Jacek Szklarski

Experimental evidence for magnetorotational instability in a Taylor-Couette flow under the influence of a helical magnetic field.

A recent paper [R. Hollerbach and G. Rudiger, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 124501 (2005)] has shown that the threshold for the onset of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in a Taylor-Couette flow is dramatically reduced if both axial and azimuthal magnetic fields are imposed. In agreement with this prediction, we present results of a Taylor-Couette experiment with the liquid metal alloy GaInSn, showing evidence for the existence of the MRI at Reynolds numbers of order 1000 and Hartmann numbers of order 10.

Helical magnetorotational instability in a Taylor-Couette flow with strongly reduced Ekman pumping

The magnetorotational instability (MRI) is thought to play a key role in the formation of stars and black holes by sustaining the turbulence in hydrodynamically stable Keplerian accretion disks. In previous experiments the MRI was observed in a liquid metal Taylor-Couette flow at moderate Reynolds numbers by applying a helical magnetic field. The observation of this helical MRI (HMRI) was interfered with a significant Ekman pumping driven by solid end caps that confined the instability only to a part of the Taylor-Couette cell. This paper describes the observation of the HMRI in an improved Taylor-Couette setup with the Ekman pumping significantly reduced by using split end caps. The HMRI, which now spreads over the whole height of the cell, appears much sharper and in better agreement with numerical predictions. By analyzing various parameter dependencies we conclude that the observed HMRI represents a self-sustained global instability rather than a noise-sustained convective one.

Experiments on the magnetorotational instability in helical magnetic fields

The magnetorotational instability (MRI) plays a key role in the formation of stars and black holes, by enabling outward angular momentum transport in accretion discs. The use of combined axial and azimuthal magnetic fields allows the investigation of this effect in liquid metal flows at moderate Reynolds and Hartmann numbers. A variety of experimental results is presented showing evidence for the occurrence of the MRI in a Taylor?Couette flow using the liquid metal alloy GaInSn.

Towards semantic navigation in mobile robotics

Nowadays mobile robots find application in many areas of production, public transport, security and defense, exploration of space, etc. In order to make further progress in this domain of engineering, a significant barrier has to be broken: robots must be able to understand the meaning of surrounding world. Until now, mobile robots have only perceived geometrical features of the environment. Rapid progress in sensory devices (video cameras, laser range finders, microwave radars) and sufficient computational power available on-board makes it possible to develop robot controllers that possess certain knowledge about the area of application and which are able to reason at a semantic level. The first part of the paper deals with mobile robots dedicated to operate inside buildings. A concept of the semantic navigation based upon hypergraphs is introduced. Then it is shown how semantic information, useful for mobile robots, can be extracted from the digital documentation of a building. In the second part of the paper we report the latest results on extracting semantic features from the raw data supplied by laser scanners. The aim of this research is to develop a system that will enable a mobile robot to operate in a building with ability to recognise and identify objects of certain classes. Data processing techniques involved in this system include a 3D-model of the environment updated on-line, rule-based and feature-based classifiers of objects, a path planner utilizing cellular networks and other advanced tools. Experiments carried out under real-life conditions validate the proposed solutions.

Ekman-Hartmann layer in a magnetohydrodynamic Taylor-Couette flow.

We study magnetic effects induced by rigidly rotating plates enclosing a cylindrical MHD TaylorCouette flow at the finite aspect ratio H/D = 10. The fluid confined between the cylinders is assumed to be liquid metal characterized by small magnetic Prandtl number, the cylinders are perfectly conducting, an axial magnetic field is imposed Ha ≈ 10, the rotation rates correspond to Re of order 10 − 10. We show that the end-plates introduce, besides the well known Ekman circulation, similar magnetic effects which arise for infinite, rotating plates, horizontally unbounded by any walls. In particular there exists the Hartmann current which penetrates the fluid, turns into the radial direction and together with the applied magnetic field gives rise to a force. Consequently the flow can be compared with a Taylor-Dean flow driven by an azimuthal pressure gradient. We analyze stability of such flows and show that the currents induced by the plates can give rise to instability for the considered parameters. When designing an MHD Taylor-Couette experiment, a special care must be taken concerning the vertical magnetic boundaries so they do not significantly alter the rotational profile.

Nonlinear simulations explaining Ap star magnetic fields by instability remnants

The question of the origin of magnetic fields of Ap/Bp stars is still regarded as an interesting puzzle of stellar astrophysics. We investigate the possibility that the randomness and relative complexity of these fields are remnants of a magnetic instability. In the studied scenario it is assumed a priori that the surface of an Ap star is slowed down in its early evolutionary stage more than its analogous A star. This leads to a significant differential rotation in its interior, making it possible to generate a strong toroidal magnetic field in the radiative zone. Under such circumstances the kink-type Tayler instability is likely to set in. The presented numerical simulations in a compressible, spherical domain show that the instability can produce large surface magnetic fields, even of the order of 0.01−1 of the internal toroidal component (depending on the setup). The resulting magnetic fields can then serve as “initial conditions” evolving into a stable magnetic configuration (however, the matter of long-term stability is not addressed here). This theory naturally supports the fact that Ap stars rotate typically slower than normal A stars (the Tayler instability is suppressed when rotation is too fast), it also qualitatively explains the dependence of the apparent obliquity of the main magnetic axis on the rotation period, as well as the existence of the minimum field threshold (no Ap stars have been observed with fields weaker than ≈10 2 G). Given that the generation of the initial differential rotation and initial poloidal fields are not discussed here, the results have a speculative nature and can be viewed as a possible step toward a full understanding of Ap star magnetism.

Designing of Elastoplastic Adaptive Truss Structures with the Use of Particle Swarm Optimization

In the paper we demonstrate how Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) can be employed to solve the Adaptive Impact Absorption (AIA) problem. We consider a truss structure which is subjected to impact loads. Stiff bars can be replaced by elastoplastic fuses which control theirs dynamical response. The point of optimization is to maximize or minimize a given objective function by redesigning the structure. This is realized by redistributing the initial mass, finding proper fuse localizations and adjusting, in real-time, the elastoplastic limits. Comparing to the previous results, we show that PSO is capable of achieving results at least as good as gradient-based optimization, having at the same time much larger flexibility regarding the definition of the objective function. This gives significantly broader field of potential applications. In particular, we present how PSO can be used to solve the simultaneous optimization problem: mass redistribution and fuse positioning for a set of expected, various impacts.

Extraction of Semantic Information from the 3D Laser Range Finder

In this paper a system for extracting semantic information in indoor and outdoor environment from 3D laser scanner is presented. The largest objects (like walls, floor, ceiling, etc.) are recognized by constructing an RGB image based on normal vectors and applying a simple rule-based system. More sophisticated techniques are used to detect the remaining ones: H aar-like features — to classify small and irregular objects, and Cellular Neural Networks — to distinguish between different types of ground on which the robot is able to operate.

AC08 System Description

A simple multi-agent system which participated in the Multi-Agent Programming Contest in association with ProMAS 2008 is described. Agents take actions in order to maximize a global utility function from at each step. Coordination is done via the max-plus algorithm or by the greedy strategy.

Create Terrain Maps for Unmanned Ground Platform

A typical unmanned and remotely operated platform is usually equipped with cameras which give insufficient information about the nearest environment and an operator has difficulties in driving such a platform in unknown environment. In this paper, a problem of the platform nearest area map building based on additional devices is considered. The platform is equipped with SICK LMS lasers, inclinometer and radars. Combining information from the devices allows to build a map which helps an operator to drive the platform more efficiently.