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Summary The large-scale dynamics of convection-driven dynamos in a spherical shell, as relevant to the geodynamo, is analyzed with numerical simulation data and asymptotic theory. An attempt is made to determine the asymptotic size (with the small parameter being the Ekman number, Ek) of the forces, and the associated velocity and magnetic fields. In agreement with previous work, the leading order mean force balance is shown to be thermal wind (Coriolis, pressure gradient, buoyancy) in the meridional plane and Coriolis-Lorentz in the zonal direction. The Lorentz force is observed to be weaker than the mean buoyancy force across a range of Ek and thermal forcing; the relative difference in these forces appears to be O(Ek1/6) within the parameter space investigated. We find that the thermal wind balance requires that the mean zonal velocity scales as O(Ek−1/3), whereas the meridional circulation is asymptotically smaller by a factor of O(Ek1/6). The mean temperature equation shows a balance between thermal diffusion and the divergence of the convective heat flux, indicating the presence of a mean temperature length scale of size O(Ek1/6). Neither the mean nor the fluctuating magnetic field show a strong dependence on the Ekman number, though the simulation data shows evidence of a mean magnetic field length scale of size O(Ek1/6). A consequence of the asymptotic ordering of the forces is that Taylor’s constraint is satisfied to accuracy O(Ek1/6), despite the absence of a leading-order magnetostrophic balance. Further consequences of the force balance are discussed with respect to the large-scale flows thought to be important for the geodynamo.

Numerical simulations are used to investigate large-scale (mean) magnetic field generation in rotating spherical dynamos. Beyond a certain threshold, we find that the magnitude of the mean magnetic field becomes nearly independent of the system rotation rate and buoyancy forcing. The analysis suggests that this saturation arises from the Malkus-Proctor mechanism in which a Coriolis-Lorentz force balance is achieved in the zonal component of the mean momentum equation. When based on the large-scale magnetic field the Elsasser number is near unity in the saturated regime. The results show that the large and small magnetic field saturate via distinct mechanisms in rapidly rotating dynamos, and that only the axisymmetric component of the magnetic field appears to follow an Elsasser number scaling.

Convection is the predominant mechanism by which energy and angular momentum are transported in the outer portion of the Sun. The resulting overturning motions are also the primary energy source for the solar magnetic field. An accurate solar dynamo model therefore requires a complete description of the convective motions, but these motions remain poorly understood. Studying stellar convection numerically remains challenging; it occurs within a parameter regime that is extreme by computational standards. The fluid properties of the convection zone are characterized in part by the Prandtl number Pr = ν/κ, where ν is the kinematic viscosity and κ is the thermal diffusion; in stars, Pr is extremely low, Pr ≈ 10 −7 . The influence of Pr on the convective motions at the heart of the dynamo is not well understood since most numerical studies are limited to using Pr ≈ 1. We systematically vary Pr and the degree of thermal forcing, characterized through a Rayleigh number, to explore its influence on the convective dynamics. For sufficiently large thermal driving, the simulations reach a so-called convective free-fall state where diffusion no longer plays an important role in the interior dynamics. Simulations with a lower Pr generate faster convective flows and broader ranges of scales for equivalent levels of thermal forcing. Characteristics of the spectral distribution of the velocity remain largely insensitive to changes in Pr. Importantly, we find that Pr plays a key role in determining when the free-fall regime is reached by controlling the thickness of the thermal boundary layer.

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