Effect of small scale motions on dynamo actions generated by the Beltrami-like flows

•Dynamo actions driven by multiscale Beltrami-like flows are investigated.•Some small scale motions induce transition of dynamo from steady to unsteady state.•Direction of small scale poloidal flow has a significant effect on dynamo threshold.

The geodynamo and solar dynamo are driven by the turbulent flows which involve motions of various scales. Of particular interest is what role is played by the small scale motions in these dynamos. In this paper, the integral equation approach is employed to investigate the effect of the small scale motions on dynamo actions driven by multiscale Beltrami-like flows in a cylindrical vessel. The result shows that some small scale motions can trigger a transition of a dynamo from a steady to an unsteady state. Our results also show that when the poloidal components of the small and large scale flows share the same direction in the equatorial plane, the small scale flows have more positive or less detrimental effect on the onsets of the dynamo actions in comparison with the case that the poloidal components have different directions. These findings shed light on the effect of the small scale turbulence on dynamo actions.