MHD Dynamo Simulation Using the GeoFEM Platform: Comparison with a Spectral Method

We investigate differences of results of a MHD dynamo simulation using the finite-element method (FEM) with that by the spherical harmonics expansion. The simulation was performed with a total of 7:8 104 elements in the simulation domain. The results show that the magnetic energy is generated approximately four times of the kinetic energy in both cases. The outline of present results has consistence with that by the spectral method. However, small-scale patterns can be observed in the spectral method case. These discrepancies are caused by limitation of the spatial resolution in both of the present simulations.