We present results from simulations of rotating magnetized turbulent convection in spherical wedge geometry representing parts of the latitudinal and longitudinal extents of a star. Here we consider a set of runs for which the density stratification is varied, keeping the Reynolds and Coriolis numbers at similar values. In the case of weak stratification, we find quasi-steady dynamo solutions for moderate rotation and oscillatory ones with poleward migration of activity belts for more rapid rotation. For stronger stratification, the growth rate tends to become smaller. Furthermore, a transition from quasi-steady to oscillatory dynamos is found as the Coriolis number is increased, but now there is an equatorward migrating branch near the equator. The breakpoint where this happens corresponds to a rotation rate that is about 3-7 times the solar value. The phase relation of the magnetic field is such that the toroidal field lags behind the radial field by about π/2, which can be explained by an oscillatory α 2 dynamo caused by the sign change of the α-effect about the equator. We test the domain size dependence of our results for a rapidly rotating run with equatorward migration by varying the longitudinal extent of our wedge. The energy of the axisymmetric mean magnetic field decreases as the domain size increases and we find that an m = 1 mode is excited for a full 2π azimuthal extent, reminiscent of the field configurations deduced from observations of rapidly rotating late-type stars.

We report the finding of an azimuthal dynamo wave of a low-order (m = 1) mode in direct numerical simulations (DNS) of turbulent convection in spherical shells. Such waves are predicted by mean field dynamo theory and have been obtained previously in mean-field models. Observational results both from photometry and Doppler imaging have revealed persistent drifts of spots for several rapidly rotating stars, but, although an azimuthal dynamo wave has been proposed as a possible mechanism responsible for this behavior, it has been judged as unlikely, as practical evidence for such waves from DNS has been lacking. The large-scale magnetic field in our DNS, which is due to self-consistent dynamo action, is dominated by a retrograde m = 1 mode. Its pattern speed is nearly independent of latitude and does not reflect the speed of the differential rotation at any depth. The extrema of magnetic m = 1 structures coincide reasonably with the maxima of m = 2 structures of the temperature. These results provide direct support for the observed drifts being due to an azimuthal dynamo wave.

Aims. We study the spot distribution on the surface of LQ Hya during the observing seasons October 1998-November 2002. We look for persistent active longitudes, trends in the level of spot activity and compare to photometric data. Methods. We apply the Doppler imaging technique on photospheric spectral lines using an inversion code to retrieve images of the surface temperature.Results. We present new temperature maps using multiple spectral lines for a total of 7 seasons. Conclusions. We find no evidence for active longitudes persisting over multiple observing seasons. The spot activity appears to be concentrated to two latitude regions. Using the currently accepted rotation period, we find spot structures to show a trend in the phase-time plot, indicative of a need for a longer period. We conclude that the long-term activity of LQ Hya is more chaotic than that of some magnetically active binary stars analyzed with similar methods, but still with clear indications of an activity cycle from the photometry.

Aims. We study LQ Hya photometry for 1982-2014 with the carrier fit (CF) method and compare our results to earlier photometric analysis and recent Doppler imaging maps. Methods. As the rotation period of the object is not known a priori, we utilize different types of statistical methods first (least-squares fit of harmonics, phase dispersion statistics) to estimate various candidates for the carrier period for the CF method. Secondly, a global fit to the whole data set and local fits to shorter segments are computed with the period that is found to be optimal. Results. The harmonic least-squares analysis of all the available data reveals a short period, of close to 1.6 days, as a limiting value for a set of significant frequencies. We interpret this as the rotation period of the spots near the equatorial region. In addition, the distribution of the significant periods is found to be bimodal, hinting of a longer-term modulating period, which we set out to study with a two-harmonic CF model. A weak modulation signal is, indeed retrieved, with a period of roughly 6.9 yr. The phase dispersion analysis gives a clear symmetric minimum for coherence times lower than and around 100 days. We interpret this as the mean rotation pattern of the spots. Of these periods, the most significant and physically most plausible period statistically is the mean spot rotation period 1. d 60514, which is chosen to be used as the carrier period for the CF analysis. With the CF method, we seek any systematic trends in the spot distribution in the global time frame, and locally look for previously reported abrupt phase changes in rapidly rotating objects. During 2003During -2009, the global CF reveals a coherent structure rotating with a period of 1. d 6037, while during most other times the spot distribution appears somewhat random in phase. Conclusions. The evolution of the spot distribution of the object is found to be very chaotic, with no clear signs of an azimuthal dynamo wave that would persist over longer timescales, although the short-lived coherent structures occasionally observed do not rotate with the same speed as the mean spot distribution. The most likely explanation of the bimodal period distribution is attributed to the high-and low-latitude spot formation regions confirmed from Doppler imaging and Zeeman Doppler imaging.

Context. Large-scale dynamo simulations are sometimes confined to spherical wedge geometries by imposing artificial boundary conditions at high latitudes. This may lead to spatio-temporal behaviours that are not representative of those in full spherical shells. Aims. We study the connection between spherical wedge and full spherical shell geometries using simple mean-field dynamos. Methods. We solve the equations for one-dimensional time-dependent α 2 and α 2 Ω mean-field dynamos with only latitudinal extent to examine the effects of varying the polar angle θ 0 between the latitudinal boundaries and the poles in spherical coordinates.Results. In the case of constant α and η t profiles, we find oscillatory solutions only with the commonly used perfect conductor boundary condition in a wedge geometry, while for full spheres all boundary conditions produce stationary solutions, indicating that perfect conductor conditions lead to unphysical solutions in such a wedge setup. To search for configurations in which this problem can be alleviated we choose a profile of the turbulent magnetic diffusivity that decreases toward the poles, corresponding to high conductivity there. Oscillatory solutions are now achieved with models extending to the poles, but the magnetic field is strongly concentrated near the poles and the oscillation period is very long. By changing both the turbulent magnetic diffusivity and α profiles so that both effects are more concentrated toward the equator, we see oscillatory dynamos with equatorward drift, shorter cycles, and magnetic fields distributed over a wider range of latitudes. Those profiles thus remove the sensitive and unphysical dependence on θ 0 . When introducing radial shear, we again see oscillatory dynamos, and the direction of drift follows the Parker-Yoshimura rule. Conclusions. A reduced α effect near the poles with a turbulent diffusivity concentrated toward the equator yields oscillatory dynamos with equatorward migration and reproduces best the solutions in spherical wedges. For weak shear, oscillatory solutions are obtained only for perfect conductor field conditions and negative shear. Oscillatory solutions become preferred at sufficiently strong shear. Recent three-dimensional dynamo simulations producing solar-like magnetic activity are expected to lie in this range.

Aims. We applied the Continuous Period Search (CPS) method to 14 yr of V-band photometry of the active G6.5 solar analog V352 CMa. Our aim was to show that CPS can successfully model the presence or absence of periodicity in low-amplitude light curves. Methods. CPS computes values for the mean brightness, photometric period, amplitude and minimum of selected datasets. We also applied the Power Spectrum Method (PSM) to these datasets and compared the performance of this frequently applied method to that of CPS. Results. We found an apparent 11.7 ± 0.5 yr cycle in the mean brightness. The mean of the individual photometric rotation periods is 7.24 ± 0.22 days. The lower limit for the differential rotation coefficient is |k| > 0.12, assuming that period changes in V352 CMa follow the solar pattern. The Kuiper method detected stable, active longitudes rotating with a period of 7.157 ± 0.002 days, from the epochs of light minimum, but these structures vanished after the year 2009. CPS performed better than the traditional PSM, because the latter assumes a sinusoidal model for the data even when this was not correct.

Numerous studies have investigated the role of thermal instability in regulating the phase transition between the cold cloudy and warm diffuse medium of the interstellar medium. Considerable interest has also been devoted to investigating the properties of turbulence in thermally unstable flows, with a special emphasis on molecular clouds and the possibility of star formation. In this study, we investigate another setting in which this instability may be important, namely its effect on dynamo action in interstellar flows. The setup we consider is a three dimensional periodic cube of gas with an initially weak magnetic field, subject to heating and cooling, the properties of which are such that thermal instability is provoked in a certain temperature regime. Dynamo action is established through external forcing on the flow field. By comparing the results with a cooling function with exactly the same net effect but no thermally unstable regime, we find the following. Reference runs with non-helical forcing were observed to produce no small-scale dynamo action below the Reynolds number 97. Therefore, we expect the magnetic fields generated in the helical runs to be purely due to the action of a large-scale dynamo mechanism. The critical Reynolds number for the onset of the large-scale dynamo was observed to roughly double between the thermally stable versus unstable runs, the conclusion being that the thermal instability makes large-scale dynamo action more difficult. Whereas density and magnetic fields were observed to be almost completely uncorrelated in the thermally stable cases investigated, the action of thermal instability was observed to produce a positive correlation of the form B ∝ ρ 0.2 . This correlation is rather weak, and in addition it was observed to break down at the limit of highest densities.