Plasma physics abstracts, 1 January 1966 through 31 December 1967

Bibliography containing 26 references with abstracts on plasma physics research, 1966-196

Velocity field distributions due to ideal line vortices

We evaluate numerically the velocity field distributions produced by a bounded, two-dimensional fluid model consisting of a collection of parallel ideal line vortices. We sample at many spatial points inside a rigid circular boundary. We focus on ``nearest neighbor'' contributions that result from vortices that fall (randomly) very close to the spatial points where the velocity is being sampled. We confirm that these events lead to a non-Gaussian high-velocity ``tail'' on an otherwise Gaussian distribution function for the Eulerian velocity field. We also investigate the behavior of distributions that do not have equilibrium mean-field probability distributions that are uniform inside the circle, but instead correspond to both higher and lower mean-field energies than those associated with the uniform vorticity distribution. We find substantial differences between these and the uniform case.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures. To be published in Physical Review E (http://pre.aps.org/) in May 200

Alternative statistical-mechanical descriptions of decaying two-dimensional turbulence in terms of "patches" and "points"

Numerical and analytical studies of decaying, two-dimensional (2D) Navier-Stokes (NS) turbulence at high Reynolds numbers are reported. The effort is to determine computable distinctions between two different formulations of maximum entropy predictions for the decayed, late-time state. Both formulations define an entropy through a somewhat ad hoc discretization of vorticity to the "particles" of which statistical mechanical methods are employed to define an entropy, before passing to a mean-field limit. In one case, the particles are delta-function parallel "line" vortices ("points" in two dimensions), and in the other, they are finite-area, mutually-exclusive convected "patches" of vorticity which in the limit of zero area become "points." We use time-dependent, spectral-method direct numerical simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations to see if initial conditions which should relax to different late-time states under the two formulations actually do so.Comment: 21 pages, 24 figures: submitted to "Physics of Fluids

Distributed control for COFS 1

An overview is given of the work being done at NASA LaRC on developing the Control of Flexible Structures (COFS) 1 Flight Experiment Baseline Control Law. This control law currently evolving to a generic control system software package designed to supply many, but not all, guest investigators. A system simulator is also described. It is currently being developed for COFS-1 and will be used to develop the Baseline Control Law and to evaluate guest investigator control schemes. It will be available for use whether or not control schemes fall into the category of the Baseline Control Law. First, the hardware configuration for control experiments is described. This is followed by a description of the simulation software. Open-loop sinusoid excitation time histories are next presented both with and without a local controller for the Linear DC Motor (LDCM) actuators currently planned for the flight. The generic control law follows and algorithm processing requirements are cited for a nominal case of interest. Finally, a closed-loop simulation study is presented, and the state of the work is summarized in the concluding remarks

The turbulent generation of outward traveling Alfvenic fluctuations in the solar wind

From an analysis of the incompressible MHD equations, it is concluded that the frequent observation of outward propagating Alfvenic fluctuations in the solar wind can arise from early stages of in situ turbulent evolution, and need not reflect coronal processes

Viscosity calculated in simulations of strongly-coupled dusty plasmas with gas friction

A two-dimensional strongly-coupled dusty plasma is modeled using Langevin and frictionless molecular dynamical simulations. The static viscosity $\eta$ and the wave-number-dependent viscosity $\eta(k)$ are calculated from the microscopic shear in the random motion of particles. A recently developed method of calculating the wave-number-dependent viscosity $\eta(k)$ is validated by comparing the results of $\eta(k)$ from the two simulations. It is also verified that the Green-Kubo relation can still yield an accurate measure of the static viscosity $\eta$ in the presence of a modest level of friction as in dusty plasma experiments.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, Physics of Plasmas invited pape

Low magnetic Prandtl number dynamos with helical forcing

We present direct numerical simulations of dynamo action in a forced Roberts flow. The behavior of the dynamo is followed as the mechanical Reynolds number is increased, starting from the laminar case until a turbulent regime is reached. The critical magnetic Reynolds for dynamo action is found, and in the turbulent flow it is observed to be nearly independent on the magnetic Prandtl number in the range from 0.3 to 0.1. Also the dependence of this threshold with the amount of mechanical helicity in the flow is studied. For the different regimes found, the configuration of the magnetic and velocity fields in the saturated steady state are discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 14 figure

Numerical study of dynamo action at low magnetic Prandtl numbers

We present a three--pronged numerical approach to the dynamo problem at low magnetic Prandtl numbers $P_M$. The difficulty of resolving a large range of scales is circumvented by combining Direct Numerical Simulations, a Lagrangian-averaged model, and Large-Eddy Simulations (LES). The flow is generated by the Taylor-Green forcing; it combines a well defined structure at large scales and turbulent fluctuations at small scales. Our main findings are: (i) dynamos are observed from $P_M=1$ down to $P_M=10^{-2}$; (ii) the critical magnetic Reynolds number increases sharply with $P_M^{-1}$ as turbulence sets in and then saturates; (iii) in the linear growth phase, the most unstable magnetic modes move to small scales as $P_M$ is decreased and a Kazantsev $k^{3/2}$ spectrum develops; then the dynamo grows at large scales and modifies the turbulent velocity fluctuations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Strongly magnetized classical plasma models

Discrete particle processes in the presence of a strong external magnetic field were investigated. These processes include equations of state and other equilibrium thermodynamic relations, thermal relaxation phenomena, transport properties, and microscopic statistical fluctuations in such quantities as the electric field and the charge density. Results from the equilibrium statistical mechanics of two-dimensional plasmas are discussed, along with nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of the electrostatic guiding-center plasma (a two-dimensional plasma model)

Design of experiments for non-manufacturing processes : benefits, challenges and some examples

Design of Experiments (DoE) is a powerful technique for process optimization that has been widely deployed in almost all types of manufacturing processes and is used extensively in product and process design and development. There have not been as many efforts to apply powerful quality improvement techniques such as DoE to improve non-manufacturing processes. Factor levels often involve changing the way people work and so have to be handled carefully. It is even more important to get everyone working as a team. This paper explores the benefits and challenges in the application of DoE in non-manufacturing contexts. The viewpoints regarding the benefits and challenges of DoE in the non-manufacturing arena are gathered from a number of leading academics and practitioners in the field. The paper also makes an attempt to demystify the fact that DoE is not just applicable to manufacturing industries; rather it is equally applicable to non-manufacturing processes within manufacturing companies. The last part of the paper illustrates some case examples showing the power of the technique in non-manufacturing environments