Phase V: Development of the Core Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at UCLA

加州大学洛杉矶分校的SpinLab（http：//spinlab.ess.ucla.edu/）的研究人员将扩大磁流体动力学过程的实验室理论模拟领域，该过程在地球熔融的铁芯内产生地磁场。此外，该项目将为三名研究生，至少两名本科生和一名博士后研究员提供实验室实验，数值和理论建模方面的培训。 这笔资金还将用于扩大PI的外展工作，最近开发了新的自助实验STEM工具，可用于所有年龄段的学生的教室（https：//diffics.github.io/）。该研究将提供表征和量化多尺度核心式对流湍流的基础实验室数据。这些数据是必要的基准和验证先进的核心流理论，并建立预测模型的湍流行星发电机在液态金属。因此，这些结果对地核和其他行星发电机、流体湍流、太阳和恒星对流区以及海洋和大气动力学的模型都是有用的。该项目包括四项主要任务。 在任务1中，研究人员将继续进行一系列水中旋转对流实验，以阐明湍流核心对流的原理。这些实验将使用最近完成的，NSF资助的NoMag设备进行，该设备位于加州大学洛杉矶分校的PI实验室，允许研究人员对极地对流速度，涡度和热场进行成像和量化。对于任务2，该团队将继续进行一系列液态金属对流实验，并通过紧密耦合的数值模拟进行增强。这些数据将使研究小组能够量化和诊断地球核心流体模拟极地包裹中发生的复杂磁流体动力学。任务3将通过开发一种新的抛物面自由表面对流装置，对地核低纬度地区发生的旋转对流进行实验室-数值模拟。最后，任务4将进一步地球科学教育推广工作，通过测试和开发一个1米直径，负担得起的转盘，可以很容易地组装和用于流体动力学演示在所有STEAM设置的计划。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

Researchers in UCLA's SpinLab (http://spinlab.ess.ucla.edu/) will expand the realm of laboratory-theoretical simulations of the magnetohydrodynamic processes that generate the geomagnetic field within Earth's molten iron core. Further, this project will provide training in laboratory experimentation, numerical and theoretical modeling to three graduate students, at least two undergraduates and one postdoctoral researcher. This funding will also allow for the expansion of the PI's outreach efforts, most recently developing new do-it-yourself experimental STEM tools that can be used in classrooms with students of all ages (https://diynamics.github.io/).The research will provide fundamental laboratory data characterizing and quantifying multi-scale core-style convective turbulence. These data are necessary to benchmark and validate advanced theories of core flow and to build predictive models of turbulent planetary dynamo generation in liquid metals. Thus, the results are useful to models of Earth's core and other planetary dynamos, fluid turbulence, solar and stellar convection zones, as well as oceanic and atmospheric dynamics. This project is comprised of four main tasks. In Task 1, the investigators will continue a series of rotating convection experiments in water that are elucidating principles about turbulent core convective flows. These experiments will be conducted using the recently completed, NSF-funded NoMag device that exists in the PI's lab at UCLA, and that allows investigators to image and quantify polar convective velocity, vorticity and thermal fields. For Task 2, the team will continue a series of liquid metal convection experiments, enhanced by closely-coupled numerical simulations. The data will allow the team to quantify and diagnose the complex magnetohyrdrodynamics occurring in a simulated polar parcel of Earth's core fluid. Task 3 will carry out coupled laboratory-numerical simulations of rotating convection occurring at low latitudes in Earth's core via the development of a new parabolic free-surface convection device. Lastly, Task 4 will further the geoscience educational outreach efforts, by testing and developing plans for a 1-meter diameter, affordable rotary table that can be easily assembled and used for fluid dynamics demonstrations in all STEAM settings.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.