Small-scale dynamo with finite correlation times.

Fluctuation dynamos occur in most turbulent plasmas in astrophysics and are the prime candidates for amplifying and maintaining cosmic magnetic fields. A few analytical models exist to describe their behavior, but they are based on simplifying assumptions. For instance, the well-known Kazantsev model assumes an incompressible flow that is δ-correlated in time.

Magnetic field amplification in accretion discs around the first stars: implications for the primordial IMF.

Magnetic fields play an important role in the dynamics of present-day molecular clouds. Recent work has shown that magnetic fields are equally important for primordial clouds, which form the first stars in the Universe. While the primordial magnetic field strength on cosmic scales is largely unconstrained, theoretical models strongly suggest that a weak seed field existed in the early Universe.

Comparative statistics of selected subgrid-scale models in large-eddy simulations of decaying, supersonic magnetohydrodynamic turbulence.

Large-eddy simulations (LES) are a powerful tool in understanding processes that are inaccessible by direct simulations due to their complexity, for example, in the highly turbulent regime. However, their accuracy and success depends on a proper subgrid-scale (SGS) model that accounts for the unresolved scales in the simulation. We evaluate the applicability of two traditional SGS models, namely the eddy-viscosity (EV) and the scale-similarity (SS) models, and one recently proposed nonlinear (NL) SGS model in the realm of compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence.

Small-scale dynamo at low magnetic Prandtl numbers.

The present-day Universe is highly magnetized, even though the first magnetic seed fields were most probably extremely weak. To explain the growth of the magnetic field strength over many orders of magnitude, fast amplification processes need to operate. The most efficient mechanism known today is the small-scale dynamo, which converts turbulent kinetic energy into magnetic energy leading to an exponential growth of the magnetic field.

Magnetic field amplification by small-scale dynamo action: dependence on turbulence models and Reynolds and Prandtl numbers.

The small-scale dynamo is a process by which turbulent kinetic energy is converted into magnetic energy, and thus it is expected to depend crucially on the nature of the turbulence. In this paper, we present a model for the small-scale dynamo that takes into account the slope of the turbulent velocity spectrum v(ℓ)proportional ℓ([symbol see text])V}, where ℓ and v(ℓ) are the size of a turbulent fluctuation and the typical velocity on that scale. The time evolution of the fluctuation component of the magnetic field, i.