Bibcode
Asensio Ramos, A.
Referencia bibliográfica
Solar Polarization 4, ASP Conference Series, Vol. 358, Proceedings of the conference held 19-23 September, 2005, in Boulder, Colorado, USA. Edited by R. Casini and B. W. Lites, p.301
Fecha de publicación:
12
2006
Número de citas
3
Número de citas referidas
2
Descripción
We present a historical review of the theory of the Zeeman effect in
molecular lines, from its discovery at the end of the 19th century till
today. The fast development of the quantum theory owes much to the
impulse given by the experimental investigation of the molecular Zeeman
effect. Laboratory experiments produced fruitful results after the
predictions made by the quantum theory. The introduction by Racah of the
powerful angular momentum algebra gave a second impulse to the theory
and allowed to fully understand the fine structure and polarization
properties of molecular transitions. At present, the theory of the
Zeeman and Paschen-Back effects in molecular lines is being applied to
spectro-(polarimetric) observations to infer the physical and magnetic
properties of cold plasmas in the atmospheres of the Sun and of other
stars.