From: Axel Brandenburg

Nordita Winter School on Dynamos: above, below, and in the laboratory: The objective of the School is to provide training for PhD students working in magnetohydrodynamics in general, and in astrophysical dynamos, the geodynamo, and laboratory dynamos in particular. A proper understanding of dynamos has become mandatory in many fields of research. Solar activity with its 11 year cycle is just one example where we are still lacking a theoretically consistent model in spite of the urgent need to predict the intensity of the next cycle. The latter is particularly critical is estimating the life time of artificial satellites in Earth orbit and hence the need for costly service missions. In the last 10 years major theoretical advances have led to a much deeper understanding of dynamos at large magnetic Reynolds numbers. In addition, three different laboratory experiments have now been successful in displaying dynamo action, broadening the range of phenomena that need to be understood theoretically.

Confirmed teachers

• Piyali Chatterjee (Nordita): Solar dynamo cycle predictions
• Cary Forest (Wisconsin): The Wisconsin dynamo experiments and simulations
• Chris Jones (Leeds): Challenges in simulating the geodynamo
• Maarit Korpi (Helsinki): Simulations of dynamos in compressible flows
• Jean-François Pinton (Lyon): The Cadarache dynamo experiment
• Karl-Heinz Rädler (Potsdam): Mean-field theory applied to experiments
• Anvar Shukurov (Newcastle): Dynamos on galactic scales
• Kandaswamy Subramanian (Pune): Magnetic helicity evolution in dynamos

Special Lecture
Agris Gailitis (Riga): Liquid sodium experiments

For application and further information, see:
http://www.nordita.org/winterschool2010