Solar global dynamo and convection simulations

A research team in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Glasgow is using ARCHIE-WeSt to study the solar dynamo. They are seeking to answer questions about two closely related aspects of the sun: the generation of its magnetic field and its differential rotation.

The solar magnetic field fluctuates in its intensity and polarity over an 11-year cycle, causing effects such as geomagnetic storms and auroras around the Earth at the peak of its activity. This magnetic field originates in the convection zone at the outermost layer of the sun. This layer does not rotate around the axis of the sun uniformly, but instead the equator rotates more rapidly and the poles more slowly. The mechanisms giving rise to this phenomenon are not fully understood.

This project aims to use high-resolution, fully 3-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations to construct a self-consistent model of the solar convection zone. The model will reproduce both the observed differential rotation profile and magnetic field, and allow the underlying mechanisms to be determined.

For more information about the project contact Prof. Radostin Simitev (Radostin.Simitev@glasgow.ac.uk) from the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Glasgow.

For a list of the research areas in which ARCHIE-WeSt users are active please click here.