K. A. Mizerski | Searcharxiv

arXiv2018

Scale Selection in the Stratified Convection of the Solar Photosphere

We examine the role of stratification in determining the scale for turbulent anelastic convection. Motivated by the range of scales observed in convection at the solar photosphere, we perform local numerical simulations of convection for a range of density contrasts in large domains. We analyse both the Eulerian and Lagrangian statistics of the convection and demonstrate that increasing the stratification shifts the scale of the most energetic structures in the flow to smaller scales; furthermore, the relative amplitude of vertical to horizontal flows in the convection decreases with increasing stratification. We discuss the implications of our results to the issue of solar mesogranulation.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2013

Short wavelength magnetic buoyancy instability

Magnetic buoyancy instability plays an important role in the evolution of astrophysical magnetic fields. Here we revisit the problem introduced by \citet{Gilman_1970} of the short wavelength linear stability of a plane layer of compressible isothermal fluid permeated by a horizontal magnetic field of strength decreasing with height. Dissipation of momentum and magnetic field is neglected. By the use of a Rayleigh-Schrödinger perturbation analysis, we explain in detail the limit in which the transverse horizontal wavenumber of the perturbation, denoted by $k$, is large (i.e.\ short horizontal wavelength) and show that the fastest growing perturbations become localized in the vertical direction as $k$ is increased. The growth rates are determined by a function of the vertical coordinate $z$ since, in the large $k$ limit, the eigenmodes are strongly localized in the vertical direction. We consider in detail the case of two-dimensional perturbations varying in the directions perpendicular to the magnetic field, which, for sufficiently strong field gradients, are the most unstable. The results of our analysis are backed up by comparison with a series of initial value problems. Finally we extend the analysis to three-dimensional perturbations.

astro-ph.SR↗