The solar dynamo: a challenge for theory and observation

Physics

Scientific paper

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Magnetohydrodynamics (Mhd), Convection, Solar Dynamo, Solar Magnetic Field

Scientific paper

The theory of the solar dynamo is reviewed with an emphasis on recent advances of numerical simulations, and the possible consequences for various dynamo scenarios. The solar dynamo poses a challenge to both theoreticians and observers. Theoreticians are plagued by the forbidding range of length scales in the solar convection zone, which has thus far prevented succesful global MHD dynamo calculations in spherical geometry. Observers have access only to the surface magnetic field, which has been studied in great detail. While some observations (solar cycle, butterfly diagram, Hale's polarity laws) provide clues about the deep-rooted large-scale magnetic field, the diagnostic value of other surface observations for the solar dynamo is less easily established. With the increased of computer capabilities, significant advances have been made through local simulations in our understanding of various aspects of the solar dynamo. From box simulations of magnetoconvection, transport coefficients for the large-scale mean field have been estimated, and these can serve as input information for global models. Several alternative dynamo scenarios for the generation of the large-scale magnetic field coexist. They differ mainly with regard to the nature of the α-effect. The viewpoint proposed here is that progress in understanding the solar dynamo and explaining the observations can be achieved only through a combination of approaches which include local numerical experiments as well as global mean-field modeling.

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