Project description
Advancing our understanding of dynamos
It is generally accepted that magnetic fields are created by the motions of conductive fluids – hydromagnetic dynamos. However, little is known about their origin and evolution. What is known is that dynamos arise from interactions of the flow and field on an extremely vast range of space- and timescales. The EU-funded DynMode project will apply an innovative data-driven method from dynamical systems theory to explain the nature of inter-scale non-linear interactions and advance understanding of dynamos. It will create non-linear reduced-order models of astrophysical dynamos representing dynamics on large, medium and small levels. It will explain interactions between small-scale and large-scale dynamos and their non-linear saturation, as well as physics of weak and strong geodynamos.
Objective
Magnetic fields are ubiquitous in the Universe, and are thought to play a key role in evolution of stars, planets, accretion discs and black holes. Although it is generally accepted that these fields are created by the motions of conductive fluids – hydromagnetic dynamos, there is no ab initio predictive theory for their origin and evolution. Because of nonlinear coupling between magnetic field and fluid flow, and also due to extreme parameters of astrophysical objects, dynamos arise from interactions of the flow and field on extremely vast range of space and time scales. This limits the utility of computational approaches.
The DynMode project seeks to elucidate the nature of interscale nonlinear interactions using the novel data-based approach from dynamical systems theory, and to create nonlinear reduced-order models of astrophysical dynamos that represent dynamics on large, intermediate and small scales. This is crucial for our understanding of the operation of astrophysical dynamos. During this Fellowship, we will decompose the data of dynamo flows into dynamically relevant blocks (modes), identify principal nonlinear dynamics and energy exchange among those blocks, and create a reduced-order dynamo model by projecting the flow onto them. By analyzing data sets from self-sustained and convective-driven dynamos in different geometries, we will also address the question of intrinsic dynamo features as compared to influence of secondary physical effects and flow geometry. This approach, applied for the first time in dynamo research, will explain interactions between small-scale and large-scale dynamos and their nonlinear saturation, as well as physics of weak and strong geodynamos.
The project, bringing together physical modelling of the dynamos, study of the flow and magnetic field structures, and innovative data-driven strategy, has a potential to significantly advance the current understanding of dynamos, and impact wider research community in fluid dynamics
Fields of science
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsfluid dynamics
- natural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsdynamical systems
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyastrophysicsblack holes
- natural sciencesmathematicspure mathematicsgeometry
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
LS2 9JT Leeds
United Kingdom