Differential rotation in solar convective dynamo simulations

The simulation is similar to that reported in Fan and Fang (2014) but with further reduced viscosity and magnetic diffusion. The resulting convective dynamo produces a large scale mean field that exhibits similar irregular cyclic behavior and polarity reversals, and self-consistently maintains a solar-like differential rotation.

The main driver for the solar-like differential rotation (with faster rotating equator) is a net outward transport of angular momentum away from the rotation axis by the Reynolds stress, and we found that this transport is enhanced with reduced viscosity and magnetic diffusion.