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At least 19 records

Maxwell Duality, Lorentz Invariance, and Topological Phase

We discuss the Maxwell electromagnetic duality relations between the Aharonov-Bohm, Aharonov-Casher, and He-McKellar-Wilkens topological phases, which allows a unified description of all three phenomena.

Maxwell Duality Lorentz Invariance Topological Pha↗

Magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium. II - General integrals of the equations with one ignorable coordinate

The steady equations of hydromagnetics for the isentropic or nonisentropic flow of an inviscid magnetofluid of high electrical conductivity, with one ignorable coordinate in a general orthogonal system, are treated. Several integrals of the equations are established thereafter reducing them to a scalar, quasi-linear, second order, partial differential equation for the magnetic potential. Simple solutions of this final equation are presented. The result, together with a similar treatment of helically symmetric hydromagnetic flows presented in a subsequent paper, allows a unified and systematic approach to the solution of problems involving steady hydromagnetic fields with a topological invariance in various curvilinear coordinates.

Tsinganos, K. C.↗

Current sheet formation in a sheared force-free-magnetic field

This paper presents the results of a study showing how continuous shearing motion of magnetic footpoints in a tenuous, infinitely conducting plasma can lead to the development of current sheets, despite the absence of such sheets or even of neutral points in the initial state. The calculations discussed here verify the earlier suggestion by Low and Wolfson (1988) that extended current sheets should form due to the shearing of a force-free quadrupolar magnetic field. More generally, this work augments earlier studies suggesting that the appearance of discontinuities - current sheets - may be a necessary consequence of the topological invariance imposed on the magnetic field geometry of an ideal MHD system by virtue of its infinite conductivity. In the context of solar physics, the work shows how the gradual and continuous motion of magnetic footpoints at the solar photosphere may lead to the buildup of magnetic energy that can then be released explosively when finite conductivity effects become important and lead to the rapid dissipation of current sheets. Such energy release may be important in solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and other eruptive events.

Wolfson, Richard↗

(Ad/f,g/), (ad/fg/) and locally (ad/f,g/) invariant and controllability distributions

Over the past decade, it has been found that concepts from differential topology such as foliation and invariant distribution play a crucial role in the study of nonlinear systems. These concepts were first employed in studies of nonlinear controllability and observability. More recently, they have occurred in the study of decoupling and linearization via feedback. In connection with the widening area of application, requirements for a greater precision have arisen. The present paper represents an attempt to provide that precision. In this paper, an introduction is given of the basic concepts which are needed for an understanding of controllability, observability, and decoupling of nonlinear systems. Attention is given to mathematical preliminaries, aspects of invariance, nonlinear controllability and observability, disturbance decoupling, and controllability distributions.

Krener, A. J.↗

Energetic auroral and polar ion outflow at DE 1 altitudes Magnitude, composition, magnetic activity dependence, and long-term variations

Data acquired from the Dynamics Explorer I Energetic Ion Composition Spectrometer in the period from September 1981 to May 1984 are used to determine the magnitude of the terrestrial ion outflow in the 0.01-17 keV/el range. The data are also employed to investigate the mass composition and topology (local time and invariant latitude distributions) of the ion outflow, as well as the outflow's magnetic activity dependence and long-term variation. The relative importance of auroral versus polar cap upflowing ions as a source of energetic plasma for various parts of the magnetosphere is examined.

Yau, A. W.↗

A study of the topology of dissipating motions in direct numerical simulations of time-developing compressible and incompressible mixing layers

A preliminary investigation of the geometry of flow patterns in numerically simulated compressible and incompressible mixing layers was carried out using 3-D critical point methodology. Motions characterized by high rates of kinetic energy dissipation and/or high enstrophy were of particular interest. In the approach the partial derivatives of the velocity field are determined at every point in the flow. These are used to construct the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor and the rate-of-strain tensor (P, Q, R, and P(sub s), Q(sub s), R(sub s) respectively). For incompressible flow the first invariant is zero. For the conditions of the compressible simulation, the first invariant is found to be everywhere small, relative to the second and third invariants, and so in both cases the local topology at a point is mainly determined by the second and third invariants. The data at every grid point is used to construct scatter plots of Q versus R and Q(sub s) versus R(sub s). Most points map to a cluster near the origin in Q-R space. However, fine scale motions, that is motions which are characterized by velocity derivatives which scale with the square root of R(sub delta), tend to map to regions which lie far from the origin. Definite trends are observed for motions characterized by high enstrophy and/or high dissipation. The observed trends suggest that, for these motions, the second and third invariants of the velocity gradient and rate-of-strain tensors are strongly correlated. The second and third invariants of the rate-of-strain tensor are related by K(-Q(sub s))(exp 3/2), which is consistent with the above scaling of velocity derivatives. The quantity K appears to depend on Reynolds number with an upper limit K = 2(the square root of 3)/9 corresponding to locally axisymmetric flow. For both the compressible and incompressible mixing layer, regions corresponding to high rates of dissipation are found to be characterized by comparable magnitudes of R(sub ij)R(sub ij) and S(sub ij)S(sub ij). For the incompressible mixing layer, regions characterized by the highest values of enstrophy are found to have relatively low strain rates.

Chen, J. H.↗

Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays: Old Physics or New Physics?

We consider the advantages of and the problems associated with hypotheses to explain the origin of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECR: E greater than 10 EeV) and the "trans-GZK" cosmic rays (TGZK: E greater than 100 EeV) both through "old physics" (acceleration in cosmic sources) and "new physics" (new particles, topological defects, fat neutrino cross sections, Lorentz invariance violation).

Stecker, F. W.↗

Direct Numerical Simulation of Incompressible Pipe Flow Using a B-Spline Spectral Method

A numerical method based on b-spline polynomials was developed to study incompressible flows in cylindrical geometries. A b-spline method has the advantages of possessing spectral accuracy and the flexibility of standard finite element methods. Using this method it was possible to ensure regularity of the solution near the origin, i.e. smoothness and boundedness. Because b-splines have compact support, it is also possible to remove b-splines near the center to alleviate the constraint placed on the time step by an overly fine grid. Using the natural periodicity in the azimuthal direction and approximating the streamwise direction as periodic, so-called time evolving flow, greatly reduced the cost and complexity of the computations. A direct numerical simulation of pipe flow was carried out using the method described above at a Reynolds number of 5600 based on diameter and bulk velocity. General knowledge of pipe flow and the availability of experimental measurements make pipe flow the ideal test case with which to validate the numerical method. Results indicated that high flatness levels of the radial component of velocity in the near wall region are physical; regions of high radial velocity were detected and appear to be related to high speed streaks in the boundary layer. Budgets of Reynolds stress transport equations showed close similarity with those of channel flow. However contrary to channel flow, the log layer of pipe flow is not homogeneous for the present Reynolds number. A topological method based on a classification of the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor was used. Plotting iso-surfaces of the discriminant of the invariants proved to be a good method for identifying vortical eddies in the flow field.

Loulou, Patrick↗

Study of the velocity gradient tensor in turbulent flow

The behavior of the velocity gradient tensor, A(ij)=delta u(i)/delta x(j), was studied using three turbulent flows obtained from direct numerical simulation The flows studies were: an inviscid calculation of the interaction between two vortex tubes, a homogeneous isotropic flow, and a temporally evolving planar wake. Self-similar behavior for each flow was obtained when A(ij) was normalized with the mean strain rate. The case of the interaction between two vortex tubes revealed a finite sized coherent structure with topological characteristics predictable by a restricted Euler model. This structure was found to evolve with the peak vorticity as the flow approached singularity. Invariants of A(ij) within this structure followed a straight line relationship of the form: gamma(sup 3)+gammaQ+R=0, where Q and R are the second and third invariants of A(ij), and the eigenvalue gamma is nearly constant over the volume of this structure. Data within this structure have local strain topology of unstable-node/saddle/saddle. The characteristics of the velocity gradient tensor and the anisotropic part of a related acceleration gradient tensor H(ij) were also studied for a homogeneous isotropic flow and a temporally evolving planar wake. It was found that the intermediate principal eigenvalue of the rate-of-strain tensor of H(ij) tended to be negative, with local strain topology of the type stable-node/saddle/saddle. There was also a preferential eigenvalue direction. The magnitude of H(ij) in the wake flow was found to be very small when data were conditioned at high local dissipation regions. This result was not observed in the relatively low Reynolds number simulation of homogeneous isotropic flow. A restricted Euler model of the evolution of A(ij) was found to reproduce many of the topological features identified in the simulations.

Cheng, Wei-Ping↗

Magnetic neutral sheets in evolving fields. I - General theory. II - Formation of the solar corona

The problem of the hydrostatic equilibrium of a large-scale magnetic field embedded in a fluid with infinite electrical conductivity is considered. It is pointed out that a necessary condition for static equilibrium is the invariance of the small-scale pattern in the field along the large-scale direction. A varying topological pattern implies that no fluid pressure distribution exists for which the field is everywhere static. Magnetic neutral sheets form, and dynamical reconnection of the field takes place. It is shown here that the invariance is also a sufficient condition for the existence of a fluid pressure distribution producing static equilibrium. Even in the simplest cases, however, the requirements on the fluid pressure are extreme and, a priori, are unlikely. It is concluded that almost all twisted flux tubes packed together produce dynamical nonequilibrium and dissipation of their twisting. This is the basic effect underlying the long-standing conjecture that the shuffling of the footpoints of the bipolar magnetic fields in the sun is responsible for heating the active corona. Attention is then given to the consequences of this general dynamical dissipation in the magnetic fields that produce the active corona of the sun. The footpoints of the field are continually manipulated by the subphotospheric convection in such a way that the lines of force are continually wrapped and rotated about one another.

Parker, E. N.↗

Linear systems with structure group and their feedback invariants

A general method described by Hermann and Martin (1976) for the study of the feedback invariants of linear systems is considered. It is shown that this method, which makes use of ideas of topology and algebraic geometry, is very useful in the investigation of feedback problems for which the classical methods are not suitable. The transfer function as a curve in the Grassmanian is examined. The general concepts studied in the context of specific systems and applications are organized in terms of the theory of Lie groups and algebraic geometry. Attention is given to linear systems which have a structure group, linear mechanical systems, and feedback invariants. The investigation shows that Lie group techniques are powerful and useful tools for analysis of the feedback structure of linear systems.

Martin, C.↗

Inconsistency of topologically massive hypergravity

The coupled topologically massive spin-5/2 gravity system in D = 3 dimensions whose kinematics represents dynamical propagating gauge invariant massive spin-5/2 and spin-2 excitations, is shown to be inconsistent, or equivalently, not locally hypersymmetric. In contrast to D = 4, the local constraints on the system arising from failure of the fermionic Bianchi identities do not involve the 'highest spin' components of the field, but rather the auxiliary spinor required to construct a consistent massive model.

Aragone, C.↗

Computational Characterization and Model Verification for 3D Microstructure Reconstruction of Additively-Manufactured Materials

The goal of this study is to characterize and validate the texture and grain topology of additively-manufactured anisotropic three-dimensional (3D) polycrystalline microstructures. The special focus is on developing methodologies to compare the grain shapes and orientations of two-dimensional (2D) and 3D microstructure representations using the same metric. To generate statistical data, synthetic microstructures are reconstructed from experimental data using Markov random field (MRF). The statistical similarity between the experimental and synthetic microstructures is verified by comparing their grain topologies. A universal measure to compare 2D and 3D grains is portrayed through the concept of image moments that are invariant to shape transformations. The graphical plots developed based on moment invariants to compare the 2D and 3D grains are used to verify the synthetic model

Materials Characterization↗

A study of the fine scale motions of incompressible time-developing mixing layers

This work is an extension of a project conducted at the previous CTR summer program and was reported by Chen et al. (1990). In that program, the geometry and topology of the dissipating motions in a variety of shear flows was examined. All data was produced by direct numerical simulations (DNS). The partial derivatives of the velocity field were determined at every grid point in the flow and various invariants and related quantities were computed from the velocity gradient tensor. Motions characterized by high rates of kinetic energy dissipation and high enstrophy were of particular interest. Scatter diagrams of the invariants were mapped out and interesting and unexpected patterns were seen. Each type of shear layer produced its own characteristic scatter plot. In the present project, attention is focused on the incompressible plane mixing layer, and the scatter diagrams are replaced with more useful joint probability density contours. Comparison of the topology of the dissipating motions of flows at different Reynolds numbers are made. Also, plane mixing layers at the same Reynolds number but with different initial conditions are compared.

Soria, J.↗