Laboratory Studies of Dynamos

该奖项是根据NSF/DOE基础等离子体科学与工程合作伙伴关系联合招标NSF 09-596提交并审查的提案作出的。该奖项提供资金支持本科生参与整体研究工作，由美国能源部根据与威斯康星大学的合同单独资助（Grant DE-FG02-05ER54831）。该项目将继续支持磁流体动力学（MHD）实验，解决由液态钠流动产生磁场（发电机）的问题，并将这一研究领域扩展到等离子体发电机的研究。这项研究的实验方法补充了更传统的分析和计算方法，以了解磁场如何在行星和恒星中产生。这一提议包括两个实验：一个是液态钠实验，预计将从理论上进行发电机实验，这是可操作的和科学发现，另一个是正在建设的基于等离子体的实验（得到NSF主要研究仪器计划的支持），将在大约三年内投入运行。这两个实验的目的是通过实验研究与自然发生的发电机中磁场自生有关的基本过程。两者都是未磁化的，具有大磁雷诺数（表征磁场演变的关键无量纲数）的流动导电流体。发电机研究的一个核心部分包括对本科生和研究生的培训和指导。学生们参与项目的各个方面，并定期被派往科学会议，在那里他们展示自己的成果，并接触到更大的科学界。外展活动包括公开讲座，由华盛顿大学媒体关系和网站协调的新闻发布。美国国家科学基金会对本科生参与的支持，通过将学生引入科学研究作为一种可能的职业道路，对他们进行早期培训，从而增加了更广泛的教育影响。

This award is made in response to a proposal submitted to and reviewed under the NSF/DOE Partnership in Basic Plasma Science and Engineering joint solicitation NSF 09-596. The award provides funds to support undergraduate participation in the overall research effort, which is being funded separately by the DOE under contract to University of Wisconsin (Grant DE-FG02-05ER54831).This project would continue supporting magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) experiments addressing questions on the selfgeneration of magnetic fields (dynamos) from flows of liquid sodium and expand this line of research into studies of plasma dynamos. The experimental approach of this research complements more traditional analytical and computational approaches to understanding how magnetic fields can be generated in planets and stars.Two experiments are part of this proposal: a liquid sodium experiment expected to be dynamo from theory, that is operational and making scientific discoveries, and a plasma based experiment under construction (with support from the NSF Major Research Instrumentation program) that will be operational in approximately three years. The goal of both experiments is to experimentally investigate fundamental processes related to self-generation of magnetic fields in naturally occurring dynamos. Both begin as unmagnetized, flowing conducting fluid with large magnetic Reynolds numbers (the key dimensionless number characterizing magnetic field evolution).A central part of the dynamo research includes the training and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students. Students are involved in all aspects of the project and are regularly sent to scientific meetings where they present their results and are exposed to the larger scientific community. Outreach activities include public lectures, press releases coordinated by the UW Media Relations and websites.The NSF support of undergraduate participation adds a broader educational impact through the early-year training of students by introducing them to scientific research as a possible career path.