A dynamo model for axisymmetrizing Saturn's magnetic field

Details A dynamo model for axisymmetrizing Saturn's magnetic field A dynamo model for axisymmetrizing Saturn's magnetic field

Mar 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010georl..3705201s&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 37, Issue 5, CiteID L05201

Physics

3

Planetary Sciences: Fluid Planets: Magnetic Fields And Magnetism, Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Saturn, Geomagnetism And Paleomagnetism: Core Processes (1213, 8115), Geomagnetism And Paleomagnetism: Dynamo: Theories And Simulations, Planetary Sciences: Fluid Planets: Interiors (8147)

Scientific paper

Magnetic field measurements demonstrate that Saturn's internally generated magnetic field has an extremely small dipole tilt. The nearly-perfect axisymmetry of Saturn's dipole is troubling because of Cowling's theorem which states that an axisymmetric magnetic field cannot be maintained by a dynamo. A possible mechanism to axisymmetrize the observed field involves differential rotation in a stably-stratified electrically conducting layer surrounding the dynamo. Here we use numerical dynamo models to study the axisymmetrizing effects of stably stratified layers surrounding the dynamo. We find that a thin stably-stratified layer which undergoes differential rotation due to thermal winds as a result of pole to equator temperature differences can produce a more axisymmetrized field. Surprisingly, we find that the direction of the zonal flows and their equatorial symmetry is a crucial factor for magnetic field axisymmetry since some zonal flows act to destabilize the dynamo producing non-axisymmetric fields.

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