Nonlinear large scale flow in a precessing cylinder and its ability to drive dynamo action

Abstract

We have conducted experimental measurements and numerical simulations of a precession driven flow in a cylindrical cavity. The study is dedicated to the precession dynamo experiment currently under construction at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and aims at the evaluation of the hydrodynamic flow with respect to its ability to drive a dynamo. We focus on the strongly nonlinear regime in which the flow is essentially composed of the directly forced primary Kelvin mode and higher modes in terms of standing inertial waves arising from nonlinear self-interactions. We obtain an excellent agreement between experiment and simulation with regard to both, flow amplitudes and flow geometry. A peculiarity is the resonance-like emergence of an axisymmetric mode that represents a double roll structure in the meridional plane. Kinematic simulations of the magnetic field evolution induced by the time-averaged flow yield dynamo action at critical magnetic Reynolds numbers around ${\mathrm{Rm}}^{\mathrm{c}}\approx 430$ which is well within the range of the planned liquid sodium experiment.

arXiv comment5 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev. Lett

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• Generating neutron-star magnetic fields: three dynamo phases
• The effect of nutation angle on the flow inside a precessing cylinder and its dynamo action
• Instability of precession driven Kelvin modes: Evidence of a detuning effect
• Zonal flow in a resonant precessing cylinder
• The global flow state in a precessing cylinder
• Mechanisms for magnetic Field generation in precessing cubes
• Laboratory experiments on dynamo action and magnetically triggered flow instabilities
• Probability Density Functions in Homogeneous and Isotropic Magneto-Hydrodynamic Turbulence