A turbulent dynamo model for the reversed field pinches of plasma

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Abstract
A dynamo model for reversed field pinches (RFP’s) is proposed from the viewpoint of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. This model aims at investigating the sustainment phase of RFP’s, and consists of the mean magnetic induction equation and three equations for the bulk properties of MHD fluctuations, namely, the MHD turbulent energy, its dissipation rate, and the MHD helicity. In particular, the alpha dynamo effect is composed of the familiar alpha term and a new alpha term closely related to inhomogeneity of the field. This model paves the way for explaining the generation and sustainment of alpha and beta effects. Moreover, it can treat finite plasma pressure gradients and fulfill the vanishing of plasma currents at the plasma edge. This model can also be extended to the Earth’s magnetic dynamo model where the mean motion of a fluid plays an important role.