Publisher’s Pick: Exploring the dynamo effect

By Rebecca Gillan on March 27, 2017

We talk to Professor Igor Kolokolov about his recent work published in Journal of Physics A.

Who are you?

I am Igor Kolokolov, Deputy Director of the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics and Professor in the Department of Physics of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia.

Igor and Lidia Kolokolov

What prompted you to pursue this field of research?

The dynamo effect is an interesting and striking subject in statistical hydrodynamics, and more extensive, in non-equilibrium statistical physics. This is my field of investigations, which is difficult and exiting.

What is this latest paper all about?

The paper is devoted to an old paradox related to feasibility of a dynamo in two-dimensional flow. The result of the paper confirms the general statement that there is not growth of the magnetic field at infinite times. However, in this form, it is not what physicists need. We need estimations of the maximal amplitudes etc. This is what was done in the paper together with clearing up the mechanism of the dynamo stop.

What do you plan to do next?

I intend to apply the ideas of this paper to mixing in two-dimensional turbulent flow with coherent structures produced by inverse energy cascade.

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