Current-driven instabilities in stellar radiation zones, to which we refer as Tayler instabilities, can lead to complex nonlinear evolutions. It is of fundamental interest whether magnetically driven turbulence can lead to dynamo action in these radiative zones. We investigate initial-value simulations in a 3D spherical shell including differential rotation. The Tayler instability is connected with a very weak kinetic helicity, stronger current helicity, and a positive αφφ in the northern hemisphere. The amplitudes are small compared to the effect of the tangential cylinder producing an eddy with negative kinetic helicity and negative αφφ in the northern hemisphere. The αφφ from the Tayler instability reaches about 1% of the rms velocity.

In this study we present scanning Fabry-Perot Hα observations of the isolated interacting galaxy pair NGC 5278/79. We derived velocity fields, various kinematic parameters and rotation curves for both galaxies. These kinematical results together with the fact that dust lanes have been detected in both galaxies, as well as the analysis of surface brightness profiles along the minor axis, allowed us to determine univocally that both components of the interacting pair are trailing spirals. We have also estimated the mass of NGC 5278 fitting its rotation curve with a disk-halo component. We have tested three different types of halo (pseudo-isothermal, Hernquist and Navarro Frenk White) and we have obtained that the rotation curve can be fitted either with a pseudo-isothermal, an Hernquist halo or a Navarro Frenk White halo component, although in the first case the amount of dark matter required is about ten times smaller than for the other two halo distributions.

The theory of the Milky Way formation, in the framework of the ΛCDM model, predicts galactic stellar halos to be built from multiple accretion events starting from the first structure to collapse in the Universe.

Evidences in the past few decades have indicated that the Galactic halo consists of two overlapping structural components, an inner and an outer halo. We provide a set of numerical N-body simulations aimed to study the formation of the outer Milky Way (MW) stellar halo through accretion events between a (bulgeless) MW-like system and a satellite galaxy. After these minor mergers take place, in several orbital configurations, we analyze the signal left by satellite stars in the rotation velocity distribution. The aim is to explore the orbital conditions of the mergers where a signal of retrograde rotation in the outer part of the halo can be obtained, in order to give a possible explanation of the observed rotational properties of the MW stellar halo.

Our results show that the dynamical friction has a fundamental role in assembling the final velocity distributions originated by different orbits and that retrograde satellites moving on low inclination orbits deposit more stars in the outer halo regions and therefore can produce the counter-rotating behavior observed in the outer MW halo.

We present numerical results concerning the behavior of the density and the velocity power spectrum in turbulent thermally bistable flows for different Mach numbers.

By manipulating the spherical Jeans equation, Wolf et al. (2010) show that the mass enclosed within the 3D deprojected half-light radius r1/2 can be determined with only mild assumptions about the spatial variation of the stellar velocity dispersion anisotropy as long as the projected velocity dispersion profile is fairly flat near the half-light radius, as is typically observed. They find M1/2 = 3 G−1 〈σ2los〉 r1/2 ≃ 4 G−1 〈σ2los〉 Re, where 〈σ2los〉 is the luminosity-weighted square of the line-of-sight velocity dispersion and Re is the 2D projected half-light radius. This finding can be used to show that all of the Milky Way dwarf spheroidal galaxies (MW dSphs) are consistent with having formed within a halo of mass approximately 3 × 109 M⊙, assuming a ΛCDM cosmology. In addition, the dynamical I-band mass-to-light ratio ϒI1/2 vs. M1/2 relation for dispersion-supported galaxies follows a U-shape, with a broad minimum near ϒI1/2 ≃ 3 that spans dwarf elliptical galaxies to normal ellipticals, a steep rise to ϒI1/2 ≃ 3,200 for ultra-faint dSphs, and a more shallow rise to ϒI1/2 ≃ 800 for galaxy cluster spheroids.

The understanding of fossil fields origin, topology, and stability is one of the corner stones of the stellar magnetism theory. On one hand, since they survive on secular time scales, they may modify the structure and the evolution of their host stars. On the other hand, they must have a complex stable structure since it has been demonstrated that the simplest purely poloidal or toroidal fields are unstable on dynamical time scales. In this context, the only stable stellar configurations found today are those resulting from numerical simulations by Braithwaite and collaborators who studied the evolution of an initial stochastic magnetic field, which relaxes with a selective decay of magnetic helicity and energy, on mixed stable configurations (poloidal and toroidal) that seem to be in equilibrium and then diffuse. In this talk, we report the semi-analytical investigation of such an equilibrium field in the axisymmetric case. We use variational methods, which describe selective decay of magnetic helicity and energy during MHD relaxation, and we identify a supplementary invariant due to the stable stratification of stellar radiation zones. This leads to states that generalize force-free Taylor's relaxation states studied in plasma laboratory experiments that become non force-free in the stellar case. Moreover, astrophysical applications are presented and the stability of obtained configurations is studied.

Supersonic magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in molecular clouds (MCs) plays an important role in the process of star formation. The effect of the turbulence on the cloud fragmentation process depends on the magnetic field strength. In this work we discuss the idea that the turbulence is super-Alfvénic, at least with respect to the cloud mean magnetic field. We argue that MCs are likely to be born super-Alfvénic. We then support this scenario based on a recent simulation of the large-scale warm interstellar medium turbulence. Using small-scale isothermal MHD turbulence simulation, we also show that MCs may remain super-Alfvénic even with respect to their rms magnetic field strength, amplified by the turbulence. Finally, we briefly discuss the comparison with the observations, suggesting that super-Alfvénic turbulence successfully reproduces the Zeeman measurements of the magnetic field strength in dense MC clouds.

Convectively driven dynamos with rotation generating magnetic fields on scales large compared with the scale of the turbulent eddies are being reviewed. It is argued that such fields can be understood as the result of an α effect. Simulations in Cartesian domains show that such large-scale magnetic fields saturate on a time scale compatible with the resistive one, suggesting that the magnitude of the α effect is here still constrained by approximate magnetic helicity conservation. It is argued that, in the absence of shear and/or any other known large-scale dynamo effects, these simulations prove the existence of turbulent α2-type dynamos. Finally, recent results are discussed in the context of solar and stellar dynamos.

Galaxy interactions and mergers play a significant, but still debated and poorly understood role in the star formation history of galaxies. Numerical and theoretical models cannot yet explain the main properties of merger-induced starbursts, including their intensity and their spatial extent. Usually, the mechanism invoked in merger-induced starbursts is a global inflow of gas towards the central kpc, resulting in a nuclear starburst. We show here, using high-resolution AMR simulations and comparing to observations of the gas component in mergers, that the triggering of starbursts also results from increased ISM turbulence and velocity dispersions in interacting systems. This forms cold gas that are denser and more massive than in quiescent disk galaxies. The fraction of dense cold gas largely increases, modifying the global density distribution of these systems, and efficient star formation results. Because the starbursting activity is not just from a global compacting of the gas to higher average surface densities, but also from higher turbulence and fragmentation into massive and dense clouds, merging systems can enter a different regime of star formation compared to quiescent disk galaxies. This is in quantitative agreement with recent observations suggesting that disk galaxies and starbursting systems are not the low-activity end and high-activity end of a single regime, but actually follow different scaling relations for their star formation.

Asteroseismic investigations, particularly based on data on stellar oscillations from the CoRoT and Kepler space missions, are providing unique possibilities for investigating the properties of stellar interiors. This constitutes entirely new ways to study the effects of dynamic phenomena on stellar structure and evolution. Important examples are the extent of convection zones and the associated mixing and the direct and indirect effects of stellar rotation. In addition, the stellar oscillations themselves show very interesting dynamic behaviour. Here we discuss examples of the results obtained from such investigations, across the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.

Direct numerical simulations of convective stellar envelopes, are divided between two different physical regimes, that are rather difficult to reconcile — at least with the computational power of present-day computers. This paper outlines an attempt at bridging the gap between surface and interior simulations of convection.

The young star clusters we observe today are the building blocks of a new generation of stars and planets in our Galaxy and beyond. Despite their fundamental role we still lack knowledge about the initial conditions under which star clusters form and the impact of these often harsh environments on the formation and evolution of their stellar and substellar members.

We present recent results showing that mass segregation in realistic models of young star clusters occurs very quickly for subvirial spherical systems without substructure. This finding is a critical step to resolve the controversial debate on mass segregation in young star clusters and provides strong constraints on their initial conditions. The rapid concentration of massive stars is usually associated with strong gravitational interactions early on during cluster evolution and the subsequent formation of multiple systems and ejection of stars.

We report on modelling in stellar astrophysics with the ANTARES code. First, we describe properties of turbulence in solar granulation as seen in high-resolution calculations. Then, we turn to the first 2D model of pulsation-convection interaction in a cepheid. We discuss properties of the outer and the HeII ionization zone. Thirdly, we report on our work regarding models of semiconvection in the context of stellar physics.

We present the effects of introducing results of 3D MHD simulations of buoyant magnetic fields in the solar convection zone in 2D mean-field Babcock-Leighton models. In particular, we take into account the time delay introduced by the rise time of the toroidal structures from the base of the convection zone to the solar surface. We find that the delays produce large temporal modulation of the cycle amplitude even when strong and thus rapidly rising flux tubes are considered. The study of a reduced model reveals that aperiodic modulations of the solar cycle appear after a sequence of period doubling bifurcations typical of non-linear systems. We also discuss the memory of such systems and the conclusions which may be drawn concerning the actual solar cycle variability.

Recent work has shown a relationship between between the equations of Reduced Magnetohydrodynamics (RMHD), used to model magnetic fusion laboratory experiments, and incompressible magnetoconvection (IMC), employed in the simulation of astrophysical fluid dynamics (AFD), which means that the two systems are mathematically equivalent in certain geometries. Limitations on the modelling of RMHD, which were found over twenty years ago, are reviewed for an AFD audience, together with hitherto unpublished material on the role of finite-time singularities in the discrete equations used to model fluid dynamical systems. Possible implications for turbulence modelling are mentioned.

The observed uniform rotation of the Sun's radiative interior can be explained by the presence of a global-scale interior magnetic field, provided that the field remains confined below the convection zone. In high latitudes, such magnetic confinement is possible by means of persistent downwelling, driven by the convection zone's turbulent stresses.

Magnetic field are ubiquitous to low-mass stars and can potentially impact their evolution and their internal structure; yet the physical processes (called dynamo) that succeed at generating them in the stellar convective zones of cool dwarfs are still enigmatic. Although theoretical modelling and numerical simulations of stellar dynamo action showed breathtaking progress in the last decade, they are not yet in the state of accurately predicting the various magnetic topologies that different low-mass stars can generate.

Thanks to the advent of new-generation instruments, spectropolarimetric observations can now reveal the large-scale magnetic topologies of cool dwarfs, from the brown dwarf threshold (spectral type M8) up to the limit beyond which outer convective zones get vanishingly small (spectral type F5). In particular, they can reconstruct through tomographic methods the poloidal and toroidal components of the large-scale field, hence offering a fresh option for guiding dynamo theories to a more mature state.

We review here the latest observational advances, showing in particular that magnetic topologies of low-mass dwarfs can drastically vary with mass and rotation rate, and discuss their implications for our understanding of dynamo processes.

Following earlier work by Hughes & Proctor (2009) on the role of velocity shear in convectively driven dynamos, we present preliminary results on the nature of dynamo action due to modified flows derived by filtration from the full convective flow. The results suggest that filtering the flow fields has surprisingly little effect on the dynamo growth rates.

Time series of photospheric magnetic field maps from two observatories, along with data from an evolving surface-flux transport model, are decomposed into their constituent spherical harmonic modes. The evolution of these spherical harmonic spectra reflect the modulation of bipole emergence rates through the solar activity cycle, and the subsequent dispersal, shear, and advection of magnetic flux patterns across the solar photosphere. In this article, we discuss the evolution of the dipolar and quadrupolar modes throughout the past three solar cycles (Cycles 21–23), as well as their relation to the reversal of the polar dipole during each solar maximum, and by extension to aspects of the operation of the global solar dynamo.