Magnetic Fields in Chaos

The magnetic fields generated by electric currents in wires are typically depicted as neat closed loops, but this may be more the exception than the rule. Computer-based calculations in the December Physical Review E show that magnetic field lines around simple wire configurations are tangled up like a ball of yarn. After accounting for the earth’s magnetic field, the researchers conclude that these chaotic magnetic fields are ubiquitous in the circuits found in all modern electronic devices.