.; Kalra, G.L.; Tandon, J.N.

1978-01-01

Wave coupling at contact discontinuities has an important bearing on the transmission of waves from the solar wind into the magnetosphere across the cusp region of the solar wind-magnetosphere boundary and on the propagation of geomagnetic pulsations in the polar exosphere. Keeping this in view, the problems of wave coupling across a contact discontinuity in a collisionless plasma, described by a set of double adiabatic fluid equations, is examined. The magnetic field is taken normal to the interface and it is shown that total reflection is not possible for any angle of incidence. The Alfven and the magneto-acoustic waves are not coupled. The transmission is most efficient for small density discontinuities. Inhibition of the transmission of the Alfven wave by the sharp density gradients above the F2-peak in the polar exosphere appears to account for the decrease in the pulsation amplitude, on the ground, as the poles are approached from the auroral zone. (author)

Direct Shear Behavior of Fiber Reinforced Concrete Elements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussein Al-Quraishi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Improving the accuracy of load-deformation behavior, failure mode, and ultimate load capacity for reinforced concrete members subjected to in-plane loadings such as corbels, wall to foundation connections and panels need shear strength behavior to be included. Shear design in reinforced concrete structures depends on crack width, crack slippage and roughness of the surface of cracks. This paper illustrates results of an experimental investigation conducted to investigate the direct shear strength of fiber normal strength concrete (NSC and reactive powder concrete (RPC. The tests were performed along a pre-selected shear plane in concrete members named push-off specimens. The effectiveness of concrete compressive strength, volume fraction of steel fiber, and shear reinforcement ratio on shear transfer capacity were considered in this study. Furthermore, failure modes, shear stress-slip behavior, and shear stress-crack width behavior were also presented in this study. Tests’ results showed that volume fraction of steel fiber and compressive strength of concrete in NSC and RPC play a major role in improving the shear strength of concrete. As expectedly, due to dowel action, the shear reinforcement is the predominant factor in resisting the shear stress. The shear failure of NSC and RPC has the sudden mode of failure (brittle failure with the approximately linear behavior of shear stress-slip relationship till failure. Using RPC instead of NSC with the same amount of steel fibers in constructing the push-off specimen result in high shear strength. In NSC, shear strength influenced by the three major factors; crack surface friction, aggregate interlock and steel fiber content if present. Whereas, RPC has only steel fiber and cracks surface friction influencing the shear strength. Due to cementitious nature of RPC in comparisons with NSC, the RPC specimen shows greater cracks width. It is observed that the Mattock model gives very satisfactory

Origins of Shear Jamming for Frictional Grains

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dong; Zheng, Hu; Ren, Jie; Dijksman, Joshua; Bares, Jonathan; Behringer, Robert

2016-11-01

Granular systems have been shown to be able to behave like solids, under shear, even when their densities are below the critical packing fraction for frictionless isotropic jamming. To understand such a phenomena, called shear jamming, the question we address here is: how does shear bring a system from a unjammed state to a jammed state, where the coordination number, Z, is no less than 3, the isotropic jamming point for frictional grains? Since Z can be used to distinguish jammed states from unjammed ones, it is vital to understand how shear increases Z. We here propose a set of three particles in contact, denoted as a trimer, as the basic unit to characterize the deformation of the system. Trimers, stabilized by inter-grain friction, fail under a certain amount of shear and bend to make extra contacts to regain stability. By defining a projection operator of the opening angle of the trimer to the compression direction in the shear, O, we see a systematically linear decrease of this quantity with respect to shear strain, demonstrating the bending of trimers as expected. In addition, the average change of O from one shear step to the next shows a good collapse when plotted against Z, indicating a universal behavior in the process of shear jamming. We acknowledge support from NSF DMR1206351, NASA NNX15AD38G, the William M. Keck Foundation and a RT-MRSEC Fellowship.

Crosswind Shear Gradient Affect on Wake Vortices

Science.gov (United States)

Proctor, Fred H.; Ahmad, Nashat N.

2011-01-01

Parametric simulations with a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model are used to explore the influence of crosswind shear on aircraft wake vortices. Previous studies based on field measurements, laboratory experiments, as well as LES, have shown that the vertical gradient of crosswind shear, i.e. the second vertical derivative of the environmental crosswind, can influence wake vortex transport. The presence of nonlinear vertical shear of the crosswind velocity can reduce the descent rate, causing a wake vortex pair to tilt and change in its lateral separation. The LES parametric studies confirm that the vertical gradient of crosswind shear does influence vortex trajectories. The parametric results also show that vortex decay from the effects of shear are complex since the crosswind shear, along with the vertical gradient of crosswind shear, can affect whether the lateral separation between wake vortices is increased or decreased. If the separation is decreased, the vortex linking time is decreased, and a more rapid decay of wake vortex circulation occurs. If the separation is increased, the time to link is increased, and at least one of the vortices of the vortex pair may have a longer life time than in the case without shear. In some cases, the wake vortices may never link.

Sheared-root inocula of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Sylvia, D M; Jarstfer, A G

1992-01-01

For efficient handling, vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi should be processed into small and uniform inocula; however, processing can reduce the inoculum density. In this article we describe the preparation and use of sheared-root inocula of Glomus spp. in which inoculum densities were increased during processing. Our objectives were to determine inoculum viability and density after shearing and to ascertain if the sheared inocula could be pelletized or used with a gel carrier. Root samples were harvested from aeroponic cultures, blotted dry, cut into 1-cm lengths, and sheared in a food processor for up to 80 s. After shearing, the inoculum was washed over sieves, and the propagule density in each fraction was determined. Sheared inocula were also encapsulated in carrageenan or used in a gel carrier. Shearing aeroponically produced root inocula reduced particle size. Propagule density increased with decreasing size fraction down to a size of 63 mum, after which propagule density decreased. The weighted-average propagule density of the inoculum was 135,380 propagules g (dry weight) of sheared root material. Sheared roots were encapsulated successfully in carrageenan, and the gel served as an effective carrier. Aeroponic root inoculum was stored dry at 4 degrees C for 23 months without significant reduction in propagule density; however, this material was not appropriate for shearing. Moist roots, useful for shearing, began to lose propagule density after 1 month of storage. Shearing proved to be an excellent method to prepare viable root inocula of small and uniform size, allowing for more efficient and effective use of limited inoculum supplies.

Imaging Shear Strength Along Subduction Faults

Science.gov (United States)

Bletery, Quentin; Thomas, Amanda M.; Rempel, Alan W.; Hardebeck, Jeanne L.

2017-11-01

Subduction faults accumulate stress during long periods of time and release this stress suddenly, during earthquakes, when it reaches a threshold. This threshold, the shear strength, controls the occurrence and magnitude of earthquakes. We consider a 3-D model to derive an analytical expression for how the shear strength depends on the fault geometry, the convergence obliquity, frictional properties, and the stress field orientation. We then use estimates of these different parameters in Japan to infer the distribution of shear strength along a subduction fault. We show that the 2011 Mw9.0 Tohoku earthquake ruptured a fault portion characterized by unusually small variations in static shear strength. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that large earthquakes preferentially rupture regions with relatively homogeneous shear strength. With increasing constraints on the different parameters at play, our approach could, in the future, help identify favorable locations for large earthquakes.

Imaging shear strength along subduction faults

Science.gov (United States)

Bletery, Quentin; Thomas, Amanda M.; Rempel, Alan W.; Hardebeck, Jeanne L.

2017-01-01

Subduction faults accumulate stress during long periods of time and release this stress suddenly, during earthquakes, when it reaches a threshold. This threshold, the shear strength, controls the occurrence and magnitude of earthquakes. We consider a 3-D model to derive an analytical expression for how the shear strength depends on the fault geometry, the convergence obliquity, frictional properties, and the stress field orientation. We then use estimates of these different parameters in Japan to infer the distribution of shear strength along a subduction fault. We show that the 2011 Mw9.0 Tohoku earthquake ruptured a fault portion characterized by unusually small variations in static shear strength. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that large earthquakes preferentially rupture regions with relatively homogeneous shear strength. With increasing constraints on the different parameters at play, our approach could, in the future, help identify favorable locations for large earthquakes.

Predicting Shear Transformation Events in Metallic Glasses

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Bin; Falk, Michael L.; Li, J. F.; Kong, L. T.

2018-03-01

Shear transformation is the elementary process for plastic deformation of metallic glasses, the prediction of the occurrence of the shear transformation events is therefore of vital importance to understand the mechanical behavior of metallic glasses. In this Letter, from the view of the potential energy landscape, we find that the protocol-dependent behavior of shear transformation is governed by the stress gradient along its minimum energy path and we propose a framework as well as an atomistic approach to predict the triggering strains, locations, and structural transformations of the shear transformation events under different shear protocols in metallic glasses. Verification with a model Cu64 Zr36 metallic glass reveals that the prediction agrees well with athermal quasistatic shear simulations. The proposed framework is believed to provide an important tool for developing a quantitative understanding of the deformation processes that control mechanical behavior of metallic glasses.

Thrombus Formation at High Shear Rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Casa, Lauren D C; Ku, David N

2017-06-21

The final common pathway in myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke is occlusion of blood flow from a thrombus forming under high shear rates in arteries. A high-shear thrombus forms rapidly and is distinct from the slow formation of coagulation that occurs in stagnant blood. Thrombosis at high shear rates depends primarily on the long protein von Willebrand factor (vWF) and platelets, with hemodynamics playing an important role in each stage of thrombus formation, including vWF binding, platelet adhesion, platelet activation, and rapid thrombus growth. The prediction of high-shear thrombosis is a major area of biofluid mechanics in which point-of-care testing and computational modeling are promising future directions for clinically relevant research. Further research in this area will enable identification of patients at high risk for arterial thrombosis, improve prevention and treatment based on shear-dependent biological mechanisms, and improve blood-contacting device design to reduce thrombosis risk.

Modeling of shear wall buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, A K [North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh (USA). Dept. of Civil Engineering

1984-05-01

Many nuclear power plant buildings, for example, the auxiliary building, have reinforced concrete shear walls as the primary lateral load resisting system. Typically, these walls have low height to length ratio, often less than unity. Such walls exhibit marked shear lag phenomenon which would affect their bending stiffness and the overall stress distribution in the building. The deformation and the stress distribution in walls have been studied which is applicable to both the short and the tall buildings. The behavior of the wall is divided into two parts: the symmetric flange action and the antisymmetry web action. The latter has two parts: the web shear and the web bending. Appropriate stiffness equations have been derived for all the three actions. These actions can be synthesized to solve any nonlinear cross-section. Two specific problems, that of lateral and torsional loadings of a rectangular box, have been studied. It is found that in short buildings shear lag plays a very important role. Any beam type formulation which either ignores shear lag or includes it in an idealized form is likely to lead to erroneous results. On the other hand a rigidity type approach with some modifications to the standard procedures would yield nearly accurate answers.

Shear instability of a gyroid diblock copolymer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eskimergen, Rüya; Mortensen, Kell; Vigild, Martin Etchells

2005-01-01

-induced destabilization is discussed in relation to analogous observations on shear-induced order-to-order and disorder-to-order transitions observed in related block copolymer systems and in microemulsions. It is discussed whether these phenomena originate in shear-reduced fluctuations or shear-induced dislocations....

Accurate shear measurement with faint sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Jun; Foucaud, Sebastien; Luo, Wentao

2015-01-01

For cosmic shear to become an accurate cosmological probe, systematic errors in the shear measurement method must be unambiguously identified and corrected for. Previous work of this series has demonstrated that cosmic shears can be measured accurately in Fourier space in the presence of background noise and finite pixel size, without assumptions on the morphologies of galaxy and PSF. The remaining major source of error is source Poisson noise, due to the finiteness of source photon number. This problem is particularly important for faint galaxies in space-based weak lensing measurements, and for ground-based images of short exposure times. In this work, we propose a simple and rigorous way of removing the shear bias from the source Poisson noise. Our noise treatment can be generalized for images made of multiple exposures through MultiDrizzle. This is demonstrated with the SDSS and COSMOS/ACS data. With a large ensemble of mock galaxy images of unrestricted morphologies, we show that our shear measurement method can achieve sub-percent level accuracy even for images of signal-to-noise ratio less than 5 in general, making it the most promising technique for cosmic shear measurement in the ongoing and upcoming large scale galaxy surveys

Shear and loading in channels: Oscillatory shearing and edge currents of superconducting vortices

Science.gov (United States)

Wambaugh, J. F.; Marchesoni, F.; Nori, Franco

2003-04-01

Via computer simulations we study the motion of quantized magnetic flux-lines, or vortices, confined to a straight pin-free channel in a strong-pinning superconducting sample. We find that, when a constant current is applied across this system, a very unusual oscillatory shearing appears, in which the vortices moving at the edges of the channel periodically trail behind and then suddenly leapfrog past the vortices moving in the inner rows. For small enough driving forces, this oscillatory shearing dynamic phase is replaced by a continuous shearing phase in which the distance between initially-nearby vortices grows in time, quickly destroying the order of the lattice. An animation of this novel “oscillatory leapfrogging shear” effect of the vortex edge currents appears in http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/˜nori/channel/

Vesicle dynamics in shear and capillary flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noguchi, Hiroshi; Gompper, Gerhard

2005-01-01

The deformation of vesicles in flow is studied by a mesoscopic simulation technique, which combines multi-particle collision dynamics for the solvent with a dynamically triangulated surface model for the membrane. Shape transitions are investigated both in simple shear flows and in cylindrical capillary flows. We focus on reduced volumes, where the discocyte shape of fluid vesicles is stable, and the prolate shape is metastable. In simple shear flow at low membrane viscosity, the shear induces a transformation from discocyte to prolate with increasing shear rate, while at high membrane viscosity, the shear induces a transformation from prolate to discocyte, or tumbling motion accompanied by oscillations between these two morphologies. In capillary flow, at small flow velocities the symmetry axis of the discocyte is found not to be oriented perpendicular to the cylinder axis. With increasing flow velocity, a transition to a prolate shape occurs for fluid vesicles, while vesicles with shear-elastic membranes (like red blood cells) transform into a coaxial parachute-like shape

Plasma Turbulence Suppression and Transport Barrier Formation by Externally Driven RF Waves in Spherical Tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruma, C.; Cuperman, S.C.; Komoshvili, K.

2002-01-01

Turbulent transport of heat and particles is the principle obstacle confronting controlled fusion today. Thus, we investigate quantitatively the suppression of turbulence and formation of transport barriers in spherical tokamaks by sheared electric fields generated by externally driven radio-frequency (RF) waves, in the frequency range o)A n o] < o)ci (e)A and o)ci are the Alfven and ion cyclotron frequencies). This investigation consists of the solution of the full-wave equation for a spherical tokamak in the presence of externally driven fast waves and the evaluation of the power dissipation by the mode-converted Alfven waves. This in turn, provides a radial flow shear responsible for the suppression of plasma turbulence. Thus, a strongly non-linear equation for the radial sheared electric field is solved, the turbulent transport suppression rate is evaluated and compared with the ion temperature gradient (ITG) instability increment. For illustration, the case of START-like device (Sykes 2000) is treated. Thus, (i) the exact D-shape cross-section is considered; (ii) additional kinetic (including Landau damping) and particle trapping effects are added to the resistive two-fluid dielectric tensor operator; (iii) a finite extension antenna located on the low-field-side of the plasma is considered; (iv) a rigorous 2.5 finite elements numerical code (Sewell 1993) is used; and (v) the turbulence and transport barrier generated as a result of wave-plasma interaction is evaluated

An underwater shear compactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biver, E.; Sims, J.

1997-01-01

This paper, originally presented at the WM'96 Conference in Tucson Arizona, describes a concept of a specialised decommissioning tool designed to operate underwater and to reduce the volume of radioactive components by shearing and compacting. The shear compactor was originally conceived to manage the size reduction of a variety of decommissioned stainless steel tubes stored within a reactor fuel cooling pond and which were consuming a substantial volume of the pond. The main objective of this tool was to cut the long tubes into shorter lengths and to compact them into a flat rectangular form which could be stacked on the pond floor, thus saving valuable space. The development programme, undertaken on this project, investigated a wide range of factors which could contribute to an extended cutting blade performance, ie: materials of construction, cutting blade shape and cutting loads required, shock effects, etc. The second phase was to review other aspects of the design, such as radiological protection, cutting blade replacement, maintenance, pond installation and resultant wall loads, water hydraulics, collection of products of shearing/compacting operations, corrosion of the equipment, control system, operational safety and the ability of the equipment to operate in dry environments. The paper summarises the extended work programme involved with this shear compactor tool. (author)

Direct measurements of the damping of Alfven eigenmodes for an assessment of their stability limits in Tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panis, T.

2010-12-01

Direct damping rate measurements of Alfven eigenmodes (AE) are obtained using the active MHD spectroscopy system installed on the JET tokamak. The system was recently equipped with new antennas, designed to study especially the modes of intermediate toroidal mode number n, ¦n¦ = 3 -- 15, as the AEs of this range are most prone to destabilization by the fast particles in JET and in future burning plasma experiments such as ITER. The broad n-spectrum that is driven by the new antennas and the more localized structure of intermediate-n AEs has important implications for the ability to measure damping rates of intermediate n. To obtain an extended database of high accuracy individual-n measurements, experimental work on technical and engineering aspects was indispensable both on the excitation side and on the detection side. On the excitation side, the electrical model of the AE exciter has been constructed during this thesis. The model is used to determine the operational capabilities of the exciter with the new antennas, to optimize the antenna currents and to design the relevant impedance matching circuits. On the detection side, the excitation of multiple-n, degenerate AEs at close frequencies prompted for a sophisticated method to correctly estimate the n-spectrum of the plasma response. To this end, a sparse spectrum representation method was adapted to deal with the complex and real-time data produced by the active MHD spectroscopy system. The n-decomposition of the plasma response requires an accurate relative calibration of the magnetic pick-up coils. An in situ method was developed and applied for the calibration of the coils using the direct coupling to the new AE antennas. A large collection of damping rate measurements of, mainly, toroidal AEs (TAEs) was obtained during the 2008/2009 JET experimental campaigns following the technical optimization of the antenna system. Selected measurements of ¦n¦ = 3, 4 and ¦n¦ = 7 TAEs are compared to the plasma

Direct measurements of the damping of Alfven eigenmodes for an assessment of their stability limits in Tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Panis, T.

2010-12-15

Direct damping rate measurements of Alfven eigenmodes (AE) are obtained using the active MHD spectroscopy system installed on the JET tokamak. The system was recently equipped with new antennas, designed to study especially the modes of intermediate toroidal mode number n, ¦n¦ = 3 -- 15, as the AEs of this range are most prone to destabilization by the fast particles in JET and in future burning plasma experiments such as ITER. The broad n-spectrum that is driven by the new antennas and the more localized structure of intermediate-n AEs has important implications for the ability to measure damping rates of intermediate n. To obtain an extended database of high accuracy individual-n measurements, experimental work on technical and engineering aspects was indispensable both on the excitation side and on the detection side. On the excitation side, the electrical model of the AE exciter has been constructed during this thesis. The model is used to determine the operational capabilities of the exciter with the new antennas, to optimize the antenna currents and to design the relevant impedance matching circuits. On the detection side, the excitation of multiple-n, degenerate AEs at close frequencies prompted for a sophisticated method to correctly estimate the n-spectrum of the plasma response. To this end, a sparse spectrum representation method was adapted to deal with the complex and real-time data produced by the active MHD spectroscopy system. The n-decomposition of the plasma response requires an accurate relative calibration of the magnetic pick-up coils. An in situ method was developed and applied for the calibration of the coils using the direct coupling to the new AE antennas. A large collection of damping rate measurements of, mainly, toroidal AEs (TAEs) was obtained during the 2008/2009 JET experimental campaigns following the technical optimization of the antenna system. Selected measurements of ¦n¦ = 3, 4 and ¦n¦ = 7 TAEs are compared to the plasma

Evolution of allowable stresses in shear for lumber

Science.gov (United States)

Robert L. Ethington; William L. Galligan; Henry M. Montrey; Alan D. Freas

1979-01-01

This paper surveys research leading to allowable shear stress parallel to grain for lumber. In early flexure tests of lumber, some pieces failed in shear. The estimated shear stress at time of failure was generally lower than shear strength measured on small, clear, straight-grained specimens. This and other engineering observations gave rise to adjustments that...

Shear zones between rock units with no relative movement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koyi, Hemin; Schmeling, Harro; Burchardt, Steffi

2013-01-01

Shear zones are normally viewed as relatively narrow deformation zones that accommodate relative displacement between two "blocks" that have moved past each other in opposite directions. This study reports localized zones of shear between adjacent blocks that have not moved past each other. Such ...... given credit for and may be responsible for some reverse kinematics reported in shear zones....... or wakes, elongated bodies (vertical plates or horizontal rod-like bodies) produce tabular shear zones or wakes. Unlike conventional shear zones across which shear indicators usually display consistent symmetries, shear indicators on either side of the shear zone or wake reported here show reverse...... kinematics. Thus profiles exhibit shear zones with opposed senses of movement across their center-lines or -planes.We have used field observations and results from analytical and numerical models to suggest that examples of wakes are the transit paths that develop where denser blocks sink within salt...

Effect of shear span-to-depth ratio on the shear behavior of BFRP-RC deep beams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alhamad Siyam

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the shear behavior of deep concrete beams reinforced with basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP bars for flexure without web reinforcements. The experimental testing performed herein consisted of a total of 4 short beams, three of which were reinforced with BFRP and one beam was reinforced with steel bars. The primary test variable was the shear-span-to-effective-depth ratio (a/d and its influence on the beams’ mid-span deflections, shear capacity, load-deformation relationships and the failure modes.

Evaluation of composite shear walls behavior (parametric study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Nikkhoo

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Composite shear walls which are made of a layer of steel plate with a concrete cover in one or both sides of the steel plate, are counted as the third generation of the shear walls. Nowadays, composite shear walls are widely utilized in building new resisting structures as well as rehabilitating of the existing structures in earthquake-prone countries. Despite of its advantages, use of the composite shear walls is not yet prevalent as it demands more detailed appropriate investigation. Serving higher strength, flexibility and better energy absorption, while being more economical are the main advantages of this system which has paved its path to be used in high-rise buildings, structural retrofit and reservoir tanks. In this research, channel shear connectors are utilized to connect the concrete cover to the steel plate. As a key parameter, variation in the distance of shear connectors and their arrangement on the behavior of composite shear walls has been scrutinized. In addition, the shear stiffness, flexibility, out of plane displacement and the energy absorption of the structural system has been explored. For this purpose, several structural models with different shear distances and arrangements have been investigated. The obtained results reveal that with increase in shear connectors’ distance, the wall stiffness would reduce while its lateral displacement increases up to eighty percent While the out of plane displacement of the steel plate will reduce up to three times.

Acoustic waves in unbounded shear flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chagelishvili, G.D.; Khujadze, G.R.; Lominadze, J.G.; Rogava, A.D.

1996-05-01

The linear evolution of acoustic waves in fluid flow with constant density and uniform shear of velocity is investigated. The process of the mean flow energy extraction by the three-dimensional acoustic waves which is due to the non-normality of linear dynamics in shear flows is analyzed. The thorough examination of the dynamics of different physical quantities, specifying the wave evolution, is outlined. The revealing of the behaviour becomes possible owing to the nonmodal approach that has been extensively used in the study of the perturbations evolution in shear flows since the beginning of the nineties. In addition, a detailed analyses of the physics of shear energy gain by vortex and acoustic perturbations is presented. (author). 28 refs, 7 figs

Torsional shear flow of granular materials: shear localization and minimum energy principle

Science.gov (United States)

Artoni, Riccardo; Richard, Patrick

2018-01-01

The rheological properties of granular matter submitted to torsional shear are investigated numerically by means of discrete element method. The shear cell is made of a cylinder filled by grains which are sheared by a bumpy bottom and submitted to a vertical pressure which is applied at the top. Regimes differing by their strain localization features are observed. They originate from the competition between dissipation at the sidewalls and dissipation in the bulk of the system. The effects of the (i) the applied pressure, (ii) sidewall friction, and (iii) angular velocity are investigated. A model, based on the purely local μ (I)-rheology and a minimum energy principle is able to capture the effect of the two former quantities but unable to account the effect of the latter. Although, an ad hoc modification of the model allows to reproduce all the numerical results, our results point out the need for an alternative rheology.

Failure modes of low-rise shear walls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrar, C.R.; Reed, J.W.; Salmon, M.W.

1993-01-01

A summary of available data concerning the structural response of low-rise shear walls is presented. These data will be used to address two failure modes associated with shear wall structures. First, the data concerning the seismic capacity of the shear walls are examined, with emphasis on excessive deformations that can cause equipment failure. Second, the data concerning the dynamic properties of shear walls (stiffness and damping) that are necessary for computing the seismic inputs to attached equipment are summarized. This case addresses the failure of equipment when the structure remains functional

Determination of wall shear stress from mean velocity and Reynolds shear stress profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Volino, Ralph J.; Schultz, Michael P.

2018-03-01

An analytical method is presented for determining the Reynolds shear stress profile in steady, two-dimensional wall-bounded flows using the mean streamwise velocity. The method is then utilized with experimental data to determine the local wall shear stress. The procedure is applicable to flows on smooth and rough surfaces with arbitrary pressure gradients. It is based on the streamwise component of the boundary layer momentum equation, which is transformed into inner coordinates. The method requires velocity profiles from at least two streamwise locations, but the formulation of the momentum equation reduces the dependence on streamwise gradients. The method is verified through application to laminar flow solutions and turbulent DNS results from both zero and nonzero pressure gradient boundary layers. With strong favorable pressure gradients, the method is shown to be accurate for finding the wall shear stress in cases where the Clauser fit technique loses accuracy. The method is then applied to experimental data from the literature from zero pressure gradient studies on smooth and rough walls, and favorable and adverse pressure gradient cases on smooth walls. Data from very near the wall are not required for determination of the wall shear stress. Wall friction velocities obtained using the present method agree with those determined in the original studies, typically to within 2%.

Adiabatic shear localization in ultrafine grained 6061 aluminum alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Bingfeng, E-mail: biw009@ucsd.edu [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego (United States); State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); Key Lab of Nonferrous Materials, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Ma, Rui; Zhou, Jindian [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Li, Zezhou; Zhao, Shiteng [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego (United States); Huang, Xiaoxia [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

2016-10-15

Localized shear is an important mode of deformation; it leads to catastrophic failure with low ductility, and occurs frequently during high strain-rate deformation. The hat-shaped specimen has been successfully used to generate shear bands under controlled shock-loading tests. The microstructure in the forced shear band was characterized by optical microscopy, microhardness, and transmission electron microscopy. The true flow stress in the shear region can reach 800 MPa where the strain is about 2.2. The whole shear localization process lasts for about 100 μs. The shear band is a long and straight band distinguished from the matrix by boundaries. It can be seen that the grains in the boundary of the shear band are highly elongated along the shear direction and form the elongated cell structures (0.2 µm in width), and the core of the shear band consists of a number of recrystallized equiaxed grains with 0.2−0.3 µm in diameters, and the second phase particles distribute in the boundary of the ultrafine equiaxed new grains. The calculated temperature in the shear band can reach about 667 K. Finally, the formation of the shear band in the ultrafine grained 6061 aluminum alloy and its microstructural evolution are proposed.

Nonlinear Electromagnetic Waves and Spherical Arc-Polarized Waves in Space Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Tsurutani, B.; Ho, Christian M.; Arballo, John K.; Lakhina, Gurbax S.; Glassmeier, Karl-Heinz; Neubauer, Fritz M.

1997-01-01

We review observations of nonlinear plasma waves detected by interplanetary spacecraft. For this paper we will focus primarily on the phase-steepened properties of such waves. Plasma waves at comet Giacobini-Zinner measured by the International Cometary Explorer (ICE), at comets Halley and Grigg-Skjellerup measured by Giotto, and interplanetary Alfven waves measured by Ulysses, will be discussed and intercompared.

Evolution of thermal ion transport barriers in reversed shear/ optimised shear plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voitsekhovitch, I.; Garbet, X.; Moreau, D.; Bush, C.E.; Budny, R.V.; Gohil, P.; Kinsey, J.E.; Talyor, T.S.; Litaudon, X.

2001-01-01

The effects of the magnetic and ExB rotation shears on the thermal ion transport in advanced tokamak scenarios are analyzed through the predictive modelling of the evolution of internal transport barriers. Such a modelling is performed with an experimentally validated L-mode thermal diffusivity completed with a semi-empirical shear correction which is based on simple theoretical arguments from turbulence studies. A multi-machine test of the model on relevant discharges from the ITER Data Base (TFTR, DIII-D and JET) is presented. (author)

Resolution of axial shear strain elastography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thitaikumar, Arun; Righetti, Raffaella; Krouskop, Thomas A; Ophir, Jonathan

2006-01-01

The technique of mapping the local axial component of the shear strain due to quasi-static axial compression is defined as axial shear strain elastography. In this paper, the spatial resolution of axial shear strain elastography is investigated through simulations, using an elastically stiff cylindrical lesion embedded in a homogeneously softer background. Resolution was defined as the smallest size of the inclusion for which the strain value at the inclusion/background interface was greater than the average of the axial shear strain values at the interface and inside the inclusion. The resolution was measured from the axial shear strain profile oriented at 45 0 to the axis of beam propagation, due to the absence of axial shear strain along the normal directions. The effects of the ultrasound system parameters such as bandwidth, beamwidth and transducer element pitch along with signal processing parameters such as correlation window length (W) and axial shift (ΔW) on the estimated resolution were investigated. The results show that the resolution (at 45 0 orientation) is determined by the bandwidth and the beamwidth. However, the upper bound on the resolution is limited by the larger of the beamwidth and the window length, which is scaled inversely to the bandwidth. The results also show that the resolution is proportional to the pitch and not significantly affected by the axial window shift

Interfacial shear behavior of composite flanged concrete beams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moataz Awry Mahmoud

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Composite concrete decks are commonly used in the construction of highway bridges due to their rapid constructability. The interfacial shear transfer between the top slab and the supporting beams is of great significance to the overall deck load carrying capacity and performance. Interfacial shear capacity is directly influenced by the distribution and the percentage of shear connectors. Research and design guidelines suggest the use of two different approaches to quantify the required interfacial shear strength, namely based on the maximum compressive forces in the flange at mid span or the maximum shear flow at the supports. This paper investigates the performance of flanged reinforced concrete composite beams with different shear connector’s distribution and reinforcing ratios. The study incorporated both experimental and analytical programs for beams. Key experimental findings suggest that concentrating the connectors at the vicinity of the supports enhances the ductility of the beam. The paper proposes a simple and straight forward approach to estimate the interfacial shear capacity that was proven to give good correlation with the experimental results and selected code provisions. The paper presents a method to predict the horizontal shear force between precast beams and cast in-situ slabs.

Shear wave elastography with a new reliability indicator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph F. Dietrich

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Non-invasive methods for liver stiffness assessment have been introduced over recent years. Of these, two main methods for estimating liver fibrosis using ultrasound elastography have become established in clinical practice: shear wave elastography and quasi-static or strain elastography. Shear waves are waves with a motion perpendicular (lateral to the direction of the generating force. Shear waves travel relatively slowly (between 1 and 10 m/s. The stiffness of the liver tissue can be assessed based on shear wave velocity (the stiffness increases with the speed. The European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology has published Guidelines and Recommendations that describe these technologies and provide recommendations for their clinical use. Most of the data available to date has been published using the Fibroscan (Echosens, France, point shear wave speed measurement using an acoustic radiation force impulse (Siemens, Germany and 2D shear wave elastography using the Aixplorer (SuperSonic Imagine, France. More recently, also other manufacturers have introduced shear wave elastography technology into the market. A comparison of data obtained using different techniques for shear wave propagation and velocity measurement is of key interest for future studies, recommendations and guidelines. Here, we present a recently introduced shear wave elastography technology from Hitachi and discuss its reproducibility and comparability to the already established technologies.