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Origin of cosmic magnetic fieldsReasons for describing cosmic hydromagnetic phenomena by introducing electric currents are summarized demonstrating that change from the traditional magnetic field description to a current description provides new aspects of cosmic electrodynamics. It is shown that the kink-instability of electric currents is the basic physical phenomenon responsible for magnetic flux generation in cosmic physics. A model which starts with a poloidal magnetic field is discussed; differential motions change the field configuration so that kinetic energy is transferred into magnetic energy of induced toroidal fields; the currents associated with these become unstable when the toroidal energy exceeds the poloidal energy resulting in an amplification of the original poloidal field.
Document ID
19800035219
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Alfven, H.
(California, University La Jolla, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1979
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
80A19389
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-77-12866
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-7102
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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