  We investigate small-scale dynamo action in the solar convection zone through
a series of high resolution MHD simulations in a local Cartesian domain with
1$R_\odot$ (solar radius) of horizontal extent and a radial extent from 0.715
to 0.96$R_\odot$. The dependence of the solution on resolution and diffusivity
is studied. For a grid spacing of less than 350 km, the root mean square
magnetic field strength near the base of the convection zone reaches 95% of the
equipartition field strength (i.e. magnetic and kinetic energy are comparable).
For these solutions the Lorentz force feedback on the convection velocity is
found to be significant. The velocity near the base of the convection zone is
reduced to 50% of the hydrodynamic one. In spite of a significant decrease of
the convection velocity, the reduction in the enthalpy flux is relatively
small, since the magnetic field also suppresses the horizontal mixing of the
entropy between up- and downflow regions. This effect increases the amplitude
of the entropy perturbation and makes convective energy transport more
efficient. We discuss potential implications of these results for solar global
convection and dynamo simulations.
