Magneto-Fluid Dynamics (eBook)

Fundamentals and Case Studies of Natural Phenomena

Stephane Houle, Francois Lorrain, Paul Lorrain (Autoren)

eBook Download: PDF

2007
XXX, 319 Seiten
Springer New York (Verlag)
978-0-387-47290-4 (ISBN)

Infos

This book provides an understanding of the physics at work in sunspots and solar coronal loops, and offers a new approach to Magneto-Fluid-Dynamics (or Magneto-Hydro-Dynamics).The book stresses the use of electric currents in Magneto-Fluid-Dynamics. As a rule, authors discuss magnetic field lines without referring to the required electric currents. It also stresses the importance of electric space charges inside conductors that move in magnetic fields.

Paul Lorrain is the main author of three books: Electromagnetic Fields and Waves, third edition 1988, Electromagnetism, Principles and Applications, second edition, 1990, and Fundamentals of Electromagnetic Phenomena, first edition 2000, all published by Freeman, New York.  He is also the main author of 22 papers published in the last 22 years in major physics, astrophysics, and plasma physics journals.  He has worked in universities and research institutes in several countries.  He is presently Visiting Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill University in Montréal, Canada.

François Lorrain is a co-author of the first and third of the above three books. He has also published a book, Réseaux sociaux et classifications sociales ; essai sur l'algèbre et la géométrie des structures sociales, Hermann, Paris, 1975. In relation to Magneto-Fluid-Dynamics, he has recently published an article entitled 'Estimating the order of magnitude of derivatives in physics by means of characteristic lengths and times' in the American Journal of Physics, 72 (5), May 2004, pp. 683-690. Presently he teaches in the Département de mathématiques et d'informatique, Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, Montréal (QC), Canada.

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Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) concerns the interaction between magnetic fields and conducting fluids. We are concerned here with macroscopic inter- actions and, when the conducting fluid is a plasma, time scales are very much longer than the plasma period. Plasma periods vary widely, but are short, say 10~^^ second. We prefer the term Magneto-F/i^Z(i-Dynamics (MFD) because the disci- pline concerns mostly plasmas, various liquid conductors, and the liquid part of the Earth's core. It seems that the only applications of MFD to water are the induction of electric currents in the oceans by the Earth's magnetic field, and ship propulsion. But even MFD is not quite appropriate because that term also includes solid conductors that move in magnetic fields. This book is meant for graduate and upper-division undergraduate stu- dents in Physics, Geophysics, and Astrophysics, as well as for practicing sci- entists in these fields. This book is no more than a brief introduction to MFD because this vast subject is closely related to many others, namely Astrophysics, Elec- trodynamics, Fluid Dynamics, Geophysics, Oceanography, Plasma Physics, Thermonuclear Fusion, etc. We sketch the fundamentals, and provide many Examples, as well as Case Studies related to natural phenomena. MFD sorely needs a rethink: it must of course be totally compatible with Physics. On the contrary, it is the custom to discuss the shapes of imaginary magnetic field lines, without ever referring to the required electric currents.

Inhalt

Vector definitions, identities, and theorems 2
Contents 8
List of Figures 15
Preface 17
List of Symbols 29
The Early History 31
1 The Early History 32
Fundamentals 45
2 The Maxwell Equations 46
3 Electric Fields 58
4 Constant Magnetic Fields 72
5 Time- dependent Magnetic Fields: The Law of Faraday 90
Moving Conductors 97
6 Ohm's Law for Moving Conductors 98
7 Charges Inside Moving Conductors 112
8 Nine Examples: Magnetic Fields in Moving Conductors 127
9 Case Study: The Azimuthal Magnetic Field in the Earth's Core 148
Natural Dynamos 168
10 Case Study: The Disk Dynamo Model for Natural Dynamos 169
11 Three Case Studies: Magnetic Flux Tubes, Flux Ropes, and Flux Coils 180
12 Case Study: Solar Magnetic Elements 209
13 Case Study: Sunspots 225
14 Case Study: Solar Spicules 243
15 Case Study: Solar Coronal Loops as Self- Channeled Proton Beams I 259
16 Case Study: Solar Coronal Loops as Self- Channeled Proton Beams II 272
Appendices 290
A Characteristic Lengths and Times, a Justification 291
B SI prefixes 312
References 313
Index 325
Maxwell's equations 338

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 31.10.2007
• Reihe/Serie: Astronomy and Astrophysics Library
• Reihe/Serie: Astronomy and Astrophysics Library
• Zusatzinfo: XXX, 319 p. 70 illus.
• Verlagsort: New York
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Astronomie / Astrophysik
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Atom- / Kern- / Molekularphysik
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Elektrodynamik
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Plasmaphysik
• Themenwelt: Technik
• Schlagworte: CASE • CERN • Dynamics • electric current • Fluid • Magnetic field • Magneto Fluid Dynamics • Magneto Hydro Dynamics • Maxwell's equations • physics today • Plasma physics • solar physics
• ISBN-10: 0-387-47290-8 / 0387472908
• ISBN-13: 978-0-387-47290-4 / 9780387472904