Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-hfldf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-01T09:11:46.267Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Dynamo Action Induced by Lateral Variation of Electrical Conductivity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2010

M. R. E. Proctor
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
P. C. Matthews
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
A. M. Rucklidge
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
Get access

Summary

The recent evidence for the possibility of laterally varying electrical conductivity in the lowermost mantle of the Earth has motivated us to consider in more detail the problem of dynamo action induced by this kind of inhomogeneity. An earlier model (Busse & Wicht 1992) has been extended in that the assumption of a thin layer of sinusoidal varying conductivity is replaced by the assumption of a thick layer. In the new formulation the toroidal field as well as the poloidal field are determined explicitly in the domain of varying conductivity. The results support the conclusion based on the earlier thin layer assumption that the dynamo action is too weak to be of geophysical importance.

INTRODUCTION

The influence of varying conductivity on the dynamo process has been investigated for example for galaxies (Donner & Brandenburg 1990) and accretion disks (Stepinski & Levy 1991) and found to be negligible there. Jeanloz's (1990) interpretation of the D′′ layer as a laterally inhomogeneous distribution of conducting and insulating alloys, resulting from chemical reactions at the core-mantle boundary and the percolation of iron into the mantle, has motivated us to consider the possibility of a dynamo induced by varying conductivity on the Earth's dynamo. Two questions arise in this context. Firstly, one may ask how a lower mantle with laterally varying conductivity will affect the extrapolation of magnetic fields from the Earth surface to the core. Poirier & le Mouel (1992) have investigated this question in detail and found the effect to be negligible. Jeanloz's (1990) view of pinned fieldlines is too dramatic.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×