Magnetic helicity fluxes in an alpha-squared dynamo embedded in a halo

Abstract

We present the results of simulations of forced turbulence in a slab where the mean kinetic helicity has a maximum near the mid-plane, generating gradients of magnetic helicity of both large and small-scale fields. We also study systems that have poorly conducting buffer zones away from the midplane in order to assess the effects of boundaries. The dynamical alpha quenching phenomenology requires that the magnetic helicity in the small-scale fields approaches a nearly static, gauge independent state. To stress-test this steady state condition we choose a system with a uniform sign of kinetic helicity, so that the total magnetic helicity can reach a steady state value only through fluxes through the boundary, which are themselves suppressed by the velocity boundary conditions. Even with such a set up, the small-scale magnetic helicity is found to reach a steady state. In agreement with earlier work, the magnetic helicity fluxes of small-scale fields are found to be turbulently diffusive. By comparing results with and without halos, we show that artificial constraints on magnetic helicity at the boundary do not have a significant impact on the evolution of the magnetic helicity, except that "softer" (halo) boundary conditions give a lower energy of the saturated mean magnetic field.

12 pages, 5 figures, submitted to GAFD

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• Magnetic Helicity and Large Scale Magnetic Fields: A Primer
• Magnetic helicity flux in the presence of shear
• Magnetic twist: a source and property of space weather
• Turbulent magnetic helicity fluxes in solar convective zone
• Magnetic helicity dissipation and production in an ideal MHD code
• Magnetic helicity and fluxes in an inhomogeneous alpha squared dynamo
• Magnetic helicity fluxes in dynamos from rotating inhomogeneous turbulence
• Dynamical quenching with non-local alpha and downward pumping