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The Milestones are a series of specially written articles, highlighting the most influential discoveries in the field of 'spin' since 1896. Nature Milestones in Spin also includes a Collection of relevant articles and an online-only Library of papers and reviews from Nature Publishing Group.
IN consequence of my measurements of Kerr’s magneto-optical phenomena, the thought occurred to me whether the period of the light emitted by a flame might be altered when the flame was acted upon by magnetic force. It has turned out that such an action really occurs. I introduced into an oxyhydrogen flame, placed between the poles of a Ruhmkorff’s electromagnet, a filament of asbestos soaked in common salt. The light of the flame was examined with a Rowland’s grating. Whenever the circuit was closed both D lines were seen to widen.
AN image of an object may be defined as a graphical representation of the spatial distribution of one or more of its properties. Image formation usually requires that the object interact with a matter or radiation field characterized by a wavelength comparable to or smaller than the smallest features to be distinguished, so that the region of interaction may be restricted and a resolved image generated.