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At least 19 records

Magnetic disk

Magnetic disk recording was invented in 1953 and has undergone intensive development ever since. As a result of this 38 years of development, the cost per byte and the areal density have halved and doubled respectively every 2-2 1/2 years. Today, the cost per byte is lower than 10(exp -6) dollars per byte and area densities exceed 100 10(exp 6) bits per square inch. In this talk, the recent achievements in magnetic disk recording are first surveyed briefly. Then, the principal areas of current technical development are outlined. Finally, some comments are made about the future of magnetic disk recording.

Mallinson, John C.↗

Magnetic disk

Magnetic disk recording was invented in 1953 and has undergone intensive development ever since. As a result of this 38 years of development, the cost per byte and the areal density has halved and doubled, respectively every 2 to 2 1/2 years. Today, the cost per byte is lower than 10(exp -6) dollars per byte and area densities exceed 100 x 10(exp 6) bits per square inch. The recent achievements in magnetic disk recording will first be surveyed briefly. Then the principal areas of current technical development will be outlined. Finally, some comments will be made about the future of magnetic disk recording.

Mallinson, John C.↗

A powerful local shear instability in weakly magnetized disks. III - Long-term evolution in a shearing sheet. IV - Nonaxisymmetric perturbations

The nonlinear evolution of the recently identified accretion disk magnetic shear instability is investigated through a series of numerical simulations. Finite-difference computations of the equations of compressible MHD are carried out on an axisymmetric shearing sheet system with periodic boundary conditions designed to approximate a local region within an accretion disk. Initial field configurations that include some net vertical component evolve into a nonlinear, exponentially growing solution with large poloidal velocities and magnetic fields with energies comparable to the thermal energy density. The stability of a purely azimuthal field configuration is examined, and it is found that nonaxisymmetric instability is present, but with a growth time measured in tens of orbital periods. In general, the most rapid growth occurs for very small radial and azimuthal wavenumbers, leading to coherent magnetic field structure in planes parallel to the disk. It is suggested that this instability is a key ingredient for the generation of magnetic fields in disks.

Hawley, John F.↗

Solar full-disk magnetic field image receiving system and observation software

The paper introduces terminal hardware system of 10 cm high resolution full-disk magnetic field telescope among solar multi-channel telescope produced by Beijing Astronomical Observatory, and its software procedure by using imaging processing as well real time data collecting. These data were processed by Sun Workstation 470/4, including doing some spectrum analysis, the system is unique in the world now. It uses a set of CCD (1320 pixels plus 1035 pixels) of high resolution image explosion, also it has a set of fast and high resolution (1024 pixel plus 1024 pixel) image processor. Moreover, we can obtain higher time and space resolution about solar full-disk magnetic field and velocity field. This will provide excellent means in observation and studies of full-disk solar large-scale magnetic field and velocity field.

Xu, Yan↗

Radiation Pressure-Driven Magnetic Disk Winds in Broad Absorption Line Quasi-Stellar Objects

We explore a model in which QSO broad absorption lines (BALS) are formed in a radiation pressure-driven wind emerging from a magnetized accretion disk. The magnetic field threading the disk material is dragged by the flow and is compressed by the radiation pressure until it is dynamically important and strong enough to contribute to the confinement of the BAL clouds. We construct a simple self-similar model for such radiatively driven magnetized disk winds, in order to explore their properties. It is found that solutions exist for which the entire magnetized flow is confined to a thin wedge over the surface of the disk. For reasonable values of the mass-loss rate, a typical magnetic field strength such that the magnetic pressure is comparable to the inferred gas pressure in BAL clouds, and a moderate amount of internal soft X-ray absorption, we find that the opening angle of the flow is approximately 0.1 rad, in good agreement with the observed covering factor of the broad absorption line region.

DeKool, Martin↗

Local shear instabilities in weakly ionized, weakly magnetized disks

We extend the analysis of axisymmetric magnetic shear instabilities from ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows to weakly ionized plasmas with coupling between ions and neutrals caused by collisions, ionization, and recombination. As part of the analysis, we derive the single-fluid MHD dispersion relation without invoking the Boussinesq approximation. This work expands the range of applications of these instabilities from fully ionized accretion disks to molecular disks in galaxies and, with somewhat more uncertainty, to protostellar disks. Instability generally requires the angular velocity to decrease outward, the magnetic field strengths to be subthermal, and the ions and neutrals to be sufficiently well coupled. If ionization and recombination processes can be neglected on an orbital timescale, adequate coupling is achieved when the collision frequency of a given neutral with the ions exceeds the local epicyclic freqency. When ionization equilibrium is maintained on an orbital timescale, a new feature is present in the disk dynamics: in contrast to a single-fluid system, subthermal azimuthal fields can affect the axisymmetric stability of weakly ionized two-fluid systems. We discuss the underlying causes for this behavior. Azimuthal fields tend to be stabilizing under these circumstances, and good coupling between the neutrals and ions requires the collision frequency to exceed the epicyclic frequency by a potentially large secant factor related to the magnetic field geometry. When the instability is present, subthermal azimuthal fields may also reduce the growth rate unless the collision frequency is high, but this is important only if the field strengths are very subthermal and/or the azimuthal field is the dominant field component. We briefly discuss our results in the context of the Galactic center circumnuclear disk, and suggest that the shear instability might be present there, and be responsible for the observed turbulent motions.

Blaes, Omer M.↗

Magnetized Disk Winds in NGC 3783

We analyze a 900 kilosecond stacked Chandra/HETG (High-Energy Transmission Grating) spectrum of NGC 3783 in the context of magnetically driven accretion-disk wind models in an effort to provide tight constraints on the global conditions of the underlying absorbers. Motivated by the earlier measurements of its absorption measure distribution (AMD) indicating X-ray-absorbing ionic columns that decrease slowly with decreasing ionization parameter, we employ 2-dimension (2-D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) disk wind models to describe the global outflow. We compute its photoionization structure along with the wind kinematic properties, allowing us to further calculate in a self-consistent fashion the shapes of the major X-ray absorption lines. With the wind radial density profile determined by the AMD, the profiles of the ensemble of the observed absorption features are determined by the two global parameters of the MHD wind; i.e., disk inclination theta (sub obs) and wind density normalization n (sub o). Considering the most significant absorption features in the approximately 1.8-20 angstrom range, we show that the MHD wind is best described by n(r) approximately equal to 6.9 times 10 (sup 11) (r/r (sub o)) (sup - 1.15) cubic centimeters and theta (sub obs). We argue that winds launched by X-ray heating or radiation pressure, or even MHD winds but with steeper radial density profiles, are strongly disfavored by data. Considering the properties of Fe K-band absorption features (i.e., Fe XXV and Fe XXVI), while typically prominent in the active galactic nucleus X-ray spectra, they appear to be weak in NGC 3783. For the specific parameters of our model obtained by fitting the AMD and the rest of the absorption features, these features are found to be weak, in agreement with observations.

Fukumura, Keigo↗

A powerful local shear instability in weakly magnetized disks. I - Linear analysis. II - Nonlinear evolution

A broad class of astronomical accretion disks is presently shown to be dynamically unstable to axisymmetric disturbances in the presence of a weak magnetic field, an insight with consequently broad applicability to gaseous, differentially-rotating systems. In the first part of this work, a linear analysis is presented of the instability, which is local and extremely powerful; the maximum growth rate, which is of the order of the angular rotation velocity, is independent of the strength of the magnetic field. Fluid motions associated with the instability directly generate both poloidal and toroidal field components. In the second part of this investigation, the scaling relation between the instability's wavenumber and the Alfven velocity is demonstrated, and the independence of the maximum growth rate from magnetic field strength is confirmed.

Balbus, Steven A.↗

MIT ASTROMAG 1.7 meter disk magnet design report

MIT has proposed a magnet design for ASTROMAG, which has demonstrated substantial improvement in performance as compared with the present HEAO baseline design. Several advantages of the MIT disk design are listed along with design characteristics. Details of field contours and active field regions are shown along with comparisons with other designs. Three alternative design configurations for the ASTROMAG disk coils are summarized. The parameters of the conductors are listed and basic parameters for each of the complete systems are shown.

Marston, P. G.↗

Modeling Magnetic Disk Wind State Transitions in Black Hole X-Ray Binaries

We analyze three prototypical black hole X-ray binaries, 4U 1630–472, GRO J1655–40, and H1743–322, in an effort to systematically understand the intrinsic state transition of the observed accretion disk winds between wind-on and wind-off states by utilizing state-of-the-art Chandra/HETGS archival data from multi-epoch observations. We apply our magnetically driven wind models in the context of magnetohydrodynamic(MHD)calculations to constrain(1)their global density slope(p),(2)their density (n17) at the foot point of the inner most launching radius, and(3)the abundances of heavier elements(AFe,S,Si). Incorporating the MHD winds into xstar photoionization calculations in a self-consistent manner, we create a library of synthetic absorption spectra given the observed X-ray continua. Our analysis clearly indicates a characteristic bimodal transition of multi-ion X-ray winds; i.e., the wind density gradient is found to steepen(fro mp∼1.2–1.4 to∼1.4–1.5)while its density normalization declines as the source transitions from the wind-onto the wind-off state. The model implies that the ionized wind remains physically present even in the wind-off state, despite its apparent absence in the observed spectra. Super solar abundances for heavier elements are also favored. Our global multi-ion wind models, taking into account soft X-ray ions as well as Fe K absorbers, show that the internal wind condition plays an important role in wind transitions besides photoionization changes. Simulated XRISM/Resolve and Athena/X-IFU spectra are presented to demonstrate a high fidelity of the multi-ion wind model for a better understanding of these powerful ionized winds in the coming decades

Keigo Fukumura↗

Dynamo magnetic-field generation in turbulent accretion disks

Magnetic fields can play important roles in the dynamics and evolution of accretion disks. The presence of strong differential rotation and vertical density gradients in turbulent disks allows the alpha-omega dynamo mechanism to offset the turbulent dissipation and maintain strong magnetic fields. It is found that MHD dynamo magnetic-field normal modes in an accretion disk are highly localized to restricted regions of a disk. Implications for the character of real, dynamically constrained magnetic fields in accretion disks are discussed. The magnetic stress due to the mean magnetic field is found to be of the order of a viscous stress. The dominant stress, however, is likely to come from small-scale fluctuating magnetic fields. These fields may also give rise to energetic flares above the disk surface, providing a possible explanation for the highly variable hard X-ray emission from objects like Cyg X-l.

Stepinski, T. F.↗

Nonlinear Waves in Magnetized Accretion Disks

Time-dependent accretion for a magnetized disk can exhibit short timescale outbursts of high-power jets associated with bursts of disk radiation. The burst of energy in jets can produce outward propagating disturbances in preexisting (+/- z) jet flows. the disturbances are strong and can be expected to steepen and form strong shock waves. The strong linear polarization (up to approximately 30%) and large polarization position angle changes (90 deg and more) seen in the optical outbursts of some quasars clearly indicate synchrotron radiation, and this component of the radiation is probably associated with the burst in jet energy in the present model.

Lovelace, R. V. E.↗

Study Of Dc Modulation Noise In Magnetic Recording Disks

Report discusses dc modulation noise in thin-film magnetic medium on magnetic recording disk. Presents study of statistical and spectral characteristics of noise and describes study of dependence of noise upon applied magnetic field, thickness of magnetic layer, and roughness of surface of layer. DC modulation noise attributed to nucleation of isolated regions of reversal of magnetization in recording medium, and to growth and coalescence of regions with increasing reverse applied magnetic field. Inhomogeneities in magnetic recording media, not roughnesses of surfaces, are dominant sources of noise.

Katti, Romney R.↗

Electrodynamics of disk-accreting magnetic neutron stars

We have investigated the electrodynamics of magnetic neutron stars accreting from Keplerian disks and the implications for particle acceleration and gamma-ray emission by such systems. We argue that the particle density in the magnetospheres of such stars is larger by orders of magnitude than the Goldreich-Julian density, so that the formation of vacuum gaps is unlikely. We show that even if the star rotates slowly, electromotive forces (EMFs) of order 10(exp 15) V are produced by the interaction of plasma in the accretion disk with the magnetic field of the neutron star. The resistance of the disk-magnetosphere-star circuit is small, and hence these EMFs drive very large conduction currents. Such large currents are likely to produce magnetospheric instabilities, such as relativistic double layers and reconnection events, that can accelerate electrons or ions to very high energies.

Miller, M. Coleman↗

dc modulation noise in thin film magnetic recording disk media

A study of dc modulation noise as a function of magnetic layer thickness has been conducted for plated longitudinal low-noise Co-alloy disk media with a range of 900 to 1100 Oe. The noise, produced by the application of a reverse longitudinal dc field to a uniformly magnetized disk, supplies data regarding the uniformity of the disk. A spectrum analyzer measures the noise by means of electronic detection, and noise spectra and autocorrelation functions calculated with a model are compared to the experimental results. The model correlates with experimental data to more than 0.99. The maximum distance between effective transitions diminishes from 2.8 microns to 1 micron when the thickness of the magnetic layer is increased from 25 nm to 60 nm. The maximum average transition amplitude is found to be independent of thickness, and is bounded by 0.001 of the saturation magnetization.

Katti, R. R.↗