Cross-helicity effects and turbulent transport in magnetohydrodynamic flow

Abstract

In the presence of large-scale vortical motions and/or magnetic-field strains, the turbulent cross helicity (velocity–magnetic-field correlation in fluctuations) may contribute to the turbulent electromotive force and the Reynolds stress. These effects of cross helicity are considered to balance the primary effects of turbulence such as the turbulent magnetic diffusivity in magnetic-field evolution and the eddy viscosity in the momentum transport. The cross-helicity effects may suppress the enhanced transports due to turbulence. Physical interpretation of the effects is presented with special emphasis on the difference between the cross-helicity effect and the usual a or helicity effect in the dynamo action. The relative importance of the cross-helicity effect in dynamo action is validated with the aid of a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the Kolmogorov flow with an imposed magnetic field. Several mechanisms that provide turbulence with the cross helicity are also discussed.