Critical Magnetic Prandtl Number for Small-Scale Dynamo

Alexander A. Schekochihin, Steven C. Cowley, Jason L. Maron, James C. McWilliams

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

71 Scopus citations

Abstract

The existence of small-scale dynamo in homogeneous incompressible turbulence with magnetic Prandtl number is discussed. A series of numerical simulations showing that the critical magnetic Reynolds number Rmc for the nonhelical small-scale dynamo depends on the Reynolds number Re is discussed. The dynamo is shut down if the magnetic Prandtl number Pr m = Rm/Re is less than some critical value Prm,c≲1. It is found that the existence of the dynamo depends on the exact inertial-range scaling of the velocity field and/or only manifests itself at very large Rm.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number054502
Pages (from-to)545021-545024
Number of pages4
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume92
Issue number5
StatePublished - Feb 6 2004
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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