Parallel Computing Resources for the UK MHD Community
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Mathematics and Statistics
Abstract
Virtually all material in the universe consists of an ionised gas called a plasma. Plasmas conduct electricity and interact with magnetic fields, producing many physical phenomena not easily reproduced in laboratories on Earth. The large-scale behaviour of these plasmas can be predicted by using a known set of complicated mathematical equations, called the equations of Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The solutions of MHD equations can describe the behaviour of plasmas in which collisions dominate the physical processes, such as (i) the generation of magnetic fields through a process known as dynamo action, (ii) the release of a staggering amount of magnetic energy in a large solar flare by magnetic reconnection, (iii) the small scale chaotic motions of turbulence in a magnetised plasma, (iv) the fact that solar atmosphere is much hotter than the solar surface and (v) the way in which gigantic eruptions of solar plasma interact with the Earth's magnetic field to produce the Aurora. When collisional effects are weak, in low-density plasmas and in problems involving short length-scales, the more fundamental kinetic equations must be solved. However, the solution of both sets of equations require extremely large computers and the best way is to link several hundred computers together and get them all working on a fraction of the large problem. These computers are called parallel computers. The UK effort in this research area is at the forefront of the worldwide effort to understand how the Sun, the Solar System and astrophysical plasmas work. While this work is essentially theoretical, it is driven by the observations of the present fleet of solar and astrophysical ground and space-based observatories.
Organisations
Publications
Zhang K
(2010)
On fluid flows in precessing spheres in the mantle frame of reference
in Physics of Fluids
Wyper P
(2013)
Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a current-vortex sheet at a 3D magnetic null
in Physics of Plasmas
Baty H
(2009)
Petschek-like reconnection with uniform resistivity
in Physics of Plasmas
Bian N
(2009)
Compressible Hall magnetohydrodynamics in a strong magnetic field
in Physics of Plasmas
Pechhacker R
(2012)
The effect of electron beam pitch angle and density gradient on solar type III radio bursts
in Physics of Plasmas
Tsiklauri D
(2011)
Heating of solar chromosphere by electromagnetic wave absorption in a plasma slab model
in Physics of Plasmas
Schmitz H
(2013)
The effect of initial conditions on the electromagnetic radiation generation in type III solar radio bursts
in Physics of Plasmas
Priest E
(2009)
Three-dimensional null point reconnection regimes
in Physics of Plasmas
Tsiklauri D
(2011)
Particle acceleration by circularly and elliptically polarised dispersive Alfven waves in a transversely inhomogeneous plasma in the inertial and kinetic regimes
in Physics of Plasmas
Tsiklauri D
(2012)
Three dimensional particle-in-cell simulation of particle acceleration by circularly polarised inertial Alfven waves in a transversely inhomogeneous plasma
in Physics of Plasmas
Baty H
(2009)
Petschek reconnection with a nonlocalized resistivity
in Physics of Plasmas
Yeates A
(2013)
Unique topological characterization of braided magnetic fields
in Physics of Plasmas
Tsiklauri D
(2011)
An alternative to the plasma emission model: Particle-in-cell, self-consistent electromagnetic wave emission simulations of solar type III radio bursts
in Physics of Plasmas
Wyper P
(2013)
Reconnection at three dimensional magnetic null points: Effect of current sheet asymmetry
in Physics of Plasmas
Yeates A
(2011)
A generalized flux function for three-dimensional magnetic reconnection
in Physics of Plasmas
Pechhacker R
(2014)
Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation of electron acceleration by Langmuir waves in an inhomogeneous plasma
in Physics of Plasmas
Pechhacker R
(2012)
Electron cyclotron maser emission mode coupling to the z-mode on a longitudinal density gradient in the context of solar type III bursts
in Physics of Plasmas
Brennan D
(2009)
Helicity-injected current drive and open flux instabilities in spherical tokamaks
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Hughes D
(2009)
Dynamo action in the presence of an imposed magnetic field
in Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
Liao X
(2008)
A new integral property of inertial waves in rotating fluid spheres
in Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
Jess DB
(2009)
Alfvén waves in the lower solar atmosphere.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Gordovskyy M
(2011)
Magnetic Relaxation and Particle Acceleration in a Flaring Twisted Coronal Loop
in Solar Physics
Moschou S
(2012)
SDO Observations of Solar Jets
in Solar Physics
Tsiklauri D
(2010)
Vlasov - Maxwell, Self-consistent Electromagnetic Wave Emission Simulations in the Solar Corona
in Solar Physics
Fedun V
(2009)
Oscillatory Response of the 3D Solar Atmosphere to the Leakage of Photospheric Motion
in Solar Physics
Gordovskyy M
(2012)
Effect of Collisions and Magnetic Convergence on Electron Acceleration and Transport in Reconnecting Twisted Solar Flare Loops
in Solar Physics
Meyer K
(2013)
Solar Magnetic Carpet III: Coronal Modelling of Synthetic Magnetograms
in Solar Physics
Yeates A
(2010)
Solar Cycle Variation of Magnetic Flux Ropes in a Quasi-Static Coronal Evolution Model
in Solar Physics
Yeates A
(2013)
Coronal Magnetic Field Evolution from 1996 to 2012: Continuous Non-potential Simulations
in Solar Physics
Bareford M
(2011)
The Flare-Energy Distributions Generated by Kink-Unstable Ensembles of Zero-Net-Current Coronal Loops
in Solar Physics
Jones C
(2009)
The Solar Dynamo
in Space Science Reviews
Zaqarashvili T
(2010)
Oscillations and Waves in Solar Spicules
in Space Science Reviews
Taroyan Y
(2009)
Heating Diagnostics with MHD Waves
in Space Science Reviews
Tobias S.M.
(2009)
The solar dynamo: The role of penetration, rotation and shear on convective dynamos
in Space Science Reviews
Meyer K
(2013)
THE STORAGE AND DISSIPATION OF MAGNETIC ENERGY IN THE QUIET SUN CORONA DETERMINED FROM SDO /HMI MAGNETOGRAMS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Russell A
(2013)
PROPAGATION OF ALFVÉNIC WAVES FROM CORONA TO CHROMOSPHERE AND CONSEQUENCES FOR SOLAR FLARES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Botha G
(2011)
NONLINEAR THREE-DIMENSIONAL MAGNETOCONVECTION AROUND MAGNETIC FLUX TUBES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Archontis V
(2013)
A NUMERICAL MODEL OF STANDARD TO BLOWOUT JETS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Tobias S
(2011)
ON THE GENERATION OF ORGANIZED MAGNETIC FIELDS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Archontis V
(2013)
THE EMERGENCE OF WEAKLY TWISTED MAGNETIC FIELDS IN THE SUN
in The Astrophysical Journal
Simitev R
(2012)
HOW FAR CAN MINIMAL MODELS EXPLAIN THE SOLAR CYCLE?
in The Astrophysical Journal
Pontin D
(2012)
ON THE FORMATION OF CURRENT SHEETS IN RESPONSE TO THE COMPRESSION OR EXPANSION OF A POTENTIAL MAGNETIC FIELD
in The Astrophysical Journal
Pontin D
(2009)
LAGRANGIAN RELAXATION SCHEMES FOR CALCULATING FORCE-FREE MAGNETIC FIELDS, AND THEIR LIMITATIONS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Botha G
(2012)
OBSERVATIONAL SIGNATURES OF THE CORONAL KINK INSTABILITY WITH THERMAL CONDUCTION
in The Astrophysical Journal
Archontis V
(2013)
ERRATUM: "A NUMERICAL MODEL OF STANDARD TO BLOWOUT JETS" (2013, ApJL, 769, L21)
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gordovskyy M
(2010)
PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN FRAGMENTING PERIODIC RECONNECTING CURRENT SHEETS IN SOLAR FLARES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Jess D
(2013)
THE INFLUENCE OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD ON RUNNING PENUMBRAL WAVES IN THE SOLAR CHROMOSPHERE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Fedun V
(2011)
FREQUENCY FILTERING OF TORSIONAL ALFVÉN WAVES BY CHROMOSPHERIC MAGNETIC FIELD
in The Astrophysical Journal
Morton R
(2009)
TRANSVERSE OSCILLATIONS OF A COOLING CORONAL LOOP
in The Astrophysical Journal
Jess D
(2012)
THE ORIGIN OF TYPE I SPICULE OSCILLATIONS
in The Astrophysical Journal
| Description | The computations carried out with this equipment has shown us how magnetic fields play a crucial role in many astrophysical objects such as the Sun, stars, accretion discs and galaxies. |
| Exploitation Route | The research results will be used to extend our knowledge and suggest new areas for research. Our work has stimulated others to use many of our computational techniques in other areas of research. |
| Sectors | Education Other |