Magnetohydrodynamics of stably stratified regions in planets and stars

DOI10.1080/03091929.2019.1670827MaRDI QIDQ5065683zbMATH OpenOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors J. Philidet, C. Gissinger, François Lignières, Ludovic Petitdemange

Publication date 22 March 2022

Published in Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1910.04092

zbMATH Keywords

direct numerical simulationsEarth: stably stratified layermagnetic desertouter corestars: radiative zones

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Direct numerical and large eddy simulation of turbulence (76F65) Magnetohydrodynamics and electrohydrodynamics (76W05) Hydrodynamic and hydromagnetic problems in astronomy and astrophysics (85A30)

Abstract: Stably stratified layers are present in stellar interiors (radiative zones) as well as planetary interiors - recent observations and theoretical studies of the Earth's magnetic field seem to indicate the presence of a thin, stably stratified layer at the top of the liquid outer core. We present direct numerical simulations of this region, which is modelled as an axisymmetric spherical Couette flow for a stably stratified fluid embedded in a dipolar magnetic field. For strong magnetic fields, a super-rotating shear layer, rotating nearly 30% faster than the imposed rotation rate difference between the inner convective dynamo region and the outer boundary, is generated in the stably stratified region. In the Earth context, and contrary to what was previously believed, we show that this super-rotation may extend towards the Earth magnetostrophic regime if the density stratification is sufficiently large. The corresponding differential rotation triggers magnetohydrodynamic instabilities and waves in the stratified region, which feature growth rates comparable to the observed timescale for geomagnetic secular variations and jerks. In the stellar context, we perform a linear analysis which shows that similar instabilities are likely to arise, and we argue that it may play a role in explaining the observed magnetic dichotomy among intermediate-mass stars.

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Cites work

• A super-rotating shear layer in magnetohydrodynamic spherical Couette flow
• Experimental study of super-rotation in a magnetostrophic spherical Couette flow
• Linear theory of rotating stratified fluid motions
• Mathematical Aspects of Natural Dynamos
• On the steady motions produced by a stable stratification in a rapidly rotating fluid
• Spherical Couette flow in a dipolar magnetic field

Cited in

(7)

• Convection-driven hydromagnetic waves in planetary fluid cores.
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 436886 (Why is no real title available?)
• Turbulence, Magnetism, and Shear in Stellar Interiors
• Consequences of expanding exoplanetary atmospheres for magnetospheres
• A differential rotation driven dynamo in a stably stratified star
• Two-dimensional non-linear simulations of the magnetostrophic magnetorotational instability
• Baroclinically-driven flows and dynamo action in rotating spherical fluid shells

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