Magnetic Field Asymmetry Research Articles

Asymmetry in Uranus' High Energy Proton Radiation Belt

AbstractUranus is one of the least explored planets in our solar system, it exhibits a unique magnetic field structure which was observed by NASA's Voyager 2 mission nearly 50 years ago. Notably, Uranus displays extreme magnetic field asymmetry, a feature exclusive to the icy giants. We use the Boris algorithm to investigate how high energy protons behave within this unusual magnetic field, which is motivated by Voyager 2's observation of lower‐than‐expected high energy proton radiation belt intensities at Uranus. When considering full drift motions of high energy protons around Uranus, the azimuthal drift velocity can vary by as much as 15% around the planet. This results in areas around Uranus where particles will be more depleted (faster drift) and other regions where there is a surplus of particles (slower drift). This could provide a partial explanation for the “weak” proton radiation belts observed by Voyager 2.

High-Z impurity neoclassical transport in the tokamak plasmas due to the single-null divertor configuration

A new mechanism for the high-Z impurity neoclassical particle transport in the tokamak plasmas due to the single-null divertor configuration is discovered for the first time. It will play an important role in the tokamak plasma pedestal region with the coexisting of the strong bulk ion radial gradients and the up/down asymmetry of the poloidal magnetic field. The outward (inward) high-Z impurity neoclassical particle transport will be driven with the B×∇B drift towards (away from) the X-point. The new finding indicates that the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor lower single-null divertor configuration will be beneficial for screening and flushing out the high-Z impurity in the pedestal region with the toroidal magnetic field in the normal direction ( B×∇B drift towards the X-point).

A Survey of Coronal Mass Ejections Measured In Situ by Parker Solar Probe during 2018–2022

Abstract We present a statistical investigation of the radial evolution of 28 interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs), measured in situ by the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft from 2018 October to 2022 August. First, by analyzing the radial distribution of ICME classification based on magnetic hodograms, we find that coherent configurations are more likely to be observed close to the Sun. By contrast, more complex configurations are observed farther out. We also notice that the post-ICME magnetic field is more impacted following an ICME passage at larger heliocentric distances. Second, with a multilinear robust regression, we derive a slower magnetic ejecta (ME) expansion rate within 1 au compared to previous statistical estimates. Then, investigating the magnetic field fluctuations within ICME sheaths, we see that these fluctuations are strongly coupled to the relative magnetic field strength gradient from the upstream solar wind to the ME. Third, we identify ME expansion as an important factor in the formation of sheaths. Finally, we determine the distortion parameter (DiP), which is a measure of magnetic field asymmetry in an ME. We discover lower overall asymmetries within MEs. We reveal that even for expanding MEs, the time duration over which an ME is sampled does not correlate with DiP values, indicating that the aging effect is not the sole contributor to the observed ME asymmetries.

Density and Magnetic Field Asymmetric Kelvin‐Helmholtz Instability

AbstractThe Kelvin‐Helmholtz (KH) instability can transport mass, momentum, magnetic flux, and energy between the magnetosheath and magnetosphere, which plays an important role in the solar‐wind‐magnetosphere coupling process for different planets. Meanwhile, strong density and magnetic field asymmetry are often present between the magnetosheath (MSH) and magnetosphere (MSP), which could affect the transport processes driven by the KH instability. Our magnetohydrodynamics simulation shows that the KH growth rate is insensitive to the density ratio between the MSP and the MSH in the compressible regime, which is different than the prediction from linear incompressible theory. When the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is parallel to the planet's magnetic field, the nonlinear KH instability can drive a double mid‐latitude reconnection (DMLR) process. The total double reconnected flux depends on the KH wavelength and the strength of the lower magnetic field. When the IMF is anti‐parallel to the planet's magnetic field, the nonlinear interaction between magnetic reconnection and the KH instability leads to fast reconnection (i.e., close to Petschek reconnection even without including kinetic physics). However, the peak value of the reconnection rate still follows the asymmetric reconnection scaling laws. We also demonstrate that the DMLR process driven by the KH instability mixes the plasma from different regions and consequently generates different types of velocity distribution functions. We show that the counter‐streaming beams can be simply generated via the change of the flux tube connection and do not require parallel electric fields.

Field-free spin-orbit switching of perpendicular magnetization enabled by dislocation-induced in-plane symmetry breaking

Current induced spin-orbit torque (SOT) holds great promise for next generation magnetic-memory technology. Field-free SOT switching of perpendicular magnetization requires the breaking of in-plane symmetry, which can be artificially introduced by external magnetic field, exchange coupling or device asymmetry. Recently it has been shown that the exploitation of inherent crystal symmetry offers a simple and potentially efficient route towards field-free switching. However, applying this approach to the benchmark SOT materials such as ferromagnets and heavy metals is challenging. Here, we present a strategy to break the in-plane symmetry of Pt/Co heterostructures by designing the orientation of Burgers vectors of dislocations. We show that the lattice of Pt/Co is tilted by about 1.2° when the Burgers vector has an out-of-plane component. Consequently, a tilted magnetic easy axis is induced and can be tuned from nearly in-plane to out-of-plane, enabling the field-free SOT switching of perpendicular magnetization components at room temperature with a relatively low current density (~1011 A/m2) and excellent stability (> 104 cycles). This strategy is expected to be applicable to engineer a wide range of symmetry-related functionalities for future electronic and magnetic devices.

Recurrent Large Sunspot Structures and 27-Day Component of Solar Activity as Proxies to Axis-Nonsymmetry

The purpose of this paper is to design tools that quantify the structure of the nonsymmetrical component of the solar magnetic field. With the Fourier transform and the machine learning identification of recurrent objects, we define the 27-day component of solar proxies and recurrent large sunspot structures (ReLaSS), respectively. These two closely related characteristics are established to represent different components of the asymmetry of the solar magnetic field. We derive that the 27-day component and ReLaSS have anticorrelated since 1970 after dozens of years of a strong correlation. The persistence of the correlation sign during few solar cycles reflects yet unknown regularities of solar activity. The contribution of both proxies to the nonsymmetry of solar activity is shown to be lower in 1990–2010 than ∼100 years earlier. This property may be the trace of the asymmetry at the scales that are longer than the centennial Gleissberg cycle.

The extended solar cycle and asymmetry of the large-scale magnetic field

ABSTRACT Traditionally, the solar activity cycle is thought as an interplay of the main dipole component of the solar poloidal magnetic field and the toroidal magnetic field. However, the real picture as presented in the extended solar-cycle models is much more complicated. Here, we develop the concept of the extended solar cycle clarifying what zonal harmonics are responsible for the equatorward and polarward propagating features in the surface activity tracers. We arrive at a conclusion that the zonal harmonics with l = 5 play a crucial role in separating the phenomena of both types, which are associated with the odd zonal harmonics. Another objective of our analysis is the role of even zonal harmonics, which prove to be rather associated with the north–south asymmetry of the solar activity than with its 11-yr solar periodicity.

Energy Conversion during Asymmetric Magnetic Reconnection

Asymmetric magnetic reconnection usually occurs at the Earth’s magnetopause, where the magnetic field strength and plasma density are different between the magnetosheath and magnetosphere. In this paper, a two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation model is used to study the energy conversion during asymmetric magnetic reconnection. Energy conversion can occur in the vicinity of the X-line, magnetosphere separatrix region, and reconnection fronts. In the vicinity of the X-line and magnetosphere separatrix region, the electromagnetic field energy is mainly transferred to electrons, while at the reconnection fronts, the electromagnetic field energy is mainly transferred to ions. For the case with weak magnetic field asymmetry, the reconnection fronts dominate the energy conversion, which is related to the inflowing Poynting flux S z at the fronts. For the case with strong magnetic field asymmetry, the energy conversion occurs around the X-line and magnetosphere separatrix region, but no longer at the reconnection fronts. This is because the inflowing Poynting flux S x near the magnetosphere separatrices provides electromagnetic energy for energy conversion. The density asymmetry has no significant effect on the spatial distribution of the energy conversion.

Origin of eclipsing time variations: Contributions of different modes of the dynamo-generated magnetic field

Context. The possibility to detect circumbinary planets and to study stellar magnetic fields through eclipsing time variations (ETVs) in binary stars has sparked an increase of interest in this area of research. Aims. We revisit the connection between stellar magnetic fields and the gravitational quadrupole moment Qxx and compare different dynamo-generated ETV models with our simulations. Methods. We present magnetohydrodynamical simulations of solar mass stars with rotation periods of 8.3, 1.2, and 0.8 days and perform a detailed analysis of the magnetic and quadrupole moment using spherical harmonic decomposition. Results. The extrema of Qxx are associated with changes in the magnetic field structure. This is evident in the simulation with a rotation period of 1.2 days. Its magnetic field has a more complex behavior than in the other models, as the large-scale nonaxisymmetric field dominates throughout the simulation and the axisymmetric component is predominantly hemispheric. This triggers variations in the density field that follow the magnetic field asymmetry with respect to the equator, affecting the zz component of the inertia tensor, and thus modulating Qxx. The magnetic fields of the two other runs are less variable in time and more symmetric with respect to the equator, such that the variations in the density are weaker, and therefore only small variations in Qxx are seen. Conclusions. If interpreted via the classical Applegate mechanism (tidal locking), the quadrupole moment variations obtained in the current simulations are about two orders of magnitude below those deduced from observations of post-common-envelope binaries. However, if no tidal locking is assumed, our results are compatible with the observed ETVs.

The North–South Asymmetry of Martian Ionosphere and Thermosphere

AbstractBased on Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN's neutral composition and Langmuir probe electron density and temperature data, we statistically analyzed the climatic variations of the Martian thermosphere and ionosphere and found significant north–south asymmetry. In winter and summer, the asymmetry mainly originates from the north–south asymmetry of the solar zenith angle. However, the observed data still exhibit significant north–south asymmetry in equinox seasons. Under low solar extreme ultraviolet radiation, the thermospheric neutral density in the northern hemisphere is higher than that in the southern hemisphere. As solar radiation increases, the neutral density in the southern hemisphere gradually exceeds that in the northern hemisphere. In addition, the southern hemisphere density increases nonlinearly with the increase of solar radiation, whereas the northern hemisphere density increases linearly. The electron density and electron temperature in the Martian ionosphere also exhibit similar north–south asymmetry. The asymmetries in the ionosphere and thermosphere between the northern and southern hemispheres are likely related to significant differences in Mars' north–south topography or to north–south asymmetries in the residual magnetic field. After preliminary analysis, we found that the north–south asymmetry of Mars' remaining magnetic field would intensify the hemispheric asymmetry of the ionospheric electron density, but have no effect on the thermospheric neutral density. The hemispheric asymmetry may be primarily related to the significant difference in Mars' north–south topography.

Magnetic field asymmetry of transport dynamics in a Coulomb-coupled quantum point contact

We report phase-resolved microwave magnetotransport measurements of a Coulomb-coupled quantum point contact in the edge state regime. We show that the inductive admittance is manifestly asymmetric under reversal of magnetic field, whereas the field-symmetric conductance is observed. Furthermore, the asymmetry is found to exhibit pronounced fluctuations as a function of magnetic field and transmission. This constitutes direct evidence that kinetic effects associated with the nonequilibrium polarization charge contribute to dynamical magnetoasymmetry in phase-coherent mesoscopic conductors. In addition, we find a striking magnetoasymmetry in the electronic transit time, providing important information about Coulomb coupling effects on quantum dynamics of electrons.

Optical absorption in the terahertz region in HgTe/HgCd(Mn)Te double quantum well structures with a topological phase and structural inversion asymmetry

On the basis of the eight-band kp model, the theoretical engineering of HgTe/HgCd(Mn)Te double quantum well (DQW) structures is presented in this study. An external magnetic field and structural inversion asymmetry are taken into account. The advantages of HgTe two-dimensional topological insulator (2D TI) layers with x-Cd or x-Mn over pure 2D TI HgTe films are theoretically and experimentally proven. All advantages, such as the larger Fermi velocity, very high mobility of the surfaces states, the larger g factor for such mixed layers together with the sharpens on the edge layers in the 2D TI structures and the structural inversion asymmetry (which can be easy realized in the 2D DQW case), mean that the presented structures are encouraging as the basis of, for example, high resolution terahertz detectors. Considering this possible application, the optical transition for the cyclotron resonance and the excitation transfer in the terahertz region is analyzed. The results of the presented investigation are very promising for the application of HgTe/HgCd(Mn)Te DQW structures in terahertz detector.

Stator and rotor turn‐to‐turn fault detection in wound rotor induction machines based on the air‐gap magnetic field distortion

An efficient online flux-based diagnostic approach is proposed to detect turn-to-turn faults in the stator and rotor windings of wound rotor induction machines, at an early stage of development, which can be applied in the online mode. Some flux sensors are installed in the stator slots to detect the rotational magnetic field at various positions along the air-gap circumference. These sensors measure the flux linked to all winding coil groups, in the three phases. Any fault occurring either in the stator or rotor windings will disturb the air-gap flux and create an asymmetry in the rotational magnetic field, which is detectable through the difference of the induced voltages in the corresponding flux sensors. The proposed diagnostic technique is evaluated by finite element analysis as well as by multiple experimental tests. The obtained results show that such invasive technique is able to detect and discriminate various faults in the stator and rotor windings with high accuracy, low calculation burden, proper sensitivity and appropriate robustness in the face of machine load level variations.

Asymmetries in the Earth's dayside magnetosheath: results from global hybrid-Vlasov simulations

Abstract. Bounded by the bow shock and the magnetopause, the magnetosheath forms the interface between solar wind and magnetospheric plasmas and regulates solar wind–magnetosphere coupling. Previous works have revealed pronounced dawn–dusk asymmetries in the magnetosheath properties. The dependence of these asymmetries on the upstream parameters remains however largely unknown. One of the main sources of these asymmetries is the bow shock configuration, which is typically quasi-parallel on the dawn side and quasi-perpendicular on the dusk side of the terrestrial magnetosheath because of the Parker spiral orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) at Earth. Most of these previous studies rely on collections of spacecraft measurements associated with a wide range of upstream conditions which are processed in order to obtain average values of the magnetosheath parameters. In this work, we use a different approach and quantify the magnetosheath asymmetries in global hybrid-Vlasov simulations performed with the Vlasiator model. We concentrate on three parameters: the magnetic field strength, the plasma density, and the flow velocity. We find that the Vlasiator model reproduces the polarity of the asymmetries accurately but that their level tends to be higher than in spacecraft measurements, probably because the magnetosheath parameters are obtained from a single set of upstream conditions in the simulation, making the asymmetries more prominent. A set of three runs with different upstream conditions allows us to investigate for the first time how the asymmetries change when the angle between the IMF and the Sun–Earth line is reduced and when the Alfvén Mach number decreases. We find that a more radial IMF results in a stronger magnetic field asymmetry and a larger variability of the magnetosheath density. In contrast, a lower Alfvén Mach number leads to a reduced magnetic field asymmetry and a decrease in the variability of the magnetosheath density, the latter likely due to weaker foreshock processes. Our results highlight the strong impact of the quasi-parallel shock and its associated foreshock on global magnetosheath properties, in particular on the magnetosheath density, which is extremely sensitive to transient quasi-parallel shock processes, even with the perfectly steady upstream conditions in our simulations. This could explain the large variability of the density asymmetry levels obtained from spacecraft measurements in previous studies.

Magnetic suppression of the coffee ring effect

This paper reports the evaporation and drying characteristics of ferrofluid droplets on a PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) substrate under the influence of magnetic field. The effect of magnetic field strength and asymmetry of the external magnetic field with respect to the axis of the droplet is studied. Goniometric measurement is used for visualization of the evaporating droplets. Confocal microscopy is used for imaging the drying pattern and particle motion inside the droplet. The magnetic field strength is controlled by varying the distance between the magnet and the substrate. COMSOL Multiphysics software is used to report the magnetic field and magnetic force distribution. The uniform deposition of drying pattern is observed under the influence of magnetic field. The effect of magnetic field on evaporation dynamics is attributed to the modification in drying pattern. The evaporation of the droplet takes place in constant contact radius (CCR) mode, constant contact angle (CCA) mode, mixed mode, and late pinning mode. Both sliding of the droplet and receding of the contact line is observed during evaporation when the center of magnet is not aligned with the center of the droplet. The suppression in duration of the CCR and CCA modes of evaporation and increase in duration of mixed mode evaporation is observed at higher magnetic field strength. The initial contact angle decreases and receding contact angle increases with increasing strength of magnetic field. This is attributed to lower concentration of nanoparticle in the contact line region resulting in lower frictional resistance to the contact line motion. Hump formation takes place at the apex region of the droplet, which depends on the strength of the magnetic field and local concentration of nanoparticle. The hump formation is followed by splitting of the droplet.

Inferring the Magnetic Field Asymmetry of Solar Flares from the Degree of Polarisation at Millimetre Wavelengths

Polarisation measurements of solar flares at millimetre-waves were used to investigate the magnetic field configuration of the emitting sources. We analyse two solar flares (SOL2013-02-17 and SOL2013-11-05) observed by the POlarisation Emission of Millimetre Activity at the Sun (POEMAS) at 45 and 90 GHz, at microwaves from 1 – 15 GHz by the Radio Solar Telescope Network (RSTN), and at high frequencies (212 GHz) by the Solar Submillimetre Telescope (SST). Also, hard X-rays from these flares were simultaneously detected by the Reuven Ramaty High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI). The flux and polarisation radio spectra were fit using a model that simulates gyrosynchrotron emission in a spatially-varying 3D magnetic field loop structure. For the modelling, the magnetic loop geometry was fixed and the field strength was the only free parameter of the magnetic field. In addition, a uniform electron distribution was assumed by the model, with the number density of energetic electrons and the electron spectral index as free parameters. The fitted model reproduced reasonably well the observed degree of polarisation and radio flux spectra for each event yielding the physical parameters of the loop and flaring sources. Our results indicate that the high degree of polarisation during a solar flare can be explained by two sources located at the footpoints of highly asymmetric magnetic loops whereas low polarisation degrees arise from footpoint sources of symmetric magnetic loops.

Characteristics of Asymmetric Curls of a Halbach Hydroturbine Main Shaft Magnetofluid Sealing Device Under Random Rotational Speed Work Conditions

The operational rotational speeds of hydroturbines change arbitrarily within a small range, and the friction power consumption caused by the asymmetric curl represents a technical difficulty in magnetofluid sealing. In this study, the pressure-withstanding value and equations for the asymmetric curl of a magnetofluid sealing device under different rotational speeds were deduced. By considering the magnetofluid sealing device characteristics with Halbach magnetic arrays, temperature fields under a static field and low rotational speed were calculated for determining the Halbach magnetofluid sealing device with the best sealing performance. Comparisons and analyses were performed with the friction power consumption and sealing pressure-withstanding value of the selected structure under high (3000 r/min), medium (1500 r/min), and low (300 r/min) rotational speeds and alternating work conditions of ±3, ±6, and ±9. The results indicated that changes in magnetic moment caused by changes in the external magnetic field are the primary cause of friction power consumption. Heat generation occurs concurrently with the friction power consumption. Consequently, the pressure-withstanding value of the magnetofluid sealing is reduced; the friction power consumption of the magnetofluid is directly proportional to the magnetic field strength, rotational speed, and alternating amplitude. Unstable states and asymmetry of the external magnetic field lead to nonlinear increments in the friction power consumption of the magnetofluid. A stable and symmetrical magnetic effect, with a smaller rotational speed and alternating amplitude leads to lower friction power consumption, resulting in a more ideal sealing effect.

Magnetic helicity and prospects for its observation in the interstellar medium

Magnetic helicity is one of the integrals of nonviscous flows in magnetohydrodynamics that determines the number of linkages of magnetic field lines in a medium. It is among a number of helicities that characterize the degree of mirror asymmetry of velocity and magnetic fields. The helicities play a crucial role in driving the generation of large-scale magnetic fields in stars and spiral galaxies. Until recently, measurements of various helicities were based on astronomical observations of the Sun’s active regions, but not in the Sun’s deep layers where the solar dynamo is operative. Galaxies are transparent to some extent and are therefore very attractive in this sense for observing the helicity of its magnetic field. Theoretical advances and the first successful attempts at such observations are reviewed.

Local Time Variation in the Large‐Scale Structure of Saturn's Magnetosphere

AbstractThe large‐scale structure of Saturn's magnetosphere is determined by internal and external factors, including the rapid planetary rotation rate, significant internal hot and cold plasma sources, and varying solar wind pressure. Under certain conditions the dayside magnetospheric magnetic field changes from a dipolar to more disk‐like structure, due to global force balance being approximately maintained during the reconfiguration. However, it is still not fully understood which factors dominantly influence this behavior, and in particular how it varies with local time. We explore this in detail using a 2‐D force‐balance model of Saturn's magnetodisk to describe the magnetosphere at different local time sectors. For model inputs, we use recent observational results that suggest a significant local time asymmetry in the pressure of the hot (>3 keV) plasma population, and magnetopause location. We make calculations under different solar wind conditions, in order to investigate how these local time asymmetries influence magnetospheric structure for different system sizes. We find significant day/night asymmetries in the model magnetic field, consistent with recent empirical studies based on Cassini magnetometer observations. We also find dawn‐dusk asymmetries in equatorial current sheet thickness, with the varying hot plasma content and magnetodisk radius having comparable influence on overall structure, depending on external conditions. We also find significant variations in magnetic mapping between the ionosphere and equatorial disk, and ring current intensity, with substantial enhancements in the night and dusk sectors. These results have consequences for interpreting many magnetospheric phenomena that vary with local time, such as reconnection events and auroral observations.

Kaons and antikaons in strong magnetic fields

The in-medium masses of the kaons and antikaons in strongly magnetized asymmetric nuclear matter are studied using a chiral SU(3) model. The medium modifications of the masses of these open strange pseudoscalar mesons arise due to their interactions with the nucleons and scalar mesons within the model. The proton, the charged nucleon, has effects from the Landau energy levels in the presence of the magnetic field. The anomalous magnetic moments (AMM) of the nucleons are taken into consideration in the present study and these are seen to be large at high magnetic fields and high densities. The isospin effects are appreciable at high densities. The density effects are observed to be the dominant medium effects, as compared to the effects from magnetic field and isospin asymmetry. ~