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Numerical simulation of Martian historical dynamo: Impact of the Rayleigh number on the dynamo state

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Abstract

The observed Mars remnant magnetism suggests that there was an active dynamo in the Martian core. We use the MoSST core dynamics model to simulate the Martian historical dynamo, focusing on the variation of the dynamo states with the Rayleigh number Ra (a non-dimensional parameter describing the buoyancy force in the core). Our numerical results show that the mean field length scale does not vary monotonically with the Rayleigh number, and the field morphology at the core mantle boundary changes with Rayleigh number. In particular, it drifts westward with a speed decreasing with Rayleigh number.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Computational Geodynamics, Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    TianYuan Wang & ShiZhuang Ma

  2. Planetary Geodynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA

    WeiJia Kuang

Authors
  1. TianYuan Wang
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  2. WeiJia Kuang
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  3. ShiZhuang Ma
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Correspondence to TianYuan Wang.

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Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40328006)

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Wang, T., Kuang, W. & Ma, S. Numerical simulation of Martian historical dynamo: Impact of the Rayleigh number on the dynamo state. Sci. China Ser. D-Earth Sci. 52, 402–410 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-009-0034-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-009-0034-y

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