The Magnetoelastic Constants of Nickel

The magnetoelastic constants of nickel are calculated from the magnetostriction constant measured by Birss and Lee in 1960 and elastic constants measured by Alers, Neighbours and Sato in 1960. It is shown that the temperature variation of these magnetoelastic constants is in good agreement with the theory proposed by Kittel and Van Vleck in 1960. According to this theory the magnetoelastic constants depend upon the magnitude of the spontaneous magnetization. This may be increased slightly by a large magnetic field and it is shown that the theory explains, in principle, the origin of the forced magnetostriction.