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
Gordovskyy M
(2014)
Particle acceleration and transport in reconnecting twisted loops in a stratified atmosphere
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
MacTaggart D
(2014)
On magnetic reconnection and flux rope topology in solar flux emergence
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bushby P
(2014)
Mesogranulation and small-scale dynamo action in the quiet Sun
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ji Y
(2014)
Asymptotic solutions for mean-field slab dynamos
in Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
Pechhacker R
(2014)
Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation of electron acceleration by Langmuir waves in an inhomogeneous plasma
in Physics of Plasmas
Yeates A
(2014)
The coronal energy input from magnetic braiding
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Tobias S
(2013)
On the measurement of the turbulent diffusivity of a large-scale magnetic field
in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
Gent F
(2013)
The supernova-regulated ISM - I. The multiphase structure
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Meyer K
(2013)
THE STORAGE AND DISSIPATION OF MAGNETIC ENERGY IN THE QUIET SUN CORONA DETERMINED FROM SDO /HMI MAGNETOGRAMS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Pagano P
(2013)
Magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the ejection of a magnetic flux rope
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Pagano P
(2013)
Effect of gravitational stratification on the propagation of a CME
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Yeates A
(2013)
Unique topological characterization of braided magnetic fields
in Physics of Plasmas
Meyer K
(2013)
Solar Magnetic Carpet III: Coronal Modelling of Synthetic Magnetograms
in Solar Physics
Yeates A
(2013)
Kinematic active region formation in a three-dimensional solar dynamo model
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Schmitz H
(2013)
The effect of initial conditions on the electromagnetic radiation generation in type III solar radio bursts
in Physics of Plasmas
Favier B
(2013)
On the problem of large-scale magnetic field generation in rotating compressible convection
in Journal of Fluid Mechanics
Russell A
(2013)
PROPAGATION OF ALFVÉNIC WAVES FROM CORONA TO CHROMOSPHERE AND CONSEQUENCES FOR SOLAR FLARES
in The Astrophysical Journal
Simões P
(2013)
IMPLOSION OF CORONAL LOOPS DURING THE IMPULSIVE PHASE OF A SOLAR FLARE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gunár S
(2013)
Non-linear force-free magnetic dip models of quiescent prominence fine structures
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Buckley MC
(2013)
Localized oscillatory states in magnetoconvection.
in Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics
Russell A
(2013)
Production of small-scale Alfvén waves by ionospheric depletion, nonlinear magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling and phase mixing
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Schrijver C
(2013)
PATHWAYS OF LARGE-SCALE MAGNETIC COUPLINGS BETWEEN SOLAR CORONAL EVENTS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Woolley R
(2013)
Experimental measurement and Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes modelling of the near-field structure of multi-phase CO2 jet releases
in International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
Jess D
(2013)
THE INFLUENCE OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD ON RUNNING PENUMBRAL WAVES IN THE SOLAR CHROMOSPHERE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Pascoe D
(2013)
Fast magnetoacoustic wave trains in magnetic funnels of the solar corona
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
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 |