Linking Uranus’ temperature profile to wind-induced magnetic fields

ABSTRACT The low luminosity of Uranus is still a puzzling phenomenon and has key implications for the thermal compositional gradients within planet. Recent studies have shown that planetary volatiles become ionically conducting under conditions are present in ice giants. Rapidly growing electrical conductivity with increasing depth would couple zonal flows to background magnetic field planets, inducing poloidal toroidal perturbations $\boldsymbol {B}^{\omega } = \boldsymbol }_\mathrm{ P} + T}$ via ?-effect. Toroidal expected diffuse downwards produce fields {B}^{\alpha P}$ through turbulent convection ?-effect, comparable strength those ?-effect, P}$. To estimate various models literature, we generate wind decay profiles based on Ohmic dissipation constraints assuming an H2–He–H2O interior. Because higher metallicities outer regions hot models, winds need ?0.1 per cent their surface values 1 admit solutions framework. Our estimates suggest colder could potentially reach up $\mathcal {O}(0.1)$ most extreme case. possible existence spatially correlated Uranus’ be used constrain interior structure, presents further case situ exploration Uranus.