Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 August 2011
Current-driven instabilities in stellar radiation zones, to which we refer as Tayler instabilities, can lead to complex nonlinear evolutions. It is of fundamental interest whether magnetically driven turbulence can lead to dynamo action in these radiative zones. We investigate initial-value simulations in a 3D spherical shell including differential rotation. The Tayler instability is connected with a very weak kinetic helicity, stronger current helicity, and a positive αφφ in the northern hemisphere. The amplitudes are small compared to the effect of the tangential cylinder producing an eddy with negative kinetic helicity and negative αφφ in the northern hemisphere. The αφφ from the Tayler instability reaches about 1% of the rms velocity.