A Rolling Grant in Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Applied Mathematics
Abstract
Many astrophysical phenomena involve the complex interaction between magnetic fields, rotation and fluid flows. We intend to undertake a systematic and integrated programme of research to investigate this complex interaction in a wide variety of astrophysical objects. We shall utilise a combination of analytical and numerical techniques (including the application of cutting edge numerical algorithms optimised for use on massively parallel machines) to gain an understanding of such phenomena. Our unifying philosophy is to investigate the underlying fundamental physical interactions in these astrophysical fluids and to use expertise gained in one area in order to make progress on different objects that have the same underlying physical structures. The physical phenomena that we address are (1) The generation of magnetic fields in the Sun, including the formation of the well-known eleven year sunspot cycle. (2) The structure of sunspots and the link with the magnetic fields in the solar corona. (3) The form of convection and the generation of magnetic fields in planets. (4) The decay of magnetic fields in neutron stars (5) The dynamics of rapidly-rotating stars.
Organisations
- University of Leeds (Lead Research Organisation)
- Lockheed Martin (United States) (Collaboration)
- University of Chicago (Collaboration)
- University of Bayreuth (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (Collaboration)
- Monash University (Collaboration)
Publications
Wei X
(2010)
Magnetic spherical Couette flow in linear combinations of axial and dipolar fields
in Acta Mechanica
Courvoisier A
(2010)
A self-consistent treatment of the electromotive force in magnetohydrodynamics for large diffusivities
in Astronomische Nachrichten
Rüdiger G
(2007)
The azimuthal magnetorotational instability (AMRI)
in Astronomische Nachrichten
Wareing C
(2009)
Hall cascades versus instabilities in neutron star magnetic fields
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Kondic T
(2011)
The shear-Hall instability in newborn neutron stars
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rashid F
(2008)
Hydrodynamic instabilities in the solar tachocline
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Brummell Nicholas H.
(2008)
FLUX PUMPING AND MAGNETIC FIELDS IN THE OUTER PENUMBRA OF A SUNSPOT
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Tobias Steven M.
(2007)
ß-plane magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the solar tachocline
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Botha G. J. J.
(2007)
Nonaxisymmetric instabilities of convection around magnetic flux tubes
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Tobias, SM
(2008)
Convective dynamos with penetration, rotation, and shear
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Bushby Paul J.
(2007)
On predicting the solar cycle using mean-field models
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Hughes, DW
(2007)
The nonlinear evolution of instabilities driven by magnetic buoyancy: A new mechanism for the formation of coherent magnetic structures
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Brummell, NH
(2008)
Convective dynamos with penetration, rotation, and shear
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Botha, GJJ
(2007)
Nonaxisymmetric instabilities of convection around magnetic flux tubes
in ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Botha G
(2012)
Formation of magnetic flux tubes in cylindrical wedge geometry
in Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
Mizerski K
(2010)
Compressible Ekman-Hartmann boundary layers
in Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
Chen Q
(2008)
Similarity and dynamic similarity models for large-eddy simulations of a rotating convection-driven dynamo
in Geophysical Journal International
Abreu J
(2008)
For how long will the current grand maximum of solar activity persist?
in Geophysical Research Letters
Jones C
(2009)
Compressible convection in the deep atmospheres of giant planets
in Icarus
Jones C
(2011)
Anelastic convection-driven dynamo benchmarks
in Icarus
Hughes, D.W.
(2007)
Nonlinear effects in mean field dynamo theory
in in Mathematical Aspects of Natural Dynamos (eds. E. Dormy and A.M. Soward), CRC Press.
Tobias S.M. & Weiss, N.O.
(2007)
Stellar dynamos
in in Mathematical Aspects of Natural Dynamos (eds. E. Dormy and A.M. Soward), CRC Press
Futterer, B
(2007)
Thermal blob convection in spherical shells
in INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
Futterer B
(2007)
Thermal blob convection in spherical shells
in International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer
Livermore P
(2007)
Spectral radial basis functions for full sphere computations
in Journal of Computational Physics
TOBIAS S
(2008)
Dynamo action in complex flows: the quick and the fast
in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
COURVOISIER A
(2009)
Mean induction and diffusion: the influence of spatial coherence
in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
HUGHES D
(2007)
The alpha-effect in rotating convection: size matters
in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
JONES C
(2009)
Linear theory of compressible convection in rapidly rotating spherical shells, using the anelastic approximation
in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
CATTANEO F
(2009)
Dynamo properties of the turbulent velocity field of a saturated dynamo
in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
WAREING C
(2009)
Cascades in decaying three-dimensional electron magnetohydrodynamic turbulence
in Journal of Plasma Physics
Stefani F.
(2009)
LIQUID METAL EXPERIMENTS ON THE HELICAL MAGNETOROTATIONAL INSTABILITY
in MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
Botha G
(2008)
Numerical simulations of rotating axisymmetric sunspots
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rudiger G
(2007)
Destabilization of hydrodynamically stable rotation laws by azimuthal magnetic fields
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gellert M
(2011)
Helicity and a-effect by current-driven instabilities of helical magnetic fields Helicity by current-driven instabilities
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mason J
(2008)
The effects of flux transport on interface dynamos
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mason J
(2008)
The effects of flux transport on interface dynamos
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cattaneo F
(2009)
Problems with kinematic mean field electrodynamics at high magnetic Reynolds numbers
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Stefani F
(2007)
Experiments on the magnetorotational instability in helical magnetic fields
in New Journal of Physics
Webb, NJA
(2009)
Multicentre prospective randomised trial of tacrolimus, azathioprine and prednisolone with or without basiliximab: two-year follow-up data
in PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY
Houghton, SM
(2009)
Bistability in the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation with drift
in PHYSICA D-NONLINEAR PHENOMENA
Hollerbach R
(2010)
Nonaxisymmetric magnetorotational instabilities in cylindrical Taylor-Couette flow.
in Physical review letters
Hughes DW
(2009)
Large-scale dynamo action driven by velocity shear and rotating convection.
in Physical review letters
Tobias SM
(2008)
Limited role of spectra in dynamo theory: coherent versus random dynamos.
in Physical review letters
Hughes DW
(2009)
Large-scale dynamo action driven by velocity shear and rotating convection.
in Physical review letters
Hughes DW
(2010)
Turbulent magnetic diffusivity tensor for time-dependent mean fields.
in Physical review letters
Stefani F
(2009)
Helical magnetorotational instability in a Taylor-Couette flow with strongly reduced Ekman pumping.
in Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics
Rüdiger G
(2007)
Comment on "Helical magnetorotational instability in magnetized Taylor-Couette flow".
in Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics
Wei X
(2008)
Instabilities of Shercliffe and Stewartson layers in spherical Couette flow.
in Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics
Rüdiger G
(2010)
Dissipative Taylor-Couette flows under the influence of helical magnetic fields.
in Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics
Description | Leverhulme |
Amount | £81,915 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2008 |
End | 09/2009 |
Description | NERC |
Amount | £542,607 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2011 |
End | 03/2014 |
Description | NERC |
Amount | £542,607 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2011 |
End | 04/2014 |
Description | STFC |
Amount | £662,140 (GBP) |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2010 |
End | 04/2013 |
Description | Bayreuth |
Organisation | University of Bayreuth |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Joint papers on the dynamics of sunspots (co-author Busse) |
Collaborator Contribution | Funding of PDRA beyond the grant, to continue research on sunspots |
Impact | Joint papers on the dynamics of sunspots (co-author Busse) |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | Cambridge |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Department | Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Joint research projects |
Collaborator Contribution | Many joint papers (co-author Proctor) on astrophysical fluid dynamics/MHD. |
Impact | Many joint papers on astrophysical fluid dynamics/MHD (co-authors Proctor or Weiss) |
Description | Cambridge |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Department | Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research projects. |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative research projects. |
Impact | Several joint papers. |
Description | Chicago |
Organisation | University of Chicago |
Department | Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Contributors to joint research papers. |
Collaborator Contribution | Many joint papers on astrophysical fluid dynamics and MHD (co-authors Cattaneo or Mason). |
Impact | Many joint papers on astrophysical fluid dynamics/MHD |
Description | Chicago |
Organisation | University of Chicago |
Department | Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research project. Shared computer resources. |
Collaborator Contribution | As above. |
Impact | Several journal papers. |
Description | Lockheed |
Organisation | Lockheed Martin |
Country | United States |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research on sunspots |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint papers on the dynamics of sunspots (co-author Hurlburt) |
Impact | Joint research papers on sunspots (co-author Hurlburt) |
Description | Monash |
Organisation | Monash University |
Department | School of Mathematical Sciences |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Joint research projects in solar physics |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint papers on solar physics (co-author Cally) |
Impact | Joint research papers in solar physics (co-author Cally) |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | Santa Cruz |
Organisation | University of California, Santa Cruz |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Joint research projects in astrophysical fluid dynamics |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint research papers on various projects (co-authors Brummell, Glatzmaier) |
Impact | Joint papers, co-authors Brummell, Glatzmaier |
Description | UC Santa Cruz |
Organisation | University of California, Santa Cruz |
Department | Applied Mathematics and Statistics |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaborative astrophysical research. |
Collaborator Contribution | As above. |
Impact | Journal papers and postdoc exchanges. |
Description | Doncaster Astronomy Society |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Two members of the group have given talks to a local astronomical society. Very lively discussions with a very well-informed audience. The society contacted us to say how much the members enjoyed the lectures. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2007,2008 |
Description | Radio |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview with Radio Berlin, to explain one of the fluid dynamics experiments conducted in space and, more generally, wider topics in astrophysical fluid dynamics. . |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | School Visits |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Members of the group have given many talks to schools, all over the UK - e.g. in Manchester, Poole, London, and many in Yorkshire. These can range from students just beginning secondary school (aged 11) through to sixth from students. These always go down well and provoke a lot of questions. Schools often comment that the students find such talks very enjoyable --and provide the students with some idea of what scientific research entails. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2006,2007,2008,2009,2010 |
Description | Schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Both investigators give talks to secondary schools across the country, ranging from year 7 students through to sixth-formers. These always are well-received, and provide a way of informing students about the beauties of science beyond what they learn at school and also some taste of post-school science. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010,2011 |