Non-axisymmetric α2Ω-dynamo waves in thin stellar shells

Linear α²Ω-dynamo waves are investigated in a thin turbulent, differentially rotating convective stellar shell. A simplified one-dimensional model is considered and an asymptotic solution constructed based on the small aspect ratio of the shell. In a previous paper Griffiths et al. (Griffiths, G.L., Bassom, A.P., Soward, A.M. and Kuzanyan, K.M., Nonlinear α²Ω-dynamo waves in stellar shells, Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid Dynam., 2001, 94, 85–133) considered the modulation of dynamo waves, linked to a latitudinal-dependent local α-effect and radial gradient of the zonal shear flow. These effects are measured at latitude θ by the magnetic Reynolds numbers R _α f(θ) and R _Ω g(θ). The modulated Parker wave, which propagates towards the equator, is localised at some mid-latitude θ_p under a Gaussian envelope. In this article, we include the influence of a latitudinal-dependent zonal flow possessing angular velocity Ω_*(θ) and consider the possibility of non-axisymmetric dynamo waves with azimuthal wave number m. We find that the critical dynamo number D _c?=?R _α R _Ω is minimised by axisymmetric modes in the αΩ-limit (Rα→0). On the other hand, when Rα?≠?0 there may exist a band of wave numbers 0?m?m ^? for which the non-axisymmetric modes have a smaller D _c than in the axisymmetric case. Here m ^? is regarded as a continuous function of R _α with the property m?→0 as R _α→0 and the band is only non-empty when m??>1, which happens for sufficiently large R _α. The preference for non-axisymmetric modes is possible because the wind-up of the non-axisymmetric structures can be compensated by phase mixing inherent to the α²Ω-dynamo. For parameter values resembling solar conditions, the Parker wave of maximum dynamo activity at latitude θ_p not only propagates equatorwards but also westwards relative to the local angular velocity Ω_*(θ _p ). Since the critical dynamo number D _c?=?R _α R _Ω is O (1) for small R _α, the condition m ^??>?1 for non-axisymmetric mode preference imposes an upper limit on the size of |dΩ_*/dθ|.     

The destabilising nature of differential rotation

Abstract

In a rapidly rotating, electrically conducting fluid we investigate the thermal stability of the fluid in the presence of an imposed toroidal magnetic field and an imposed toroidal differential rotation. We choose a magnetic field profile that is stable. The familiar role of differential rotation is a stabilising one. We wish to examine the less well known destabilising effect that it can have. In a plane layer model (for which we are restricted to Roberts number q = 0) with differential rotation, U = sΩ(z)1 _?, no choice of Ω(z) led to a destabilising effect. However, in a cylindrical geometry (for which our model permits all values of q) we found that differential rotations U = sΩ(s)1 _? which include a substantial proportion of negative gradient (dΩ/ds ≤ 0) give a destabilising effect which is largest when the magnetic Reynolds number R _m = O(10); the critical Rayleigh number, Ra _c, is about 7% smaller at minimum than at R_m = 0 for q = 10⁶. We also find that as q is reduced, the destabilising effect is diminished and at q = 10^?6, which may be more appropriate to the Earth's core, the effect causes a dip in the critical Rayleigh number of only about 0.001%. This suggests that we see no dip in the plane layer results because of the q = 0 condition. In the above results, the Elsasser number A = 1 but the effect of differential rotation is also dependent on A. Earlier work has shown a smooth transition from thermal to differential rotation driven instability at high A [A = O(100)]. We find, at intermediate A [A = O(10)], a dip in the Ra_c vs. R_m curve similar to the A = 1 case. However, it has Ra_c ≤ 0 at its minimum and unlike the results for high A, larger values of R_m result in a restabilisation.     

Oscillatory large-scale dynamos from Cartesian convection simulations

We present results from compressible Cartesian convection simulations with and without imposed shear. In the former case the dynamo is expected to be of α² Ω type, which is generally expected to be relevant for the Sun, whereas the latter case refers to α² dynamos that are more likely to occur in more rapidly rotating stars whose differential rotation is small. We perform a parameter study where the shear flow and the rotational influence are varied to probe the relative importance of both types of dynamos. Oscillatory solutions are preferred both in the kinematic and saturated regimes when the negative ratio of shear to rotation rates, q?≡??S/Ω, is between 1.5 and 2, i.e. when shear and rotation are of comparable strengths. Other regions of oscillatory solutions are found with small values of q, i.e. when shear is weak in comparison to rotation, and in the regime of large negative qs, when shear is very strong in comparison to rotation. However, exceptions to these rules also appear so that for a given ratio of shear to rotation, solutions are non-oscillatory for small and large shear, but oscillatory in the intermediate range. Changing the boundary conditions from vertical field to perfect conductor ones changes the dynamo mode from oscillatory to quasi-steady. Furthermore, in many cases an oscillatory solution exists only in the kinematic regime whereas in the nonlinear stage the mean fields are stationary. However, the cases with rotation and no shear are always oscillatory in the parameter range studied here and the dynamo mode does not depend on the magnetic boundary conditions. The strengths of total and large-scale components of the magnetic field in the saturated state, however, are sensitive to the chosen boundary conditions.     

Note on the scalar dynamo model

Abstract

Bayly (1993) introduced and investigated the equation (? _t + v·▽-η ▽²)S = RS as a scalar analogue of the magnetic induction equation. Here, S(r, t) is a scalar function and the flow field v(r, t) and “stretching” function R(r, t) are given independently. This equation is much easier to handle than the corresponding vector equation and, although not of much relevance to the (vector) kinematic dynamo problem, it helps to study some features of the fast dynamo problem. In this note the scalar equation is considered for linear flow and a harmonic potential as stretching function. The steady equation separates into one-dimensional equations, which can be completely solved and therefore allow one to monitor the behaviour of the spectrum in the limit of vanishing diffusivity. For more general homogeneous flows a scaling argument is given which ensures fast dynamo action for certain powers of the harmonic potential. Our results stress the singular behaviour of eigenfunctions in the limit of vanishing diffusivity and the importance of stagnation points in the flow for fast dynamo action.     

A nonlinear dynamo driven by rapidly rotating convection

In Kim et al. (Kim, E., Hughes, D.W. and Soward, A.M., “An investigation into high conductivity dynamo action driven by rotating convection”, Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid Dynam. 91, 303–332 ().) we investigated kinematic dynamo action driven by rapidly rotating convection in a cylindrical annulus. Here we extend this work to consider self-consistent nonlinear dynamo action in which the back-reaction of the Lorentz force on the flow is taken into account. In particular, we investigate, as a function of magnetic Prandtl number, the evolution of an initially weak magnetic field in two different types of convective flow – one chaotic and the other integrable. On saturation, the latter shows a systematic dependence on the magnetic Prandtl number whereas the former appears not to. In addition, we show how, in keeping with the findings of Cattaneo et al. (Cattaneo, F., Hughes, D.W. and Kim, E., “Suppression of chaos in a simplified nonlinear dynamo model”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 2057–2060 ().), saturation of the growth of the magnetic field is brought about, for the originally chaotic flow, by a strong suppression of chaos.     

Thermal and magnetic instabilities in a rapidly rotating fluid sphere

Abstract

A linear analysis is used to study the stability of a rapidly rotating, electrically-conducting, self-gravitating fluid sphere of radius r ₀, containing a uniform distribution of heat sources and under the influence of an azimuthal magnetic field whose strength is proportional to the distance from the rotation axis. The Lorentz force is of a magnitude comparable with that of the Coriolis force and so convective motions are fully three-dimensional, filling the entire sphere. We are primarily interested in the limit where the ratio q of the thermal diffusivity κ to the magnetic diffusivity η is much smaller than unity since this is possibly of the greatest geophysical relevance.

Thermal convection sets in when the temperature gradient exceeds some critical value as measured by the modified Rayleigh number R_c. The critical temperature gradient is smallest (R_c reaches a minimum) when the magnetic field strength parameter Λ ? 1. [R_c and Λ are defined in (2.3).] The instability takes the form of a very slow wave with frequency of order κ/r ² ₀ and its direction of propagation changes from eastward to westward as Λ increases through Λ _c ? 4.

When the fluid is sufficiently stably stratified and when Λ > Λ_m ? 22 a new mode of instability sets in. It is magnetically driven but requires some stratification before the energy stored in the magnetic field can be released. The instability takes the form of an eastward propagating wave with azimuthal wavenumber m = 1.     

Distribution of magnetic energy in αΩ-dynamos,I: The method

Abstract

In this paper a method for solving the equation for the mean magnetic energy <BB> of a solar type dynamo with an axisymmetric convection zone geometry is developed and the main features of the method are described. This method is referred to as the finite magnetic energy method since it is based on the idea that the real magnetic field B of the dynamo remains finite only if <BB> remains finite. Ensemble averaging is used, which implies that fields of all spatial scales are included, small-scale as well as large-scale fields. The method yields an energy balance for the mean energy density ε ≡ B ²/8π of the dynamo, from which the relative energy production rates by the different dynamo processes can be inferred. An estimate for the r.m.s. field strength at the surface and at the base of the convection zone can be found by comparing the magnetic energy density and the outgoing flux at the surface with the observed values. We neglect resistive effects and present arguments indicating that this is a fair assumption for the solar convection zone. The model considerations and examples presented indicate that (1) the energy loss at the solar surface is almost instantaneous; (2) the convection in the convection zone takes place in the form of giant cells; (3) the r.m.s. field strength at the base of the solar convection zone is no more than a few hundred gauss; (4) the turbulent diffusion coefficient within the bulk of the convection zone is about 10¹⁴cm²s^?1, which is an order of magnitude larger than usually adopted in solar mean field models.     

The motion of magnetic fronts in spiral galaxies

Abstract

We study the nonlinear asymptotic thin disc approximation to the mean field dynamo equations, as applicable to spiral galaxies. The circumstances in which sharp magnetic field structures (fronts) can propagate radially are investigated, and an expression for the speed of propagation derived. We find that the speed of an interior front is proportional to η//R _? (where η is the diffusivity and R_t the galactic radius), whereas an exterior front moves with speed of order , where γ is the local growth rate of the dynamo. Numerical simulations are presented, that agree well with our asymptotic results. Further, we perform numerical experiments using the 'no-z' approximation for thin disc dynamos, and show that the propagation of magnetic fronts in this approximation can also be understood in terms of our asymptotic results.     

Models for convectively driven hydromagnetic dynamos

Abstract

Models of a convectively driven hydromagnetic dynamo are constructed using a truncated modal expansion. The resulting nonlinear partial differential equations are integrated numerically. The results confirm that rotation is a necessary condition for effective dynamo action, and suggest that equipartition of kinetic and magnetic energies is qualitatively valid, and that toroidal field energies can be much larger than poloidal.     

On the magnetic flux linkage of an electrically-conducting fluid

Abstract

A method has recently been proposed for finding the radius r_c of the electrically-conducting fluid core of a planet of outer radius r_s from observations of the magnetic field B in the accessible region near or well above the surface of the planet (Hide, 1978). The method is based on the supposition that when the magnetic field is produced by hydromagnetic dynamo action in the core, implying that the magnetic Reynolds number R there is large, (a) fluctuations in B can occur everywhere on the comparatively short advective time-scale τ _A associated with fluid motions in the core and so can fluctuations in the quantity N, defined for any closed surface S as the total number of intersection of magnetic lines of force with S, provided that S lies well outside the core, but (b) at the surface of the core, where lines of magnetic force emerge from their region of origin, concomitant fluctuations in N are negligibly small, of the order of τ _A/τ_O where τ _O (= Rτ_A ) is the Ohmic decay time of the core.

A proof of this supposition follows directly from the general expression derived in the present paper showing that when S is a material surface the time rate of change of N is equal to minus twice the line integral of the current density divided by the electrical conductivity around all the lines on S where the magnetic field is tangential to S. This expression (which Palmer in an accompanying paper rederives and extends to the relativistic case using the mathematical formalism of Cartan’s exterior calculus) also provides a direct demonstration of the well-known result that although high electrical conductivity, sufficient to make R ? 1, is a necessary condition for hydromagnetic dynamo action, such action is impossible in a perfect conductor, when R→ ∞.     

The weak taylor state in an αω-dynamo

Abstract

A spherical αω-dynamo is studied for small values of the viscous coupling parameter ε ～ v^1/2, paying attention particularly to large dynamo numbers. The present study is a follow-up of the work by Hollerbach et al. (1992) with their choice of α-effect and Archimedean wind including also the constraint of magnetic field symmetry (or antisymmetry) due to equatorial plane. The magnetic field scaled by ε^1/2 is independent of ε in the solutions for dynamo numbers smaller than a certain value of D _b (the Ekman state) which are represented by dynamo waves running from pole to equator or vice-versa. However, for dynamo numbers larger than D _b the solution bifurcates and subsequently becomes dependent on ε. The bifurcation is a consequence of a crucial role of the meridional convection in the mechanism of magnetic field generation. Calculations suggest that the bifurcation appears near dynamo number about 33500 and the solutions for larger dynamo numbers and ε = 0 become unstable and fail, while the solutions for small but non-zero ε are characterized by cylindrical layers of local maximum of magnetic field and sharp changes of geostrophic velocity. Our theoretical analysis allows us to conclude that our solution does not take the form of the usual Taylor state, where the Taylor constraint should be satisfied due to the special structure of magnetic field. We rather obtained the solution in the form of a “weak” Taylor state, where the Taylor constraint is satisfied partly due to the amplitude of the magnetic field and partly due to its structure. Calculations suggest that the roles of amplitude and structure are roughly fifty-fifty in our “weak” Taylor state solution and thus they can be called a Semi-Taylor state. Simple estimates show that also Ekman state solutions can be applicable in the geodynamo context.     

Kinematic stationary geodynamo models with separated toroidal and poloidal motions

Abstract

This paper is concerned with a three-dimensional spherical model of a stationary dynamo that consists of a convective layer with a simple poloidal flow of the S^2c ₂ kind between a rotating inner body core and solid outer shell. The rotation of the inner core and the outer shell means that there are regions of concentrated shear or differential rotation at the convective layer boundaries. The induction equation for the inside of the convective layer was solved numerically by the Bullard-Gellman method, the eigenvalue of the problem being the magnetic Reynolds number of the poloidal flow (R _M2) and it was assumed that the magnetic Reynolds number of the core (R _M1) and of the shell (R _M3) were prescribed parameters. Hence R _M2 was studied as a function of R _M1 and R _M3, along with the orientation of the rotation axis, the radial dependence of the poloidal velocity and the relative thickness of the layers for the three different situations, (i) the core alone rotating, (ii) the shell alone rotating and (iii) the core and the shell rotating together. In all three cases it was found that, at definite orientations of the rotation axis, there is a good convergence of both the eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions of the problem as the number of spherical harmonics used to represent the problem increases. For R _M1 =R _M3= 10³, corresponding to the westward drift velocity and the parameters of the Earth's core, the critical values of R _M2 are found to be three orders of magnitude lower than R _M1, R _M3 so that the poloidal flow velocity sufficient for maintaining the dynamo process is 10-20 m/yr. With only the core or the shell rotating, the velocity field generally differs little from the axially symmetric case. However, for R _M2 (or R _M3) lying in the range 10² to 10⁵, the self-excitation condition is found to be of the form R _M2˙R ^½ _M1=constant (or R _M2˙R^½ _M3=constant) and the solution does not possess the properties of the Braginsky near-axisymmetric dynamo. We should expect this, in particular, in the Braginsky limit R _M2˙R^?½; _M1=constant.

An analysis of known three-dimensional dynamo models indicates the importance of the absence of mirror symmetry planes for the efficient generation of magnetic fields.     

A unified approach to a class of slow dynamos

Abstract

Dynamo action in a highly conducting fluid with small magnetic diffusivity η is particularly sensitive to the topology of the flow. The sites of rapid magnetic field regeneration, when they occur, appear to be located at the stagnation points or in regions where the particle paths are chaotic. Elsewhere only slow dynamo action is to be expected. Two such examples are the nearly axially symmetric dynamo of Braginsky and the generalisation to smooth velocity fields of the Ponomarenko dynamo. Here a method of solution is developed, which applies to both these examples and is applicable to other situations, where magnetic field lines are close to either closed or spatially periodic contours. Particular attention is given to field generation in the neighbourhood of resonant surfaces where growth rates may be intermediate between the slow diffusive and fast convective time scales. The method is applied to the case of the two-dimensional ABC-flows, where it is shown that such intermediate dynamo action can occur on resonant surfaces.     

Non-linear marginal convection in a rotating magnetic system

Abstract

An inviscid, electrically conducting fluid is contained between two rigid horizontal planes and bounded laterally by two vertical walls. The fluid is permeated by a strong uniform horizontal magnetic field aligned with the side wall boundaries and the entire system rotates rapidly about a vertical axis. The ratio of the magnitudes of the Lorentz and Coriolis forces is characterized by the Elsasser number, A, and the ratio of the thermal and magnetic diffusivities, q. By heating the fluid from below and cooling from above the system becomes unstable to small perturbations when the adverse density gradient as measured by the Rayleigh number, R, is sufficiently large.

With the viscosity ignored the geostrophic velocity, U, which is aligned with the applied magnetic field, is independent of the coordinate parallel to the rotation axis but is an arbitrary function of the horizontal cross-stream coordinate. At the onset of instability the value of U taken ensures that Taylor's condition is met. Specifically the Lorentz force, which results from marginal convection must not cause any acceleration of the geostrophic flow. It is found that the critical Rayleigh number characterising the onset of instability is generally close to the corresponding value for the usual linear problem, in which Taylor's condition is ignored and U is chosen to vanish. Significant differences can occur when q is small owing to a complicated flow structure. There is a central interior region in which the local magnetic Reynolds number, R_m , based on U is small of order q and on exterior region in which R_m is of order unity.     

Dynamos with weakly convecting outer layers: implications for core-mantle boundary interaction

Convection in the Earth's core is driven much harder at the bottom than the top. This is partly because the adiabatic gradient steepens towards the top, partly because the spherical geometry means the area involved increases towards the top, and partly because compositional convection is driven by light material released at the lower boundary and remixed uniformly throughout the outer core, providing a volumetric sink of buoyancy. We have therefore investigated dynamo action of thermal convection in a Boussinesq fluid contained within a rotating spherical shell driven by a combination of bottom and internal heating or cooling. We first apply a homogeneous temperature on the outer boundary in order to explore the effects of heat sinks on dynamo action; we then impose an inhomogeneous temperature proportional to a single spherical harmonic Y ₂² in order to explore core-mantle interactions. With homogeneous boundary conditions and moderate Rayleigh numbers, a heat sink reduces the generated magnetic field appreciably; the magnetic Reynolds number remains high because the dominant toroidal component of flow is not reduced significantly. The dipolar structure of the field becomes more pronounced as found by other authors. Increasing the Rayleigh number yields a regime in which convection inside the tangent cylinder is strongly affected by the magnetic field. With inhomogeneous boundary conditions, a heat sink promotes boundary effects and locking of the magnetic field to boundary anomalies. We show that boundary locking is inhibited by advection of heat in the outer regions. With uniform heating, the boundary effects are only significant at low Rayleigh numbers, when dynamo action is only possible for artificially low magnetic diffusivity. With heat sinks, the boundary effects remain significant at higher Rayleigh numbers provided the convection remains weak or the fluid is stably stratified at the top. Dynamo action is driven by vigorous convection at depth while boundary thermal anomalies dominate in the upper regions. This is a likely regime for the Earth's core.     

Nonlinear dynamics of a stellar dynamo in a spherical shell

Abstract

A simple mean-field model of a nonlinear stellar dynamo is considered, in which dynamo action is supposed to occur in a spherical shell, and where the only nonlinearity retained is the influence of the Lorentz forces on the zonal flow field. The equations are simplified by truncating in the radial direction, while full latitudinal dependence is retained. The resulting nonlinear p.d.e.'s in latitude and time are solved numerically, and it is found that while regular dynamo wave type solutions are stable when the dynamo number D is sufficiently close to its critical value, there is a wide variety of stable solutions at larger values of D. Furthermore, two different types of dynamo can coexist at the same parameter values. Implications for fields in late-type stars are discussed.     

Periodic and aperiodic dynamo waves

Abstract

In order to show that aperiodic magnetic cycles, with Maunder minima, can occur naturally in nonlinear hydromagnetic dynamos, we have investigated a simple nonlinear model of an oscillatory stellar dynamo. The parametrized mean field equations in plane geometry have a Hopf bifurcation when the dynamo number D=1, leading to Parker's dynamo waves. Including the nonlinear interaction between the magnetic field and the velocity shear results in a system of seven coupled nonlinear differential equations. For D>1 there is an exact nonlinear solution, corresponding to periodic dynamo waves. In the regime described by a fifth order system of equations this solution remains stable for all D and the velocity shear is progressively reduced by the Lorentz force. In a regime described by a sixth order system, the solution becomes unstable and successive transitions lead to chaotic behaviour. Oscillations are aperiodic and modulated to give episodes of reduced activity.     

Cross helicity and related dynamo

The turbulent cross helicity is directly related to the coupling coefficients for the mean vorticity in the electromotive force and for the mean magnetic-field strain in the Reynolds stress tensor. This suggests that the cross-helicity effects are important in the cases where global inhomogeneous flow and magnetic-field structures are present. Since such large-scale structures are ubiquitous in geo/astrophysical phenomena, the cross-helicity effect is expected to play an important role in geo/astrophysical flows. In the presence of turbulent cross helicity, the mean vortical motion contributes to the turbulent electromotive force. Magnetic-field generation due to this effect is called the cross-helicity dynamo. Several features of the cross-helicity dynamo are introduced. Alignment of the mean electric-current density J with the mean vorticity Ω , as well as the alignment between the mean magnetic field B and velocity U , is supposed to be one of the characteristic features of the dynamo. Unlike the case in the helicity or α effect, where J is aligned with B in the turbulent electromotive force, we in general have a finite mean-field Lorentz force J ?×? B in the cross-helicity dynamo. This gives a distinguished feature of the cross-helicity effect. By considering the effects of cross helicity in the momentum equation, we see several interesting consequences of the effect. Turbulent cross helicity coupled with the mean magnetic shear reduces the effect of turbulent or eddy viscosity. Flow induction is an important consequence of this effect. One key issue in the cross-helicity dynamo is to examine how and how much cross helicity can be present in turbulence. On the basis of the cross-helicity transport equation, its production mechanisms are discussed. Some recent developments in numerical validation of the basic notion of the cross-helicity dynamo are also presented.     

Torus dynamo in the outer rings of galaxies

ABSTRACT

The magnetic fields in the inner parts of some spiral galaxies are understood quite well. Their generation is connected with the dynamo mechanism that is based on the joint action of turbulent diffusion and the α-effect. Usually the galactic dynamo is described with the so-called no-z approximation which takes into account that the galaxy disc is quite thin, with the implication that some spatial derivatives may be replaced by algebraic expressions. Some galaxies have outer rings that are situated at some distance from the galactic centre. The magnetic field can be described there also using the no-z model. As the thickness of such objects is comparable with their width, it is necessary to take into account the z-dependence of the field. We have studied the magnetic field evolution using the no-z approximation and torus dynamo model for the torus with rectangular cross-section in the axisymmetric case.     

Theoretical estimates of the westward drift

Virtually all dynamo models may be expected to give rise to a permanent differential rotation between mantle and core. Weak conductivity in the mantle permits small leakage currents which couple to the radial component of the magnetic field, producing a Lorentz torque. Mechanical equilibrium is achieved when a zero net torque is established at a critical rotation rate. An estimate of the drift is determined easily given the magnetic field structure predicted by any dynamo model. The result for the drift rate at the core-mantle interface along the equator is given by the product of three factors

$\text{U}{}_{\mathrm{\phi 1}}\text{=U}{}_{\mathrm{\phi }}\text{R}\text{λ}{}_{\mathrm{*}}\text{L}{}_{\mathrm{*}}$

The first of these is a geometrical factor which depends only on the structural character of the field. For a variety of model fields, this factor ranges from 16 to 35. The second factor is the ratio of r.m.s. toroidal to poloidal field. This ratio is an (implicitly) adjustable parameter of both α² and α-ω dynamos, and is a measure of the relative efficiency of the generation process for each component. The third (dimensional) term is the ratio of core magnetic diffusivity to core radius, 10^?4 cm s^?1.The result is essentially independent of the value of mantle diffusivity and its effective depth. The sign of the result may be positive or negative. For α² dynamos a westward drift is produced by choosing α > 0 in the Northern Hemisphere, which constitutes a dynamical assertion about the dynamo process. For an r.m.s. toroidal field of the order of 15 Gs, based on fairly general considerations, a drift rate comparable to observation is expected.