Nonlinear large scale flow in a precessing cylinder and its ability to drive dynamo action

TL;DR

This study combines experiments and simulations to analyze the nonlinear flow in a precessing cylinder, demonstrating its potential to generate magnetic fields through dynamo action at feasible conditions.

Contribution

It provides a detailed characterization of nonlinear precession-driven flows and assesses their capability to induce dynamo action in a large-scale experimental setup.

Findings

Flow exhibits strong nonlinear behavior with standing inertial waves.

Excellent agreement between experiment and simulation in flow patterns.

Dynamo action predicted at magnetic Reynolds number around 430.

Abstract

We have conducted experimental measurements and numerical simulations of a precession driven flow in a cylindrical cavity. The study is dedicated to the precession dynamo experiment currently under construction at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and aims at the evaluation of the hydrodynamic flow with respect to its ability to drive a dynamo. We focus on the strongly nonlinear regime in which the flow is essentially composed of the directly forced primary Kelvin mode and higher modes in terms of standing inertial waves arising from nonlinear self-interactions. We obtain an excellent agreement between experiment and simulation with regard to both, flow amplitudes and flow geometry. A peculiarity is the resonance-like emergence of an axisymmetric mode that represents a double roll structure in the meridional plane. Kinematic simulations of the magnetic field evolution induced by the time-averaged flow yield dynamo action at critical magnetic Reynolds numbers around ${\rm{Rm}}^{\rm{c}}\approx 430$ which is well within the range of the planned liquid sodium experiment.