Dear Colleagues, few announcements:

• 18 Sept 2023:: 9th International Scientific Colloquium “Modelling for Materials Processing” 2023 (Riga, Latvia, abstracts due 31/03/2023)

• 17-23 July 2023:: Complex Motion in Fluids Summer School (Cambridge, UK)

• 24-26 July, 2023:: iTi 2023 — Conference on Turbulence X (Bertinoro, Italy, abstracts due 15/02/2023)

_____________________________________________________________________________

The Next Hydromag Newsletter is due by the end of April 2023. Please send your information that

You would like to be included to the next issue to

alex.pedcenko(at)coventry.ac.uk

no later than 15 April 2023.

—

Best Regards,

Alex Pedcenko

Coventry University

——

Content

1. PostDoc Position at Newcastle University  (deadline 5 April 2022)
2. BIFD22 — Call for Abstracts (deadline 28 February 2022)
3. Call for proposals for IUTAM Symposia and Summer Schools 2024/2025

______________________________________________________

PostDoc Position at Newcastle University 

from Graeme Sarson, Newcastle, UK

Dear colleagues,

We are looking to recruit a postdoc to work with Dr Céline Guervilly and Dr Graeme Sarson on a STFC-funded project on the dynamics of stably-stratified layers in planetary cores. The project concerns double-diffusive convection and will incorporate the effects of rotation, spherical geometry and magnetic fields. The goal is to explain how a stably-stratified layer located at the top of the core shapes the magnetic field observed at the surface of the planet. The position is based at Newcastle University and is funded for three years with a flexible start date.

Applications close 5th April 2022. Further details can be found at:

https://jobs.ncl.ac.uk/job/Newcastle-Research-AssistantAssociate-in-Fluid-Dynamics/766230001/

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Céline Guervilly (celine.guervilly@newcastle.ac.uk)

Best wishes,

Céline and Graeme

______________________________________________________

9th International Symposium on Bifurcations and Instabilities in Fluid Dynamics (BIFD22) [ 16-19 August 2022, Netherlands]

Call for Abstracts

The scope of the conference ranges from industrial applications to academic model problems, and from experimental, to computational and theoretical studies. See www.bifd2022.org  for the conference subjects.

Dates:

• Abstract submission opens: January 14, 2022
• Deadline for abstract submission: February 28, 2022
• Notification of acceptance: April 15, 2022
• Registration opens May 14, 2022
• Early bird registration closes: June 30, 2022
• Late registration closes: July 31, 2022

SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS

Abstracts can be submitted through the abstract submission form which can be found on the website below.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND CONTACT

www.bifd2022.org

bifd22@rug.nl

LOCAL ORGANISERS

Fred Wubs, Alef Sterk, Martin Sanders, and Sarah van Wouwe

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Prof. Zvi Pinhas Bar-Yoseph (Technion)

Prof. Morten Brøns (Technical University of Denmark)

Prof. Alexander Gelfgat (Tel Aviv University)

Prof. Alexander Oron (Technion)

______________________________________________________

Call for proposals for IUTAM Symposia and Summer Schools 2024/2025

from Henryk Petryk, Secretary-General of IUTAM

To: Members and Observers of the IUTAM General Assembly

Dear Colleagues,

As you know from my circular correspondence, the call for proposals for
IUTAM Symposia and Summer Schools to be held in 2024 or 2025 is open,
with the deadline for submissions being 31 March 2022. No extensions of
the deadline are planned. Further details of the call are provided in my
email below.

Symposia and Summer Schools are one of IUTAM’s major areas of activity
and means of fulfilling the Union’s goal of promoting the development of
mechanics. It is of utmost importance that IUTAM remain the organizer of
regular scientific meetings on cutting-edge topics in mechanics.
Therefore, I would like to kindly ask you as the Representatives of
Adhering and Affiliated Organizations of IUTAM to help spread
information about the present call for proposals. Your help in
encouraging top researchers in your community to submit high-quality
Symposia/Summer Schools proposals would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely yours,
Henryk Petryk
Secretary-General of IUTAM
https://iutam.org/

______________________________________________________

Next Hydromag Newsletter : end of April 2022.

Please send information you wish to be included into this issue to

a.pedcenko(at)coventry.ac.uk

not later than 20 of April, 2022.

If you have an urgent announcement, we can publish at https://hydromag.eu

————–

Regards,

Alex Pedcenko

Coventry University

Hydromag Newsletter Issue #1, 2021

Follow on Twitter

Content

1. MHD School by MHD society (March 22, 2021)
2. Postdoctoral Position in Numerical Simulation of Radiative-MHD
3. Next Hydromag Newsletter

MHD School

(from Antoine Alemany, Grenoble, France)

In collaboration with some colleagues, we have created a savant society, the MHD society. The objective of the society is to promote collaborations in the frame of MHD activities. This includes the coordination of conferences, obtaining financial grants for research and teaching (at the countries level, European level ..Etc.), and promoting careers of young researchers.

Web site: https://eumhd.com

The first project of the society is the organisation of an MHD school that will be proposed every year. The summary of the first edition is given in the flyer included in the web side of the MHD society and is summarized in the following:

• The school is free of cost
• The school will take place over a period of three weeks: from March 22 to April Friday 9 2021.
• The lectures are programmed in principle on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, but could be shifted for another day on the same week.

The course will be given in video conference with a protocol that will be communicated by the organizers.

The precise titles of the courses and teachers names will be proposed on the web site of the MHD society. The link to access on the school web site is: https://eumhd.com/school2021

The MHD society board

MHD School Flyer

Postdoctoral Position in Numerical Simulation of Radiative-MHD

(from Prof. Ben-Wen Li, Dalian, China)

INTRODUCTION
The group of Prof. Dr. Li Ben-Wen, in Institute of Thermal Engineering, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Dalian University of Technology (DUT), has long time and wide experience in researching thermal radiation, and its combinations with others, like, conduction, convection, combustion, and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), and specially engaging in the numerical simulation. Recently, we obtained the NSFC (National Natural Science Foundation of China) project, titled “Research of Thermal Radiation Effects on Magnetohydrodynamics Instabilities” with granted No. 51976021 (Jan. 2020 till Dec. 2023). We are applying more projects. We have accumulated lots of home designed codes for pure thermal radiation (with participating media in 3D Cartesian coordinate systems and 2D cylindrical ones), radiation-conduction, radiation-hydrodynamics and radiation-MHD (spectral methods but with limitation of laminar flow). Meanwhile, lots of journal papers have been published. Based on the NSFC project, we are preparing experimental research and also numerical simulations, especially for laminar to turbulent transition. In such cases, a full postdoc position for experienced scholar, who is expert in CFD with DNS, is available.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The main task of postdoc will be the numerical simulations of transition or turbulent Radiative-MHD in cylinder or rectangular enclosure. The numerical methods can be the Finite Difference method, the Finite Volume method, but the Spectral method will be priority. At present, the MHD will be limited to quasi-steady cases (the magnetic Reynolds number is far less than unit). For thermal radiation, we expect the full RTE (radiation transfer equation) solution with help of Prof. Li Ben-Wen (many home hold codes using spectral methods). The main challenges may exist in the spectral codes transition from MMT (matrix multiplication transition) versions to FCT/FFT (fast cosine transformation/fast Fourier transformation) versions, the turbulent radiation interaction (TRI), and the instabilities analysis. The codes transition is necessary to reduce computer cost for instabilities and turbulent flow. The spectral methods are necessary to keep the higher accuracy. Based on the simulations, more phenomena/disciplines can be observed/discovered for radiative MHD.
Based on our former works, you will be supervised by Prof. Li Ben-Wen, and collaborating with Ph.D. students. You can guide Ph.D. students both in experiments and simulations, especially the DNS and instability analysis. Your creativity is welcome and expected during the research process.

CONDITIONS
As for thermal radiation, we have accumulate lots of codes based on spectral methods or discrete ordinates method (DOM).
Work office and personal computer are provided. The computer center will provide computation source for large computation, and the computation cost will be paid from the project.
The salary per year is ¥300,000RMB before tax, about $46,470. Our university can provide apartment with bath and cook, but cheap rent.
Dalian is the most beautiful city in the north-eastern China, and the communications in domestic and international are very fast and convenient.

PROFILE
Candidate should have a PhD degree in Physics or Engineering (or equivalent), with demonstrated experience in CFD in fluid mechanics, or thermo-hydrodynamics, or even in MHD.

OFFER
We offer the open, stimulating and multi-disciplinary research environment. The duration of the contract will be 2 years. After evaluation, it will be possible to extend another 1 year.

INTERESTED?
For more information please contact Prof. Li Ben-Wen at: +86-13664102228, heatli(at)dlut.edu.cn

—–

Dr. Ben-Wen Li, Prof. of
Institute of Thermal Engineering
School of Energy & Power Engineering
Dalian University of Technology
Mailing Address:
Room 720, Energy & Power Building in West Campus of Dalian University of Technology
No. 2, Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District
Dalian, 116024, Liaoning Province, China

Next Hydromag Newsletter

will be issued at the end of April 2021. Please send information you wish to be included into this issue to

a.pedcenko(at)coventry.ac.uk

not later than 20 of April, 2021.

If you have an urgent announcement, we can publish at http://hydromag.eu between the issues.

Hydromag Newsletter

Issue No. 3, 2019

Content

—————————–

1. ECCOMAS 2020: FLUID MECHANICS OF LIQUID METAL BATTERIES
2. RESEARCH FELLOW POSITION IN THEORETICAL FLUID MECHANICS AT COVENTRY UNIVERSITY (UK)
3. SCHEDULE OF CONFERENCES ON MHD AND RELATED TOPICS
4. NEXT HYDROMAG NEWSLETTER

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1. ECCOMAS 2020: FLUID MECHANICS OF LIQUID METAL BATTERIES

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(from Tom Weier, Dresden, Germany)

The joint 14th World Congress in Computational Mechanics and ECCOMAS Congress is expected to be one of the largest computational mechanics and applied mathematics events ever organized with an expected participation from all parts of the globe, representing multiple sectors, academia, industry and government institutions.

Through the organization of minisymposia, it will both cover the latest developments in all aspects of computational mechanics, computational fluid dynamics and applied mathematics in conjunction with industrial needs as well as emerging ones. This congress shall fully engage computational mechanics in the XXI century.

A mini-symposium on fluid dynamics of liquid metal batteries (LMB) will be organized in the framework of the ECCOMAS 2020 congress to be held on July 19-24, 2020 in Paris. The proposed minisymposium aims to support the trending interest in the topic of LMBs, to offer a platform for discussion, and to facilitate future collaborations. While the focus shall be on fluid dynamics, lectures on other aspects of LMBs and related devices (e.g., aluminum reduction cells) will be equally welcome and considered to be in the scope of the minisymposium. Topics to be addressed include: mixing and mass transfer, natural convection, magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, electro-vortex flows, electrochemistry of LMBs, scale-up, and grid integration as well as stack design and heat transfer.

Abstracts can be submitted to the conference website after September 15, 2019. Please contact the mini-symposium organizers, Tom Weier, Wietze Herreman and Oleg Zikanov if you have any questions.

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2.  RESEARCH FELLOW POSITION IN THEORETICAL FLUID MECHANICS AT COVENTRY UNIVERSITY (UK)

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A Research Fellow position in theoretical fluid mechanics is offered at Coventry University (UK). The project concerns convection under a magnetic field in the so called “tangent cylinder” region of the Earth’s core. Much of the mystery surrounding the Earth’s dynamics (its magnetic field, plate tectonics) lies in the nature of the convective patterns within the Earth’s liquid core, and in particular in the region called the “Tangent Cylinder”. What are the possible convective states under the combined influence of the Earth’s rotation and magnetic field, and how erratic are they? This study is part of a theoretical and experimental research program funded by the prestigious Leverhulme Trust (http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk), that aims at answering these questions. The purpose of this thesis is to theoretically predict the possible nonlinear convective states for the first time. We will then evaluate which of these states are mostly likely to underpin the Earth’s core convection.

The Research Fellow will conduct the theoretical and numerical analysis of the problem under the joint supervision of Prof. Alban Pothérat (http://users.complexity-coventry.org/~potherat/index.html) and Dr Chris Pringle.  The study will seek the possible structure of convection by means of advanced stability theory and branch tracking method, to unveil the possible states. In the frame of the research programme, the work is purely theoretical/numerical and will be conducted in collaboration with an experimental study that will seek to reproduce and visualise these non-linear states in an experimental model of the Earth Core.

Successful candidates are expected to hold a PhD in fluid mechanics or a related discipline and to have demonstrated excellent abilities in mathematics and programming.

The successful candidate will be part the vibrant team of internationally recognised academics and PhD students forming the fluid dynamics group within the Applied Mathematics Research Centre, whose work has been ranked at 83% world-class at the UK’ latest Research Excellence Framework in 2014. This unit is part of the Fluid and Complex Systems Research Centre, and specialises in theoretical and experimental fluid mechanics. It is especially renowned for its work on magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), turbulence, stability and geophysical flows. The group closely collaborates with partner groups in world-leading institutions in Australia, China, France, Germany and the UK.

Informal enquiries are welcome: please forward a CV and academic records to Prof. Alban Pothérat (alban.potherat@coventry.ac.uk).

Refs.:: Laboratory model for the convective patterns in the Tangent Cylinder of the Earth core (Aujogue, Pothérat, Sreenivasan & Debray, 2018, Journal of Fluid Mechanics)

Apply Online

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3. SCHEDULE OF CONFERENCES ON MHD AND RELATED TOPICS

—————————–

1. • October 14-18, 2019: MHD Modelling School, Riga, Latvia
   • July 19-24, 2020: MS249: FLUID MECHANICS OF LIQUID METAL BATTERIES (ECCOMAS 2020)

********************************************************

4. NEXT HYDROMAG NEWSLETTER

—————————–

will be issued at the end of December 2019. Please send information you wish to be included into this issue to

a.pedcenko(at)coventry.ac.uk

not later than 20 of December 2019. If you have an urgent announcement, we can publish at http://hydromag.eu between the issues.

—–
Alex Pedcenko
Coventry University
Priory Street Coventry
CV1 5FB United Kingdom
Tel: +44(0)24-77658974
e-mail: a.pedcenko(at)coventry.ac.uk

Content

—————————–

1. Postdoctoral Research Fellow in MHD (ETH ZURICH)
2. Postdoctoral Research Fellow on Inertial particles and Turbulence (PARIS)
3. PHD POSITION AT HZDR (deadline 30/04/2019)
4. MHD Modelling School 2019
5. NEW BOOK: Self-Exciting Fluid Dynamos
6. SCHEDULE OF CONFERENCES ON MHD AND RELATED TOPICS
7. NEXT HYDROMAG NEWSLETTER

I. Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Magnetohydrodynamics (100%)

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(from Andy Jackson, ETH Zürich, Switzerland)

The Earth and Planetary Magnetism Group at the Institute of Geophysics at ETH Zürich studies planetary magnetism with a strong focus on the Earth. Part of our group is devoted to the mechanisms underlying the generation and evolution of the magnetic field of a planet following theoretical, numerical and experimental approaches.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Magnetohydrodynamics (100%)

The position will develop theory and algorithms for the solution of a new class of self-consistent solution to the governing equations of dynamo theory. Depending on background and experience, the fellow will work on one of the following topics: (i) Application of optimal control to the inviscid fluid dynamical equations, together with analytic treatment of viscous effects (ii) Implicit methods of time-stepping (iii) Development of algorithms for anelastic treatment of giant planets. (iv) Understanding geomagnetic reversals. The project is funded by the ERC and the position is for 2 years in the first instance, with the possibility of renewal.

The successful candidate will have a background in mathematics or physical sciences and be expected to (i) carry out his/her own research projects, (ii) co-supervise undergraduate- and graduate-level thesis projects, and (iii) possibly contribute to the teaching of general geophysics courses. We seek a good team-player who can join a small team of about 10 others. Evidence of high performance computing experience is required. The working language of the department is English. At the time of the appointment, the successful candidate must have a doctoral degree in geophysics or a related subject.

We look forward to receiving your online application including the following documents: a full CV, short statement of experience and research interests. Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

For further information about the group, please visit our website: www.epm.ethz.ch. For further information about the position, please contact Prof Andrew Jackson by e-mail, ajackson@ethz.ch (no applications).

Applications should be made online at

Browser: https://apply.refline.ch/845721/7052/pub/1/index.html

Mobile: https://m.refline.ch/845721/7052/pub/1/index.html

—————————–

ETH Zürich

Institut für Geophysik

Sonneggstrasse 5

CH-8092 Zürich

Switzerland

+41 44 633 7349 (work)

+41 79 639 0827 (Mob)

II. Postdoctoral Research Fellow on Inertial particles and Turbulence (100%)

—————————–

(from Romain Monchaux, France )

Experimental Post-Doc position: Settling of aerosol in turbulent flows (1/10/2019)

Location : IMSIA (ENSTA, EDF, CEA, CNRS),

Contact : Romain Monchaux (monchaux(at)ensta.fr)

Duration : 1 to 2 years from fall

Application deadline: 30/06/2019

Advert: http://perso.ensta-paristech.fr/~monchaux/2019_ENSTA_Particle_PostDoc.pdf

III. PHD POSITION AT HZDR, GERMANY

—————————–

(from Andre Giesecke, HZDR, Germany )

The Institute of Fluid Dynamics at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR, https://www.hzdr.de) invites for applications for a PhD position in the field of experimental fluid dynamics.

The research tasks involve experiments on precessing fluid flows and are essential for the preparation of the large scale dynamo currently under construction at HZDR.

The PhD student will be responsible for running regular experiments at the water precession experiment and will conduct he related measurements. The tasks include an upgrade of the experiment and the involvement in the preparation of the forthcoming dynamo experiments. Intensive cooperation is mandatory with the project partners at Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum (Prof. R. Grauer), where related numerical models are conducted.

The position will be available from 1 July 2019. The employment contract is limited to three years.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Diploma or M.Sc in physics/mechanical engineering or related subjects with very good marks and a profound background in fluid dynamics and/or magnetohydrodynamics
• experience in the operation of experiments, preferably in the field of fluid dynamics
• willingness for close cooperation with project partners from Universitaet Bochum who will conduct related numerical studies (includes travel to Bochum 1-2 times a year)
• scientific approach to research questions, self-dependent working style and excellent written and oral communication skills in English

WE OFFER:

• high scientific professional networking as well as scientific excellence
• internationality and diversity
• interesting and diverse tasks, flexible working hours, salary based on the collective agreement TVöD-Bund
• equality of opportunity and family-friendly structures, corporate health management
• attractive work and research terms in a highly motivated team

Kindly submit your completed application (including cover letter, CV, diplomas/transcripts, etc.) by 30 April 2019 online via https://www.hzdr.de/db/Cms?pNid=490&pOid=57754&pContLang=en

—

Andre Giesecke

Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

Institute of Fluid Dynamics — Magnetohydrodynamics

Tel.: +49-351-260 2227.

IV. MHD MODELLING SCHOOL 2019

—————————–

(from Andris Jakovics, Latvia)

October 14-18 2019

University of Latvia

Riga, Latvia

MHD Modelling PhD-School is a practical hands-on course on simulation of complex liquid metal magnetohydrodynamics processes. The main goal of participants will be to learn to work with open-source software, modifying code and applying it to specific systems with liquid metal flow in electromagnetic field.

The main topics are:

• Electromagnetic mixing and pumping;
• Electromagnetic semi-levitation and free surface dynamics;
• Electrovortical flows;
• Bubbly flows in magnetic field.

The course has three parts:

• lectures covering topics from modern experimental techniques to promising MHD applications, as well as introduction to simulation tools and methods;
• numerical modelling of MHD phenomena using both commercial (ANSYS) and open-source (OpenFOAM, ElmerFEM, getDP, EOF-Library) software;
• laboratory experiments for demonstration and numerical model validation.

After the introductory lectures participants will be assigned small projects within the abovementioned topics and will present the results at the end of the course.

Organizers

Laboratory for mathematical modelling of environmental and technological processes, University of Latvia (Dr. Andris Jakovics, andris.jakovics@lu.lv)

Institute of Electrotechnology, Leibniz University of Hannover (Prof. Bernard Nacke, nacke@etp.uni-hannover.de)

More info: http://www.modlab.lv

Participation fee: 150 EUR (till 20. July), 250 EUR (regular)

Online registration: http://ej.uz/MHD2019

V. NEW BOOK: Self-Exciting Fluid Dynamos

—————————–

(by Keith Moffat & Emmanuel Dormy)

Exploring the origins and evolution of magnetic fields in planets, stars and galaxies, this book gives a basic introduction to magnetohydrodynamics and surveys the observational data, with particular focus on geomagnetism and solar magnetism. Pioneering laboratory experiments that seek to replicate particular aspects of fluid dynamo action are also described. The authors provide a complete treatment of laminar dynamo theory, and of the mean-field electrodynamics that incorporates the effects of random waves and turbulence. Both dynamo theory and its counterpart, the theory of magnetic relaxation, are covered. Topological constraints associated with conservation of magnetic helicity are thoroughly explored and major challenges are addressed in areas such as fast-dynamo theory, accretion-disc dynamo theory and the theory of magnetostrophic turbulence. The book is aimed at graduate-level students in mathematics, physics, Earth sciences and astrophysics, and will be a valuable resource for researchers at all levels.

Book website.

VI. SCHEDULE OF CONFERENCES ON MHD AND RELATED TOPICS

—————————–

• July 1-5, 2019:  11th Pamir International Conference on Fundamental and Applied MHD
• July 16-19, 2019:  8-th International Symposium on Bifurcations and Instabilities in Fluid Dynamics
• October 14-18, 2019: MHD Modelling School, Riga, Latvia

VII. NEXT HYDROMAG NEWSLETTER

—————————–
will be issued in the middle of August, 2019. Please send information you wish to be included into this issue to

a.pedcenko(at)coventry.ac.uk

not later than 15 of August 2019. If you have an urgent announcement, we can publish at http://hydromag.eu between the issues.

—–
Alex Pedcenko
Coventry University
Priory Street Coventry
CV1 5FB United Kingdom
Tel: +44(0)24-77658974
e-mail: a.pedcenko(at)coventry.ac.uk

Content

—————————–

1. RESEARCH ASSOCIATE POSITION AT COVENTRY UNIVERSITY (UK)
2. PHD POSITION ON ALFVEN WAVES AND MHD TURBLUENCE (GRENOBLE/CNRS/COVENTRY)
3. PHD POSITION ON MAGNETOCONVECTION BEYOND THE CHANDRASEKHAR LIMIT (GRENOBLE/COVENTRY/ILMENAU)
4. SCHEDULE OF CONFERENCES ON MHD AND RELATED TOPICS
5. NEXT HYDROMAG NEWSLETTER

********************************************************

1. RESEARCH ASSOCIATE POST ON THE NON-LINEAR STATES OF CONVECTION IN THE EARTH CORE FUNDED BY THE LEVERHULME TRUST AT COVENTRY UNIVERSITY (UK)

—————————–

(from Alban Potherat, Coventry, UK )

A Research Associate position in theoretical fluid mechanics is offered at Coventry University (UK). The project concerns convection under a magnetic field in the so called “tangent cylinder” region of the Earth’s core. Much of the mystery surrounding the Earth’s dynamics (its magnetic field, plate tectonics) lies in the nature of the convective patterns within the Earth’s liquid core, and in particular in the region called the “Tangent Cylinder”. What are the possible convective states under the combined influence of the Earth’s rotation and magnetic field, and how erratic are they? This thesis is part of a theoretical and experimental research program funded by the prestigious Levehulme Trust (http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk), that aims at answering these questions. The purpose of this thesis is to theoretically predict the possible nonlinear convective states for the first time. We will then evaluate which of these states are mostly likely to underpin the Earth’s core convection.

The Research Associate will conduct the theoretical and numerical analysis of the problem under the joint supervision of Prof. Alban Pothérat (http://users.complexity-coventry.org/~potherat/index.html) and Dr Chris Pringle. The study will seek the possible structure of convection by means of advanced stability theory and branch tracking method, to unveil the possible states. In the frame of the research program, the work is purely theoretical/numerical and will be conducted in collaboration with an experimental study that will seek to reproduce and visualise these non-linear states in an experimental model of the Earth Core. Successful candidates are expected to hold a PhD in fluid mechanics or a related discipline, and to have demonstrated excellent abilities in mathematics and programming. The successful candidate will be part the vibrant team of internationally recognised academics and PhD students forming the fluid dynamics group within the Applied Mathematics Research Centre, whose work has been ranked at 83% world-class at the UK’ latest Research Excellence Framework in 2014. This unit is part of the Flow Measurement and Fluid Mechanics Research Centre, specialises in theoretical and experimental fluid mechanics. It is especially renowned for its work on magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), turbulence, stability and geophysical flows. The group closely collaborates with partner groups in world-leading institutions in Australia, China, France, Germany and the UK.

Informal enquiries are welcome: please forward a CV and academic records to Prof. Alban Pothérat (alban.potherat(at)coventry.ac.uk).

PDF Version.

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2. PHD ON ALFVEN WAVES AND MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC TURBLUENCE AT GRENOBLE UNIVERSITY/CNRS/COVENTRY UNIVERSITY

—————————–

(from Alban Potherat, Coventry, UK )

Under the joint supervision of Alban Pothérat, (LnCMI Lab/CNRS and Coventry University) (http://users.complexity-coventry.org/~potherat/), Laurent Davoust (Grenoble-INP, SIMAP Lab) and François Debray (LnCMI/CNRS).

Applications are invited for a PhD (possibly including an MSC internship) in experimental fluid mechanics at the LNCMI-G (Grenoble High Magnetic Field Laboratory, http://lncmi.cnrs.fr/?lang=en). The topic concerns the experimental study of turbulence in liquid metals in a very high magnetic field. Turbulence is one of the major challenges of classical physics. Here, we seek to understand the role played by the propagation of magneto-mechanical waves (called Alfven waves) in the statistical and dissipative properties of turbulence and in its transition between two- and three-dimensional states. This type turbulence plays a key role in the dynamics of a number of astrophysical, geophysical, amongst which stellar accretion disks, planetary interiors but is also suspected to appear in engineering problems such as the cooling of nuclear fusion reactors. Until now, Alfven waves have been difficult to reproduce in laboratories because of the extreme conditions in which they appear (high Reynolds numbers and/or high magnetic fields).

The PhD student will be conducting an experimental project during which a turbulent flow is generated within a experimental device filled with liquid metal and placed inside of one the large magnets available at LNCMI in Grenoble, which are capable of producing some of the strongest magnetic fields in the world. In the extreme fields available at LNCMI, the electromagnetic force becomes propagative on the top being diffusive (propagation of Alfvén waves). The goal of this PhD is to use this unique combination of features to reproduce in the laboratory some of the mechanisms that occur in astrophysical or planetary systems and in the context of nuclear energy production, so as to understand them in detail.

The flow will be diagnosed by means of advanced metrology techniques such as ultrasound velocimetry and electric potential mapping. The PhD student will be in charge of running and improving the experimental device, interpreting the results so as to better understand the observed flow regimes. The combination of extreme magnetic fields and this unique experimental device developed by our joint team in Coventry and Grenoble offers for the first time a possibility to extensively map astrophysical and planetary phenomena that have been extremely difficult to probe direclty until now.

Applicants are required to hold, or be on course for an MSc in fluid mechanics or related speciality (Mathematics or Physics). To apply please forward complete academic records and CV to Alban Pothérat (Coventry University, alban.potherat(at)coventry.ac.uk, +44(0)2476 88 88 65), Laurent Davoust (Grenoble-INP, +33(0)476825206, Laurent.Davoust(at)simap.grenoble-inp.fr ) or Francois Debray, LNCMI (francois.debray(at)lncmi.cnrs.fr, +33(0)476 88 12 44). Informal contacts per phone or email are recommended.

PDF Version.

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3. MSc+PhD ON MAGNETOCONVECTION BEYOND THE CHANDRASEKHAR LIMIT

—————————–

(from Alban Potherat, Coventry, UK )

Under the joint supervision of
Alban Pothérat, (Coventry University, UK, http://users.complexity-coventry.org/~potherat/),
Jörg Schumacher (Technische Universität Ilmenau, Germany, https://www.tu-ilmenau.de/tsm/ ),
François Debray (LNCMI/CNRS Grenoble, France, http://lncmi-g.grenoble.cnrs.fr/)

A PhD position in experimental fluid mechanics is open at the High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Grenoble (CNRS/ France). The topic concerns the experimental study of Rayleigh-Bénard convection under the influence of high magnetic fields. This type of convection plays a crucial role in numerous natural and industrial processes: for example in the tachocline layer of the Sun, in the liquid core of the Earth, but also in material processing such as the pulling of silicon ingots or the continuous casting of metallic alloys. In general, magnetic fields introduce a dissipative mechanism through the Joule effect which tends to damp, or even suppress convection. This has an impact on characteristic patterns that form in a convective flow. Chandrasekhar (Physics Nobel Prize 1983) derived the theoretical value of the critical Rayleigh number beyond which convection survives for a given magnetic field in the ideal case of a fluid layer confined between two infinite planes. Nevertheless, when lateral walls are present, convective plumes could potentially persist below this limit and thus locally promote enhanced heat fluxes.

This effect has, until now, never been observed in the laboratory, partly because typical electrically conducting fluids are opaque and thus hard to probe. The purpose of this PhD project is to observe the impact of strong magnetic fields on the formation of convective structures and to characterise these states and their possible transition into turbulent convection. For this, the student will be taking advantage of a new technique recently developed by the groups in Coventry and Grenoble, which consists of using a weakly conducting but transparent electrolyte placed in very high magnetic fields. This technique makes it possible to obtain precise maps of the velocity fields by means of advanced optical measurement methods using laser imaging technology (such as Particle Image Velocimetry or Laser Doppler Anemometry).

The PhD student will be in charge of this experimental project and will collaborate with theoreticians from TU Ilmenau in Germany who will be conducting numerical simulations of this problem in parallel, to compare the results.

Candidates must have a master degree in engineering or physics (300 ECTS credit points) and be motivated to conduct technically advanced experimental projects. Experience in fluid mechanics and/or measurement technology is welcomed. The PhD will benefit from a Co-tutelle between Coventry University (UK) and TU Ilmenau (Germany) leading to a PhD award in each university. The work will be physically based in the laboratory in Grenoble (France) for most of the time with extended stays at sites in the UK and Germany. The position runs for a period of three years and is expected to start in spring 2019.

To apply, please send a CV and a full transcript of academic records to:
Alban Pothérat (Coventry University, alban.potherat(at)coventry.ac.uk)
Jörg Schumacher (TU Ilmenau, joerg.schumacher(at)tu-ilmenau.de)
Francois Debray (LNCMI, francois.debray(at)lncmi.cnrs.fr ).

Informal enquiries are welcome. Please contact Alban Pothérat (+44 2476 88 88 65), Jörg Schumacher (+49 3677 69-2428) TU Ilmenau, or François Debray (+33 4 76 88 12 44), LNCMI.

PDF Version.

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4. SCHEDULE OF CONFERENCES ON MHD AND RELATED TOPICS

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• July 1-5, 2019:  11th Pamir International Conference on Fundamental and Applied MHD
• July 16-19, 2019:  8-th International Symposium on Bifurcations and Instabilities in Fluid Dynamics

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5. NEXT HYDROMAG NEWSLETTER

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will be issued in the end of April, 2019. Please send information you wish to be included into this issue to

a.pedcenko(at)coventry.ac.uk

not later than 15 of April 2019. If you have an urgent announcement, we can publish at http://hydromag.eu between the issues.

—–
Alex Pedcenko
Coventry University
Priory Street Coventry
CV1 5FB United Kingdom
Tel: +44(0)24-77658974
e-mail: a.pedcenko(at)coventry.ac.uk