Nonlinear dynamical modeling of solar cycles using dynamo formulation with turbulent magnetic helicity

I. N. Kitiashvili, A. G. Kosovichev

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Variations of the sunspot number are important indicators of the solar activity cycles. The sunspot formation is a result of a dynamo process inside the Sun, which is far from being understood. We use simple dynamical models of the dynamo process to simulate the magnetic field evolution and investigate general properties of the sunspot number variations during the solar cycles. We have found that the classical Parker's model in this formulation with a standard kinetic helicity quenching cannot represent the typical profiles of the solar cycle variations of the sunspot number, and also does not give chaotic solutions. For modeling of the solar cycle properties we use a nonlinear dynamo model of Kleeorin and Ruzmaikin (Dynamics of the mean turbulent helicity in magnetic field. Magnetohydrodynamics, 1982, 18, 116-122), which takes into account the dynamics of the turbulent magnetic helicity. We have obtained a series of periodic and chaotic solutions for different layers of the convective zone. The solutions qualitatively reproduce some basic observational features of the solar cycle properties, in particular, the relationship between the growth time and the cycle amplitude. Also, on the longer time scale the dynamo model with the magnetic helicity has intermittent solutions, which may be important for modeling long-term variations of the solar cycles.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)53-68
Number of pages16
JournalGeophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics
Volume103
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Computational Mechanics
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Geophysics
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Geochemistry and Petrology

Keywords

  • Dynamo
  • Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Solar activity
  • Solar magnetic fields
  • Sunspots
  • Turbulence

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