Bistability between equatorial and axial dipoles during magnetic field reversals.

Numerical simulations of the geodynamo in the presence of heterogeneous heating are presented. We study the dynamics and the structure of the magnetic field when the equatorial symmetry of the flow is broken. If the symmetry breaking is sufficiently strong, the m=0 axial dipolar field is replaced by a hemispherical magnetic field, dominated by an oscillating m=1 magnetic field. Moreover, for moderate symmetry breaking, a bistability between the axial and the equatorial dipole is observed. In this bistable regime, the axial magnetic field exhibits chaotic switches of its polarity, involving the equatorial dipole during the transition period. This new scenario for magnetic field reversals is discussed within the framework of Earth's dynamo.

Simple mechanism for reversals of earth's magnetic field.

We show that a model, recently used to describe all the dynamical regimes of the magnetic field generated by the dynamo effect in the von Kármán sodium experiment, also provides a simple explanation of the reversals of Earth's magnetic field, despite strong differences between both systems. The validity of the model relies on the smallness of the magnetic Prandtl number.

Bypassing Cowling's theorem in axisymmetric fluid dynamos.

We present a numerical study of the magnetic field generated by an axisymmetrically forced flow in a spherical domain. We show that, even in the absence of nonaxisymmetric velocity fluctuations, a mean magnetic field with a dominant axisymmetric dipolar component can be generated via a secondary bifurcation from an equatorial dipole. We understand the dynamical behaviors that result from the interaction of equatorial and axial dipolar modes using simple model equations for their amplitudes derived from symmetry arguments.