Everyone here knows how the standard cylindrical solenoid works. This image...
**broken link removed**
depicts the field lines. Obviously the field in the center of the solenoid is vastly more concentrated than the field on the outside of the windings which are more or less shooting out into space (so to speak). My question is, is the entire generated field(electromagnetic energy) on the outside of the solenoid equivalent to the field on the inside and just less concentrated, or is it actually weaker? If the first option is true, it is sad that it cannot somehow be harnessed to do work. A cylindrical coil as depicted in the picture (most common) does not seem to be a very efficient type of winding.