scholarly journals Cosmic magnetic field observations with next generation instrumentation

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (H15) ◽  
pp. 430-431
Author(s):  
Rainer Beck

AbstractThe origin of magnetic fields in the Universe is an open problem in astrophysics and fundamental physics. Forthcoming radio telescopes will open a new era in studying cosmic magnetic fields. Low-frequency radio waves will reveal the structure of weak magnetic fields in the outer regions and halos of galaxies and in intracluster media. At higher frequencies, the EVLA and the SKA will map the structure of magnetic fields in galaxies in unprecedented detail. All-sky surveys of Faraday rotation measures (RM) towards a huge number of polarized background sources with the SKA and its pathfinders will allow us to model the structure and strength of the regular magnetic fields in the Milky Way, the interstellar medium of galaxies, in galaxy clusters and the intergalactic medium.

2007 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 399-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Beck

Abstract. The origin of magnetic fields in stars, galaxies and clusters is an open problem in astrophysics. The next-generation radio telescopes Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) and Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will revolutionize the study of cosmic magnetism. "The origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism" is a key science project for SKA. The planned all-sky survey of Faraday rotation measures (RM) at 1.4 GHz will be used to model the structure and strength of the magnetic fields in the intergalactic medium, the interstellar medium of intervening galaxies, and in the Milky Way. A complementary survey of selected regions at around 200 MHz is planned as a key project for LOFAR. Spectro-polarimetry applied to the large number of spectral channels available for LOFAR and SKA will allow to separate RM components from distinct foreground and background regions and to perform 3-D Faraday tomography of the interstellar medium of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies. – Deep polarization mapping with LOFAR and SKA will open a new era also in the observation of synchrotron emission from magnetic fields. LOFAR's sensitivity will allow to map the structure of weak, extended magnetic fields in the halos of galaxies, in galaxy clusters, and possibly in the intergalactic medium. Polarization observations with SKA at higher frequencies (1–10 GHz) will show the detailed magnetic field structure within the disks and central regions of galaxies, with much higher angular resolution than present-day radio telescopes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuro Toda ◽  
Mikako Ito ◽  
Jun-ichi Takeda ◽  
Alkio Masuda ◽  
Nobutaka Hattori ◽  
...  

Abstract Humans are frequently exposed to time-varying and static weak magnetic fields (WMF). However, the effects of faint magnetic fields, weaker than the geomagnetic field, have not been reported. We found that extremely low-frequency (ELF)-WMF, comprised of serial pulses of 10 µT intensity at 1–8 Hz, which was three or more times weaker than the geomagnetic field, reduced mitochondrial mass to 70% and the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complex II activity to 88%. Chemical inhibition of electron flux through the mitochondrial ETC complex II nullified the effect of ELF-WMF. Suppression of ETC complex II subsequently induced mitophagy by translocating parkin and PINK1 to the mitochondria and by recruiting LC3-II. Thereafter, mitophagy induced PGC-1α-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis to rejuvenate mitochondria. The lack of PINK1 negated the effect of ELF-WMF. Thus, ELF-WMF may be applicable for the treatment of human diseases that exhibit compromised mitochondrial homeostasis, such as Parkinson’s disease.


1996 ◽  
Vol 175 ◽  
pp. 571-576
Author(s):  
K. Meisenheimer ◽  
H. Hippelein ◽  
M. Neeser

One hundred years after G. Marconi recorded radio waves over a distance of more than 1000 m, the most sensitive radio telescopes are able to detect the radio emission from light travel distances at least 1.4 × 1023 times greater. The electromagnetic waves from these distant objects are red shifted by Δλ/λ = z > 4. It is not the mere distance of high redshift objects which is fascinating, but rather the fact that one looks back into the early history of the universe by observing them: Objects at a redshift of 4 shined at a time when the universe had reached only about 1/5 of its present age.


1983 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
pp. 159-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Beck

Interstellar magnetic fields are known to be a constraint for star formation, but their influence on the formation of spiral structures and the evolution of galaxies is generally neglected. Structure, strength and degree of uniformity of interstellar magnetic fields can be determined by measuring the linearly polarised radio continuum emission at several frequencies (e.g. Beck, 1982). Results for 7 galaxies observed until now with the Effelsberg and Westerbork radio telescopes are given in the table. The Milky Way is also included for comparison.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (S317) ◽  
pp. 274-275
Author(s):  
Alexander M. Beck

AbstractMagnetic fields are observed on all scales in the Universe (see e.g. Kronberg 1994), but little is known about the origin and evolution of those fields with cosmic time. Seed fields of arbitrary source must be amplified to present-day values and distributed among cosmic structures. Therefore, the emergence of cosmic magnetic fields and corresponding dynamo processes (see e.g. Zel'dovich et al. 1983; Kulsrud et al. 1997) can only be jointly understood with the very basic processes of structure and galaxy formation (see e.g. Mo et al. 2010).


2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (41) ◽  
pp. 1193-1205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue-Re Harris ◽  
Kevin B. Henbest ◽  
Kiminori Maeda ◽  
John R. Pannell ◽  
Christiane R. Timmel ◽  
...  

The scientific literature describing the effects of weak magnetic fields on living systems contains a plethora of contradictory reports, few successful independent replication studies and a dearth of plausible biophysical interaction mechanisms. Most such investigations have been unsystematic, devoid of testable theoretical predictions and, ultimately, unconvincing. A recent study, of magnetic responses in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana , however, stands out; it has a clear hypothesis—that seedling growth is magnetically sensitive as a result of photoinduced radical-pair reactions in cryptochrome photoreceptors—tested by measuring several cryptochrome-dependent responses, all of which proved to be enhanced in a magnetic field of intensity 500 μT. The potential importance of this study in the debate on putative effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields on human health prompted us to subject it to the ‘gold standard’ of independent replication. With experimental conditions chosen to match those of the original study, we have measured hypocotyl lengths and anthocyanin accumulation for Arabidopsis seedlings grown in a 500 μT magnetic field, with simultaneous control experiments at 50 μT. Additionally, we have determined hypocotyl lengths of plants grown in 50 μT, 1 mT and approximately 100 mT magnetic fields (with zero-field controls), measured gene ( CHS , HY5 and GST ) expression levels, investigated blue-light intensity effects and explored the influence of sucrose in the growth medium. In no case were consistent, statistically significant magnetic field responses detected.


Author(s):  
S.Ya. Braude ◽  
V.M. Kontorovich

The book tells about the achievements of modern radio astronomy. Data on radio galaxies, quasars, pulsars, space masers, and other space objects emitting radio waves are presented in a popular form. The ways of evolution of stars, supernovae and radio eruptions of their remains, the formation of white dwarfs and neutron stars, the phenomena in the centers of galaxies and the fusion of galaxies responsible for the formation of radio galaxies and quasars are considered. The radio radiation of the Sun and planets is discussed. A modern view of the evolution of the universe, the origin of the relic radiation left over from the Great Eruption, and its anisotropy is presented. A separate chapter is devoted to the description of radio telescopes.


1999 ◽  
Vol 6 (10-12) ◽  
pp. 669-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.P. Foley ◽  
S. Lam ◽  
K.E. Leslie ◽  
K-H. Müller ◽  
R.A. Binks ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (S274) ◽  
pp. 325-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Beck

AbstractThe strength and structure of cosmic magnetic fields is best studied by observations of radio continuum emission, its polarization and its Faraday rotation. Fields with a well-ordered spiral structure exist in many types of galaxies. Total field strengths in spiral arms and bars are 20–30 μG and dynamically important. Strong fields in central regions can drive gas inflows towards an active nucleus. The strongest regular fields (10–15 μG) are found in interarm regions, sometimes forming “magnetic spiral arms” between the optical arms. The typical degree of polarization is a few % in spiral arms, but high (up to 50%) in interarm regions. The detailed field structures suggest interaction with gas flows. Faraday rotation measures of the polarization vectors reveals large-scale patterns in several spiral galaxies which are regarded as signatures of large-scale (coherent) fields generated by dynamos. – Polarization observations with the forthcoming large radio telescopes will open a new era in the observation of magnetic fields and should help to understand their origin. Low-frequency radio synchrotron emission traces low-energy cosmic ray electrons which can propagate further away from their origin. LOFAR (30–240 MHz) will allow us to map the structure of weak magnetic fields in the outer regions and halos of galaxies, in galaxy clusters and in the Milky Way. Polarization at higher frequencies (1–10 GHz), to be observed with the EVLA, MeerKAT, APERTIF and the SKA, will trace magnetic fields in the disks and central regions of galaxies in unprecedented detail. All-sky surveys of Faraday rotation measures towards a dense grid of polarized background sources with ASKAP and the SKA are dedicated to measure magnetic fields in distant intervening galaxies and clusters, and will be used to model the overall structure and strength of the magnetic field in the Milky Way.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document