arXiv subjects

Andrew Jackson

Publications and source records attributed to Andrew Jackson.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Strong field, scale separated, ultra low viscosity dynamos

The mechanism by which the Earth's magnetic field is generated is thought to be thermal convection in the metallic liquid iron core. Computational considerations previously restricted most numerical simulations to a regime where the diffusivities of momentum and electric current are roughly equal, leading to similar spectra for both velocities and magnetic fields. Here we present results of a suite of self-consistent spherical shell computations with ultra-low viscosities. The most Earth-like of our models (S4) has a twenty-fold difference in the aforementioned diffusivities, leading to significant scale separation between magnetic and velocity fields, the latter being dominated by small scales. This has repercussions for the leading force balance, which can be magnetostrophic at large scales (with a major role played by the Lorentz force) whereas small scales require a different balance. This is the so-called strong field limit. Outside boundary layers, viscous forces have a magnitude which is about one thousandth of the Lorentz force. In this dynamo dissipation is almost exclusively Ohmic, as in the Earth, with convection inside the so-called tangent cylinder playing a crucial role. Our most extreme dynamo has significantly more magnetic energy than kinetic energy (as in the Earth). Our model suggests Ohmic dissipation in the Earth's core is as high as 10TW.

physics.geo-ph↗

arXiv2016

Precession-driven dynamos in a full sphere and the role of large scale cyclonic vortices

Precession has been proposed as an alternative power source for planetary dynamos. Previous hydrodynamic simulations suggested that precession can generate very complex flows in planetary liquid cores [Y. Lin, P. Marti, and J. Noir, "Shear-driven parametric instability in a precessing sphere," Physics of Fluids 27, 046601 (2015)]. In the present study, we numerically investigate the magnetohydrodynamics of a precessing sphere. We demonstrate precession driven dynamos in different flow regimes, from laminar to turbulent flows. In particular, we highlight the magnetic field generation by large scale cyclonic vortices, which has not been explored previously. In this regime, dynamos can be sustained at relatively low Ekman numbers and magnetic Prandtl numbers, which paves the way for planetary applications.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2016

Design and Microfabrication Considerations for Reliable Flexible Intracortical Implants

Current microelectrodes designed to record chronic neural activity suffer from recording instabilities due to the modulus mismatch between the electrode materials and the brain. We sought to address this by microfabricating a novel flexible neural probe. Our probe was fabricated from parylene-C with a WTi metal, using contact photolithography and reactive ion etching, with three design features to address this modulus mismatch: a sinusoidal shaft, a rounded tip and a polyimide anchoring ball. The anchor restricts movement of the electrode recording sites and the shaft accommodates the brain motion. We successfully patterned thick metal and parylene-C layers, with a reliable device release process leading to high functional yield. This novel reliably microfabricated probe can record stable neural activity for up to two years without delamination, surpassing the current state-of-the-art intracortical probes. This challenges recent concerns that have been raised over the long-term reliability of chronic implants when Parylene-C is used as an insulator, for both research and human applications. The microfabrication and design considerations provided in this manuscript may aid in the future development of flexible devices for biomedical applications.

q-bio.NC↗

arXiv2014

Experimental study of fluid flows in a precessing cylindrical annulus

The flow inside a precessing fluid cavity has been given particular attention since the end of the 19th century in geophysical and industrial contexts. The present study aims at shedding light on the underlying mechanism by which the flow inside a precessing cylindrical annulus transitions from laminar to multiple scale complex structures. We address this problem experimentally using ultrasonic Doppler velocimetry to diagnose the fluid velocity in a rotating and precessing cylindrical annulus. When precession is weak, the flow can be described as a superposition of forced inertial modes. Above a critical value of the precession rate, the forced flow couples with two free inertial modes satisfying triadic resonance conditions, leading to the classical growth and collapse. Using a Bayesian approach, we extract the wavenumber, frequency, growth rate and amplitude of each mode involved in the instability. In some cases, we observe for the first time ever experimentally two pairs of free modes coexisting with the forced flow. At larger precession rates, we do not observe triadic resonance any more, instead we observe several harmonics whose frequencies are integer multiples of the rotation frequency.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2013

Simulating the Dynamics of T Cell Subsets Throughout the Lifetime

It is widely accepted that the immune system undergoes age-related changes correlating with increased disease in the elderly. T cell subsets have been implicated. The aim of this work is firstly to implement and validate a simulation of T regulatory cell (Treg) dynamics throughout the lifetime, based on a model by Baltcheva. We show that our initial simulation produces an inversion between precursor and mature Treys at around 20 years of age, though the output differs significantly from the original laboratory dataset. Secondly, this report discusses development of the model to incorporate new data from a cross-sectional study of healthy blood donors addressing balance between Treys and Th17 cells with novel markers for Treg. The potential for simulation to add insight into immune aging is discussed.

cs.CE↗

arXiv2012

Kinematic dynamo in spherical Couette flow

We investigate numerically kinematic dynamos driven by flow of electrically conducting fluid in the shell between two concentric differentially rotating spheres, a configuration normally referred to as spherical Couette flow. We compare between axisymmetric (2D) and fully three dimensional flows, between low and high global rotation rates, between prograde and retrograde differential rotations, between weak and strong nonlinear inertial forces, between insulating and conducting boundaries, and between two aspect ratios. The main results are as follows. Azimuthally drifting Rossby waves arising from the destabilisation of the Stewartson shear layer are crucial to dynamo action. Differential rotation and helical Rossby waves combine to contribute to the spherical Couette dynamo. At a slow global rotation rate, the direction of differential rotation plays an important role in the dynamo because of different patterns of Rossby waves in prograde and retrograde flows. At a rapid global rotation rate, stronger flow supercriticality (namely the difference between the differential rotation rate of the flow and its critical value for the onset of nonaxisymmetric instability) facilitates the onset of dynamo action. A conducting magnetic boundary condition and a larger aspect ratio both favour dynamo action.

astro-ph.EP↗