Large-scale Dynamo Action Research Articles

Non-linear magnetic buoyancy instability and turbulent dynamo

ABSTRACT Stratified discs with strong horizontal magnetic fields, are susceptible to magnetic buoyancy instability (MBI). Modifying the magnetic field and gas distributions, this can play an important role in galactic evolution. The MBI and the Parker instability, in which MBI is exacerbated by cosmic rays, are often studied using an imposed magnetic field. However, in galaxies and accretion discs, the magnetic field is continuously replenished by a large-scale dynamo action. Using non-ideal MHD equations, we model a section of the galactic disc (we neglect rotation and cosmic rays considered elsewhere), in which the large-scale field is generated by an imposed α-effect of variable intensity to explore the interplay between dynamo instability and MBI. The system evolves through three distinct phases: the linear (kinematic) dynamo stage, the onset of linear MBI when the magnetic field becomes sufficiently strong and the non-linear, statistically steady state. Non-linear effects associated with the MBI introduce oscillations which do not occur when the field is produced by the dynamo alone. The MBI initially accelerates the magnetic field amplification but the growth is quenched by the vertical motions produced by MBI. We construct a 1D model, which replicates all significant features of 3D simulations to confirm that magnetic buoyancy alone can quench the dynamo and is responsible for the magnetic field oscillations. Unlike similar results obtained with an imposed magnetic field, the non-linear interactions do not reduce the gas scale height, so the consequences of the magnetic buoyancy depend on how the magnetic field is maintained.

Compressible Test-field Method and Its Application to Shear Dynamos

In this study, we present a compressible test-field method (CTFM) for computing α-effect and turbulent magnetic diffusivity tensors, as well as those relevant for the mean ponderomotive force and mass source, applied to the full MHD equations. We describe the theoretical background of the method and compare it to the quasi-kinematic test-field method and to the previously studied variant working in simplified MHD (SMHD). We present several test cases using velocity and magnetic fields of the Roberts geometry and also compare with the imposed-field method. We show that, for moderate imposed-field strengths, the nonlinear CTFM (nCTFM) gives results in agreement with the imposed-field method. A comparison of different flavors of the nCTFM in the shear dynamo case also yields agreement up to equipartition field strengths. Some deviations between the CTFM and SMHD variants exist. As a relevant physical application, we study nonhelically forced shear flows, which exhibit large-scale dynamo action, and present a reanalysis of low-Reynolds-number, moderate shear systems, where we previously ignored the pressure gradient in the momentum equation and found no coherent shear-current effect. Another key difference is that in the earlier study we used magnetic forcing to mimic small-scale dynamo action, while here it is self-consistently driven by purely kinetic forcing. The kinematic CTFM with general validity forms the core of our analysis. We still find no coherent shear-current effect, but do recover strong large-scale dynamo action that, according to our analysis, is driven by incoherent effects.

The Evolution of Rotation and Magnetic Activity in 94 Aqr Aa from Asteroseismology with TESS

Abstract Most previous efforts to calibrate how rotation and magnetic activity depend on stellar age and mass have relied on observations of clusters, where isochrones from stellar evolution models are used to determine the properties of the ensemble. Asteroseismology employs similar models to measure the properties of an individual star by matching its normal modes of oscillation, yielding the stellar age and mass with high precision. We use 27 days of photometry from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite to characterize solar-like oscillations in the G8 subgiant of the 94 Aqr triple system. The resulting stellar properties, when combined with a reanalysis of 35 yr of activity measurements from the Mount Wilson HK project, allow us to probe the evolution of rotation and magnetic activity in the system. The asteroseismic age of the subgiant agrees with a stellar isochrone fit, but the rotation period is much shorter than expected from standard models of angular momentum evolution. We conclude that weakened magnetic braking may be needed to reproduce the stellar properties, and that evolved subgiants in the hydrogen shell-burning phase can reinvigorate large-scale dynamo action and briefly sustain magnetic activity cycles before ascending the red giant branch.

On magnetic helicity generation and transport in a nonlinear dynamo driven by a helical flow

The relationship between nonlinear large-scale dynamo action and the generation and transport of magnetic helicity is investigated at moderate values of the magnetic Reynolds number ( $Rm$ ). The model consists of a helically forced, sheared flow in a Cartesian domain. The boundary conditions are periodic in the horizontal and impenetrable for the vertical. The magnetic field is required to be vertical at the upper and lower boundaries. There are two consequences of this choice; one is that the magnetic helicity is not gauge invariant, the second is that fluxes of magnetic helicity are allowed in and out of the domain. We select the winding gauge, define all the contributions to the evolution of the helicity in this gauge and measure these contributions for various solutions of the dynamo equations. We vary $Rm$ and the shear strength, and find a rich landscape of dynamo solutions including travelling waves, pulsating waves and non-wave-like solutions. We find that, at the $Rm$ considered, the main contribution to the growth of magnetic helicity comes from processes throughout the volume of the fluid and that boundary terms respond by limiting the growth. We find that, in this magnetic Reynolds number regime, helicity conservation is not a strong constraint on large-scale dynamo action. We speculate on what may happen at higher $Rm$ .

Large-scale dynamo action of magnetized Taylor–Couette flows

ABSTRACT A conducting Taylor–Couette flow with quasi-Keplerian rotation law containing a toroidal magnetic field serves as a mean-field dynamo model of the Tayler–Spruit type. The flows are unstable against non-axisymmetric perturbations which form electromotive forces defining α effect and eddy diffusivity. If both degenerated modes with m = ±1 are excited with the same power then the global α effect vanishes and a dynamo cannot work. It is shown, however, that the Tayler instability produces finite α effects if only an isolated mode is considered but this intrinsic helicity of the single-mode is too low for an α2 dynamo. Moreover, an αΩ dynamo model with quasi-Keplerian rotation requires a minimum magnetic Reynolds number of rotation of Rm ≃ 2000 to work. Whether it really works depends on assumptions about the turbulence energy. For a steeper-than-quadratic dependence of the turbulence intensity on the magnetic field, however, dynamos are only excited if the resulting magnetic eddy diffusivity approximates its microscopic value, ηT ≃ η. By basically lower or larger eddy diffusivities the dynamo instability is suppressed.

Partial Invariants, Large-scale Dynamo Action, and the Inverse Transfer of Magnetic Helicity

The existence of partially conserved enstrophy-like quantities is conjectured to cause inverse energy transfers to develop embedded in magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) turbulence, in analogy to the influence of enstrophy in two-dimensional nonconducting turbulence. By decomposing the velocity and magnetic fields in spectral space onto helical modes, we identify subsets of three-wave (triad) interactions conserving two new enstrophy-like quantities which can be mapped to triad interactions recently identified with facilitating large-scale $\alpha$-type dynamo action and the inverse transfer of magnetic helicity. Due to their dependence on interaction scale locality, the invariants suggest that the inverse transfer of magnetic helicity might be facilitated by both local- and nonlocal-scale interactions, and is a process more local than the $\alpha$-dynamo. We test the predicted embedded (partial) energy fluxes by constructing a shell model (reduced wave-space model) of the minimal set of triad interactions (MTI) required to conserve the ideal MHD invariants. Numerically simulated MTIs demonstrate that, for a range of forcing configurations, the partial invariants are, with some exceptions, indeed useful for understanding the embedded contributions to the total spectral energy flux. Furthermore, we demonstrate that strictly inverse energy transfers may develop if enstrophy-like conserving interactions are favoured, a mechanism recently attributed to the energy cascade reversals found in nonconducting three-dimensional turbulence subject to strong rotation or confinement. The presented results have implications for the understanding of the physical mechanisms behind large-scale dynamo action and the inverse transfer of magnetic helicity, processes thought to be central to large-scale magnetic structure formation.

Magnetic Fields and Halos in Spiral Galaxies

Radio continuum and polarization observations reveal best the magnetic field structure and strength in nearby spiral galaxies. They show a similar magnetic field pattern, which is of spiral shape along the disk plane and X-shaped in the halo, sometimes accompanied by strong vertical fields above and below the central region of the disk. The strength of the total halo field is comparable to that of the disk. The small- and large-scale dynamo action is discussed to explain the observations with special emphasis on the rôle of star formation on the α − Ω dynamo and the magnetic field strength and structure in the disk and halo. Recently, with RM-synthesis of the CHANG-ES observations, we obtained the first observational evidence for the existence of regular magnetic fields in the halo. The analysis of the radio scale heights indicate escape-dominated radio halos with convective cosmic ray propagation for many galaxies. These galactic winds may be essential for an effective dynamo action and may transport large-scale magnetic field from the disk into the halo.

Negative magnetic eddy diffusivity due to oscillogenic α-effect

We study large-scale kinematic dynamo action of steady mirror-antisymmetric flows of incompressible fluid, that involve small spatial scales only, by asymptotic methods of the multiscale stability theory. It turns out that, due to the magnetic $\alpha$-effect in such flows, the large-scale mean field experiences harmonic oscillations in time on the scale O($\varepsilon t$) without growth or decay. Here $\varepsilon$ is the spatial scale ratio and $t$ is the fast time of the order of the flow turnover time. The interaction of the accompanying fluctuating magnetic field with the flow gives rise to an anisotropic magnetic eddy diffusivity, whose dependence on the direction of the large-scale wave vector generically exhibits a singular behaviour, and thus to negative eddy diffusivity for whichever molecular magnetic diffusivity. Consequently, such flows always act as kinematic dynamos on the time scale O($\varepsilon^2t$); for the directions at which eddy diffusivity is infinite, the large-scale mean-field growth rate is finite on the scale O($\varepsilon^{3/2}t$). We investigate numerically this dynamo mechanism for two sample flows.

Generation of large-scale magnetic fields due to fluctuating in shearing systems

We explore the growth of large-scale magnetic fields in a shear flow, due to helicity fluctuations with a finite correlation time, through a study of the Kraichnan–Moffatt model of zero-mean stochastic fluctuations of the$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$parameter of dynamo theory. We derive a linear integro-differential equation for the evolution of the large-scale magnetic field, using the first-order smoothing approximation and the Galilean invariance of the$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$-statistics. This enables construction of a model that is non-perturbative in the shearing rate$S$and the$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$-correlation time$\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}}$. After a brief review of the salient features of the exactly solvable white-noise limit, we consider the case of small but non-zero$\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}}$. When the large-scale magnetic field varies slowly, the evolution is governed by a partial differential equation. We present modal solutions and conditions for the exponential growth rate of the large-scale magnetic field, whose drivers are the Kraichnan diffusivity, Moffatt drift, shear and a non-zero correlation time. Of particular interest is dynamo action when the$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$-fluctuations are weak; i.e. when the Kraichnan diffusivity is positive. We show that in the absence of Moffatt drift, shear does not give rise to growing solutions. But shear and Moffatt drift acting together can drive large-scale dynamo action with growth rate$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE}\propto |S|$.

Does Nonaxisymmetric Dynamo Operate in the Sun?

Abstract We explore effects of random nonaxisymmetric perturbations of kinetic helicity (the α effect) and diffusive decay of bipolar magnetic regions on generation and evolution of large-scale nonaxisymmetric magnetic fields on the Sun. Using a reduced 2D nonlinear mean-field dynamo model and assuming that bipolar regions emerge due to magnetic buoyancy in situ of the large-scale dynamo action, we show that fluctuations of the α effect can maintain the nonaxisymmetric magnetic fields through a solar-type α 2Ω dynamo process. It is found that diffusive decay of bipolar active regions is likely to be the primary source of nonaxisymmetric magnetic fields observed on the Sun. Our results show that nonaxisymmetric dynamo models with stochastic perturbations of the α effect can explain periods of extremely high activity (“super-cycle” events) as well as periods of deep decline of magnetic activity. We compare the models with synoptic observations of solar magnetic fields for the last four activity cycles and discuss implications of our results for interpretation of observations of stellar magnetic activity.

Large-scale dynamo action driven by forced beating waves in a highly conducting plasma

The aim of this short paper is simply to demonstrate the effect of interactions between distinct waves induced by an oscillatory forcing on generation of the large-scale electromotive force (EMF) in a highly electrically conducting plasma in the dynamical regime, i.e. when the back reaction of the Lorentz force on the flow is included. The mean EMF is induced by waves with distinct but close phase speeds, which are called ‘beating waves’ by analogy with the acoustic effect of ‘beat’, in the presence of a locally uniform seed magnetic field. These waves may have either positive or negative helicity, and it is supposed that waves of a single sign of helicity are preferentially excited by a symmetry-breaking mechanism. The formula for the mean EMF in a highly conducting plasma is derived, conditions relevant to those of the early universe before and during galaxy formation. Within the scope of the weak magnetohydrodynamic turbulence dominated by the linear waves an$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$-effect, that is generation of the large-scale EMF is studied, which leads to amplification of the seed mean magnetic field. Possible subsequent equilibration due to quenching resulting from the presence of the Lorentz force is briefly discussed.

Large-scale dynamos in rapidly rotating plane layer convection

Context.Convectively driven flows play a crucial role in the dynamo processes that are responsible for producing magnetic activity in stars and planets. It is still not fully understood why many astrophysical magnetic fields have a significant large-scale component.Aims.Our aim is to investigate the dynamo properties of compressible convection in a rapidly rotating Cartesian domain, focusing upon a parameter regime in which the underlying hydrodynamic flow is known to be unstable to a large-scale vortex instability.Methods.The governing equations of three-dimensional non-linear magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) are solved numerically. Different numerical schemes are compared and we propose a possible benchmark case for other similar codes.Results.In keeping with previous related studies, we find that convection in this parameter regime can drive a large-scale dynamo. The components of the mean horizontal magnetic field oscillate, leading to a continuous overall rotation of the mean field. Whilst the large-scale vortex instability dominates the early evolution of the system, the large-scale vortex is suppressed by the magnetic field and makes a negligible contribution to the mean electromotive force that is responsible for driving the large-scale dynamo. The cycle period of the dynamo is comparable to the ohmic decay time, with longer cycles for dynamos in convective systems that are closer to onset. In these particular simulations, large-scale dynamo action is found only when vertical magnetic field boundary conditions are adopted at the upper and lower boundaries. Strongly modulated large-scale dynamos are found at higher Rayleigh numbers, with periods of reduced activity (grand minima-like events) occurring during transient phases in which the large-scale vortex temporarily re-establishes itself, before being suppressed again by the magnetic field.

The supernova-regulated ISM

Context.The forcing of interstellar turbulence, driven mainly by supernova (SN) explosions, is irrotational in nature, but the development of significant amounts of vorticity and helicity, accompanied by large-scale dynamo action, has been reported.Aim.Several earlier investigations examined vorticity production in simpler systems; here all the relevant processes can be considered simultaneously. We also investigate the mechanisms for the generation of net helicity and large-scale flow in the system.Methods.We use a three-dimensional, stratified, rotating and shearing local simulation domain of the size 1 × 1 × 2 kpc3, forced with SN explosions occurring at a rate typical of the solar neighbourhood in the Milky Way. In addition to the nominal simulation run with realistic Milky Way parameters, we vary the rotation and shear rates, but keep the absolute value of their ratio fixed. Reversing the sign of shear vs. rotation allows us to separate the rotation- and shear-generated contributions.Results.As in earlier studies, we find the generation of significant amounts of vorticity, the rotational flow comprising on average 65% of the total flow. The vorticity production can be related to the baroclinicity of the flow, especially in the regions of hot, dilute clustered supernova bubbles. In these regions, the vortex stretching acts as a sink of vorticity. In denser, compressed regions, the vortex stretching amplifies vorticity, but remains sub-dominant to baroclinicity. The net helicities produced by rotation and shear are of opposite signs for physically motivated rotation laws, with the solar neighbourhood parameters resulting in the near cancellation of the total net helicity. We also find the excitation of oscillatory mean flows, the strength and oscillation period of which depend on the Coriolis and shear parameters; we interpret these as signatures of the anisotropic-kinetic-α(AKA) effect. We use the method of moments to fit for the turbulent transport coefficients, and findαAKAvalues of the order 3–5 km s−1.Conclusions.Even in a weakly rotationally and shear-influenced system, small-scale anisotropies can lead to significant effects at large scales. Here we report on two consequences of such effects, namely on the generation of net helicity and on the emergence of large-scale flows by the AKA effect, the latter detected for the first time in a direct numerical simulation of a realistic astrophysical system.

Magnetic field evolution in dwarf and Magellanic-type galaxies

Aims. Low-mass galaxies radio observations show in many cases surprisingly high levels of magnetic field. The mass and kinematics of such objects do not favour the development of effective large-scale dynamo action. We attempted to check if the cosmic-ray-driven dynamo can be responsible for measured magnetization in this class of poorly investigated objects. We investigated how starburst events on the whole, as well as when part of the galactic disk, influence the magnetic field evolution. Methods. We created a model of a dwarf/Magellanic-type galaxy described by gravitational potential constituted from two components: the stars and the dark-matter halo. The model is evolved by solving a three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic equation with an additional cosmic-ray component, which is approximated as a fluid. The turbulence is generated in the system via supernova explosions manifested by the injection of cosmic-rays. Results. The cosmic-ray-driven dynamo works efficiently enough to amplify the magnetic field even in low-mass dwarf/Magellanic-type galaxies. The e-folding times of magnetic energy growth are 0.50 and 0.25 Gyr for the slow (50 km s−1) and fast (100 km s−1) rotators, respectively. The amplification is being suppressed as the system reaches the equipartition level between kinetic, magnetic, and cosmic-ray energies. An episode of star formation burst amplifies the magnetic field but only for a short time while increased star formation activity holds. We find that a substantial amount of gas is expelled from the galactic disk, and that the starburst events increase the efficiency of this process.

Magnetic Helicities and Dynamo Action in Magneto-rotational Turbulence

Abstract We examine the relationship between magnetic flux generation, taken as an indicator of large-scale dynamo action, and magnetic helicity, computed as an integral over the dynamo volume, in a simple dynamo. We consider dynamo action driven by magneto-rotational turbulence (MRT) within the shearing-box approximation. We consider magnetically open boundary conditions that allow a flux of helicity in or out of the computational domain. We circumvent the problem of the lack of gauge invariance in open domains by choosing a particular gauge—the winding gauge—that provides a natural interpretation in terms of the average winding number of pairwise field lines. We use this gauge precisely to define and measure the helicity and the helicity flux for several realizations of dynamo action. We find in these cases that the system as a whole does not break reflectional symmetry and that the total helicity remains small even in cases when substantial magnetic flux is generated. We find no particular connection between the generation of magnetic flux and the helicity or the helicity flux through the boundaries. We suggest that this result may be due to the essentially nonlinear nature of the dynamo processes in MRT.

Influence of a coronal envelope as a free boundary to global convective dynamo simulations

We explore the effects of an outer stably stratified coronal envelope on rotating turbulent convection, differential rotation, and large-scale dynamo action in spherical wedge models of the Sun. We solve the compressible magnetohydrodynamic equations in a two-layer model with unstable stratification below the surface, representing the convection zone, and a stably stratified coronal envelope above. The interface represents a free surface. We compare our model to models that have no coronal envelope. The presence of a coronal envelope is found to modify the Reynolds stress and the $\Lambda$ effect resulting in a weaker and non-cylindrical differential rotation. This is related to the reduced latitudinal temperature variations that are caused by and dependent on the angular velocity. Some simulations develop a near-surface shear layer that we can relate to a sign change in the meridional Reynolds stress term in the thermal wind balance equation. Furthermore, the presence of a free surface changes the magnetic field evolution since the toroidal field is concentrated closer to the surface. In all simulations, however, the migration direction of the mean magnetic field can be explained by the Parker--Yoshimura rule, which is consistent with earlier findings. A realistic treatment of the upper boundary in spherical dynamo simulations is crucial for the dynamics of the flow and magnetic field evolution.

What is a large-scale dynamo?

Abstract We consider kinematic dynamo action in a sheared helical flow at moderate to high values of the magnetic Reynolds number (Rm). We find exponentially growing solutions which, for large enough shear, take the form of a coherent part embedded in incoherent fluctuations. We argue that at large Rm large-scale dynamo action should be identified by the presence of structures coherent in time, rather than those at large spatial scales. We further argue that although the growth rate is determined by small-scale processes, the period of the coherent structures is set by mean-field considerations.

HALL CURRENT EFFECTS IN MEAN-FIELD DYNAMO THEORY

ABSTRACT The role of the Hall term on large-scale dynamo action is investigated by means of the first-order smoothing approximation. It is shown that the standard α coefficient is altered, and is zero when a specific double Beltrami state is attained, in contrast to the Alfvénic state for magnetohydrodynamical dynamos. The β coefficient is no longer positive definite, and thereby enables dynamo action even if α-quenching were to operate. The similarities and differences with the (magnetic) shear-current effect are pointed out, and a mechanism that may be potentially responsible for is advanced. The results are compared against previous studies, and their astrophysical relevance is also highlighted.

Large-scale dynamo action precedes turbulence in shearing box simulations of the magnetorotational instability

We study the dynamo generation (exponential growth) of large scale (planar averaged) fields in unstratified shearing box simulations of the magnetorotational instability (MRI). In contrast to previous studies restricted to horizontal ($x$-$y$) averaging, we demonstrate the presence of large scale fields when either horizontal or vertical ($y$-$z$) averaging is employed. By computing planar averaged fields and power spectra, we find large scale dynamo action in the early MRI growth phase---a previously unidentified feature. Fast growing horizontal low modes and fiducial vertical modes over a narrow range of wave numbers amplify these planar averaged fields in the MRI growth phase, before turbulence sets in. The large scale field growth requires linear fluctuations but not nonlinear turbulence (as defined by mode-mode coupling) and grows as a direct global mode of the MRI. Only by vertical averaging, can it be shown that the growth of horizontal low wavenumber MRI modes directly feed-back to the initial vertical field providing a clue as to why the large scale vertical field sustains against turbulent diffusion in the saturation regime. We compute the terms in the planar averaged mean field equations to identify the individual contributions to large scale field growth for both vertical and horizontal averaging. The large scale fields obtained from such vertical averaging are found to compare well with global cylindrical simulations and quasilinear analytical analysis from a previous study by Ebrahimi \& Blackman. We discuss the potential implications of these new results for understanding large scale MRI dynamo saturation and turbulence.

SHEAR-DRIVEN DYNAMO WAVES IN THE FULLY NONLINEAR REGIME

ABSTRACT Large-scale dynamo action is well understood when the magnetic Reynolds number (Rm) is small, but becomes problematic in the astrophysically relevant large Rm limit since the fluctuations may control the operation of the dynamo, obscuring the large-scale behavior. Recent works by Tobias & Cattaneo demonstrated numerically the existence of large-scale dynamo action in the form of dynamo waves driven by strongly helical turbulence and shear. Their calculations were carried out in the kinematic regime in which the back-reaction of the Lorentz force on the flow is neglected. Here, we have undertaken a systematic extension of their work to the fully nonlinear regime. Helical turbulence and large-scale shear are produced self-consistently by prescribing body forces that, in the kinematic regime, drive flows that resemble the original velocity used by Tobias & Cattaneo. We have found four different solution types in the nonlinear regime for various ratios of the fluctuating velocity to the shear and Reynolds numbers. Some of the solutions are in the form of propagating waves. Some solutions show large-scale helical magnetic structure. Both waves and structures are permanent only when the kinetic helicity is non-zero on average.