Speaker
Yuhong Fan
(NCAR)
Description
We report the results of a magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD)
simulation of a convective dynamo in a model solar
convective envelope driven by the solar radiative diffusive
heat flux. The convective dynamo produces a large-scale mean
magnetic field that exhibits irregular cyclic behavior with
oscillation time scales ranging from about 5 to 15 yr and
undergoes irregular polarity reversals. The mean
axisymmetric toroidal magnetic field is of opposite signs in
the two hemispheres and is concentrated at the bottom of the
convection zone. The presence of the magnetic fields is
found to play an important role in the self-consistent
maintenance of a solar-like differential rotation in the
convective dynamo model. Without the magnetic fields, the
convective flows drive a differential rotation with a faster
rotating polar region. In the midst of magneto-convection,
we found the emergence of strong super-equipartition flux
bundles at the surface, exhibiting properties that are
similar to emerging solar active regions.
Primary author
Yuhong Fan
(NCAR)
