Local models of stellar convection: Reynolds stresses and turbulent heat transport

TL;DR

This study uses 3D MHD models to analyze how rotation and magnetic fields influence turbulent momentum and heat transport in stellar convection, revealing rotation-dependent stress behaviors and magnetic enhancement effects.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the effects of rotation and magnetic fields on Reynolds stresses and turbulent heat transport in stellar convection, with detailed comparisons to mean-field models.

Findings

Hemispheric differences in horizontal Reynolds stresses related to rotation.

Magnetic fields enhance turbulent stresses without significant quenching.

Radial heat transport peaks at the equator and varies with latitude.

Abstract

We study stellar convection using a local three-dimensional MHD model, with which we investigate the influence of rotation and large-scale magnetic fields on the turbulent momentum and heat transport. The former is studied by computing the Reynolds stresses, the latter by calculating the correlation of velocity and temperature fluctuations, both as functions of rotation and latitude. We find that the horisontal correlation, Q_(theta phi), capable of generating horisontal differential rotation, is mostly negative in the southern hemisphere for Coriolis numbers exceeding unity, corresponding to equatorward flux of angular momentum in accordance with solar observations. The radial component Q_(r phi) is negative for slow and intermediate rotation indicating inward transport of angular momentum, while for rapid rotation, the transport occurs outwards. Parametrisation in terms of the mean-field Lambda-effect shows qualitative agreement with the turbulence model of Kichatinov & R\"udiger (1993) for the horisontal part H \propto Q_(theta phi)/cos(theta), whereas for the vertical part, V \propto Q_(r phi)/sin(theta), agreement only for intermediate rotation exists. The Lambda-coefficients become suppressed in the limit of rapid rotation, this rotational quenching being stronger for the V component than for H. We find that the stresses are enhanced by the presence of the magnetic field for field strengths up to and above the equipartition value, without significant quenching. Concerning the turbulent heat transport, our calculations show that the transport in the radial direction is most efficient at the equatorial regions, obtains a minimum at midlatitudes, and shows a slight increase towards the poles. The latitudinal heat transport does not show a systematic trend as function of latitude or rotation.