Velocity Distribution Associated With EUV Disturbances Caused by Eruptive MFR

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) disturbances are ubiquitous during eruptive phenomena like solar flare and Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). In this work, we have performed a three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulation of CME with an analytic magnetic fluxrope (MFR) to study the complex velocity distribution associated with EUV disturbances. When the MFR erupts upward, a fast shock (FS) appears as a 3D dome, followed by outward moving plasma. In the center of the eruptive source region, an expanding CME bubble and a current sheet continuously grow, both of which are filled by inward moving plasma. At the flanks of the CME bubble, a complex velocity distribution forms because of the dynamical interaction between inward and outward plasma, leading to the formation of slow shock (SS) and velocity separatrix (VS). We note two types of vortices near the VS, not mentioned in the preceding EUV disturbance simulations. In first type of vortex, the plasma converges toward the vortex center, and in the second type, the plasma spreads out from the center. The forward modeling method has been used to create the synthetic SDO/AIA images, in which the eruptive MFR and the FS appear as bright structures. Furthermore, we also deduce the plasma velocity field by utilizing the Fourier local correlation tracking method on the synthetic images. However, we do not observe the VS, the SS, and the two types of vortices in this deduced velocity field.

Gravitomagnetic vorticity generation in black hole accretion disks: a potential spatial constraint on plasma flow stability

We calculate the vorticity generation rate in the accretion disk near a slowly rotating black hole in the low velocity, weak-field limit of general relativity. Specifically, we find that the frame-dragging effect due to the black hole’s rotation – manifested through the gravitomagnetic field – can generate vorticity in a moving plasma in the accretion disk. The mechanism remains operational as long as the accretion disk has non-negligible vertical height and is independent of the exact thermodynamical profile of the disk. The enstrophy density generation rate, as a measure of turbulence and dissipation, is presented, which indicates that the frame-dragging effect can disrupt the stability of the disk away from the z = 0 plane.

The environment of FRB 121102 and possible relation to SGR/PSR J1745−2900

ABSTRACT Variations of the dispersion measures (DM) and rotation measures (RM) of fast radio bursts (FRBs) 121102 indicate magnetic fields ∼3–17 mG in the dispersing plasma. The electron density may be ${\sim}10^4\,$ cm−3. The observed time scales ∼1 yr constrain the size of the plasma cloud. Increasing DM excludes simple models involving an expanding supernova remnant, and the non-zero RM excludes spherical symmetry. The varying DM and RM may be attributable to the motion of plasma into or out of the line of sight to or changing electron density within slower moving plasma. The extraordinarily large RM of FRB 121102 implies an environment, and possibly also a formation process and source, qualitatively different from those of other FRB. The comparable and comparably varying RM of SGR/PSR J1745−2900 suggests it as a FRB candidate. Appendix A discusses the age of FRB 121102 in the context of a ‘Copernican Principle’.

Vortical flow in the plasma sheet: Non-linear growth of flow burst surface wave?

<p>In contrast to the simple conventional plasma flow convection governed by the Dungey Cycle, past studies have revealed that the plasma flows in the magnetotail region are more complicated, hosting high-speed bursty and meandering vortical flows. We have utilized magnetic field and plasma data from the Cluster mission to investigate a high speed earthward propagating flow burst with a peak velocity of ~530 km/s in the magnetotail plasma sheet (X<sub>GSM</sub> ~ -17R<sub>E</sub>) on 20 September 2002. In the vicinity of this flow burst, a vortical flow, whose plasma vectors are first directed tailward then earthward, is also observed. The plasma data shows that the plasma population in the vortical flow is likely to originate from the associated flow burst. In addition, the boundaries of both structures are also found to be tangential discontinuities, clearly surrounded by the ambient slow moving plasma sheet. Inside the vortical flow, there exists a region where plasma originating from the flow burst and ambient plasma sheet are mixed. The local segment of inbound boundary crossing of the vortical flow is shown to have a thickness that is non-uniform. Coupled with the flow evolution in the vortical flow, these characteristics are consistent to a boundary crossing of a vortical flow. The magnetic field on the flow burst is quasi-perpendicular to the large velocity shear (~460 km/s) across the flow burst boundary. These results suggest that the formation of vortical flow can arise from the development and subsequent growth of flow burst boundary wave as a result of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. In summary, this article presents a detailed observational study of a vortical flow and the formation of which would serve as the first direct observational consequence of an excited and growing flow burst boundary wave. Continuous scattering of the detached vortices may play an important role in the braking mechanism of earthward propagating flow bursts. </p>

Negative energy standing wave instability in the presence of flow

We study standing waves on the surface of a tangential discontinuity in an incompressible plasma. The plasma is moving with constant velocity at one side of the discontinuity, while it is at rest at the other side. The moving plasma is ideal and the plasma at rest is viscous. We only consider the long wavelength limit where the viscous Reynolds number is large. A standing wave is a superposition of a forward and a backward wave. When the flow speed is between the critical speed and the Kelvin–Helmholtz threshold the backward wave is a negative energy wave, while the forward wave is always a positive energy wave. We show that viscosity causes the standing wave to grow. Its increment is equal to the difference between the negative energy wave increment and the positive energy wave decrement.

Measuring of plasma’s velocity in electrodynamic railgun using high-frequency method

A method is proposed for measuring the velocity of a moving plasma in an electrodynamic railgun in the part of internal ballistics. The achieved result is to provide a measurement of instantaneous velocity and an increase of the safety level for operation of measuring devices. The method is based on the excitation of the rail system of railgun high frequency electric oscillations during in due motion of plasma and creates current resonance. Then is continuously measured cyclic resonance frequency, and the instantaneous velocity of the plasma is determined by a formula, that consist of the current time, the cyclic resonance frequency, equivalent inductance of the power supply of railgun, linear inductance and rail length, and as well used as a model of measurement measure capacitance of capacitor, connected in parallel to rail of railgun grounded from one side. Application of plasma velocity measuring method is suitable for the highly-accurate control of plasma acceleration and pushed it to the railgun bodies with controlled acceleration, requiring measurement during movement of the plasma instantaneous values of velocity.