Alignment as an Indicator of Changes to Modal Structure within the Roberts Flow

Abstract

Alignment of the magnetic and velocity fields has previously been shown to play a role within nonlinear dynamo theory (Cameron and Galloway 2006), MHD turbulence (Matthaeus et al. 1980) and mean field theory (Yokoi 2013). What has not been previously examined is whether it is beneficial to examine alignment within kinematic dynamo theory. I show how measurements of alignment within kinematic dynamo theory for the Roberts flow can indicate a change in the structure of the magnetic field.