Low MHD turbulence: the role of boundaries

TL;DR

This paper reviews the unique features of low magnetic Reynolds number MHD turbulence, emphasizing the influence of boundaries and homogeneous magnetic fields on flow behavior, especially in bounded domains.

Contribution

It highlights the specific physical mechanisms of low Rm MHD turbulence in bounded domains, focusing on boundary effects and flow two-dimensionality, which are less covered in previous reviews.

Findings

Boundaries significantly influence flow two-dimensionality.

Homogeneous magnetic fields dominate the flow behavior.

Flow characteristics are distinct in bounded versus unbounded domains.

Abstract

In this short review, we present the main known features of MHD Turbulence at Low Magnetic Reynolds number, for which the flow isn't intense nor electrically conductive enough to disturb an externally applied magnetic field. The emphasis is deliberately placed on the very specific physical mechanisms of these flows, rather than their numerical modelling. We also focus on homogeneous magnetic fields which have received most attention. Since the basic properties of these flows have been thoroughly reviewed a number of times, this review is deliberately biased towards flows in bounded domains, in which the tendency to two-dimensionality observed in MHD flows casts the boundaries of the domain into a leading role.