Reflections on magnetohydrodynamics (Q2708431)

As the author writes himself in the concluding remarks, ``in this essay, I have attempted to convey the flavour, rather than the detail, of three overlapping areas of magnetohydrodynamics, in which I have been successively involved over the last 40 years''. These are liquid-metal hydrodynamics, magnetic fields in planetary physics and astrophysics, and magnetostatic equilibrium, structure and stability. The discussed flows are driven by the Lorentz force resulting from a magnetic field, and the advection (transport) of the field by the flow. In this respect this process is similar to buoyancy-driven convection, except that the buoyant agent is a vector rather than a scalar. The magnetic field itself can be generated by the flow, so the possibility exists for self-sustaining dynamo action, although of course an energy source is required to maintain the flow against viscous dissipation and Joule heating. Additionally, the author emphasizes that MHD provides some insights into the understanding of turbulence, since the magnetic field is transported in the some way as vorticity.NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEContents: 1. Introduction; 2. Fundamental principles; 3. The Lorentz force and the equation of motion; 4. Electromagnetic shaping and stirring; 5. Dynamo theory; 6. Relaxation to magnetostatic equilibrium; 7. Concluding remarks.NEWLINENEWLINEFor the entire collection see [Zbl 0952.00020].