Solar and Stellar Dynamos: Saas-Fee Advanced Course 39 Swiss Society for Astrophysics and Astronomy

ISBN-10: 3642320937
ISBN-13: 9783642320934
Category: Science
Pages: 240
Language: English
Published: 2012-11-06
Publisher: Springer
Author: Paul Charbonneau

Description

Astrophysical dynamos are at the heart of cosmic magnetic fields of a wide range of scales, from planets and stars to entire galaxies. This book presents a thorough, step-by-step introduction to solar and stellar dynamos. Looking first at the ultimate origin of cosmic seed magnetic fields, the antagonists of field amplification are next considered: resistive decay, flux expulsion, and flows ruled out by anti-dynamo theorems. Two kinematic flows that can act as dynamos are then studied: the Roberts cell and the CP-flow. Mean-field electrodynamics and derivation of the mean-field dynamo equations lead to the alpha Omega-dynamo, the flux transport dynamo, and dynamos based on the Babcock-Leighton mechanism. Alternatives to the mean-field theory are also presented, as are global MHD dynamo simulations. Fluctuations and grand minima in the solar cycle are discussed in terms of dynamo modulations through stochastic forcing and nonlinear effects. The book concludes with an overview of the major challenges in understanding stellar magnetic fields and their evolution in terms of various dynamo models, global MHD simulations, and fossil fields. Each chapter is accompanied by an annotated bibliography, guiding the readers to the relevant technical literature, which may lead them to carry out their own research in the field of dynamo theory.

Get the book

Similar books

Solar and Stellar Magnetic Activity
By C. J. Schrijver, C. Zwaan
This timely volume provides the first comprehensive review and synthesis of current understanding of magnetic fields in the Sun and similar stars.
Lectures on Solar and Planetary Dynamos
By M. R. E. Proctor, A. D. Gilbert
Comprised of lectures for an intensive course held at the Newton Institute in Cambridge, as part of a NATO Advanced Study Institute, the topics covered within this volume include planetary and solar dynamos, fast dynamos, and the use of ...
Solar-stellar Dynamos as Revealed by Helio- and Asteroseismology: GONG 2008
By Frank Hill, Mausumi Dikpati, Torben Arentoft
"This volume is dedicated to Cliff Toner" -- p. v.
Solar and Stellar Activity Cycles
By Peter R. Wilson
A timely and authoritative synthesis of our understanding of activity cycles in the Sun and similar stars for graduate students and researchers.
Solar and Stellar Magnetic Fields (IAU S354): Origins and Manifestations
By Alexander G. Kosovichev, Klaus Strassmeier, Moira Jardine
This volume benefits graduate students and researchers interested in the recent advances and key problems of solar and stellar magnetic fields, and their impacts on planetary atmospheres.
The Solar Tachocline
By D. W. Hughes, R. Rosner, N. O. Weiss
This volume contains invited reviews from distinguished speakers at the first meeting devoted to the tachocline, held at the Isaac Newton Institute.
The Sun as a Guide to Stellar Physics
By Oddbjørn Engvold, Jean-Claude Vial, Andrew Skumanich
Providing both updates on recent developments in solar physics and applications to stellar physics, this book strengthens the solar–stellar connection and summarizes what we know about the Sun for the stellar, space, and geophysics ...
Lectures on Solar and Planetary Dynamos
By M. R. E. Proctor, A. D. Gilbert
Detailed bibliographies are provided. This book will be welcome reading for graduate students in planetary and solar physics, plasma physics, and astrophysics.
Sunspots and Starspots
By John H. Thomas, Nigel O. Weiss
Written from both an observational and historical perspective, this book is the first to provide a comprehensive combined account of sunspots and starspots.
Solar and Stellar Activity Cycles
By Peter R. Wilson
And what are the implications of chaos theory for stellar cycles? This book answers these questions and offers a timely review of studies in the cyclic activity of the Sun and other stars.