Global Magnetic Structure In Spiral Galaxies

1991 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-97
Author(s):  
S. J. Spencer

AbstractGlobal magnetic structure has been inferred in spiral galaxies from radio and optical observations. The author has developed a three dimensional, quasi-global kinematic dynamo model which demonstrates the possibility of maintaining large-scale magnetic fields by the αω mechanism. Analytical expressions for large-scale galactic magnetic fields near temporal steady states have been derived. Illustrations of the spatial distribution of vector and absolute large-scale magnetic field strength are presented. When coupled with observations this model may help in understanding the maintenance and morphologies inferred for disk and halo global magnetic fields in spiral galaxies.

1990 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 115-116
Author(s):  
R. Meinel ◽  
D. Elstner ◽  
G. Rüdiger ◽  
F. Krause

Radio polarization observations of spiral galaxies suggest the existence of large-scale galactic magnetic fields which are of either axisymmetric -spiral (ASS) or bisymmetric-spiral (BSS), i.e. non-axisymmetric, structure (cf. Beck, 1939). Clear evidence for a BSS field was indicated for M31 by M. Krause et al. (1989).


2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (S254) ◽  
pp. 95-96
Author(s):  
Arthur M. Wolfe ◽  
Regina A. Jorgenson ◽  
Timothy Robishaw ◽  
Carl Heiles ◽  
Jason X. Prochaska

AbstractThe magnetic field pervading our Galaxy is a crucial constituent of the interstellar medium: it mediates the dynamics of interstellar clouds, the energy density of cosmic rays, and the formation of stars (Beck 2005). The field associated with ionized interstellar gas has been determined through observations of pulsars in our Galaxy. Radio-frequency measurements of pulse dispersion and the rotation of the plane of linear polarization, i.e., Faraday rotation, yield an average value B ≈ 3 μG (Han et al. 2006). The possible detection of Faraday rotation of linearly polarized photons emitted by high-redshift quasars (Kronberg et al. 2008) suggests similar magnetic fields are present in foreground galaxies with redshifts z > 1. As Faraday rotation alone, however, determines neither the magnitude nor the redshift of the magnetic field, the strength of galactic magnetic fields at redshifts z > 0 remains uncertain.Here we report a measurement of a magnetic field of B ≈ 84 μG in a galaxy at z =0.692, using the same Zeeman-splitting technique that revealed an average value of B = 6 μG in the neutral interstellar gas of our Galaxy (Heiles et al. 2004). This is unexpected, as the leading theory of magnetic field generation, the mean-field dynamo model, predicts large-scale magnetic fields to be weaker in the past, rather than stronger (Parker 1970).The full text of this paper was published in Nature (Wolfe et al. 2008).


2021 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Valery V. Pipin

We study the helicity density patterns which can result from the emerging bipolar regions. Using the relevant dynamo model and the magnetic helicity conservation law we find that the helicity density patterns around the bipolar regions depend on the configuration of the ambient large-scale magnetic field, and in general they show a quadrupole distribution. The position of this pattern relative to the equator can depend on the tilt of the bipolar region. We compute the time–latitude diagrams of the helicity density evolution. The longitudinally averaged effect of the bipolar regions shows two bands of sign for the density distributions in each hemisphere. Similar helicity density patterns are provided by the helicity density flux from the emerging bipolar regions subjected to surface differential rotation.


2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (S259) ◽  
pp. 455-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
JinLin Han

AbstractThe magnetic structure in the Galactic disk, the Galactic center and the Galactic halo can be delineated more clearly than ever before. In the Galactic disk, the magnetic structure has been revealed by starlight polarization within 2 or 3 kpc of the Solar vicinity, by the distribution of the Zeeman splitting of OH masers in two or three nearby spiral arms, and by pulsar dispersion measures and rotation measures in nearly half of the disk. The polarized thermal dust emission of clouds at infrared, mm and submm wavelengths and the diffuse synchrotron emission are also related to the large-scale magnetic field in the disk. The rotation measures of extragalactic radio sources at low Galactic latitudes can be modeled by electron distributions and large-scale magnetic fields. The statistical properties of the magnetized interstellar medium at various scales have been studied using rotation measure data and polarization data. In the Galactic center, the non-thermal filaments indicate poloidal fields. There is no consensus on the field strength, maybe mG, maybe tens of μG. The polarized dust emission and much enhanced rotation measures of background radio sources are probably related to toroidal fields. In the Galactic halo, the antisymmetric RM sky reveals large-scale toroidal fields with reversed directions above and below the Galactic plane. Magnetic fields from all parts of our Galaxy are connected to form a global field structure. More observations are needed to explore the untouched regions and delineate how fields in different parts are connected.


2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 1844006
Author(s):  
A. Dorodnitsyn ◽  
T. Kallman

Large scale magnetic field can be easily dragged from galactic scales toward AGN along with accreting gas. There, it can contribute to both the formation of AGN “torus” and help to remove angular momentum from the gas which fuels AGN accretion disk. However the dynamics of such gas is also strongly influenced by the radiative feedback from the inner accretion disk. Here we present results from the three-dimensional simulations of pc-scale accretion which is exposed to intense X-ray heating.


1991 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 267-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Beck

Spiral galaxies host interstellar magnetic fields of 4-15 μG total strength. A significant fraction of the field lines shows large-scale structures. At face-on or moderately inclined view, the field lines run generally parallel to the spiral arms, either with uniform direction with respect to azimuthal angle (axisymmetric spiral, ASS), with one reversal along azimuthal angle (bisymmetric spiral, BSS), or with spiral orientation without dominating direction.At edge-on view, the field is concentrated in a thin disk, often surrounded by a thick radio disk with field lines mostly parallel to the plane, similar to the quadrupole-type dynamo field. Radio polarization data from NGC891 indicate that the thermal gas seen in Hα is responsible for Faraday depolarization. The required scaleheight of the field of ~4 kpc is comparable to the value expected in case of energy equipartition between magnetic fields and cosmic rays. The interacting edge-on galaxy NGC 4631 shows a much larger radio halo with field lines perpendicular to the disk, possibly driven by a strong galactic wind or the result of a dipole-type halo field.Field lines bending out of the plane are also visible in face-on galaxies as regions with high rotation measures and low star-formation activity. The resemblance to the phenomenon of the solar corona suggests to call them “galactic coronal holes”.


1990 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 177-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.J. Völk ◽  
D. Breitschwerdt ◽  
J.F. McKenzie

Concentrating on our own Galaxy we discuss the dynamics of the outer halo, its magnetic structure and the occurrence of a supersonic mass loss in the form of a Galactic wind. The cosmic rays, as the nonthermal high energy component, de facto not influenced by gravity, play an essential role in the wind dynamics.


1990 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 83-89
Author(s):  
A.A. Ruzmaikin

The fast dynamo acting in a turbulent flow explains the origin of magnetic fields in astrophysical objects. Stellar cycles and large-scale magnetic fields in spiral galaxies reflect the behaviour of a mean magnetic field. Intermittent magnetic structures in clusters of galaxies are associated with random magnetic field.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (A29A) ◽  
pp. 360-364
Author(s):  
Rim Fares

AbstractIn Sun-like stars, magnetic fields are generated in the outer convective layers. They shape the stellar environment, from the photosphere to planetary orbits. Studying the large-scale magnetic field of those stars enlightens our understanding of the field properties and gives us observational constraints for field generation dynamo models. It also sheds light on how “normal” the Sun is among Sun-like stars. In this contribution, I will review the field properties of Sun-like stars, focusing on solar twins and planet hosting stars. I will discuss the observed large-scale magnetic cycles, compare them to stellar activity cycles, and link that to what we know about the Sun. I will also discuss the effect of large-scale stellar fields on exoplanets, exoplanetary emissions (e.g. radio), and habitability.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (S340) ◽  
pp. 301-302
Author(s):  
Gopal Hazra ◽  
Mark S. Miesch

AbstractThe observed convective flows on the photosphere (e.g., supergranulation, granulation) play a key role in the Babcock-Leighton (BL) process to generate large scale polar fields from sunspots fields. In most surface flux transport (SFT) and BL dynamo models, the dispersal and migration of surface fields is modeled as an effective turbulent diffusion. We present the first kinematic 3D FT/BL model to explicitly incorporate realistic convective flows based on solar observations. The results obtained are generally in good agreement with the observed surface flux evolution and with non-convective models that have a turbulent diffusivity on the order of 3 × 1012 cm2 s−1 (300 km2 s−1). However, we find that the use of a turbulent diffusivity underestimates the dynamo efficiency, producing weaker mean fields and shorter cycle.


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