Postgraduate Course: Magnetohydrodynamics II (MATH11268)
Course Outline
| School | School of Mathematics |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | Magnetic fields are of vital importance in astrophysics and geophysics, playing crucial roles in the dynamics of galaxies, stars (including star formation) and planets (including the Earth), and for magnetic confinement fusion. Magnetohydrodynamics, or MHD for short, is concerned with understanding the nature of fluid flows in the presence of magnetic fields. This course delved into more advanced topics such as MHD configurations for use in magnetic confinement fusion, MHD stability, turbulence, and how fluid flows can self-consistently lead to the generation of magnetic fields via dynamo action (which is believed to be important for the maintenance of the magnetic field of both the Earth and Sun). |
| Course description |
This course covers topics from magnetic field generation by fluid motion (dynamo action), sustained MHD configurations due to nonlinear force-free fields given by solutions of the Grad-Shafranov equation, hydromagnetic stability and particular MHD instabilities with relevance to magnetic confinement fusion such as ballooning modes, aspects of turbulence (MHD turbulence, drift wave turbulence).
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Magnetohydrodynamics I (MATH11267) AND
Fluid Dynamics (MATH11248)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | This course is also available to students in the School of Physics and Astronomy. |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- understand advanced topics in the dynamics of electrically conducting fluids, such as dynamo action
- Grad-Shafranov equation and MHD equilibria
- hydromagnetic stability, specific instabilities such as ballooning modes
- energy principle
- Fluid, MHD, and drift wave turbulence
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Reading List
Biskamp, D. Magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, 2003, CUP
Priest E. Solar MHD, 1982, Reidel
Choudhuri A-R, The Physics of Fluids and Plasmas, 1998, CUP
Freidberg, J. Ideal MHD, 2014, CUP |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Magnetohydrodynamics |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Moritz Linkmann
Tel: (0131 6)50 5060
Email: Moritz.Linkmann@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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