Friday, August 07, 2015

Word of the day: dynamo

The word of the day is dynamo:

  1. an electric generator, especially for direct current
1882, short for Ger. dynamoelektrischemaschine, coined 1867 by its inventor, Ger. electrical engineer Werner Siemans (1816-92), from Gk. dynamis "power."

(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dynamo)


"Mercury and Earth both have an internal magnetic field similar to that of a giant magnet...  Both fields are thought to be generated by core dynamos, where the electrically conducting, liquid iron is stirred by convective motion..., sustaining the magnetic lines of force."

 - Julien Aubert, "Ancient planetary dynamos, take two: Magnetic studies of Earth and Mercury constrain their ancient core dynamics", Science 349:475 (31 July 3015)

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