arXiv subjects

Axel Brandenburg

Publications and source records attributed to Axel Brandenburg.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

A global two-scale helicity proxy from $π$-ambiguous solar magnetic fields

If the alpha effect plays a role in the generation of the Sun's magnetic field, the field should show evidence of magnetic helicity of opposite signs at large and small length scales. Measuring this faces two challenges: (i) in weak-field regions, horizontal field measurements are unreliable because of the pi ambiguity, and (ii) one needs a truly global approach to computing helicity spectra in the case where one expects a sign reversal across the equator at all wavenumbers. Here we develop such a method using spin-2 spherical harmonics to decompose the linear polarization in terms of the parity-even and parity-odd E and B polarizations, respectively. Using simple one- and two-dimensional models, we show that the product of the spectral decompositions of E and B, taken at spherical harmonic degrees that are shifted by one, can act as a proxy of the global magnetic helicity with a sign that represents that in the northern hemisphere. We then apply this method to the analysis of solar synoptic vector magnetograms, from which we extract a pseudo-polarization corresponding to a "pi-ambiguated" magnetic field, i.e., a magnetic field vector that has no arrow. We find a negative sign of the global EB helicity proxy at spherical harmonic degrees of around 6. This could indicate a positive magnetic helicity at large length scales, but the spectrum fails to capture clear evidence of the well-known negative magnetic helicity at smaller scales. This method might also be applicable to stellar and Galactic polarization data.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

Spectral magnetic helicity of solar active regions between 2006 and 2017

We compute magnetic helicity and energy spectra from about 2485 patches of about 100 megameters (Mm) side length on the solar surface using data from Hinode during 2006--2017. An extensive database is assembled where we list magnetic energy and helicity, large- and small-scale magnetic helicity, mean current helicity density, fractional magnetic helicity, and correlation length along with the Hinode map identification number (MapID), as well as Carrington latitude and longitude for each MapID. While there are departures from the hemispheric sign rule for magnetic and current helicities, the weak trend reported here is in agreement with the previous results. This is argued to be a physical effect associated with the dominance of individual active regions that contribute more strongly in the better resolved Hinode maps. In comparison with earlier work, the typical correlation length is found to be 6-8 Mm, while the length scale relating magnetic and current helicity to each other is found to be around 1.4 Mm.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

The limited roles of autocatalysis and enantiomeric cross inhibition in achieving homochirality in dilute systems

To understand the effects of fluctuations on achieving homochirality, we employ a Monte-Carlo method where autocatalysis and enantiomeric cross-inhibition, as well as racemization and deracemization reactions are included. The results of earlier work either without autocatalysis or without cross-inhibition are reproduced. Bifurcation diagrams and the dependencies of the number of reaction steps on parameters are studied. In systems with 30,000 molecules, for example, up to a billion reaction steps may be needed to achieve homochirality without autocatalysis.

q-bio.BM↗

arXiv2019

Ambipolar diffusion in large Prandtl number turbulence

We study the effects of ambipolar diffusion (AD) on hydromagnetic turbulence. In most of the cases, we use the single fluid approximation where the drift velocity between charged and neutral particles is proportional to the Lorentz force. In two cases we also compare with the corresponding two-fluid model, where ionization and recombination are included in the continuity and momentum equations for the neutral and charged species. We consider the regime of large magnetic Prandtl number, relevant to the interstellar medium. The magnetic field properties are found to be well represented by the single fluid approximation. We quantify the effects of AD on total and spectral kinetic and magnetic energies, the Ohmic and AD dissipation rates, the statistics of the magnetic field, the current density, and the linear polarization as measured by the rotationally invariant E and B mode polarizations. We show that the kurtosis of the magnetic field decreases with increasing AD. The E mode polarization changes its skewness from positive values for small AD to negative ones for large AD. Even when AD is weak, changes in AD have a marked effect on the skewness and kurtosis of E, and only a weak effect on those of B. These results open the possibility of employing E and B mode polarizations as diagnostic tools for characterizing turbulent properties of the interstellar medium.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

Reversed dynamo at small scales and large magnetic Prandtl number

We show that at large magnetic Prandtl numbers, the Lorentz force does work on the flow at small scales and drives fluid motions, whose energy is dissipated viscously. This situation is opposite to that in a normal dynamo, where the flow does work against the Lorentz force. We compute the spectral conversion rates between kinetic and magnetic energies for several magnetic Prandtl numbers and show that normal (forward) dynamo action occurs on large scales over a progressively narrower range of wavenumbers as the magnetic Prandtl number is increased. At higher wavenumbers, reversed dynamo action occurs, i.e., magnetic energy is converted back into kinetic energy at small scales. We demonstrate this in both direct numerical simulations forced by volume stirring and in large eddy simulations of solar convectively driven small-scale dynamos. Low density plasmas such as stellar coronae tend to have large magnetic Prandtl numbers, i.e., the viscosity is large compared with the magnetic diffusivity. The regime in which viscous dissipation dominates over resistive dissipation for large magnetic Prandtl numbers was also previously found in large eddy simulations of the solar corona, i.e., our findings are a more fundamental property of MHD that is not just restricted to dynamos. Viscous energy dissipation is a consequence of positive Lorentz force work, which may partly correspond to particle acceleration in close-to-collisionless plasmas. This is, however, not modeled in the MHD approximation employed. By contrast, resistive energy dissipation on current sheets is expected to be unimportant in stellar coronae.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

Efficient quasi-kinematic large-scale dynamo as the small-scale dynamo saturates

Large-scale magnetic fields in stars and galaxies are thought to arise by mean-field dynamo action due to the combined influence of both helical turbulence and shear. Those systems are also highly conducting and the turbulence therein leads to a fluctuation (or small-scale) dynamo which more rapidly amplifies magnetic field fluctuations on the eddy scales and smaller. Will this then interfere with and suppress the mean (or large-scale) field growth? Using direct numerical simulations of helical turbulence (with and without shear), we identify a novel quasi-kinematic large-scale dynamo which operates as the small-scale dynamo saturates. Thus both dynamos operate efficiently, one after the other, and lead to the generation of significant large-scale fields.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

$f$-mode strengthening from a localized bipolar subsurface magnetic field

Recent numerical work in helioseismology has shown that a periodically varying subsurface magnetic field leads to a fanning of the $f$-mode, which emerges from the density jump at the surface. In an attempt to model a more realistic situation, we now modulate this periodic variation with an envelope, giving thus more emphasis on localized bipolar magnetic structures in the middle of the domain. Some notable findings are: (i) compared to the purely hydrodynamic case, the strength of the $f$-mode is significantly larger at high horizontal wavenumbers $k$, but the fanning is weaker for the localized subsurface magnetic field concentrations investigated here than the periodic ones studied earlier; (ii) when the strength of the magnetic field is enhanced at a fixed depth below the surface, the fanning of the $f$-mode in the $kω$ diagram increases proportionally in such a way that the normalized $f$-mode strengths remain nearly the same in different such cases; (iii) the unstable Bloch modes reported previously in case of harmonically varying magnetic fields are now completely absent when more realistic localized magnetic field concentrations are imposed beneath the surface, thus suggesting that the Bloch modes are unlikely to be supported during most phases of the solar cycle; (iv) the $f$-mode strength appears to depend also on the depth of magnetic field concentrations such that it shows a relative decrement when the maximum of the magnetic field is moved to a deeper layer. We argue that detections of $f$-mode perturbations such as those being explored here could be effective tracers of solar magnetic fields below the photosphere before these are directly detectable as visible manifestations in terms of active regions or sunspots.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

Chiral fermion asymmetry in high-energy plasma simulations

The chiral magnetic effect (CME) is a quantum relativistic effect that describes the appearance of an additional electric current along a magnetic field. It is caused by an asymmetry between the number densities of left- and right-handed fermions, which can be maintained at high energies when the chirality flipping rate can be neglected, for example in the early Universe. The inclusion of the CME in the Maxwell equations leads to a modified set of MHD equations. We discuss how the CME is implemented in the PENCIL CODE. The CME plays a key role in the evolution of magnetic fields since it results in a dynamo effect associated with an additional term in the induction equation. This term is formally similar to the $α$ effect in classical mean-field MHD. However, the chiral dynamo can operate without turbulence and is associated with small spatial scales that can be, in the case of the early Universe, orders of magnitude below the Hubble radius. A chiral $α_μ$ effect has also been identified in mean-field theory. It occurs in the presence of turbulence but is not related to kinetic helicity. Depending on the plasma parameters, chiral dynamo instabilities can amplify magnetic fields over many orders of magnitude. These instabilities can affect the propagation of MHD waves, which is demonstrated by our DNS. We also study the coupling between the evolution of the chiral chemical potential and the ordinary chemical potential, which is proportional to the sum of the number densities of left- and right-handed fermions. An important consequence of this coupling is the emergence of chiral magnetic waves (CMWs). We confirm numerically that linear CMWs and MHD waves are not interacting. Our simulations suggest that the chemical potential has only a minor effect on the non-linear evolution of the chiral dynamo.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2019

Cross-helically forced and decaying hydromagnetic turbulence

We study the evolution of kinetic and magnetic energy spectra in magnetohydrodynamic flows in the presence of strong cross helicity. For forced turbulence, we find weak inverse transfer of kinetic energy toward the smallest wavenumber. This is plausibly explained by the finiteness of scale separation between the injection wavenumber and the smallest wavenumber of the domain, which here is a factor of 15. In the decaying case, there is a slight increase at the smallest wavenumber, which is probably explained by the dominance of kinetic energy over magnetic energy at the smallest wavenumbers. Within a range of wavenumbers covering almost an order of magnitude the decay is purely exponential, which is argued to be a consequence of a suppression of nonlinearity due to the presence of strong cross helicity.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2019

The dynamo effect in decaying helical turbulence

We show that in decaying hydromagnetic turbulence with initial kinetic helicity, a weak magnetic field eventually becomes fully helical. The sign of magnetic helicity is opposite to that of the kinetic helicity - regardless of whether or not the initial magnetic field was helical. The magnetic field undergoes inverse cascading with the magnetic energy decaying approximately like t^{-1/2}. This is even slower than in the fully helical case, where it decays like t^{-2/3}. In this parameter range, the product of magnetic energy and correlation length raised to a certain power slightly larger than unity, is approximately constant. This scaling of magnetic energy persists over long time scales. At very late times and for domain sizes large enough to accommodate the growing spatial scales, we expect a cross-over to the t^{-2/3} decay law that is commonly observed for fully helical magnetic fields. Regardless of the presence or absence of initial kinetic helicity, the magnetic field experiences exponential growth during the first few turnover times, which is suggestive of small-scale dynamo action. Our results have applications to a wide range of experimental dynamos and astrophysical time-dependent plasmas, including primordial turbulence in the early universe.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2019

Cloud-droplet growth due to supersaturation fluctuations in stratiform clouds

Condensational growth of cloud droplets due to supersaturation fluctuations is investigated by solving the hydrodynamic and thermodynamic equations using direct numerical simulations with droplets being modeled as Lagrangian particles. The supersaturation field is calculated directly by simulating the temperature and water vapor fields instead of being treated as a passive scalar. Thermodynamic feedbacks to the fields due to condensation are also included for completeness. We find that the width of droplet size distributions increases with time, which is contrary to the classical theory without supersaturation fluctuations, where condensational growth leads to progressively narrower size distributions. Nevertheless, in agreement with earlier Lagrangian stochastic models of the condensational growth, the standard deviation of the surface area of droplets increases as $t^{1/2}$. Also, for the first time, we explicitly demonstrate that the time evolution of the size distribution is sensitive to the Reynolds number, but insensitive to the mean energy dissipation rate. This is shown to be due to the fact that temperature fluctuations and water vapor mixing ratio fluctuations increases with increasing Reynolds number, therefore the resulting supersaturation fluctuations are enhanced with increasing Reynolds number. Our simulations may explain the broadening of the size distribution in stratiform clouds qualitatively, where the mean updraft velocity is almost zero.

physics.ao-ph↗

arXiv2019

Effects of a subadiabatic layer on convection and dynamos in spherical wedge simulations

We consider the effect of a subadiabatic layer at the base of the convection zone on convection itself and the associated large-scale dynamos in spherical wedge geometry. We use a heat conduction prescription based on the Kramers opacity law which allows the depth of the convection zone to dynamically adapt to changes in the physical characteristics such as rotation rate and magnetic fields. We find that the convective heat transport is strongly concentrated toward the equatorial and polar regions in the cases without a substantial radiative layer below the convection zone. The presence of a stable layer below the convection zone significantly reduces the anisotropy of radial enthalpy transport. Furthermore, the dynamo solutions are sensitive to subtle changes in the convection zone structure. We find that the kinetic helicity changes sign in the deeper parts of the convection zone at high latitudes in all runs. This region expands progressively toward the equator in runs with a thicker stably stratified layer.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

Sensitivity to luminosity, centrifugal force, and boundary conditions in spherical shell convection

We test the sensitivity of hydrodynamic and magnetohydrodynamic turbulent convection simulations with respect to Mach number, thermal and magnetic boundary conditions, and the centrifugal force. We find that varying the luminosity, which also controls the Mach number, has only a minor effect on the large-scale dynamics. A similar conclusion can also be drawn from the comparison of two formulations of the lower magnetic boundary condition with either vanishing electric field or current density. The centrifugal force has an effect on the solutions, but only if its magnitude with respect to acceleration due to gravity is by two orders of magnitude greater than in the Sun. Finally, we find that the parameterisation of the photospheric physics, either by an explicit cooling term or enhanced radiative diffusion, is more important than the thermal boundary condition. In particular, runs with cooling tend to lead to more anisotropic convection and stronger deviations from the Taylor-Proudman state. In summary, the fully compressible approach taken here with the Pencil Code is found to be valid, while still allowing the disparate timescales to be taken into account.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2018

Magnetic Helicity Reversal in the Corona at Small Plasma Beta

Solar and stellar dynamos shed small-scale and large-scale magnetic helicity of opposite signs. However, solar wind observations and simulations have shown that some distance above the dynamo both the small-scale and large-scale magnetic helicities have reversed signs. With realistic simulations of the solar corona above an active region now being available, we have access to the magnetic field and current density along coronal loops. We show that a sign reversal in the horizontal averages of the magnetic helicity occurs when the local maximum of the plasma beta drops below unity and the field becomes nearly fully force free. Hence, this reversal is expected to occur well within the solar corona and would not directly be accessible to in-situ measurements with the Parker Solar Probe or SolarOrbiter. We also show that the reversal is associated with subtle changes in the relative dominance of structures with positive and negative magnetic helicity.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2018

Magnetic Helicity from Multipolar Regions on the Solar Surface

The emergence of dipolar magnetic features on the solar surface is an idealization. Most of the magnetic flux emergence occurs in complex multipolar regions. Here, we show that the surface pattern of magnetic structures alone can reveal the sign of the underlying magnetic helicity in the nearly force-free coronal regions above. The sign of the magnetic helicity can be predicted to good accuracy by considering the three-dimensional position vectors of three spots on the sphere ordered by their relative strengths at the surface and compute from them the skew product. This product, which is a pseudoscalar, is shown to be a good proxy for the sign of the coronal magnetic helicity.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2018

Is there a left-handed magnetic field in the solar neighborhood? Exploring helical magnetic fields in the interstellar medium through dust polarization power spectra

The full-sky Planck polarization data at 850um revealed unexpected properties of the E and B mode power spectra of dust emission in the interstellar medium (ISM). The positive cross-correlation between the total dust intensity, T, with the B modes has raised new questions about the physical mechanisms that affect dust polarization, such as the Galactic magnetic-field structure. This is key both to better understanding ISM dynamics and to accurately describing Galactic foregrounds to the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). In this theoretical paper we investigate the possibility that the observed cross-correlations in the dust polarization power spectra, and specifically between T and B, can be related to a parity-odd quantity in the ISM such as the magnetic helicity. We produce synthetic dust polarization data, derived from 3D analytical toy models of density structures and helical magnetic fields, to compare with the E and B modes of observations. Focusing on the observed T-B correlation, we propose a new line of interpretation of the Planck observations based on a large-scale helical component of the Galactic magnetic field in the solar neighborhood. Our analysis shows that: I) the sign of magnetic helicity does not affect E and B modes for isotropic magnetic-field configurations; II) helical magnetic fields threading interstellar filaments cannot reproduce the Planck results; III) a weak helical left-handed magnetic field structure in the solar neighborhood may explain the T-B correlation seen in the Planck data. This work suggests a new perspective for the interpretation of the dust polarization power spectra, which strongly supports the imprint of a large-scale structure of the Galactic magnetic field in the solar neighborhood.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

E and B polarizations from inhomogeneous and solar surface turbulence

Gradient- and curl-type or E- and B-type polarizations have been routinely analyzed to study the physics contributing to the cosmic microwave background polarization and galactic foregrounds. They characterize the parity-even and parity-odd properties of the underlying physical mechanisms, for example hydromagnetic turbulence in the case of dust polarization. Here we study spectral correlation functions characterizing the parity-even and parity-odd parts of linear polarization for homogeneous and inhomogeneous turbulence to show that only the inhomogeneous helical case can give rise to a parity-odd polarization signal. We also study nonhelical turbulence and suggest that a strong nonvanishing (here negative) skewness of the E polarization is responsible for an enhanced ratio of the EE to the BB (quadratic) correlation in both helical and nonhelical cases. This could explain the enhanced EE/BB ratio observed recently for dust polarization. We close with a preliminary assessment of using linear polarization of the Sun to characterize its helical turbulence without being subjected to the pi ambiguity that magnetic inversion techniques have to address.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2018

Magnetism in the Early Universe

Blazar observations point toward the possible presence of magnetic fields over intergalactic scales of the order of up to $\sim1\,$Mpc, with strengths of at least $\sim10^{-16}\,$G. Understanding the origin of these large-scale magnetic fields is a challenge for modern astrophysics. Here we discuss the cosmological scenario, focussing on the following questions: (i) How and when was this magnetic field generated? (ii) How does it evolve during the expansion of the universe? (iii) Are the amplitude and statistical properties of this field such that they can explain the strengths and correlation lengths of observed magnetic fields? We also discuss the possibility of observing primordial turbulence through direct detection of stochastic gravitational waves in the mHz range accessible to LISA.

astro-ph.CO↗