  We report a first principles, self-consistent, all electron, linear
combination of Gaussian orbitals (LCGO) calculation of a comprehensive
collection of magneto-optical properties of nickel and iron based on density
functional theory. Among the many magneto-optical effects, we have studied the
equatorial Kerr effect for absorption in the optical as well as soft X-ray
region, where it is called X-ray magnetic linear dichroism (X-MLD). In the
optical region the effect is of the order of 2\% while in the X-ray region it
is of the order of 1\% for the incident angles considered. In addition, the
polar Kerr effect, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (X-MCD) and total X-ray
absorption at the L$_{2,3}$ edges, soft X-ray Faraday effect at the L$_{2,3}$
edges have also been calculated. Our results are in good agreement with
experiments and other first principles methods that have been used to calculate
some of these properties.

Condensed Matter