  Magnetic anisotropy has been measured for the ferromagnetic La0.7Sr0.3CoO3
perovskite from an analysis of the high-field part of the magnetization vs.
field curves, i.e., the magnetic saturation regime. These measurements give a
magnetic anistropy one order of magnitude higher than that of reference
manganites. Surprisingly, the values of the magnetic anisotropy calculated in
this way do not coincide with those estimated from measurements of coercive
fields which are one order of magnitude smaller. It is proposed that the reason
of this anomalous behaviour is a transition of the trivalent Co ions under the
external magnetic field from a low-spin to an intermediate-spin state. Such a
transition converts the Co3+ ions into Jahn-Teller ions having an only
partially quenched orbital angular momentum, which enhances the intra-atomic
spin-orbit coupling and magnetic anisotropy.
