Magnetic Fields of Celestial Bodies

by Ye Shi-hui

Overview

Magnetism is one of the basic properties of matter. Mankind has trav­ elled a long road in discovering and utilizing magnetism, and in this respect the ancient Chinese people have made outstanding contributions. In the book 'Lu's Spring and Autumn', written near the end of the Warring States Period, i. e. in the third century B. C. , there is a statement on the "attraction of iron by lodestones". So at that time it was known that magnets can attract ferromagnetic material. At the be­ ginning of the first century A. D. , viz. in the early years of the East Hang Dynasty, the famous scholar Wang Chong wrote in his masterpiece 'Len Hen' that the handle of a magnetic dipper pointed to the south. It was thus discovered at the time that magnets can point to the poles of the geomagnetic field. At the beginning of the twelfth century, during the reign of Emperor Hui of the Sung Dynasty, in the two books written by Zhu Yo and Xu Jin, respectively, there are descriptions of the com­ pass used in navigation. This tells us that the application of compasses was rather widespread at that time. The distinguished scientist Sen Go (1031-1085) discovered the declination of the terrestrial magnetic field. This is four hundred and more years earlier than its discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1492 during his voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Such facts as these manifest the important contributions of ancient China to global civilization.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780792330288
Publisher:	Springer-Verlag New York, LLC
Publication date:	07/31/1994
Series:	Astrophysics and Space Science Library Series , #198
Pages:	356
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.81(d)

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.- 1.1 A Brief Historical Account.- 1.2 Significance of the Study of Cosmic Magnetic Fields.- 1.3 Electromagnetic Properties of Celestial Bodies.- 1.4 Present Status of the Study of Cosmic Magnetic Fields.- 2 Principles of Measurement of Magnetic Fields of Celestial Bodies.- 2.1 Zeeman Effect.- 2.2 Inverse Zeeman Effect.- 2.3 Hanle Effect.- 2.4 Faraday Rotation.- 2.5 Radio Observations.- 2.6 Synchrotron Radiation.- 2.7 Morphological Studies.- 2.8 Theoretical Calculations and Other Methods.- 3 Techniques for the Measurement of Magnetic Fields of Celestial Bodies.- 3.1 Apparatus for Measuring Sunspot Magnetic Fields.- 3.2 Photoelectric Magnetographs.- 3.3 Videomagnetographs.- 3.4 Vector Magnetographs.- 3.5 Stokesmeters.- 3.6 Influence of Stray Light and Instrumental Polarization.- 3.7 Selection of Magneto-Sensitive Spectral Lines.- 4 The Magnetic Fields of Sunspots.- 4.1 Basic Characteristics.- 4.2 Orientation.- 4.3 Fine Structures.- 4.4 3-D Models.- 4.5 Sunspot Magnetic Fields and the Evershed Effect.- 4.6 Magnetic Fields of Sunspot Groups and Complexes of Activity.- 4.7 Influence of Magnetic Fields on Sunspot Spectra.- 5 Background and Local Magnetic Fields on the Solar Surface.- 5.1 Solar Background Magnetic Field.- 5.2 Small-Scale Magnetic Fields.- 5.3 Magnetic Fields of Active Regions.- 5.4 Large-Scale Magnetic Fields.- 5.5 Solar Flares and Magnetic Fields.- 5.6 Magnetic Fields of Solar Prominences.- 6 Magnetic Fields of the Solar Atmosphere.- 6.1 Photospheric Magnetic Fields.- 6.2 Chromospheric Magnetic Fields.- 6.3 Coronal Magnetic Fields.- 6.4 Magnetic Field Gradient of the Solar Atmosphere.- 7 The General Magnetic Field of the Sun.- 7.1 Strength of the General Magnetic Field.- 7.2 Fine Structures of the General Magnetic Field.- 7.3 Polarity Reversals of the General Magnetic Field.- 7.4 Rapid Changes of the General Magnetic Field.- 7.5 The Global Magnetic Field of the Sun.- 7.6 The Internal Magnetic Field of the Sun.- 8 Magnetic Fields of the Solar System.- 8.1 Magnetic Field of Interplanetary Space.- 8.2 Magnetospheres and the Heliosphere.- 8.3 The Lunar Magnetic Field.- 8.4 Planetary Magnetic Fields.- 9 Stellar Magnetic Fields.- 9.1 Observations of Stellar Magnetic Fields.- 9.2 Characteristics of Magnetic Stars.- 9.3 Chemical Composition of Magnetic Stars.- 9.4 Models of Magnetic Stars.- 9.5 The Magnetic Field of Pulsars.- 9.6 The Magnetic Field of White Dwarfs.- 10 Magnetic Fields of Galaxies and Intergalactic Space.- 10.1 The Interstellar Magnetic Field.- 10.2 Magnetic Fields of Extragalactic Nebulae.- 11 Some Theoretical Problems of Cosmic Magnetic Fields.- 11.1 Theory of Spectral Line Formation in the Magnetic Field.- 11.2 Theory of the Sunspot Magnetic Field.- 11.3 Theory of the Solar Activity Cycle.- 11.4 Magnetic Fields and the Structure and Evolution of Stars.- 11.5 The Origin of Cosmic Magnetic Fields.- 11.6 Magnetic Fields and Cosmic Rays.- References.- Name Index.

Editorial Reviews

Deals with the magnetic fields of various celestial bodies, such as the Sun, Moon, planets, stars, and galaxies, as well as interplanetary, interstellar, and intergalactic media. Covers principles of measurement, background and local magnetic fields on the solar surface, and theoretical problems of cosmic magnetic fields. The original Chinese edition was published in Beijing in 1978, and translated and rewritten in 1990. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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