Related papers: Problems and Progress in Astrophysical Dynamos
Observations of dwarf galaxies suggest the presence of large-scale magnetic fields. However the size and slow rotation of these galaxies appear insufficient to support a mean-field dynamo action to excite such fields. Here we suggest a new…
Natural dynamos such as planets and stars generate global scale magnetic field despite the inferred presence of small scale turbulence. Such systems are known as large scale dynamos and are typically driven by convection and influenced by…
Large-scale magnetic fields in galaxies are thought to be generated by a turbulent dynamo. However the same turbulence also leads to a small-scale dynamo which generates magnetic noise at a more rapid rate. The efficiency of the large-scale…
The origin and evolution of magnetic fields in the Universe is still an open question. Their observations in galaxies suggest strong magnetic fields already at high redshift as well as at present time. However, neither primordial magnetic…
Newly emerging magnetic flux can show a complicated linked or interwoven topology of the magnetic field. The complexity of this linkage or knottedness of magnetic flux is related to the free energy stored in the magnetic field. Magnetic…
Spiral galaxies, including the Milky Way, have large-scale magnetic fields with significant energy densities. The dominant theory attributes these magnetic fields to a large-scale dynamo. We review the current status of dynamo theory and…
Galaxies are observed to host magnetic fields with a typical total strength of around 15microgauss. A coherent large-scale field constitutes up to a few microgauss of the total, while the rest is built from strong magnetic fluctuations over…
We review our current understanding of galactic dynamo theory, paying particular attention to numerical simulations both of the mean-field equations and the original three-dimensional equations relevant to describing the magnetic field…
Magnetic field generation on scales large compared with the scale of the turbulent eddies is known to be possible via the so-called $\alpha$ effect when the turbulence is helical and if the domain is large enough for the $\alpha$ effect to…
The origin of cosmic magnetism is an issue of fundamental importance in astrophysics. We review here some of the ideas of how large scale magnetic fields in the universe, particularly in galaxies and galaxy clusters could arise. The popular…
The magnetic fields of spiral galaxies are so strong that they cannot be primordial. Their typical values are over one billion times higher than any value predicted for the early Universe. Explaining this immense growth and incorporating it…
Kinetic helicity is a fundamental characteristics of astrophysical turbulent flows. It is not only responsible for the generation of large-scale magnetic fields in the Sun, stars, and spiral galaxies, but it also affects turbulent diffusion…
Large-scale planetary or stellar magnetic fields generated by a dynamo effect are mostly attributed to flows forced by buoyancy forces in electrically conducting fluid layers. However, these large-scale fields may also be controlled by…
Magnetic helicity effects are discussed in laboratory and astrophysical settings. First, dynamo action in Taylor-Green flows is discussed for different boundary conditions. However, because of the lack of scale separation with respect to…
Today, the generation of magnetic fields in solar-type stars and its relation to activity and rotation can coherently be explained, although it is certainly not understood in its entirety. Rotation facilitates the generation of magnetic…
Understanding the in situ amplification of large scale magnetic fields in turbulent astrophysical rotators has been a core subject of dynamo theory. When turbulent velocities are helical, large scale dynamos that substantially amplify…
A rigorous theory for the generation of a large-scale magnetic field by random non-helically forced motions of a conducting fluid combined with a linear shear is presented in the analytically tractable limit of low Rm and weak shear. The…
The origin and evolution of cosmic magnetic fields as well as the influence of the magnetic fields on the evolution of galaxies are unknown. Though not without challenges, the dynamo theory can explain the large-scale coherent magnetic…
The role of turbulence in astrophysical environments and its interplay with magnetic fields is still highly debated. In this lecture, we will discuss this issue in the framework of dynamo processes. We will first present a very brief…
We consider the generation of magnetic field by the flow of a fluid for which the electrical conductivity is nonuniform. A new amplification mechanism is found which leads to dynamo action for flows much simpler than those considered so…