Related papers: Problems and Progress in Astrophysical Dynamos
The mathematics and physics of each of the three aspects of magnetic field evolution -- topology, energy, and helicity -- is remarkably simple and clear. When the resistivity $\eta$ is small compared to an imposed evolution, $a/v$,…
The evolution of magnetic fields is studied using simulations of forced helical turbulence with strong imposed shear. After some initial exponential growth, the magnetic field develops a large scale travelling wave pattern. The resulting…
Blackman & Brandenburg argued that magnetic helicity conservation in dynamo theory can in principle be captured by diagrams of mean field dynamos when the magnetic fields are represented by ribbons or tubes, but not by lines. Here we…
One of the fundamental properties of astrophysical magnetic fields is their ability to change topology through reconnection and in doing so, to release magnetic energy, sometimes violently. In this work, we review recent results on the role…
The magnetic helicity has paramount significance in nonlinear saturation of galactic dynamo. We argue that the magnetic helicity conservation is violated at the lepton stage in the evolution of early Universe. As a result, a cosmological…
Magnetic fields of cosmic bodies are generated by the hydromagnetic dynamo effect in moving electrically conducting fluids, such as liquid metals or plasmas. Once produced, cosmic magnetic fields are able to act back on moving fluids. This…
Kinematic dynamo theory is presented here for turbulent conductive fluids. We describe how inhomogeneous magnetic fluctuations are generated below the viscous scale of turbulence where the spatial smoothness of the velocity permits a…
The diffusion of astrophysical magnetic fields in conducting fluids in the presence of turbulence depends on whether magnetic fields can change their topology via reconnection in highly conducting media. Recent progress in understanding…
This pedagogical note revisits the concept of electromagnetic helicity in classical systems. In particular, magnetic helicity and its role in mean field dynamo theories is briefly discussed highlighting the major mathematical inconsistency…
There is mounting evidence that the ejection of magnetic helicity from the solar surface is important for the solar dynamo. Observations suggest that in the northern hemisphere the magnetic helicity flux is negative. We propose that this…
The turbulent dynamo effect, which describes the generation of magnetic fields in astrophysical objects, is described by the dynamo equation. This, in the kinematic (linear) approximation gives an unbounded exponential growth of the long…
Several recent advances in turbulent dynamo theory are reviewed. High resolution simulations of small-scale and large-scale dynamo action in periodic domains are compared with each other and contrasted with similar results at low magnetic…
It is shown that the turbulent dynamo $\alpha$-effect converts magnetic helicity from the turbulent field to the mean field when the turbulence is electromagnetic while the magnetic helicity of the mean-field is transported across space…
Magnetic reconnection is a process that changes magnetic field topology in highly conducting fluids. Traditionally, magnetic reconnection was associated mostly with solar flares. In reality, the process must be ubiquitous as astrophysical…
Mean-field dynamo theory, describing the evolution of large-scale magnetic fields, has been the mainstay of theoretical interpretation of magnetism in astrophysical objects such as the Sun for several decades. More recently,…
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…
We briefly review the recent developments in magnetohydrodynamics, which in particular deal with the evolution of magnetic fields in turbulent plasmas. We especially emphasize (i) the necessity of renormalizing equations of motion in…
Using mean-field models with a dynamical quenching formalism we show that in finite domains magnetic helicity fluxes associated with small-scale magnetic fields are able to alleviate catastrophic quenching. We consider fluxes that result…
Dynamos in the Sun and other bodies tend to produce magnetic fields that possess magnetic helicity of opposite sign at large and small scales, respectively. The build-up of magnetic helicity at small scales provides an important saturation…
Conversion of gravitational energy into radiation in accretion discs and the origin of large scale magnetic fields in astrophysical rotators have often been distinct topics of research. In semi-analytic work on both problems it has been…