Related papers: Problems and Progress in Astrophysical Dynamos
A general type of mathematical argument is described, which applies to all the cases in which dynamo maintenance of a steady magnetic field by motion in a uniform density is known to be impossible. Previous work has demonstrated that…
In the absence of an active dynamo, purely poloidal magnetic field configurations are unstable to large-scale dynamical perturbations, and decay via reconnection on an Alfvenic timescale. Nevertheless, a number of classes of dynamo-free…
We discuss the amplification of magnetic fields by the small-scale dynamo, a process that could efficiently produce strong magnetic fields in the first galaxies. In addition, we derive constraints on the primordial field strength from the…
Despite the lack of a shear-rich tachocline region low-mass fully convective stars are capable of generating strong magnetic fields, indicating that a dynamo mechanism fundamentally different from the solar dynamo is at work in these…
Selected topics in solar dynamo theory are being highlighted. The possible relevance of the near-surface shear layer is discussed. The role of turbulent downward pumping is mentioned in connection with earlier concerns that a…
Large scale dynamos produce small scale current helicity as a waste product that quenches the large scale dynamo process (alpha effect). This quenching can be catastrophic (i.e.intensify with magnetic Reynolds number) unless one has fluxes…
Fast magnetic reconnection is defined by the topology of the magnetic field lines changing on a timescale that is approximately an order of magnitude longer than the topology-conserving ideal-evolution timescale. Fast reconnection is an…
Several one and two dimensional mean field models are analyzed where the effects of current helicity fluxes and boundaries are included within the framework of the dynamical quenching model. In contrast to the case with periodic boundary…
Dynamo processes are ubiquitous in astrophysical systems. In relativistic astrophysical systems, such as accretion disks around black holes or neutron stars, they may critically affect the launching of winds and jets that can power…
Fluxes of the magnetic helicity density play an important role in large-scale turbulent dynamos, allowing the growth of large-scale magnetic fields while overcoming catastrophic quenching. We show here, analytically, how several important…
Magnetic helicity is a quantity that underpins many theories of magnetic relaxation in electrically conducting fluids, both laminar and turbulent. Although much theoretical effort has been expended on magnetic fields that are everywhere…
We have tested the ability of driven turbulence to generate magnetic field structure from a weak uniform field using three dimensional numerical simulations of incompressible turbulence. We used a pseudo-spectral code with a numerical…
The origin and growth of magnetic fields in galaxies is still something of an enigma. It is generally assumed that seed fields are amplified over time through the dynamo effect, but there are few constraints on the timescale. It has…
Helicity, a measure of the linkage of flux lines, has subtle and largely unknown effects upon dynamics. Both magnetic and hydrodynamic helicity are conserved for ideal systems and could suppress nonlinear dynamics. What actually happens is…
Our theoretical and numerical analysis have suggested that for low-mass main sequences stars (of the spectral classes from M5 to G0) rotating much faster than the Sun, the generated large-scale magnetic field is caused by the mean-field…
Magnetic fields play an important role in astrophysical accretion discs, and in the interstellar and intergalactic medium. They drive jets, suppress fragmentation in star-forming clouds and can have a significant impact on the accretion…
Several lines of evidence suggest that protogalactic and galactic environments manage to grow magnetic field very rapidly. This makes the theoretical problem of achieving rapid growth of magnetic fields in such environments difficult.…
We address magnetic-field generation by dynamo action in systems with inhomogeneous electrical conductivity and magnetic permeability. More specifically, we first show that the Taylor-Couette kinematic dynamo undergoes a drastic reduction…
We show that in decaying hydromagnetic turbulence with initial kinetic helicity, a weak magnetic field eventually becomes fully helical. The sign of magnetic helicity is opposite to that of the kinetic helicity - regardless of whether or…
Via amplification by turbulent dynamo, magnetic fields can be potentially important for the formation of the first stars. To examine the dynamo behavior during the gravitational collapse of primordial gas, we extend the theory of nonlinear…