Modelling anisotropic viscosity with astrophysical applications
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: School of Mathematics & Statistics
Abstract
The project looks at how to model anisotropic effects in plamas and to evaluate their effect in the linear and nonlinear evolution of plasma instabilities. The modelling in this project is very general and has wide-ranging applications from industry to astrophysics. One particular application that we will focus on is coronal heating - how the atmosphere of the Sun can be one million Kelvin when the surface is only a few thousand Kelvin. Anisotropy in plasmas has been shown to be important in instabilities. Our new calculations, which go beyond traditional approaches, will help to determine the onset of such instabilities.
Aims and objectives
Develop a model of anisotropic MHD and implement it in an open-access code.
Use this code to study the effects of anisotropy in the nonlinear evolution of instabilities.
Study how anisotropy affects the non-normality of operators in MHD instabilities.
Study the evolution of non-normal instabilities.
The 3D nonlinear modelling of anisotropic MHD that is well-defined for arbitrary magnetic topologies is completely new. The consideration of anisotropic effects in the non-normal behaviour of plasma instabilities is also new.
Aims and objectives
Develop a model of anisotropic MHD and implement it in an open-access code.
Use this code to study the effects of anisotropy in the nonlinear evolution of instabilities.
Study how anisotropy affects the non-normality of operators in MHD instabilities.
Study the evolution of non-normal instabilities.
The 3D nonlinear modelling of anisotropic MHD that is well-defined for arbitrary magnetic topologies is completely new. The consideration of anisotropic effects in the non-normal behaviour of plasma instabilities is also new.
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/N509668/1 | 01/10/2016 | 30/09/2021 | |||
| 1805074 | Studentship | EP/N509668/1 | 01/10/2016 | 31/10/2020 | James Quinn |
| Description | Compared to isotropic viscosity, the use of anisotropic viscosity allows for a greater amount of heat to be extracted from the solar magnetic field during a kink instability. |
| Exploitation Route | The viscosity in all magnetised plasmas is fundamentally anisotropic. By providing a proof-of-concept of this particular model, the door is opened to the potential application to plasmas in fusion devices and in other solar applications. The work may have implications for solar flares and space weather. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Energy |
| Title | SDF-tool |
| Description | This is a helper tool that allows a user to take files outputted from a simulation and split them into smaller files, more easily digested by visualisation tools. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | Comments from colleagues about usefulness of the tool. |
| URL | http://github.com/JamieJQuinn/sdf-tool |
| Description | 3 Minute Thesis |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This was part of the 3 Minute Thesis competition designed to allow students to compress their research down to 3 minutes and present to an audience of peers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |