On a codimension-three bifurcation arising in a simple dynamo model

Abstract In this paper we investigate the dynamics associated with a degenerate codimension-two Takens-Bogdanov bifurcation which arises in a recently derived model for self-exciting dynamo action introduced by Hide et al. [R. Hide, A.C. Skeldon, D.J. Acheson, A study of two novel self-exciting single-disk homopolar dynamos: theory, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 452 (1996) 1369–1395]. The general unfolding of such a codimension-three bifurcation has already been discussed in an abstract setting by Li and Rousseau [Codimension-2 symmetric homoclinic bifurcations and application to 1 : 2 resonance, Can J. Math. 42 (1990) 191–212]. Here we describe the unfolding scenario in the context of the dynamo problem. In particular we compare the behaviour predicted by the normal form analysis with a bifurcation study of the full dynamo equations in the neighbourhood of the codimension-three point.