ABSTRACT

Although the origin of Earth's and other celestial bodies' magnetic fields remains unknown, we do know that the motion of electrically conducting fluids generates and maintains these fields, forming the basis of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and, to a larger extent, dynamo theory. Answering the need for a comprehensive, interdisciplinary introduction

part |2 pages

I Foundations of dynamo theory

chapter 1|56 pages

INTRODUCTION TO SELF-EXCITED DYNAMO ACTION

chapter 2|60 pages

NONLINEARITIES AND SATURATION

chapter 3|80 pages

DYNAMICS OF ROTATING FLUIDS

part |2 pages

II Natural dynamos and models

chapter 4|56 pages

THE GEODYNAMO

chapter 5|24 pages

PLANETARY DYNAMOS

chapter 6|32 pages

STELLAR DYNAMOS

chapter 7|48 pages

GALACTIC DYNAMOS

chapter 8|48 pages

Survey of experimental results

chapter 9|4 pages

PROSPECTS

chapter |4 pages

A Vectors and coordinates

part |2 pages

B Poloidal–Toroidal decomposition

chapter |6 pages

C Taylor’s constraint

part |2 pages

D Units

chapter |2 pages

E Abbreviations