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
Komissarov S
(2009)
Activation of the Blandford-Znajek mechanism in collapsing stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Barker A
(2012)
Magnetic buoyancy instabilities in the presence of magnetic flux pumping at the base of the solar convection zone Magnetic buoyancy and flux pumping
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Silvers L
(2009)
Interactions between magnetohydrodynamic shear instabilities and convective flows in the solar interior
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Houghton S
(2011)
Localized plumes in three-dimensional compressible magnetoconvection Localized plumes in magnetoconvection
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
Komissarov S
(2010)
Supercollapsars and their X-ray bursts
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Gent F
(2013)
The supernova-regulated ISM - II. The mean magnetic field
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Hughes D
(2011)
The a-effect in rotating convection: a comparison of numerical simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Liang Y
(2011)
Observations of multi-resonance effect in ELM control with magnetic perturbation fields on the JET tokamak
in Nuclear Fusion
Pontin DI
(2012)
Theory of magnetic reconnection in solar and astrophysical plasmas.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
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 |