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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics

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Dartmouth College

2005

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Low Magnetic Prandtl Number Dynamos With Helical Forcing, Pablo D. Mininni, David C. Montgomery Nov 2005

Low Magnetic Prandtl Number Dynamos With Helical Forcing, Pablo D. Mininni, David C. Montgomery

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present direct numerical simulations of dynamo action in a forced Roberts flow. The behavior of the dynamo is followed as the mechanical Reynolds number is increased, starting from the laminar case until a turbulent regime is reached. The critical magnetic Reynolds for dynamo action is found, and in the turbulent flow it is observed to be nearly independent on the magnetic Prandtl number in the range from ∼0.3 to ∼0.1. Also the dependence of this threshold with the amount of mechanical helicity in the flow is studied. For the different regimes found, the configuration of the magnetic and velocity …


Numerical Solutions Of The Three-Dimensional Magnetohydrodynamic Α Model, Pablo D. Mininni, David C. Montgomery, Annick Pouquet Apr 2005

Numerical Solutions Of The Three-Dimensional Magnetohydrodynamic Α Model, Pablo D. Mininni, David C. Montgomery, Annick Pouquet

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present direct numerical simulations and α-model simulations of four familiar three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence effects: selective decay, dynamic alignment, inverse cascade of magnetic helicity, and the helical dynamo effect. The MHD α model is shown to capture the long-wavelength spectra in all these problems, allowing for a significant reduction of computer time and memory at the same kinetic and magnetic Reynolds numbers. In the helical dynamo, not only does the α model correctly reproduce the growth rate of magnetic energy during the kinematic regime, it also captures the nonlinear saturation level and the late generation of a large scale …