Evolution of Helical Cosmic Magnetic Fields as Predicted by Magnetohydrodynamic Closure Theory

TL;DR

This paper models the evolution of primordial helical magnetic fields using magnetohydrodynamic theory, confirming previous predictions and showing that initial helicity significantly amplifies present-day magnetic field strength.

Contribution

It extends existing evolution equations to include helicity effects and numerically predicts how initial helicity influences magnetic field strength and correlation length today.

Findings

Helical magnetic fields grow in strength over time.

Helical fields are significantly stronger than nonhelical ones today.

Predicted growth laws for correlation length and magnetic strength are confirmed.

Abstract

We extend our recent derivation of the time evolution equations for the energy content of magnetic fields and turbulent motions for incompressible, homogeneous, and isotropic turbulence to include the case of nonvanishing helicity. These equations are subsequently numerically integrated in order to predict the present day primordial magnetic field strength and correlation length, depending on its initial helicity and magnetic energy density. We find that all prior analytic predictions for helical magnetic fields, such as the epoch when they become maximally helical and their subsequent growth of correlation length L ~ a^{1/3} and decrease of magnetic field strength B ~ a^{-1/3} with scale factor a, are well confirmed by the simulations. An initially fully helical primordial magnetic field is a factor 4 10^4 stronger at the present epoch then its nonhelical counterpart when generated during the electroweak epoch.