[en] We present models related to the results of a recent experiment (the 'VKS experiment') showing the generation of a magnetic field by a fully turbulent flow of liquid sodium. We first discuss the geometry of the mean magnetic field when the two coaxial impellers driving the flow counter-rotate at the same frequency. We then show how we expect this geometry to be modified when the impellers rotate at different frequencies. We also show that, in the latter case, dynamical regimes of the magnetic field can be easily understood from the interaction of modes with dipolar (respectively quadrupolar) symmetry. In particular, this interaction generates magnetic field reversals that have been observed in the experiment and display a hierarchy of timescales similar to the Earth's magnetic field: the duration of the steady phases is widely distributed, but is always much longer than the time needed to switch polarity. In addition to reversals, several other large scale features of the generated magnetic field are obtained when varying the governing parameters of the flow. These results are also understood in the framework of the same model.

[en] We study the effect of a turbulent flow of liquid sodium generated in the von Karman geometry, on the localized field of a magnet placed close to the frontier of the flow. We observe that the field can be transported by the flow on distances larger than its integral length scale. In the most turbulent configurations, the mean value of the field advected at large distance vanishes. However, the rms value of the fluctuations increases linearly with the magnetic Reynolds number. The advected field is strongly intermittent

[en] We study the effect of a turbulent flow of liquid sodium generated in the von Karman geometry, on the localized field of a magnet placed close to the frontier of the flow. We observe that the field can be transported by the flow on distances larger than its integral length scale. In the most turbulent configurations, the mean value of the induced field at large distance vanishes. However, the root-mean-square (rms) value of the fluctuations increases linearly with the magnetic Reynolds number. The induced field is strongly intermittent. (authors)

[en] We report the observation of dynamo action in the von Karman sodium experiment, i.e., the generation of a magnetic field by a strongly turbulent swirling flow of liquid sodium. Both mean and fluctuating parts of the field are studied. The dynamo threshold corresponds to a magnetic Reynolds number R_m∼30. A mean magnetic field of the order of 40 G is observed 30% above threshold at the flow lateral boundary. The rms fluctuations are larger than the corresponding mean value for two of the components. The scaling of the mean square magnetic field is compared to a prediction previously made for high Reynolds number flows

[en] We report an experimental study of the magnetic field B(→) induced by a turbulent swirling flow of liquid sodium submitted to a transverse magnetic field B(→)₀. We show that the induced field can behave nonlinearly as a function of the magnetic Reynolds number, R_m. At low R_m, the induced mean field along the axis of the flow, < B_x>, and the one parallel to B(→)₀, < B_y>, first behave like R_m², whereas the third component, < B_z>, is linear in R_m. The sign of < B_x> is determined by the flow helicity. At higher R_m, B(→) strongly depends on the local geometry of the mean flow: < B_x> decreases to zero in the core of the swirling flow but remains finite outside. We compare the experimental results with the computed magnetic induction due to the mean flow alone

[en] We report the observation of several dynamical regimes of the magnetic field generated by a turbulent flow of liquid sodium (VKS experiment). Stationary dynamos, transitions to relaxation cycles or to intermittent bursts, and random field reversals occur in a fairly small range of parameters. Large scale dynamics of the magnetic field result from the interactions of a few modes. The low dimensional nature of these dynamics is not smeared out by the very strong turbulent fluctuations of the flow