Magnetic fields in astrophysical objects.
Magnetic fields are known to reside in many astrophysical objects and are now believed to be crucially important for the creation of phenomena on a wide variety of scales. However, the role of the magnetic field in the bodies that we observe has not always been clear. In certain situations, the importance of a magnetic field has been overlooked on the grounds that the large-scale magnetic field was believed to be too weak to play an important role in the dynamics. In this article I discuss some of the recent developments concerning magnetic fields in stars, planets and accretion discs. I choose to emphasize some of the situations where it has been suggested that weak magnetic fields may play a more significant role than previously thought. At the end of the article, I list some of the questions to be answered in the future.
Silvers
L J
LJ
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge, UK. ljs53@damtp.cam.ac.uk
D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006801:Humans; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D016083:Planets