Origins of the magnetomechanical effect

A hypothesis is presented to explain the mechanism by which externally applied stresses can affect the magnetic properties of ferromagnetic materials. Experiments have revealed coincident points in the second and fourth quadrants on stressed hysteresis loops of mild steel. The results are presented along with an explanation of this effect. An atomic level theory of the origins of the magnetomechanical effect is introduced whereby spin-spin and spin-orbit coupling interact with magnetic moments to alter the magnetocrystalline anisotropy and exchange energies. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.