Cross helicity and related dynamo

TL;DR

This paper explores the role of turbulent cross helicity in magnetic field generation, introducing the cross-helicity dynamo concept and analyzing its unique features and effects in geo/astrophysical flows.

Contribution

It introduces the cross-helicity dynamo mechanism, highlighting its differences from traditional dynamos and discussing its effects on flow and magnetic field structures.

Findings

Cross helicity influences the electromotive force and Reynolds stress tensor.

The cross-helicity dynamo can generate magnetic fields with a finite Lorentz force.

Numerical validation supports the significance of cross helicity in turbulence.

Abstract

The turbulent cross helicity is directly related to the coupling coefficients for the mean vorticity in the electromotive force and for the mean magnetic-field strain in the Reynolds stress tensor. This suggests that the cross-helicity effects are important in the cases where global inhomogeneous flow and magnetic-field structures are present. Since such large-scale structures are ubiquitous in geo/astrophysical phenomena, the cross-helicity effect is expected to play an important role in geo/astrophysical flows. In the presence of turbulent cross helicity, the mean vortical motion contributes to the turbulent electromotive force. Magnetic-field generation due to this effect is called the cross-helicity dynamo. Several features of the cross-helicity dynamo are introduced. Unlike the case in the helicity or $\alpha$ effect, where ${\bf{J}}$ is aligned with ${\bf{B}}$ in the turbulent electromotive force, we in general have a finite mean-field Lorentz force ${\bf{J}} \times {\bf{B}}$ in the cross-helicity dynamo. This gives a distinguished feature of the cross-helicity effect. By considering the effects of cross helicity in the momentum equation, we see several interesting consequences of the effect. Turbulent cross helicity coupled with the mean magnetic shear reduces the effect of turbulent or eddy viscosity. Flow induction is an important consequence of this effect. One key issue in the cross-helicity dynamo is to examine how and how much cross helicity can be present in turbulence. On the basis of the cross-helicity transport equation, its production mechanisms are discussed. Some recent developments in numerical validation of the basic notion of the cross-helicity dynamo are also presented.