Self-similar hydromagnetic dynamo

M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern

Institute of Thermophysics, Siberian Branch
(Submitted 18 April 1989)
Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 96,1728-1743 (November 1989)
A simple axisymmetric-dynamo mechanism is proposed. It may be pertinent to the generation of
the magnetic fields ofstars and sunspots. The dynamo effect occurs in flows of ajet nature when
the velocity and magnetic induction are inversely proportional to the distance from the origin of
coordinates. There is no contradiction of Cowling's result, since the conditions of the theorem
stating that an axisymmetric dynamo is impossible require a stronger dissipation. In swirling jets,
the bifurcation of a regime with a magnetic field occurs in the direction of smaller Reynolds
numbers, so there is a hysteresis in the transition between a purely hydrodynamic regime and an
MHD regime. The self-generation of a magnetic field may cause a turbulent flow to become
laminar at large Reynolds numbers.

1. INTRODUCTION Observations show that astrophysical jets are usually swirl-

The magnetic fields of the planets and stars are basically ing'' and contain an azimuthal magnetic field component. ''
axisymmetric. It is thus natural to analyze the problem in In the present paper we will see that allowance for swirl-
which these fields are generated through a dynamo effect on ing in the dynamo problem leads to some important new
the basis of axisymmetric solutions of the MHD equations. effects. First, a sufficiently intense rotation will alter the na-
However, Cowling showed1back in 1934that an axisymmet- ture of the magnetic-field bifurcation, from forward to in-
ric hydromagnetic dynamo would be impossible. The proof verse. The transition between the hydrodynamic and MHD
was based on the assumption of closed magnetic field lines, regimes becomes hysteretic. Second, while intense rotation
and Cowling stressed that the proof did not apply to fields in the hydrodynamic regime leads to the development of a
with open lines. A different proof, proposed by Bragin~kii,~ return flow near the axis of the jet, the self-generation of a
contained the condition that the induction falls off no more magnetic field quenches that effect, localizes the rotational
slowly than in inverse proportion to the cube of the distance. motion near the symmetry axis and plane, and sets the stage
In the present paper we examine an axisymmetric problem in for a pronounced swirling without an expansion of the jet.
which those conditions do not hold. These conclusions agree with observations of high rotation
We seek a solution in a conical self-similar class in velocities and highly collimated jets. "
which the velocity and the magnetic induction are inversely The mechanism proposed here for the generation of a
proportional to the distance from the origin of coordinates. magnetic field appears to be the simplest mechanism which
The MHD equations allow solutions of this type. For the has been proposed to date. At the same time, it may be char-
Navier-Stokes equations, analytic solutions found by Lan- acteristic of a wide class of flows.
dau3 and Squire4 to describe jets of a viscous and incom-
2. SELF-SIMILAR CLASS
pressible fluid are well known and fall in this class. In the
case of a conducting liquid, the solution of the problem of the In this section of the paper we consider steady-state
flow caused by a spherically symmetric current flowing out flows of a viscous, incompressible, conducting fluid with
of a point electrode at the boundary of a half-space and sev- constant physical properties. We seek a solution of the MHD
eral other problems also belong to this claw5 equations1 in the self-similar class for which the velocity
The nature of the motion of the continuous medium in field and the field of the magnetic induction can be repre-
which we are interested here is quite typical. Kinematic sented as follows in the spherical coordinate system (r,8,p):
structures of the vortex-ring type are elements of many spe-
cific flows, in particular, thermal convection (BCnard cells).
If the motion is sufficiently intense, the velocity field in to-
roidal structures can be approximated fairly well by distri- x=cos 0, (1 )
butions from the conical class, except in small regions adja- ---, BO' (2)
Br - B e = - - ,B@ (2) B , = -BL
. (2)
cent to immobile points. r r sin 0 r sin 0
According to the results found here, the self-similar
The prime means differentiation with respect to x , v is the
cores of such convection cells can serve as magnetic-field
kinematic viscosity, and B is a normalization constant which
generators in the case of a conducting fluid.
is to be determined. The condition that the velocity and in-
Intense jets have been observed comparatively recently
duction fields be solenoidal is satisfied automatically in class
near young stars and galactic A hydrodynamic
( 1). When we substitute ( 1) into the other MHD equations,
model for these flows based on Squire's solution was pro-
cancel out the common factor r P 3 ,and carry out some sim-
posed in Refs. 8 and 9. In jets of this type, conditions favor ple manipulations, we find the following system of ordinary
the self-generation of a magnetic field. Preliminary results
differential equations:
on nonswirlingjets were reported in Ref. 10, where the possi-
ble appearance of a poloidal induction was demonstrated. (1-2') yf+2xy-y2/2=F-S(D2/2, (2)

975 Sov. Phys. JETP 69 (5), November 1989 0038-5646/89/110975-10$04.00 @ 1990 American Institute of Physics 975
 From this point of view, solution ( 11) acquires an un-
expected property: At a finite and indeed quite moderate
Reynolds number Re = Re. = 7.67 (Ref. 13) the velocity at
the axis of the jet becomes infinite. The mathematical reason
is that the root of the function in braces in ( 11), which lies
outside the interval [O,1] at small values of Re, approaches
The auxiliary function F i s introduced in the course of the interval boundary x = 1 as Re approaches its critical
the transformations associated with the elimination of the value Re.. If we formally let Re become larger than Re., we
pressure and the triple integration of the equation for the find that the function y ( x ) acquires a pole in the interval
angular part of the meridional stream function y(x).I3 The [O,11, and solution ( 11) loses physical meaning.
dimensionless Batchelor number Bt characterizes the prop- The effect which arises as Re-Re. is analogous to a
erties of the medium and is the ratio of the kinematic viscos- convergence. The convective transport of momentum to-
ity to the magnetic viscosity Y , . The parameter S is a mea- ward the symmetry axis begins to outweigh the viscous diffu-
sure of the intensity of the magnetic induction. sion, and a self-focusingoccurs. The tendency of the velocity
We will be discussing a bipolar jet generated by a vor- of a jet to become infinite at a rather moderate accretion rate
tex-sink motion of the medium in the x = 0 plane. In this agrees well with the high velocities observed for astrophys-
formulation of the problem,' it is assumed that the following ical jets. On the other hand, the appearance of infinite veloc-
values are given: ities is evidence that the particular employed model of the
medium is failing. As we will show below, however, we can
retain our model and even the self-similar class if we deal
These quantities characterize the intensity of the motion. In with the possible onset of turbulence in the flow in an appro-
addition, we impose the symmetry conditions priate way. First, however, we will discuss the laminar case.

3.2. Linear stage of a dynamo

in the plane, and we will consider only the half-space If we analyze the dynamo problem in the linear approxi-
o<x< 1. mation, ignoring the effect of the generated magnetic field on
By virtue of ( 1), the requirement that the velocity and the original flow, we find that the problem reduces to one of
induction be bounded at the symmetry axis means finding nontrivial solutions of Eq. ( 3 ) for a given function
y ( x ) . Substituting ( 11) into (3), we find an equation in
which the coefficients depend on the two parameters Re and
It then follows from ( 2 ) that we have F(1) = 0. Differ- Bt. Since the solution is defined within an arbitrary factor
entiating (2), and using ( 9 ) , we find (because the problem is linear), we choose the normaliza-
tion condition @'( 1) = - 1. Integrating (3) as a Cauchy
problem, starting at x = 1, we then find @'(0). With Bt = 0
Since system (2)-(6) is oftenth order, the set ofbound- wehave@= 1 - x a n d G 1 ( 0 ) = - 1.InthelimitBt-m,in
ary conditions in (7)-(10) closes the problem. Since the the case y ( x ) 20, the frozen-in condition holds in the limit:
equations and the boundry conditions for the magnetic in- @=-y(x)/y1(1), @'(O)=-yf(O)/y'(1).
duction are homogeneous, a purely hydrodynamic solution
with @ = L=O is possible. The dynamo problem is one of Let us assume that the function y ( x ) has a single maximum,
seeking a nontrivial solution for @ and L. We begin with the
particular case I', = 0. -
which is reached in the interval [O,11; this assumption is
valid for ( 11) . We then have G' ( 0 ) > 0 as Bt co . Since the
functional dependence on the parameter Bt is continuous,
3. NONSWlRLlNG JET we find that value of this parameter which corresponds to
3.1. Collapse in a Squire flow the condition @'(O) = 0. Numerical calculations confirm
In the absence of rotation, the problem simplifies great- that such a value exists and is unique.
ly. Equations (4) and ( 5 ) have solutions I'= L =0. It fol- The results of the calculations are shown by curve I in
lows from ( 6 ) that we have F'" = 0; using the boundary con- Fig. 1. Let us assume that the properties ofthe medium (i:e.,
ditions we find Bt) are fixed and that the intensity of the motion is charac-
terized by a magnetic Reynolds number Re, = Bt.Re.
What happens as Re, is increased? In region I there is only
the purely hydrodynamic regime; on ray 2 (Re, = 7.67Bt),
With S = 0, Eq. ( 2 ) has the analytic solution4 this regime disappears; and on curve I it loses stability as a
y=Re. (1-x) { x c l g [ x l n ( l + x ) ]-'I,)-', x=*I2(2Re-I)'". result of a bifurcation of the MHD regime. The critical val-
(11) ues of Re, lie in the narrow interval between Re*, = 3.5 as
Squire assumed that this solution describes a sub- Bt- co (the dashed asymptote) and Re: = 1.74 at
merged jet issuing from a small aperture in a wall, but that Bt = 0.226 (point K).
interpretation is not correct, since the adhesion condition
3.3. Nonlinear stage; asymptotic behavior
does not hold at the wall. The solution is more suitable for an
air jet above a water sink in a tank and constitutes a very In the nonlinear case, Eqs. ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) must be inte-
simple model for the astrophysical jets which are observed grated jointly. We introduce the normalization @(O) = 1.
near young stars and galactic nuclei.x39 We can then write S as A1.Re2, where the Alfvtn number

976 Sov. Phys. JETP 69 (5), November 1989 M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern 976
 FIG. 2. The Alfven number and the axial velocity u,, = - y ' ( 1 ) versus the
FIG. 1. Map of regimes for a nonswirling jet. H ) Purely hydrodynamic Reynolds number (T,, = 0, Bt = 0.25). The inset is a diagram of (solid
regime; M) MHD regime; L) laminar regime, T ) turbulent regime. Stable arrows) streamlines and (dashed lines) magnetic field lines.
regimes are in boldface. Region I-HL only; 11-HL and MHL; 111-HT
and MHL; IV-HT and MHT; V-HT.

singular) and is a parameter to be determined. We found it,

along with Al, by trial and error, working from the condi-
tions y ( 0 ) = Q'(0) = 0. We then renormalized @ ( x ) and
characterizes the ratio of the magnetic energy to the kinetic A1 in order to satisfy the condition @(O) = 1. We left the
energy at the x = 0 plane. Equation ( 2 ) can be rewritten as parameters Bt and Re adjustable. Figure 2 shows the results
of a calculation for a fixed value of the Batchelor number. At
small values of Re, the regime is purely hydrodynamic. As
Re is increased, the axial velocity increases rapidly, and in
(12) the absence of a field it becomes infinite at Re = 7.67. At the
We assume Re- w ,whiley ( x ) remains a bounded function. smaller value Re = 7.56, however, a forward fork bifurca-
We then have @-@ = 1 - x, and from ( 3 ) we find tion of the MHD regime occurs. According to the general
y-y, = CQp. This external solution does not satisfy the theory,I4if the initial regime is stable, then in this situation it
condition y ( 0 ) = 0, so a boundary layer is formed near the will lose the stability, which the new regime will inherit.
plane. We introduce the internal variables Actually, there are two new regimes, which differ only in the
sign of the magnetic induction. The bifurcation remains soft
at all values of Bt. As Re is increased, the fraction of the
Using them in (3 ) and ( 12), and letting Re go to infinity, we kinetic energy which converts into magnetic energy in-
find the equations of the boundary layer: creases rapidly. The axial velocity accordingly falls off
sharply. At Re% 1, the numerical results agree with the
asymptotic behavior described above. Accordingly, if a lam-
inar hydrodynamic regime does not exist at sufficiently large
These equations have the solution values of Re (above line 2 in Fig. 1) , the MHD solution can
be continued into the region of arbitrarily large Reynolds
numbers.
The last equality follows from the requirement that q,
remain bounded as 7.1+ w . 3.5. Elementary mechanism
Working from the external and internal solutions, we The observed self-generation of a magnetic field in a
can construct a uniform approximation: convergent jet flow can be explained at a qualitative level. A
converging flow causes the field lines to move closer together
near the axis. The result, however, is not a dynamo but sim-
ply a transport, since the number of field lines does not
change. The dynamo effect itself arises from the following
The electric current density j is proportional to circumstance. We assume that we are given an initial pertur-
( 1 - x 2 )' I 2 ~ e exp(
m - Re, x ) , so there is no current out- bation of the magnetic field with an induction which is di-
side a small neighborhood of the plane, and a current sheet rected along the symmetry axis. We consider a fluid conduc-
forms near the plane. The fact that the limiting value of A1 is tor in the form of a torus near the equatorial plane. The flow
equal to Bt means that energy is lost to equal degrees transports and squeezes the torus towards the axis. As a re-
through viscous and Joule dissipation. sult of crossing field lines, an aximuthal electric current is
excited in the torus. This current induces a magnetic field,
3.4. Nonlinear stage; calculations
which is in the same direction as the original field near the
Equations ( 12) and ( 13) were integrated from x = 1 to axis. There is accordingly a positive feedback. Furthermore,
x = 0. At x=1 we imposed the values the velocity increases toward the axis; this increase intensi-
@ ( I )= ( y ) l = O , Q f ( l ) = - 1,y1(l). The latter quantity fies the effect.
cannot be found from Eq. (12) (since the point x = 1 is If the conductivity of the medium is low, however, the

977 Sov. Phys. JETP 69 (5),November 1989 M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern 977
intensification of the induction is suppressed by Joule dissi-
pation and by magnetic field diffusion. The dissipation
As is shown below, the quantity q is determined from
mechanisms may be dominant at an arbitrary conductivity if
the conditions of the problem and thus does not require any
the induction falls off sufficiently rapidly with increasing
empirical information (in contrast with Refs. 8 and 19).
distance, e.g., ccrP3; this is the content of the Cowling
This circumstance is an advantage of the present approach.
theorem. If the decrease is slow, however, as in the case at
Condition ( 14) is thus adopted as the condition under
hand, the gradients (and hence the diffusion flux) are small,
which the jet is turbulent. If, as the parameters are varied,
so a dynamo effect becomes possible even at magnetic Reyn-
the value found for q falls below four, we need to return to
olds numbers on the order of unity. Once a significant frac-
the laminar formulation. Actually, the onset of turbulence
tion of the kinetic energy has converted into magnetic ener-
should occur at Reynolds numbers lower than those at
gy, and the flow has slowed down, a balance is struck, and
which the laminar regime is lost, but we will ignore this dis-
the steady-state regime in which we are interested here is
tinction in the present model.
established. At Re, $1, the field generation is localized in
In our interpretation of Squire solution ( 11) and of its
the current sheet near the plane; outside this sheet, the flow
generalizations to the case of swirling and MHD flows, the
and the magnetic field are potential, and the streamlines co-
part of the jet near the axis is assumed to be induced by a
incide with field lines.
convergent external flow. Accordingly, when the turbulent
A convergent flow is an important condition for the
dynamo effect. When the velocity field is reversed, and the cone collapses, the axis should not be the source of an axial
component of the momentum for the external flow. The total
flow becomes a descending, spreading flow, no bifurcation of
the MHD solution is observed. There is no generation of a flux of the axial component of the momentum through a unit
magnetic field, even in a Landau jet. area of the lateral surface of the cone can be written as fol-
lows after some simple but lengthy calculations (similar to
4.TURBULENT JET those which were carried out in Ref. 8; see also Ref. 2 1) :

4.1. Approximationof a narrow jet w2 1-x2

If Bt > 0.226, the laminar hydrodynamic regime is lost
nZe= r sin 0 [F-xF' --
2
at a value of Re lower than that at which the MHD solution
Requiring that the expression in square brackets vanish
undergoes bifurcation. Since the molecular Batchelor
numbers are usually extremely small ( - under both at x = 1, as it must if II,, is to be bounded, we find
technological conditions5 and astrophysical conditions,I5
this case deserves special study. We know16 that jets lose
stability even at small Reynolds numbers, so it is reasonable It follows from Eq. ( 3 ) that with y ( 1 ) = q#O the solu-
to suggest that the loss of existence is preceded by a loss of tion near x = 1 is
stability and the onset of turbulence in the jet. The experi-
ments of Refs. 17 and 18 show that in submerged jets the
region of turbulent motion is inside a cone with a small ver- under the assumption y < 1 (in the case at hand, this condi-
tex angle. A model for turbulence with a vortex viscosity tion holds, as we will see below). We then have @ ( 1) = 0.
which is piecewise-constant along the angular scale was used As a consequence of ( 2 ) we have the further condition
in Refs. 8 and 9. In the turbulent region near the axis, the
viscosity is high, while outside this region the viscosity is the
molecular viscosity. This model revealed an unexpected FromEq. ( 4 ) wefindT1(l) = O , b u t t h e v a l u e o f r ( l )
phenomenon: the spontaneous onset of a rotational motion. for the external solution may be nonzero. The function L ( x )
However, empirical data on the value of the vortex viscosity can be written as follows near x = 1, according to (5):
were used in those studies. In the present paper we are taking
a different approach, which is conceptually similar to one
proposed by Schneider.I9 Since the turbulent cone is quite
We thus have L ( 1) = 0, and the last term in ( 15) can be
narrow, we use the simplification that the vertex angle of the
discarded.
cone is zero. We know that a jet, particularly if turbulent,
will expel the surrounding fluid, which flows into the turbu- 4.2. Expulsion of turbulent jet
lent region. Accordingly, in assuming the vertex angle of the
We first consider the purely hydrodynamic problem
turbulent cone to be zero we should assume that there are
with @ = L = 0. Under the condition T'( 1) = 0, Eq. ( 4 )
sinks for the fluid at the axis.
has the solution r =const, so we have F ( 1) = r,. Equation
At Re = Re,, at which the laminar solution ceases to
( 6 ) then reduces to F" = 0. By virtue of ( 2 ) and ( 7 ) we have
exist, the root and pole in the function y ( x ) coincide at the
F ( 0 ) = Re; two more conditions follow from ( 15) and ( 17),
point x = 1. In this case, y(1) acquires a finite value
so we can write an explicit expression for F. As a result, Eq.
y ( 1) = 4, as follows from Eq. ( 2 ) with the conditions
( 2 ) takes the form
F( 1) = @( 1) = 0 and directly from solution ( 11). This sit-
uation corresponds to that in which the expulsion per unit
axis length is % m y (1) = 837-v for a Schlichting jet. The ex-
pulsion of a turbulent jet is greater than that of a laminar jet,
and it increases with the Reynolds number.20For a turbulent
jet we thus assume In this case the function y ( x ) must satisfy the conditions

978 Sov. Phys. JETP 69 (9,November 1989 M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern 978
y( 1 ) = q, y ( 0 ) = 0. Differentiating ( 18 ), and substituting Re*. The results calculated with r, = 0 correspond to curve
X = l , y = q , wefind 4 in Fig. 1. The critical value of Re, thus increases as we
move away from point K in the direction of either increasing

In integrating ( 18) fromx = 1 to x = 0 , we must satisfy

the condition y ( 0 ) = 0;for this purpose, a special choice of q
-
or decreasing Bt. However, while Re: remains finite as
Bt cc , it increases without bound as Bt -0. Let us find the
asymptotic Re: (Bt) at Bt < 1 . For this purpose we use the
is required. The rate at which the surrounding fluid is ex- potential solution ( 2 0 )in Eq. ( 3 ) .The coefficients here now
pelled by the turbulent jet is thus found as a function of the depend on the two parameters S and a = Btg. The relation-
parameters Re and r,. ship between them is found from the requirement that ( 3 )
At Re$1, the functional dependence q(Re,r,) can be have a nontrivial solution. By virtue of its meaning, the pa-
determined explicitly through an asymptotic analysis. As Re rameter S varies between 0 and l. The nature of the function
increases, we would expect an increase in q and thus in the a ( S ) is shown by the following data:
function y ( x ) . Ignoring the terms which are linear in y on
the left side of ( 1 8 ) and also the first term on the right side
[as we must in order to keep y ( x ) real at x < 11, we find In particular, with r, = 0 we find, using ( 2 2 ) , the
y ( x ) z y , ( x )in the core of the flow, where asymptotic behavior for curve 4 in Fig. 1 :

The function y, ( x ) satisfies the conditions y, ( 1) = q in complete agreement with the results of the calculation.
and ( 19) at the axis; it also satisfiesthe condition y, ( 0 ) = 0. The existence of a circulation increases the coefficient in
The function y', ( x ) ,however, has a square-root singularity ( 2 3 ) ,but not beyond 1.477.
at x = 0, telling us that there is an infinite radial velocity.
Since we must have y ' ( 0 ) = Re, a boundary layer forms near 4.4. Return to laminar flow
the x = 0 plane. The turbulent MHD regime with T,,= 0 is found as a
Introducing the internal variables 7 = ~ e ' / ' x , y solution of Eq. ( 3 ) and Eq. ( 2 ) ,written in the form
= Re'I2w, using them in Eq. ( 18), letting Re go to infinity, ( I - ~ Z y) ' + 2 ~ y - y 2 / 2 = (1-2)' Re- (q/2) (q-4)x
and assuming that the quantity ( 1 / 2 ) g ~ ~ e=- b~remains
/~ -i/2A1.HeZ [ 0 2 -(1-2) '1. (24)
bounded in the limit (this condition is necessary in order to
match the internal and external solutions), we find an equa- Since @ ' ( X Iis not bounded at the point x = 1 , the inte-
tion for the boundary layer near the axis: gration is again carried out starting at the point x , , where Q
and Q' are given by ( 161, but now the constant Q , is an

-
In the limit 7 CU, the solution tends toward the function
w = + ( 2 b 7 )' I 2 . It is easy to see that for arbitrary b the
unknown and is to be found from the condition Q ( 0 ) = 1. It
+
follows from ( 2 4 ) that we have y'( 1 ) = 2 ( q - 4 ) / 2 . At
x , the quantity y ( x ) is calculated from the expression
solution asymptotically approaches the branch y ( x , ) = q - y l ( l ) ( l - x , ) . After integrating to x=O, we
w = - (2617)' I 3 , while in order to reconcile the results with need y ( 0 ) = 0 and Q ' ( 0 ) = 0; these conditions are arranged
( 2 0 ) we must have w- ( 2 6 7 ) ' / ' . We can arrange this only through a suitable choice of q and Al. This algorithm is ap-
through a special choice of b. A calculation yields plicable under the condition y < 1 . At a fixed value of Bt the
b = 0.6876; we then find the asymptotic dependence maximum of y is reached along with the maximum of q [see
( 16) 1. As Re increases, the quantity q also increases asymp-
totically, according to ( 2 2 ) (at T o = 0 we haveg = q ) . After
It follows from ( 2 2 ) and ( 2 0 ) that if q is to remain the transition to the MHD regime, however, the induction
larger than four the circulation To must not be too large. weakens the jet, and the value of q in fact decreases as Re
Specifically, we know8 that a sufficiently large circulation increases further. The maximum value of q is therefore
will cause an expansion of a turbulent cone and even a van- reached at the bifurcation point (curve 4 in Fig. 1 ). On this
ishing of the flux near the axis. Under these conditions, the curve, the value of y decreases from 0.464 at point K to the
approximation of a narrow turbulent jet is not appropriate. asymptotic value 0.436 determined from ( 161, ( 2 2 ) , and
( 2 3 ) .The condition y < 1 thus holds.
4.3. Turbulent dynamo The decrease in q with increasing Re with Bt = const
To determine the boundary of the bifurcation of the has the consequence that at a certain Re the value q = 4 is
MHD regime, we must choose one of the parameters Bt, r,, reached. For large values of Re there exists a laminar solu-
Re in such a way that there exists a nontrivial solution of Eq. tion which satisfies the condition y ( 1 ) = 0. The lower
( 3 ) .We fix Bt and r, in some arbitrary way, and we seek a boundary on the existence of the laminar MHD regime, de-
critical value of Re. The function y ( x ) is determined inde- termined by the condition q = 4, corresponds to curve 3 in
pendently as a solution of Eq. ( 1 8 ) , and ( 3 ) is integrated Fig. 1. If this boundary is approached from above, the results
starting at the point x = x , = 1 - ~ ( O < e g l ) ,at which are the same as when line 2 is approached from below, except
Q ( x ,) and Q' ( x ,) are specified in accordance with asympto- that the induction is nonzero and becomes infinite at the axis
tic representation ( 16). By virture of the linearity and ho- along with the longitudinal velocity. The scheme for the on-
mogeneity of the problem for Q ( x ) ,we can set Q , = 1. As a set of turbulence described in Subsection 4.1 is thus equally
result, an integration of ( 3 ) to x = 0 should be carried out: applicable to the transition from region I11 to IV in Fig. 1 .
Q ' ( 0 ) = 0. This result serves as a condition for determining According to the model which we have adopted, we can

979 Sov. Phys. JETP 69 (5), November 1989 M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern 979
draw the following scenario of transitions with increasing Re
at a fixed Bt < 0.226. At small Reynolds numbers the flow is
purely hydrodynamic and laminar. When Re passes through
7.67 (line 2 in Fig. 1) the flow becomes turbulent but re-
mains purely hydrodynamic. With a further increase in Re
(on line 4), there is a bifurcation of the magnetic field, and
the MHD regime which arises is turbulent. At even larger
Reynolds numbers (on curve 3 ) ,however, the turbulence in
the axial part of the jet is suppressed, and the MHD regime
becomes laminar.
According to the calculations, curve 3 has the asymp-
tote Re, = 2.52 Bt-'I2, so at Bt 1 there exists a fairly wide
range of Reynolds numbers [cf. (23) 1 at which the M H D
regime is turbulent.
FIG. 3. Map of regimes for vortex jets. T o the right of T a r e turbulent
In the case of a swirling jet, the turbulent MHD regime regimes, and to the left are laminar regimes. S-Boundary for the appear-
is calculated by integrating system (2)-(6) starting at the ance of a return flow near the axis; B,, B,-lines of bifurcation of the
point x , and by using relations (16) and (18) to determine M H D regime with Bt = 1 and 0.12; K-boundary between a forward bi-
furcation (on the right) and an inverse bifurcation; F,,F,-boundaries of
the initial values of @, L, and their derivatives. The quanti- the projection of the A1 (Re,T,,) surfaces for Bt = 1 and 0.12, respective-
ties F and F' are found from ( 15) and ( 17); and we use ly; S , , S,-projections of lines onto these surfaces, which separate multi-
y ( x , ) = q - y l ( l ) ( l - x ) , where y'(1) = 2 - F 1 ( l ) / q . The cell and ascending regimes; L2-projection of the boundary for the con-
,
values of @ ,, L , T ( 1), q, and A1 are found from the condi-
version of the M H D regime into a laminar regime for Bt = 0.12. The
insets show diagrams of the flow regimes.
tions @(O) = 1, L ( 0 ) = 0, T ( 0 ) = To, y ( 0 ) = 0,
@'(0) = 0. The boundary at which there is a transition back
to the laminar regime is identified by the value q = 4. The
results of these calculations are presented below. As Re is reduced at T, = const, the flow goes from an
The fact that a magnetic field stabilizes the flow and ascending regime (in the region between curves T and S)
suppresses turbulence is itself well known.22An unusual as- into a two-cell regime (between S a n d the axis Re = 0; see
pect of the effect observed here is that it is achieved not by an the insets in Fig. 3). In the limit Re-0, the eigenfunction
external magnetic field but by an intrinsic self-induced mag- @ ( x ) becomes a 8-function (Fig. 4 ) , and Bt* tends toward
netic field. infinity. Under the condition T o g o , the quantity Re: also
tends toward infinity. At Re < 0 the flow regime is descend-
5. SWIRLING JET
ing, and no bifurcation of the M H D regime is observed.
5.1. Collapse of a swirling jet
In the case T,#0 [see ( 7 ) 1, qualitative changes occur 5.3. Asymptotic behavior for a slightly swirling MHD regime
both in the original hydrodynamic regime and in the nature Let us consider the situation as Re- m , but T0<Re.
of the bifurcation of the magnetic field. The presence of Under these conditions, the asymptotic analysis can be ex-
swirling leads, in particular, to an increase in the critical tended to swirling flows. Since the rotation is assumed to be
Reynolds number Re., at which the laminar solution is lost. slight, the results for y,@, and A1 derived in Subsection 3.3
Curve T i n Fig. 3 shows the Re. ( T o ) behavior. (Since the remain in force. Working from Eq. (4), assuming that the
sign of To does not affect the nature of the meridional mo- circulation and its derivatives in the core of the flow are
tion, the line T, = 0 serves as a symmetry axis.) Laminar bounded, and using S = ~ l . R e we ~ , find L = L, = const.
solutions exist in the region to the left of curve T. Extending Making use of the constancy of L in the core of the flow and
the approach of the preceding section to the case of swirling relations ( 1 3 ) , we can derive from ( 5 ) (under the assump-
jets, we assume that a turbulent regime with y ( 1) = 9 2 4 and tion R e B l ) an equation for the circulation:
T ( x ) = T,, prevails in the region to the right of T. In the limit (1 - x 2 ) r ' = 2 ( r - L , ) . Hence r, = C ( 1 + x ) / ( l - x )
Re- m, curve T has (22) as an asymptote; in view of the + L,.
value q = 4, we can assume g = r,.

5.2. Linear dynamo

In the case at hand, it is convenient to formulate this
problem in the following way: For each given hydrodynamic
regime, characterized by the parameters Re and To, i.e., for
each point in the plane of Fig. 3, we are to find a value
Bt = Bt* at which Eq. ( 3 ) with boundary conditions ( 8 ) ,
(9) has a nontrivial solution. Calculations show that the
function Bt* (Re,r,) is a monotonically decreasing function
as R increases, for any T, = const, and it is a monotonically
increasing function with increasing 1 I?,) under the condition
Re = const. When projected onto the {Re,T,) plane, the
contour lines Bt* = const correspond to curves B , and B, FIG. 4. Changes in the meridional flow and in the eigenfunction @ ( x ) as
(Bt* = 1 and 0.12). R isreducedat r,,= 10. I-Re = 7.5, Bt* = 1; 2-Re = 2.5, Bt* = 21.3.

980 Sov. Phys. JETP 69 (5), November 1989 M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern 980
 We now consider the boundary layer near the plane.
Introducing the internal variables 7 = xRe and I = L Re,
and taking the limit Re-. C O , we find from ( 4 ) and ( 5 )
r " = - I 1 , 1" = - r ' , o r l ' " = 1 ' .

-
Since we have I(0) = 0, and since 1must be bounded in
the limit 77 co , we find
L=L, [ I - e s p ( - q ) ] , r=C,-L, e s p ( - q ) Re.
-
From the condition r +0 as 77 co we find C, = 0, and from
r ( 0 ) = I?, we find L, = - To/Re. Reconciling solutions
r(7)and r, (x), we find

The function r, has a pole at x = 1, so a boundary layer FIG. 6 . Comparison of the distributions of the circulation and of the azi-
forms near the axis. Introducing the variables muthal induction in the case Bt = 1, T,,= I , Re = 14 (A1 = 0.85) found
by direct calculation (the solid lines) and from asymptotic expressions
(25) (the dashed lines).

and substituting them into ( 4 ) and (5), we find, in the limit

Re- C C ,
Figure 6 compares these asymptotic representations
with the results of a direct calculation.
This analysis shows that the azimuthal magnetic field is
uniformly weak throughout the flow region and is on the
order of roRe-'. The circulation is on the same order of
Working from the last equation, using the requirement magnitude in the core. The rotation of the medium in the
r; ( f ) -0 as f - co , and reconciling with the potential solu- plane causes a swirling of only the close-lying layers of liq-
tion in the core, we find C, = - 1. It then follows, by virtue uid, which are transported by the meridional flow to the
of I. ( 0 ) = 0, that we have (0) = 1. We integrate the origin of coordinates and are then carried off by the jet near
equation for the circulation once: the axis. The diffusion of the circulation from the plane and
from the swirling jet near the axis is suppressed.

The quantity T; (0) is an independent parameter, which is 5.4. Effect of rotation on the translation back to a laminar
determined from the requirement that r. be bounded as regime
f - CC. A calculation yields r2 ( 0 ) = 1.57; Fig. 5 shows the The boundary conditions for the transition from a tur-
functions r. and I.. Both the circulation and the azimuthal bulent MHD regime to a laminar one were formulated in
component of the induction reach maxima at the axis. The Subsection 4.4. Specifically, we have y ( 1 ) = 4, y f ( l )
maximum value of the circulation is half the value of the = 2 - r:/8, r ( 1 ) = r , r ' ( 1 ) = F ( 1 ) = F ' ( 1 ) = 0. The
circulation at the plane, and it is reached at f = 1.42. parameters S, @ ,, L ,, r ,, and F " ( 1) are found from the
On the basis of the distributions found in the core and in conditions cP'(0) = 0, Q ( 0 ) = 1, L ( 0 ) = 0, r ( 0 ) = To,
the boundary layers, we can construct uniform asymptotic y ( 0 ) = 0. We can then calculate Re and Al. Figure 3 shows
representations: the results of a calculation for Bt = 0.12 (curve L,).
r=r,[exp (-Re,x) +xr* (t)I , The swirling facilitates a transition to a laminar regime.
(25) With increasing To, the value of Re and A1 at which a lami-
L = r o Re-' [esp (-Re, x ) -1. (t;) j . nar solution is restored decrease. If the rotation is sufficient-
ly pronounced, the flow near the axis is laminar. The region
of turbulent MHD regimes is bounded by B, and L,,which
intersect on line T.

5.5. Inverse bifurcation

If the rotation is weak, the bifurcation of the MHD re-
gime is direct (soft). A new solution exists only for Re > Re*
(Fig. 2 ) . If rois sufficiently large, however, the bifurcation
becomes inverse, and the derivative d Re/d A1 changes sign
at Re = Re*, becoming negative. The change in the sign of
d Re/d Al occurs on curve K (Fig. 3 ) , i.e., at a moderate
swirling, while the original flow is laminar and ascending.
The critical Reynolds numbers Re* during the inverse
FIG. 5. Distributions of ( I ) the circulation r, and (2) the azimuthal (hard) bifurcation cannot be determined by the linear ap-
induction I, in the boundary layer near the axis in the case Re> 1. proach.

981 Sov. Phys. JETP 69 (5), November 1989 M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern 981
 is as shown by the arrows in Fig. 7 for To = 10 and Re = 7.5.
The structure of these three solutions is clear from Fig. 8.
Solution 2, shown by the dashed lines, is unstable. The
corresponding point in the phase space belongs to a separa-
trix which separates regions of attraction toward solutions I
and 3. At small values of the Alfvkn number, the structure of
the solutions undergoes important changes. For the curve
r, = 20 (Fig. 7), for example, in the region between the
point of intersection with the A1 = 0 plane and point I we
have a two-cell regime (see the inset in Fig. 3 !. Above point
I , in a small neighborhood of the axis, the flow becomes
ascending, and we go into a three-cell regime. As A1 is in-
creased, the central cell becomes progressively narrower,
and it disappears at point 2, above which the flow is of a
single-cell, ascending nature on the entire T,, = 20 curve. At
FIG. 7. Transition from a soft bifurcation of the M H D regime to a hard Bt = 1, these metamorphoses occur on the lower part of the
bifurcation with an intensification of the swirling with Bt = 1. Curves 0,5, Al(Re,T,) surface, that corresponds to unstable solutions.
10, 20 correspond to r,,= 0, 5, 10, 20. Here F,,B , , and K have the same With decreasing Bt, however, the line which separates the
meaning as in Fig. 3.
ascending and multicell regimes (curve S , in Fig. 3) moves
to the upper part of the surface (curve S, in Fig. 3). The
distributions in the jets are more commonly represented in
cylindrical coordinates. Figure 9 shows a representative dis-
5.6. Hysteresis tribution for a stable swirling MHD regime.
Above curve K(Fig. 3) in the i ~ e , T , }plane there ex-
ists a region in which the stable solution is not unique for 6. DISCUSSION
each value of Bt. For Bt = 1, this region lies between curves The physical mechanism for the dynamo effect dis-
F, and B , , while for Bt = 0.12 it lies between F, and B,. cussed above is quite clear. We might add to the discussion in
Figure 7 shows the nature of the Al(Re,T,) surface. Corre- Subsection 3.5 that in the case of a swirling flow the toroidal
sponding to each point (Re,T,) in the nonunique region are "fluid conductor" should be replaced by a "fluid conductor"
three solutions: a purely hydrodynamic solution (A1 = 0 ) wound into a cylinder of a certain radius whose axis coin-
and two MHD solutions. According to the general theory, l4 cides with the symmetry axis. The flow twists the cylinder
the nature of the transitional trajectories between solutions and compresses it, to a maximum extent near the equatorial

FIG. 8. Distributions of (a,b) the velocity

and ( c ) the induction for Bt = 1, Re = 7.5,
and r,,= 10. I-A1 = 0; 2-A1 = 0.0124;
3-A1 = 1.22 H,rBV/(4?rpvv,, ) ' I 2 , @
= @ R~.AI'".

982 Sov. Phys. JETP 69 (5), November 1989 M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern 982
 During the disruption of a fork bifurcation, such properties
as the nonuniqueness of the solutions and the hysteresis are
retained, since they are coarse properties.
The results derived here may also have some meaning in
the case in which there is a pronounced decrease in the in-
duction outside the self-similar region, and Cowling's
theorem applies. Let us assume that the motion occurs in a
bounded volume ri < r < r,, ro/ri$ 1 and that there exists a
subregion ri< r , < r < r, <r,, in which the flow is approxi-
mately the self-similar flow described above (this situation is
typical ofjets). We assume that we are given a perturbation
of the induction at t = 0 which is on the order of B, and
which is localized in the region r < r,. If Re > Re*, then the
perturbation grows to a size -B, in the self-similar subre-
gion over a time on the order of t, 2 rf / v , , . This magnitude
FIG. 9. Profiles of (1,Z) the velocity and (3,4) the induction for an MHD of the perturbation corresponds to a steady-state self-similar
jet near the axis in a cylindrical coordinate system Hz = rB,/ ' solution. This level will persist in a quasisteady fashion until
(4npvv,,,)I", Bt = 1, Re = 10, T,,= 10, Al = 1.22. 1.3-z components;
2,4-e, components. a time on the order oft, = r : / v , , after which the induction
will decay because of dissipation and dispersal, as follows
from Cowling's theorem. Astrophysical jets are sometimes
three orders of magnitude larger than the size of the region in
plane. The compression of the solenoid intensifies the origi- which they are formed,'so t2 may be six orders of magnitude
greater than t,. However, the lifetime of jets near stars is
nal magnetic field near the axis, creating a positive feedback.
Although this problem is comparatively simple, and al- -
itself of the lifetime of the star.6 It can thus be sug-
gested that in the course of the condensation of the interstel-
lows analytic solutions in limiting cases, it is nevertheless
lar medium and the formation of stars there will be a genera-
nontrivial, incorporating such effects as the collapse of dy-
tion of a magnetic field by the mechanism described above,
namic and magnetic jets, a self-focusing of a rotation, soft
and then (if no other dynamo mechanism operates) this
and hard bifurcations of a magnetic field, hysteresis, and a
field will decay slowly.
transition back to laminar flow.
Since it turns out that the primary necessary condition
A question which remains open is the extent to which
for the occurrence of a dynamo is not so much the jet itself as
the self-similar solution derived here applies to real, non-
a converging nature of the motion of the medium, we do not
self-similar flows. We know2%hat self-similar solutions can
rule out the possibility that a similar effect might also be
serve as intermediate asymptotes for specific flows. In the
observed in flows of other types near immobile points in
case of astrophysical jets, for example, such solutions can be
whose vicinity the flow is convergent, e.g., in sunspots.
used to approximate the .relocity and induction fields at dis-
tances much greater than the size of the massive central ob-
ject but much smaller than the distances between massive
objects. Just how a deviation from self-similarity will affect
the properties of the solution is difficult to predict. The
agreement of experimental data with a theoretical analysis of IT. G. Cowling, Magnetohydrodynamics, Interscience, New York, 1957.
2G. K. Moffatt, Magnetic Field Generation in Electrically Conducting
the stability, particularly that of the boundary layers, car- Fluids, Cambridge Univ. Press, Oxford, 1983.
ried out in the self-similar approximation is evidence that a 'L. D. Landau, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 43,299 (1944).
deviation from self-similarity may be unimportant for an 4H.B. Squire, Phil. Mag. 43, 942 (1952).
'E. V. Shcherbinin (editor), Electrovortex Flows (in Russian), Zinatne,
analysis of the bifurcations of secondary regimes. We would Riga, 1985.
expect that those properties of the solution which are not 'C. J. Lada, Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 23, 267 (1985).
structurally stable would exhibit the greatest changes. 'A. Konigl, Can. J. Phys. 64, 362 (1986).
'M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N . Shtern, Proc. R. Soc. London A 419, 91
For example, a weak external magnetic field should dis- (1988).
rupt the fork nature of bifurcation. The dependence of the 'M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N . Shtern, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 304, 1069
induction on the flow intensity in this case may acquire the (1989) [Sov. Phys. Dokl. 34,93 ( 1989)l.
"'M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N . Shtern, Pis'rna Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 49,266
shape shown by the dot-dashed curves in Fig. 7 near lines (1989) [JETP Lett. 49, 309 (1989)l.
I?, = 0 for nonswirling jets and I?, = 20 for swirling jets. "R. Mundt, Can. J. Phys. 64,407 (1986).
The induction is now zero at all times, even if there is no "V. V. Gvaramadze, D. G. Lorninadze, A. A . Ruzrnaikin et nl., Preprint
No. 1267, Institute of Space Research, Moscow, 1987.
motion. A converging flow causes the magnetic lines to '%IM.A. Gol'dshtik, Vortex Flows (in Russian), Nauka Novosibirsk,
crowd together near the axis. This effect, which is not related 1981.
to an instability, leads to a slight increase in the induction I4V. L. Arnol'd, Additional Topics in the Theory of Ordinary Differential
Equations (in Russian), Nauka, Moscow, 1978.
with an increase in velocity. Near critical values of the Reyn- ''A. A. Ruzmaikin, D. D . Sokolov, and A. M. Shukurov, MagneticFields
olds number, however, there is an anomalous intensification of Galaxies (in Russian), Nauka, Moscow, 1988.
of the induction due to the disrupted bifurcation. To get an I'M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern, HydrodynamicStability and Turbu-
idea of the possible scales of the anomalous intensification, it lence (in Russian), Nauka, Novosibirsk, 1977.
"I. Wygnanski and H. Fiedler, J. Fluid Mech. 38, 577 ( 1969).
is sufficient to compare the magnetic fields of the galactic I'M. Van Dyke, Album of Flows of Liquids and Gases (Russ. Transl.),
-
background ( 1 0 - w e ) and those of stars ( 1 Oe).23'5 - Mir, Moscow, 1986.

983 Sov. Phys. JETP 69 (5), November 1989 M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern 983
 I9W. Schneider, J. Fluid Mech. 108, 55 (1981). pressible Media (in Russian), Nauka, Moscow, 1970.
'OH. Schlichting, Boundary-Layer Theory, McGraw-Hill, New York, 23G.I. Barenblatt, Similarity, Self-Similarity, and Intermediate Asympto-
1968. tics, Plenum Press, New York, 1980).
I'M. A. Gol'dshtik, V. N . Shtern, and N . I. Yavorskii, ViscousFlows with
Paradoxical Properties (in Russian), Nauka, Novosibirsk, 1989.
"G. G. Branover and A. A. Tsinober, Magnetohydrodynamics of Zncom- Translated by Dave Parsons

984 Sov. Phys. JETP 69 (9,

November 1989 M. A. Gol'dshtik and V. N. Shtern 984