Magnetic helicity why is it so important and

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Magnetic helicity: why is it so important and how to get rid of it

Magnetic helicity: why is it so important and how to get rid of it Axel Brandenburg (Nordita, Copenhagen) Kandaswamy Subramanian (Pune) Brandenburg (2001, Ap. J 550, 824; 2005, Ap. J 625, 539) Brandenburg & Subramanian (2005, Phys. Rep. , astro-ph/0405052)

Magnetic helicity 2

Magnetic helicity 2

Magnetic helicity conservation How J diverges as h 0 Ideal limit and ideal case

Magnetic helicity conservation How J diverges as h 0 Ideal limit and ideal case similar! 3

Inverse cascade of magnetic helicity Pouquet, Frisch, & Leorat (1976) and Initial components fully

Inverse cascade of magnetic helicity Pouquet, Frisch, & Leorat (1976) and Initial components fully helical: and k is forced to the left 4

Production of LS helicity forcing produces and But no net helicity production therefore: alpha

Production of LS helicity forcing produces and But no net helicity production therefore: alpha effect Yousef & Brandenburg A&A 407, 7 (2003) 5

LS dynamos • Difference to SS dynamos – Field at scale of turbulence –

LS dynamos • Difference to SS dynamos – Field at scale of turbulence – The small Pr. M problem • Mechanisms for producing LS fields – – Field at scale larger than that of turbulence Alpha effect (requires helicity) Shear-current of Wx. J effect Others: incoherent alpha, Vishniac-Cho effect, + perhaps other effects 6

Cartesian box MHD equations Induction Equation: Magn. Vector potential Momentum and Continuity eqns Viscous

Cartesian box MHD equations Induction Equation: Magn. Vector potential Momentum and Continuity eqns Viscous force forcing function (eigenfunction of curl) 7

(i) Small scale dynamos Small Pr. M: stars and discs around NSs and YSOs

(i) Small scale dynamos Small Pr. M: stars and discs around NSs and YSOs Schekochihin et al (2005) Ap. J 625, 115 L k Here: non-helically forced turbulence 8

Haugen et al. (2003, Ap. J 597, L 141) 256 processor run at 10243

Haugen et al. (2003, Ap. J 597, L 141) 256 processor run at 10243 at Pr. M=1 -3/2 slope? Result: not peaked at resistive scale Kolmogov scaling! instead: kpeak~Rm, crit 1/2 kf ~ 6 kf 9

(ii) Large scale dynamos: 2 different geometries (a) Periodic box, no shear (b) open

(ii) Large scale dynamos: 2 different geometries (a) Periodic box, no shear (b) open box, w/ shear • Helically forced turbulence (cyclonic events) • Small & large scale field grows exponentially • Past saturation: slow evolution Explained by magnetic helicity equation 10

Scale separation: inverse cascade Position of the peak compatible with No inverse cascade in

Scale separation: inverse cascade Position of the peak compatible with No inverse cascade in kinematic regime Decomposition in terms of Chandrasekhar-Kendall-Waleffe functions LS field: force-free Beltrami 11

Brandenburg (2001, Ap. J 550, 824) Time dependence: slow saturation Position of the peak

Brandenburg (2001, Ap. J 550, 824) Time dependence: slow saturation Position of the peak compatible with

Connection with a effect: writhe with internal twist as by-product a effect produces helical

Connection with a effect: writhe with internal twist as by-product a effect produces helical field W clockwise tilt (right handed) left handed internal twist both for thermal/magnetic buoyancy 13

Revised nonlinear dynamo theory (originally due to Kleeorin & Ruzmaikin 1982) Two-scale assumption Dynamical

Revised nonlinear dynamo theory (originally due to Kleeorin & Ruzmaikin 1982) Two-scale assumption Dynamical quenching Kleeorin & Ruzmaikin (1982) Steady limit algebraic quenching: ( selective decay) 14

Dynamo growth & saturation Significant field already after kinematic growth phase followed by slow

Dynamo growth & saturation Significant field already after kinematic growth phase followed by slow resistive adjustment 15

Large scale vs small scale losses Diffusive large scale losses: lower saturation level Periodic

Large scale vs small scale losses Diffusive large scale losses: lower saturation level Periodic box with LS losses Brandenburg & Dobler (2001 A&A 369, 329) Small scale losses (artificial) higher saturation level still slow time scale Numerical experiment: remove field for k>4 every 1 -3 turnover times (Brandenburg et al. 2002, AN 323 99) 16

Current helicity flux Advantage over magnetic helicity 1) <j. b> is what enters a

Current helicity flux Advantage over magnetic helicity 1) <j. b> is what enters a effect 2) Can define helicity density Rm also in the numerator 17

Significance of shear • a transport of helicity in k-space • Shear transport of

Significance of shear • a transport of helicity in k-space • Shear transport of helicity in x-space – Mediating helicity escape ( plasmoids) – Mediating turbulent helicity flux Expression for current helicity flux (first order smoothing, tau approximation) Schnack et al. Vishniac & Cho (2001, Ap. J 550, 752) Subramanian & Brandenburg (2004, PRL 93, 20500) Expected to be finite on when there is shear Arlt & Brandenburg (2001, A&A 380, 359) 18

(ii) Forced LS dynamo with no stratification azimuthally averaged no helicity, e. g. geometry

(ii) Forced LS dynamo with no stratification azimuthally averaged no helicity, e. g. geometry here relevant to the sun neg helicity (northern hem. ) Rogachevskii & Kleeorin (2003, 2004) 19

Conclusions • Shearflow turbulence: likely to produce LS field – even w/o stratification (Wx.

Conclusions • Shearflow turbulence: likely to produce LS field – even w/o stratification (Wx. J effect, similar to Rädler’s Wx. J effect) • Stratification: can lead to a effect – modify Wx. J effect – but also instability of its own • SS dynamo not obvious at small Pm • Application to the sun? – distributed dynamo can produce bipolar regions – a perhaps not so important? – solution to quenching problem? No: a. M even from Wx. J effect 1046 Mx 2/cycle 20