Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2004/iii/paper-65/2/i/solution

Start from the constant-coefficient mean-field dynamo equation
Here may include turbulent as well as microscopic diffusion. Use a local Cartesian model, neglect meridional circulation and curvature, and assume independence of . Represent the poloidal magnetic field by a vector potential along and the toroidal magnetic field by its component:
The shear contributes . The poloidal part of gives , while the toroidal part of is . Therefore
Retaining one common transverse dependence changes to , producing the two requested equations. The first coupling is the alpha effect regenerating poloidal field from toroidal field; the shear is differential-rotation winding in an Alpha-Omega dynamo. Retaining the alpha contribution in the second equation also allows alpha-squared dynamo feedback, rather than making the pure Parker shear-dominated approximation.

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