arXiv subjects

Pablo Dmitruk

Publications and source records attributed to Pablo Dmitruk.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Influence of the Hall effect and electron inertia in collisionless magnetic reconnection

We study the role of the Hall current and electron inertia in collisionless magnetic reconnection within the framework of full two-fluid MHD. At spatial scales smaller than the electron inertial length, a topological change of magnetic field lines exclusively due to electron inertia becomes possible. Assuming stationary conditions, we derive a theoretical scaling for the reconnection rate, which is simply proportional to the Hall parameter. Using a pseudo-spectral code with no dissipative effects, our numerical results confirm this theoretical scaling. In particular, for a sequence of different Hall parameter values, our numerical results show that the width of the current sheet is independent of the Hall parameter while its thickness is of the order of the electron inertial range, thus confirming that the stationary reconnection rate is proportional to the Hall parameter.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2014

Two-fluid turbulence including electron inertia

We present a full two-fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) description for a completely ionized hydrogen plasma, retaining the effects of the Hall current, electron pressure and electron inertia. According to this description, each plasma species introduces a new spatial scale: the ion inertial length $λ_{i}$ and the electron inertial length $λ_{e}$, which are not present in the traditional MHD description. In the present paper, we seek for possible changes in the energy power spectrum in fully developed turbulent regimes, using numerical simulations of the two-fluid equations in two-and-a-half dimensions (2.5D). We have been able to reproduce different scaling laws in different spectral ranges, as it has been observed in the solar wind for the magnetic energy spectrum. At the smallest wavenumbers where plain MHD is valid, we obtain an inertial range following a Kolmogorov $k^{-5/3}$ law. For intermediate wavenumbers such that $λ_{i}^{-1} << k << λ_{e}^{-1}$, the spectrum is modified to a $k^{-7/3}$ power-law, as has also been obtained for Hall-MHD (HMHD) neglecting electron inertia terms. When electron inertia is retained, a new spectral region given by $k > λ_{e}^{-1}$ arises. The power spectrum for magnetic energy in this region is given by a $k^{-11/3}$ power law. Finally, when the terms of electron inertia are retained, we study the self-consistent electric field. Our results are discussed and compared with those obtained in solar wind observations and previous simulations.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2014

Long-term memory in experiments and numerical simulations of hydrodynamic and magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

We analyze time series stemming from experiments and direct numerical simulations of hydrodynamic and magnetohydrodynamic turbulence. Simulations are done in periodic boxes, but with a volumetric forcing chosen to mimic the geometry of the flow in the experiments, the von Kármán swirling flow between two counter-rotating impellers. Parameters in the simulations are chosen to (within computational limitations) allow comparisons between the experiments and the numerical results. Conducting fluids are considered in all cases. Two different configurations are considered: a case with a weak externally imposed magnetic field, and a case with self-sustained magnetic fields. Evidence of long-term memory and $1/f$ noise is observed in experiments and simulations, in the case with weak magnetic field associated with the hydrodynamic behavior of the shear layer in the von Kármán flow, and in the dynamo case associated with slow magnetohydrodynamic behavior of the large scale magnetic field.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2010

Hall-MHD small-scale dynamos

Much of the progress in our understanding of dynamo mechanisms has been made within the theoretical framework of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). However, for sufficiently diffuse media, the Hall effect eventually becomes non-negligible. We present results from three dimensional simulations of the Hall-MHD equations subjected to random non-helical forcing. We study the role of the Hall effect in the dynamo efficiency for different values of the Hall parameter, using a pseudospectral code to achieve exponentially fast convergence. We also study energy transfer rates among spatial scales to determine the relative importance of the various nonlinear effects in the dynamo process and in the energy cascade. The Hall effect produces a reduction of the direct energy cascade at scales larger than the Hall scale, and therefore leads to smaller energy dissipation rates. Finally, we present results stemming from simulations at large magnetic Prandtl numbers, which is the relevant regime in hot and diffuse media such a the interstellar medium.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2003

Energy spectrum of turbulent fluctuations in boundary driven reduced magnetohydrodynamics

The nonlinear dynamics of a bundle of magnetic flux ropes driven by stationary fluid motions at their endpoints is studied, by performing numerical simulations of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. The development of MHD turbulence is shown, where the system reaches a state that is characterized by the ratio between the Alfven time (the time for incompressible MHD waves to travel along the field lines) and the convective time scale of the driving motions. This ratio of time scales determines the energy spectra and the relaxation toward different regimes ranging from weak to strong turbulence. A connection is made with phenomenological theories for the energy spectra in MHD turbulence.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv1999

Scaling law for the heating of solar coronal loops

We report preliminary results from a series of numerical simulations of the reduced magnetohydrodynamic equations, used to describe the dynamics of magnetic loops in active regions of the solar corona. A stationary velocity field is applied at the photospheric boundaries to imitate the driving action of granule motions. A turbulent stationary regime is reached, characterized by a broadband power spectrum $E_k\simeq k^{-3/2}$ and heating rate levels compatible with the heating requirements of active region loops. A dimensional analysis of the equations indicates that their solutions are determined by two dimensionless parameters: the Reynolds number and the ratio between the Alfven time and the photospheric turnover time. From a series of simulations for different values of this ratio, we determine how the heating rate scales with the physical parameters of the problem, which might be useful for an observational test of this model.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1997

Turbulent coronal heating and the distribution of nanoflares

We perform direct numerical simulations of an externally driven two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic system over extended periods of time to simulate the dynamics of a transverse section of a solar coronal loop. A stationary and large-scale magnetic forcing was imposed, to model the photospheric motions at the magnetic loop footpoints. A turbulent stationary regime is reached, which corresponds to energy dissipation rates consistent with the heating requirements of coronal loops. The temporal behavior of quantities such as the energy dissipation rate show clear indications of intermittency, which are exclusively due to the strong nonlinearity of the system. We tentatively associate these impulsive events of magnetic energy dissipation to the so-called nanoflares. A statistical analysis of these events yields a power law distribution as a function of their energies with a negative slope of 1.5, which is consistent with those obtained for flare energy distributions reported from X-ray observations.

astro-ph↗