  A magnetic dynamo experiment is under construction at the New Mexico
Institute of Mining and Technology. The experiment is designed to demonstrate
in the laboratory the alpha-omega magnetic dynamo, which is believed to operate
in many rotating and conducting astrophysical objects. The experiment uses the
Couette flow of liquid sodium between two cylinders rotating with different
angular velocities to model the omega-effect. The alpha-effect is created by
the rising and expanding jets of liquid sodium driven through a pair of
orifices in the end plates of the cylindrical vessel, presumably simulating
plumes driven by buoyancy in astrophysical objects. The water analog of the
dynamo device has been constructed and the flow necessary for the dynamo has
been demonstrated. Results of the numerical simulations of the kinematic dynamo
are presented. The toroidal field produced by the omega-effect is predicted to
be B_{\phi} \simeq (R_m/2\pi) B_{poloidal}\simeq 20 \times B_{poloidal} for the
expected magnetic Reynolds number of R_m \sim 120. The critical rate of jets
necessary for the dynamo self-excitation is predicted from the calculations to
be a pair of plumes every 4 revolutions of the outer cylinder. For reasonable
technical limitations on the strength of materials and the power of the drive,
the self-excitation of the dynamo appears to be feasible.
