event
Wednesday 14 Feb 2018: [Seminar] Flows, Instabilities, and Magnetism In Stars and Planets
Dr. Felix Sainsbury-Martinez - University of Exeter
4th Floor Physics 14:00-15:00
Flows, instabilities, and magnetism play significant roles in the internal and atmospheric dynamics of objects ranging from the smallest exoplanets to the largest stars. These phenomena are governed by the equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), which link the flows and magnetic fields, and from which the operational parameters and growth rates of instabilities can be recovered. Here we explore a number of phenomena associated with (M)HD fluid dynamics, and stellar and planetary dynamics:
The Heat-Flux-Driven Buoyancy Instability (HBI) within stellar and planetary atmospheres, an instability with interesting non-linear effects, such as a significant reduction in vertical heat transport.
The Rossiter-McLaughlin effect at secondary eclipse, an observational/theoretical technique which allows for the measurement of surface rotation rates, flows, and the projected spin-orbital alignment of transiting exoplanets orbiting bright stars.
The Internal Flows and balances at play within fully convective stars, explored using a wide range of 3D anelastic simulations to investigate how the zonal flows and balances change with changing stellar parameter, and including an investigation into the use of the TWE to extrapolate internal rotation data from surface data.
