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Detecting magnetic fields in large-scale structure with radio polarization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2008

Shea Brown ,
Lawrence Rudnick  and
Damon Farnsworth
Shea Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Lawrence Rudnick
Affiliation:
Department of Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Damon Farnsworth
Affiliation:
Department of Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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Abstract

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We present our attempts to detect magnetic fields in filamentary large-scale structure (LSS) by observing polarized synchrotron emission emitted by structure formation shocks. Little is known about the strength and order of magnetic fields beyond the largest clusters of galaxies, and synchrotron emission holds enormous promise as a means of probing magnetic fields in these low density regions. We report on observations taken at the Green Bank Telescope which reveal a possible Mpc extension to the Coma cluster relic. We also highlight the major obstacle that diffuse galactic foreground emission poses for any search for large-scale, low surface-brightness extragalactic emission. Finally we explore cross-correlation of diffuse radio emission with optical tracers of LSS as a means to statistically detecting magnetic fields in the presence of this confounding foreground emission.

Keywords

Magnetic fields – polarization – radiation mechanisms: nonthermal
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 4 , Symposium S259: Cosmic Magnetic Fields: From Planets, to Stars and Galaxies , November 2008 , pp. 669 - 670
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2009

References

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