An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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Thermal → convection modified by the presence of magnetic fields.

→ magnetic; → convection.

In terrestrial magnetism, the difference between → true north (the axis around which the earth rotates) and magnetic north (the direction the needle of a compass will point,→ magnetic pole).

→ magnetic; → declination.

The process whereby the magnetic field tends to diffuse across the plasma and to smooth out any local inhomogeneities under the influence of a finite resistance in the plasma. For a stationary plasma the → induction equation becomes a pure → diffusion equation: ∂B/∂t = D_m∇²B, where D_m = (μ₀σ₀)^-1 is the → magnetic diffusivity.

→ magnetic; → diffusion.

The → diffusion coefficient for a magnetic field. It is expressed as: η = 1/(μ₀σ), where μ₀ is the → magnetic permeability and σ the → conductivity.

→ magnetic; → diffusivity.

In terrestrial magnetism, the angle that a → magnetic needle makes with the horizontal plane at any specific location. The angle of magnetic dip at the → magnetic poles of Earth is 90°. Also called → inclination and → dip.

→ magnetic; → dip.

A system that generates a → magnetic field in which the field is considered to result from two opposite poles, as in the north and south poles of a magnet, much as an → electric field originates from a positive and a negative charge in an → electric dipole. A loop carrying an electric current also acts as a magnetic dipole. Magnetic dipoles experience a torque in the presence of magnetic fields. → dipole moment; → magnetic moment.

→ magnetic; → dipole.

Same as → magnetic moment.

→ magnetic; → dipole; → moment.

Any of several microscopic areas in a → ferromagnetic material that possesses a net → magnetic field, because electron spins are aligned in the same direction. In the absence of an external magnetic field, the directions of the magnetization vectors of the separate domains do not coincide and the resultant magnetization of the whole body may be zero.

→ magnetic; → domain.

The energy stored in a magnetic field. It is the → work that must be done to establish a magnetic field in terms of the → magnetic induction. Magnetic energy varies as the square of the magnetic induction. It can be expressed in several other ways, for example in terms of the current and of the magnetic flux, or in terms of the current density and vector potential.

→ magnetic; → energy.

A field of force that is generated by electric currents, or, equivalently, a region in which magnetic forces can be observed.

→ magnetic; → field.

An imaginary line used for representing the strength and direction of a magnetic field. Charged particles move freely along magnetic field lines, but are inhibited by the magnetic force from moving across field lines.

→ magnetic; → field; → line.

Same as → magnetic intensity.

→ magnetic; → field; → intensity.

A measure of the quantity of magnetism or magnetic field. It is the number of lines of force passing normally through a given area. Magnetic flux is a scalar quantity defined as the surface integral of the → magnetic flux density. It is usually denoted by the Greek letter Φ and its SI unit is the → weber.

→ magnetic; → flux.

A vector quantity measuring the strength and direction of the magnetic field. It is the → magnetic flux per unit area of a magnetic field at right angles to the magnetic force. Magnetic flux density is expressed in → teslas. Also called → magnetic induction.

→ magnetic; → flux; → density.

A quantity that measures the extent to which the magnetic field lines wrap and coil around each other. It is closely related to field line topology. Magnetic helicity is defined by: H_M = ∫ A . B dV, where A is the vector potential of the magnetic field and the integration is over a volume V. → helicity; → kinetic helicity

→ magnetic; → helicity.

Same as → magnetic dip or → dip.

→ magnetic; → inclination.

1) Same as → magnetic flux density.
2) The production of a magnetic field in a piece of un-magnetized iron or other → ferromagnetic substance when a magnet is brought near it. The magnet causes the individual particles of iron, which act like tiny magnets, to line up so that the sample as a whole becomes magnetized.

→ magnetic; → induction.

Strength of a magnetic field at a point, denoted H. The force which could be exerted on unit north magnetic pole situated at that point. Measured in oersteds. Same as → magnetic field strength.

→ magnetic; → intensity.

A → stellar magnetic field associated with a → massive star. Magnetic fields are detected only for seven to ten percent of all studied massive → OB stars, and the magnetic field occurrence does not depend on the → spectral type. Because these magnetic fields seem to be stable over long time-scales and their strength does not seem to correlate with known stellar properties, it is assumed that they are of fossil origin (→ fossil magnetic field) and are frozen into the → radiative envelope of the stars. The fields are those of the birth → molecular clouds, partly trapped inside the → pre-main sequence star during the cloud → collapse phase, possibly further enhanced by a → dynamo effect in the early fully convective stellar phase. Typically, the polar field strength ranges from about a hundred → Gauss up to several kiloGauss. However, some weaker fields, below 100 G, have recently been detected.
The stellar magnetic field influences many different regions of the star with various effects. In the deep interior of the star, the field influences the internal → mixing of the star and this affects the size of the → convective overshooting region, changing the lifetime of the star by decreasing the amount of fuel for nuclear burning. Magnetic stars can also confine their → stellar winds, due to their strong magnetic fields, into a → magnetosphere, which slows down the → rotational velocity of the star. This → magnetic braking is an efficient mechanism for → angular momentum transport. At the stellar surface, the magnetic fields can create and sustain areas of chemical over- or under-abundances and/or large temperature differences, which are called spots (Buysschaert et al., 2016, astro-ph/1709.02619).

→ magnetic; → massive; → star.

A meridian passing through the Earth's → magnetic poles.

→ magnetic; → meridian.