Magnetic induction by coherent vortex motion

Abstract

We investigate experimentally the advection of a magnetic field by a flow of conducting fluid, at moderate magnetic Reynolds numbers. More specifically, we study the influence of a large scale intense vortex on an externally applied field. We show that at large scales the magnetic field lines are distorted in a way that is consistent with a scenario of magnetic field expulsion by vorticity. Measurements at small scales show that the magnetic fluctuations are also quite sensitive to the large scale vortex motion.