MHD dynamo simulation using the GeoFEM platform—verification by the dynamo benchmark test

Abstract

We verified a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation code in a rotating spherical shell using the parallel finite element method by comparing with the dynamo benchmark test by Christensen et al. [“A numerical dynamo benchmark”, Physics of Earth and Planetary Interiors, 128 (2001), 25–34]. We performed the non-magnetic case and dynamo with the insulated inner core case of the benchmark test. The results show that all results of the MHD case have <5% differences from the benchmark solutions. Only the drift frequency in the non-magnetic case duffers by more. This discrepancy is attributed to the small amplitude of the drift frequency in the non-magnetic case. We conclude that the present simulation code can represent dynamics and behavior of convection pattern and magnetic field although the present simulation model has some limitations such as the finite size of simulation domain.