In the canonical model of a pulsar, rotational energy is transmitted through the surrounding plasma via two electrical circuits, each connecting to the star over a small region known as a "polar cap." For a dipole-magnetized star, the polar caps coincide with the magnetic poles (hence the name), but in general, they can occur at any place and take any shape. In light of their crucial importance to most models of pulsar emission (from radio to X-ray to wind), we develop a general technique for determining polar cap properties. We consider a perfectly conducting star surrounded by a force-free magnetosphere and include the effects of general relativity. Using a combined numerical-analytical technique that leverages the rotation rate as a small parameter, we derive a general analytic formula for the polar cap shape and charge-current distribution as a function of the stellar mass, radius, rotation rate, moment of inertia, and magnetic field. We present results for dipole and quadrudipole fields (superposed dipole and quadrupole) inclined relative to the axis of rotation. The inclined dipole polar cap results are the first to include general relativity, and they confirm its essential role in the pulsar problem. The quadrudipole pulsar illustrates the phenomenon of thin annular polar caps. More generally, our method lays a foundation for detailed modeling of pulsar emission with realistic magnetic fields.

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The microwave resonator technique has been successfully employed in the study of a liquid model of a z pinch. A liquid column has formed an integral part of a microwave cavity, and changes in the frequency of such a cavity have been used to study the growth rates of the current driven instability. The growth rates of the instability are seen to be in agreement with the standard theory for the wavelength equal to three centimeters. It is also seen that a definite stabilization is reached for a finite pinch amplitude. A simple theory balancing compressive streamline forces and magnetic pressure show that the maximum pinched amplitude should grow as the square of the axial current, which is what was observed. / Science, Faculty of / Physics and Astronomy, Department of / Graduate

Las trágicas consecuencias del impacto de los maremotos motivan las investigaciones en este campo. En el presente trabajo se estudia la influencia de la aceleración de Coriolis en la propagación de un maremoto. La fuerza “aparente“de Coriolis surge en los cuerpos en movimiento respecto a la Tierra considerada como un sistema de referencia no inercial. En el estudio de la influencia del término de Coriolis sobre la propagación de las ondas de maremoto, se emplea el modelo numérico TUNAMI, el cual considera las ecuaciones de propagación de ondas en coordenadas esféricas sin incluir el término de Coriolis. Este término se ha implementado mediante una subrutina en los códigos de programación del modelo numérico. La versión resultante del modelo se verifica para el escenario del maremoto de Chile del 27 de febrero del 2010, ocurrido a las 06:34 UTC. El cual impactó mente la costa central de Chile. Severamente la costa central de Chile. Los resultados muestran que la influencia de la aceleración de Coriolis es mayor en zonas de bajas profundidades que en batimetrías profundas. / Tesis

Ma thèse a pour but de comprendre le rôle de la compressibilité dans la turbulence aux basses fréquences dans les plasmas spatiaux (le vent solaire, les plasmas magnétosphériques etc.) et astrophysiques (nuage moléculaire interstellaire, le cœur d'une étoile etc.). Trois nouvelles relations exactes ont été déduites dans le cadre de la turbulence compressible dans un fluide isotherme et polytrope et dans un plasma MHD isotherme afin de comprendre différentes propriétés universelles de la turbulence compressible. De plausibles phénoménologies ont été proposées aussi en vue d'une compréhension de différentes lois de spectre obtenues grâce aux simulations numériques de la turbulence compressible. Une distinction qualitative entre la turbulence sous-sonique et supersonique est ainsi décrite.Une analyse utilisant des données d'observation des sondes spatiales THEMIS est également réalisée dans le but d'expliquer l'effet de la compressibilité dans la turbulence du vent solaire rapide. Une amélioration remarquable par rapport a "incompressible scaling" est observée avec la nouvelle "compressible scaling". Le flux d'énergie correspondant ainsi trouve est estime suffisant pour expliquer le chauffage anormal du vent solaire rapide. / My thesis work is principally dedicated in understanding the role of compressibility in lowfrequency turbulence of space plasmas (the solar wind, magnetospheric plasma etc.) and astrophysical plasmas (interstellar molecular cloud, the core of a star etc.). Three new exact relations have been derived analytically in the framework of isothermal and polytropic hydrodynamic turbulence and also for an isothermal MHD plasma. By using these relations, various universal scalingproperties of compressible turbulence have been investigated. In addition, plausible phenomenologieshave been proposed in order to theoretically reproduce different power laws for energy power spectra which had been obtained in previous numerical simulations of compressible turbulence. A semi-qualitativedistinction between sub-sonic and supersonic regime of turbulence is hence concluded. In the second part, an analysis using THEMIS spacecraft data is also performed in a view to explainingthe effect of the compressibility in the turbulence of the fast solar wind. A remarkable smooth scalingin comparison with incompressible law is obtained for several intervals of fast solar wind. The corresponding turbulent energy flux is also found to be sufficient to explain the anomalous heating of fast solar wind.

Trata sobre un método para determinar el tamaño de cianobacterias haciendo uso de la difracción de campo lejano también conocido como difracción de Fraunhofer. Se han definido algunos conceptos fundamentales sobre bacterias, acentuando nuestra atención en una familia de ellas llamadas cianobacterias cuya característica anatómica principal es ser alargada y se aprovechó esto para usarlo como un obstáculo al incidir luz verde y así producir su patrón de difracción. Para obtener el espectro de difracción limpio se trató de minimizar los efectos de reflexión, refracción, interferencia y reflexión interna total. Al incidir luz verde en las cianobacterias (obstáculos) se produjo un patrón de difracción en la cual hemos medido su tamaño luego se calculó su tamaño real haciendo uso de una regresión lineal, dando un resultado muy conforme al tamaño de las cianobacterias de los humedales de Ventanilla. Sistemas de comunicaciones inalámbricos. / Trabajo de suficiencia profesional

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There has been a great deal of interest in investigating numerous unique types of electrostatic and electromagnetic waves and instabilities in dusty plasmas. Dusty plasmas are characterized by the presence of micrometer or submicrometer size dust grains immersed in a partially or fully ionized plasma. In this study, a two-dimensional numerical model is presented to study waves and instabilities in dusty plasmas. Fundamental differences exist between dusty plasmas and electron-ion plasmas because of dust charging processes. Therefore, a primary goal of this study is to consider the unique effects of dust charging on collective effects in dusty plasmas. The background plasma electrons and ions here are treated as two interpenerating fluids whose densities vary by dust charging. The dust is treated with a Particle-In-Cell PIC model in which the dust charge varies with time according to the standard dust charging model. Fourier spectral methods with a predictor-corrector time advance are used to temporally evolve the background plasma electron and ion equations. The dust charge fluctuation mode and the damping of lower hybrid oscillations due to dust charging, as well as plasma instabilities associated with dust expansion into a magnetized background plasma are investigated using our numerical model. Also, an ion acoustic streaming instability in unmagnetized dusty plasmas due to dust charging is investigated. The numerical simulation results show good agreement with theoretical predictions and provide further insight into dust charging effects on wave modes and instabilities in dusty plasmas. / Ph. D.

Ce mémoire présente les démarches qui ont menées à l’obtention d’un modèle statistique pouvant prédire les propriétés d’une surface de fluoropolymère traitée en défilant entre les électrodes d’un système de décharge à barrière diélectrique (DBD) en caractérisant le procédé plasma utilisé. Le réacteur plasma utilisé ainsi que les différents moyens de caractérisation du procédé et de la surface y sont présentés. De plus, plusieurs voies de modélisation utilisant l’algorithme de régression par projection sur les structures latentes (PLS) sont présentées. Afin de modéliser le procédé, une étude de répétabilité en temps de celui-ci a été effectuée. Cette étude avait pour but de montrer que malgré l’apparition d’une couche de dépôt non désirée à la surface de l’électrode découverte du montage DBD, la caractérisation de la surface traitée restait inchangée. Par la suite, la modélisation par PLS est présentée. Avec celle-ci, il est possible d’identifier les facteurs du procédé ayant le plus d’impacts sur la modification de surface. Ces facteurs sont la nature du film de fluoropolymère utilisé comme substrat, la vitesse de défilement de ce film de polymère entre les électrodes de la DBD, le rapport cyclique du signal électrique servant à entretenir la décharge plasma, et le temps de résidence du gaz porteur et du précurseur dans la décharge. Connaissant ces facteurs principaux, des études de cas particuliers sont présentés. Avec ces derniers, il est montré que le modèle devient de moins en moins efficace plus le dépôt est important. Des effets non-linéaires observés sur différentes propriétés de la surface traitée sont aussi observés. / This master thesis contains the steps that lead to a statistical model able to predict the properties of a treated fluoropolymer surface circulating between the electrodes of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system by characterization of the plasma process. The reactor used as well as different characterization apparatus of the plasma process and surface treatment are described. Moreover, different means of modelization using the projection to latent structure (PLS) algorithm are shown. To be able to model the plasma process, a preliminary study of the process repeatability in time has been made. Results of the study show that despite the apparition of an unwanted layer of deposition on the uncovered electrode during the plasma process, the surface treatment physicochemistry does not change. Subsequently, the plasma process modelization by PLS is shown. Using this technique, it is possible to identify and quantify the importance of the input factors in the model. The important factors that are highlighted are the nature of the fluoropolymer film, the line speed of the polymer film between the electrodes, the duty cycle of the electrical signal used to maintain the plasma discharge, and the carrier and precursor gas residence time in the discharge. Knowing these factors, specific case studies were made to assess the proficiency of the model to do predictions. It was observed that the model becomes less precise when the surface shows bigger change. Non-linear effects were also seen of different surface treatment properties.