Magneto-Fluid Dynamics: Fundamentals and Case Studies of Natural Phenomena

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.