Varying the Shell Geometry in Planetary Dynamo Models

Physics

Scientific paper

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1510 Dynamo Theories, 7524 Magnetic Fields

Scientific paper

We investigate the effects of varying the core aspect ratio, χ=ri/r_o, where ri and ro are the solid inner core and fluid outer core radii, respectively, in 3D numerical models of dynamo generation in a rotating spherical shell of convecting electrically-conducting fluid. The earth and many of the planets in the solar system have observable magnetic fields. It is now generally accepted that these fields result from dynamo action in planetary metallic cores. A major difficulty in interpreting the results of planetary dynamo models lies in the discrepancy between the presently feasible simulated values of the Ekman and Rayleigh numbers and the estimates of such parameters for bodies in our solar system. No such discrepancy exists for the aspect ratio of the spherical fluid shell. Thus, a goal of this work is to isolate the changes associated with variation of the radius ratio. We are presently determining the variation of the critical Rayleigh number for the onset of convection and dynamo action as a function of χ at a fixed Ekman number of Ek = 3 x 10-4 and with Prandtl numbers set to unity. Preliminary results, using an electrically-conducting inner core, indicate that the core geometry does indeed place constraints on the the planform and vigor of convection and the onset, magnitude and shape of the induced magnetic field.

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