A simple dynamo caused by conductivity variations

1 March 1992

journal article
research article
Published by Taylor & Francis in Geophysical & Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics

Vol. 64 (1-4) , 135-144
https://doi.org/10.1080/03091929208228087

Abstract

The problem of magnetic field generation by a flow of electrically conducting fluid parallel to a rigid plate is considered. It is shown that growing magnetic fields occur when the plate exhibits variations of the electrical conductivity in the streamwise direction of sufficient strength. In particular the case of sinusoidal variations is studied. The magnetic Reynolds number for dynamo action increases with decreasing conductivity of the plate and with decreasing amplitude of its modulation. Possible applications to geophysical problems are discussed.

Keywords

This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit:

THE NATURE OF THE EARTH'S CORE
Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1990
Equatorial and mid-latitude records of the last geomagnetic reversal from the Atlantic Ocean
Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 1989
Thermal core– mantle interactions
Nature, 1987
Coupling of the core dynamo and mantle: Thermal or topographic?
Geophysical Research Letters, 1986
Invariant and changing transitional field configurations in a sequence of geomagnetic reversals
Nature, 1984