Chiral Anomaly and Dynamos from Inhomogeneous Chemical Potential Fluctuations.

In the standard model of particle physics, the chiral anomaly can occur in relativistic plasmas and plays a role in the early Universe, protoneutron stars, heavy-ion collisions, and quantum materials. It gives rise to a magnetic instability if the number densities of left- and right-handed electrically charged fermions are unequal. Using direct numerical simulations, we show this can result just from spatial fluctuations of the chemical potential, causing a chiral dynamo instability, magnetically driven turbulence, and ultimately a large-scale magnetic field through the magnetic α effect.

Production of a Chiral Magnetic Anomaly with Emerging Turbulence and Mean-Field Dynamo Action.

In relativistic magnetized plasmas, asymmetry in the number densities of left- and right-handed fermions, i.e., a nonzero chiral chemical potential µ_{5}, leads to an electric current along the magnetic field. This causes a chiral dynamo instability for a uniform µ_{5}, but our simulations reveal a dynamo even for fluctuating µ_{5} with zero mean. It produces magnetically dominated turbulence and generates mean magnetic fields via the magnetic α effect. Eventually, a universal scale-invariant k^{-1} spectrum of µ_{5} and a k^{-3} magnetic spectrum are formed independently of the initial condition.

Generation of a large-scale vorticity in a fast-rotating density-stratified turbulence or turbulent convection.

We find an instability resulting in generation of large-scale vorticity in a fast-rotating small-scale turbulence or turbulent convection with inhomogeneous fluid density along the rotational axis in anelastic approximation. The large-scale instability causes excitation of two modes: (i) the mode with dominant vertical vorticity and with the mean velocity being independent of the vertical coordinate; (ii) the mode with dominant horizontal vorticity and with the mean momentum being independent of the vertical coordinate. The mode with the dominant vertical vorticity can be excited in a fast-rotating density-stratified hydrodynamic turbulence or turbulent convection. For this mode, the mean entropy is depleted inside the cyclonic vortices, while it is enhanced inside the anticyclonic vortices. The mode with the dominant horizontal vorticity can be excited only in a fast-rotating density-stratified turbulent convection. The developed theory may be relevant for explanation of an origin of large spots observed as immense storms in great planets, e.g., the Great Red Spot in Jupiter and large spots in Saturn. It may be also useful for explanation of an origin of high-latitude spots in rapidly rotating late-type stars.

Mechanism of unconfined dust explosions: Turbulent clustering and radiation-induced ignition.

It is known that unconfined dust explosions typically start off with a relatively weak primary flame followed by a severe secondary explosion. We show that clustering of dust particles in a temperature stratified turbulent flow ahead of the primary flame may give rise to a significant increase in the radiation penetration length. These particle clusters, even far ahead of the flame, are sufficiently exposed and heated by the radiation from the flame to become ignition kernels capable to ignite a large volume of fuel-air mixtures. This efficiently increases the total flame surface area and the effective combustion speed, defined as the rate of reactant consumption of a given volume. We show that this mechanism explains the high rate of combustion and overpressures required to account for the observed level of damage in unconfined dust explosions, e.g., at the 2005 Buncefield vapor-cloud explosion. The effect of the strong increase of radiation transparency due to turbulent clustering of particles goes beyond the state of the art of the application to dust explosions and has many implications in atmospheric physics and astrophysics.

Pumping velocity in homogeneous helical turbulence with shear.

Using different analytical methods (the quasilinear approach, the path-integral technique, and the tau-relaxation approximation) we develop a comprehensive mean-field theory for a pumping effect of the mean magnetic field in homogeneous nonrotating helical turbulence with imposed large-scale shear. The effective pumping velocity is proportional to the product of α effect and large-scale vorticity associated with the shear, and causes a separation of the toroidal and poloidal components of the mean magnetic field along the direction of the mean vorticity. We also perform direct numerical simulations of sheared turbulence in different ranges of hydrodynamic and magnetic Reynolds numbers and use a kinematic test-field method to determine the effective pumping velocity. The results of the numerical simulations are in agreement with the theoretical predictions.

Mean-field dynamos in random Arnold-Beltrami-Childress and Roberts flows.

We study magnetic field evolution in flows with fluctuating in time governing parameters in electrically conducting fluid. We use a standard mean-field approach to derive equations for large-scale magnetic field for the fluctuating Arnold-Beltrami-Childress (ABC) flow as well as for the fluctuating Roberts flow. The derived mean-field dynamo equations have growing solutions with growth rate of the large-scale magnetic field which is not controlled by molecular magnetic diffusivity. Our study confirms the Zeldovich idea that the nonstationarity of the fluid flow may remove the obstacle in the large-scale dynamo action of classic stationary flows.

Mean-field dynamo in a turbulence with shear and kinetic helicity fluctuations.

We study the effects of kinetic helicity fluctuations in a turbulence with large-scale shear using two different approaches: the spectral tau approximation and the second-order correlation approximation (or first-order smoothing approximation). These two approaches demonstrate that homogeneous kinetic helicity fluctuations alone with zero mean value in a sheared homogeneous turbulence cannot cause a large-scale dynamo. A mean-field dynamo is possible when the kinetic helicity fluctuations are inhomogeneous, which causes a nonzero mean alpha effect in a sheared turbulence. On the other hand, the shear-current effect can generate a large-scale magnetic field even in a homogeneous nonhelical turbulence with large-scale shear. This effect was investigated previously for large hydrodynamic and magnetic Reynolds numbers. In this study we examine the threshold required for the shear-current dynamo versus Reynolds number. We demonstrate that there is no need for a developed inertial range in order to maintain the shear-current dynamo (e.g., the threshold in the Reynolds number is of the order of 1).

Nonlinear turbulent magnetic diffusion and effective drift velocity of a large-scale magnetic field in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence.

We study a nonlinear quenching of turbulent magnetic diffusion and effective drift velocity of large-scale magnetic field in a developed two-dimensional MHD turbulence at large magnetic Reynolds numbers. We show that transport of the mean-square magnetic potential strongly changes quenching of turbulent magnetic diffusion. In particularly, the catastrophic quenching of turbulent magnetic diffusion does not occur for the large-scale magnetic fields B >> B(eq)/square root[Rm] when a divergence of the flux of the mean-square magnetic potential is not zero, where B(eq) is the equipartition mean magnetic field determined by the turbulent kinetic energy and Rm is the magnetic Reynolds number. In this case the quenching of turbulent magnetic diffusion is independent of magnetic Reynolds number. The situation is similar to three-dimensional MHD turbulence at large magnetic Reynolds numbers whereby the catastrophic quenching of the alpha effect does not occur when a divergence of the flux of the small-scale magnetic helicity is not zero.

Shear-current effect in a turbulent convection with a large-scale shear.

The shear-current effect in a nonrotating homogeneous turbulent convection with a large-scale constant shear is studied. The large-scale velocity shear causes anisotropy of turbulent convection, which produces the mean electromotive force epsilon (W) proportional to W x J and the mean electric current along the original mean magnetic field, where W is the background mean vorticity due to the shear and J is the mean electric current. This results in a large-scale dynamo even in a nonrotating and nonhelical homogeneous sheared turbulent convection, whereby the alpha effect vanishes. It is found that turbulent convection promotes the shear-current dynamo instability, i.e., the heat flux causes positive contribution to the shear-current effect. However, there is no dynamo action due to the shear-current effect for small hydrodynamic and magnetic Reynolds numbers even in a turbulent convection, if the spatial scaling for the turbulent correlation time is tau(k) proportionalto to k-2, where k is the small-scale wave number.

Magnetic fluctuations and formation of large-scale inhomogeneous magnetic structures in a turbulent convection.

Magnetic fluctuations generated by a tangling of the mean magnetic field by velocity fluctuations are studied in a developed turbulent convection with large magnetic Reynolds numbers. We show that the energy of magnetic fluctuations depends on the magnetic Reynolds number only when the mean magnetic field is smaller than B(eq)/4Rm(1/4), where B(eq) is the equipartition mean magnetic field determined by the turbulent kinetic energy and Rm is the magnetic Reynolds number. Generation of magnetic fluctuations in a turbulent convection with a nonzero mean magnetic field results in a decrease of the total turbulent pressure and may cause the formation of large-scale inhomogeneous magnetic structures even in an originally uniform mean magnetic field. This effect is caused by a negative contribution of the turbulent convection to the effective mean Lorentz force. The inhomogeneous large-scale magnetic fields are formed due to excitation of the large-scale instability. The energy for this instability is supplied by small-scale turbulent convection. The discussed effects might be useful for understanding the origin of solar nonuniform magnetic fields: e.g., sunspots.

Large-scale instability in a sheared nonhelical turbulence: Formation of vortical structures.

We study a large-scale instability in a sheared nonhelical turbulence that causes generation of large-scale vorticity. Three types of the background large-scale flows are considered, i.e., the Couette and Poiseuille flows in a small-scale homogeneous turbulence, and the "log-linear" velocity shear in an inhomogeneous turbulence. It is known that laminar plane Couette flow and antisymmetric mode of laminar plane Poiseuille flow are stable with respect to small perturbations for any Reynolds numbers. We demonstrate that in a small-scale turbulence under certain conditions the large-scale Couette and Poiseuille flows are unstable due to the large-scale instability. This instability causes formation of large-scale vortical structures stretched along the mean sheared velocity. The growth rate of the large-scale instability for the "log-linear" velocity shear is much larger than that for the Couette and Poiseuille background flows. We have found a turbulent analogue of the Tollmien-Schlichting waves in a small-scale sheared turbulence. A mechanism of excitation of turbulent Tollmien-Schlichting waves is associated with a combined effect of the turbulent Reynolds stress-induced generation of perturbations of the mean vorticity and the background sheared motions. These waves can be excited even in a plane Couette flow imposed on a small-scale turbulence when perturbations of mean velocity depend on three spatial coordinates. The energy of these waves is supplied by the small-scale sheared turbulence.

Effect of heat flux on differential rotation in turbulent convection.

We studied the effect of the turbulent heat flux on the Reynolds stresses in a rotating turbulent convection. To this end we solved a coupled system of dynamical equations which includes the equations for the Reynolds stresses, the entropy fluctuations, and the turbulent heat flux. We used a spectral tau approximation in order to close the system of dynamical equations. We found that the ratio of the contributions to the Reynolds stresses caused by the turbulent heat flux and the anisotropic eddy viscosity is of the order of approximately 10(L rho/l0)2, where l0 is the maximum scale of turbulent motions and L rho is the fluid density variation scale. This effect is crucial for the formation of the differential rotation and should be taken into account in the theories of the differential rotation of the Sun, stars, and planets. In particular, we demonstrated that this effect may cause the differential rotation which is comparable with the typical solar differential rotation.

Excitation of large-scale inertial waves in a rotating inhomogeneous turbulence.

A mechanism of excitation of the large-scale inertial waves in a rotating inhomogeneous turbulence due to an excitation of a large-scale instability is found. This instability is caused by a combined effect of the inhomogeneity of the turbulence and the uniform mean rotation. The source of the large-scale instability is the energy of the small-scale turbulence. We determined the range of parameters at which the large-scale instability occurs, the growth rate of the instability, and the frequency of the generated large-scale inertial waves.

Nonlinear theory of a "shear-current" effect and mean-field magnetic dynamos.

The nonlinear theory of a "shear-current" effect in a nonrotating and nonhelical homogeneous turbulence with an imposed mean velocity shear is developed. The shear-current effect is associated with the W x J term in the mean electromotive force and causes the generation of the mean magnetic field even in a nonrotating and nonhelical homogeneous turbulence (where W is the mean vorticity and J is the mean electric current). It is found that there is no quenching of the nonlinear shear-current effect contrary to the quenching of the nonlinear alpha effect, the nonlinear turbulent magnetic diffusion, etc. During the nonlinear growth of the mean magnetic field, the shear-current effect only changes its sign at some value B (*) of the mean magnetic field. The magnitude B (*) determines the level of the saturated mean magnetic field which is less than the equipartition field. It is shown that the background magnetic fluctuations due to the small-scale dynamo enhance the shear-current effect and reduce the magnitude B (*) . When the level of the background magnetic fluctuations is larger than 1/3 of the kinetic energy of the turbulence, the mean magnetic field can be generated due to the shear-current effect for an arbitrary exponent of the energy spectrum of the velocity fluctuations.

Electromotive force and large-scale magnetic dynamo in a turbulent flow with a mean shear.

An effect of sheared large-scale motions on a mean electromotive force in a nonrotating turbulent flow of a conducting fluid is studied. It is demonstrated that in a homogeneous divergence-free turbulent flow the alpha effect does not exist, however a mean magnetic field can be generated even in a nonrotating turbulence with an imposed mean velocity shear due to a "shear-current" effect. A mean velocity shear results in an anisotropy of turbulent magnetic diffusion. A contribution to the electromotive force related to the symmetric parts of the gradient tensor of the mean magnetic field (the kappa effect) is found in nonrotating turbulent flows with a mean shear. The kappa effect and turbulent magnetic diffusion reduce the growth rate of the mean magnetic field. It is shown that a mean magnetic field can be generated when the exponent of the energy spectrum of the background turbulence (without the mean velocity shear) is less than 2. The shear-current effect was studied using two different methods: the tau approximation (the Orszag third-order closure procedure) and the stochastic calculus (the path integral representation of the solution of the induction equation, Feynman-Kac formula, and Cameron-Martin-Girsanov theorem). Astrophysical applications of the obtained results are discussed.

Generation of large-scale vorticity in a homogeneous turbulence with a mean velocity shear.

An effect of a mean velocity shear on a turbulence and on the effective force which is determined by the gradient of the Reynolds stresses is studied. Generation of a mean vorticity in a homogeneous incompressible nonhelical turbulent flow with an imposed mean velocity shear due to an excitation of a large-scale instability is found. The instability is caused by a combined effect of the large-scale shear motions ("skew-induced" deflection of equilibrium mean vorticity) and "Reynolds stress-induced" generation of perturbations of mean vorticity. Spatial characteristics of the instability, such as the minimum size of the growing perturbations and the size of perturbations with the maximum growth rate, are determined. This instability and the dynamics of the mean vorticity are associated with Prandtl's turbulent secondary flows.

Effect of rotation on a developed turbulent stratified convection: the hydrodynamic helicity, the alpha effect, and the effective drift velocity.

An effect of rotation on a developed turbulent stratified convection is studied. Dependences of the hydrodynamic helicity, the alpha tensor, and the effective drift velocity of the mean magnetic field on the rate of rotation and an anisotropy of turbulent convection are found. It is shown that in an anisotropic turbulent convection the alpha effect can change its sign depending on the rate of rotation. The evolution of the alpha effect is much more complicated than that of the hydrodynamic helicity in an anisotropic turbulent convection of a rotating fluid. Different properties of the effective drift velocity of the mean magnetic field in a rotating turbulent convection are found: (i) a poloidal effective drift velocity can be diamagnetic or paramagnetic depending on the rate of rotation; (ii) there is a difference in the effective drift velocities for the toroidal and poloidal magnetic fields; (iii) a toroidal effective drift velocity can play a role of an additional differential rotation. The above effects and an effect of a nonzero divergence of the effective drift velocity of the toroidal magnetic field on a magnetic dynamo in a developed turbulent stratified convection of a rotating fluid are studied. Astrophysical applications of the obtained results are discussed.

Clustering instability of the spatial distribution of inertial particles in turbulent flows.

A theory of clustering of inertial particles advected by a turbulent velocity field caused by an instability of their spatial distribution is suggested. The reason for the clustering instability is a combined effect of the particles inertia and a finite correlation time of the velocity field. The crucial parameter for the clustering instability is the size of the particles. The critical size is estimated for a strong clustering (with a finite fraction of particles in clusters) associated with the growth of the mean absolute value of the particles number density and for a weak clustering associated with the growth of the second and higher moments. A new concept of compressibility of the turbulent diffusion tensor caused by a finite correlation time of an incompressible velocity field is introduced. In this model of the velocity field, the field of Lagrangian trajectories is not divergence free. A mechanism of saturation of the clustering instability associated with the particles collisions in the clusters is suggested. Applications of the analyzed effects to the dynamics of droplets in the turbulent atmosphere are discussed. An estimated nonlinear level of the saturation of the droplets number density in clouds exceeds by the orders of magnitude their mean number density. The critical size of cloud droplets required for cluster formation is more than 20 microm.

Magnetic fluctuations with a zero mean field in a random fluid flow with a finite correlation time and a small magnetic diffusion.

Magnetic fluctuations with a zero mean field in a random flow with a finite correlation time and a small yet finite magnetic diffusion are studied. Equation for the second-order correlation function of a magnetic field is derived. This equation comprises spatial derivatives of high orders due to a nonlocal nature of magnetic field transport in a random velocity field with a finite correlation time. For a random Gaussian velocity field with a small correlation time the equation for the second-order correlation function of the magnetic field is a third-order partial differential equation. For this velocity field and a small magnetic diffusion with large magnetic Prandtl numbers the growth rate of the second moment of magnetic field is estimated. The finite correlation time of a turbulent velocity field causes an increase of the growth rate of magnetic fluctuations. It is demonstrated that the results obtained for the cases of a small yet finite magnetic diffusion and a zero magnetic diffusion are different.

Formation of large-scale semiorganized structures in turbulent convection.

A new mean-field theory of turbulent convection is developed by considering only the small-scale part of spectra as "turbulence" and the large-scale part, as a "mean flow," which includes both regular and semiorganized motions. The developed theory predicts the convective wind instability in a shear-free turbulent convection. This instability causes formation of large-scale semiorganized fluid motions in the form of cells. Spatial characteristics of these motions, such as the minimum size of the growing perturbations and the size of perturbations with the maximum growth rate, are determined. This study predicts also the existence of the convective shear instability in a sheared turbulent convection. This instability causes formation of large-scale rolls and generation of convective shear waves which have a nonzero hydrodynamic helicity. Increase of shear promotes excitation of the convective shear instability. Applications of the obtained results to the atmospheric turbulent convection and the laboratory experiments on turbulent convection are discussed.