Can a dynamo operate in stellar radiation zones?

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Scientific paper

We examine the MHD instabilities arising in the radiation zone of a differentially rotating star, in which a poloidal field of fossil origin is sheared into a toroidal field. The numerical solutions built with the 3-dimensional ASH code are compared with the predictions drawn from an analytical study of the Pitts & Tayler instability. This instability is manifestly present in our simulations, with its conspicuous m=1 dependence in azimuth. However, although the instability generated field reaches an energy comparable to that of the mean poloidal field, that field seems unaffected by the instability: it undergoes Ohmic decline, and is neither eroded nor regenerated by the instability. The instability is sustained as long as the differential rotation acting on the poloidal field is able to generate a toroidal field of sufficient strength but, up to a magnetic Reynolds number of 10^5, we observe no sign of dynamo action, of either mean field or fluctuation type, contrary to what was suggested by Spruit.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Can a dynamo operate in stellar radiation zones? does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Can a dynamo operate in stellar radiation zones?, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Can a dynamo operate in stellar radiation zones? will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-790226

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.