July 11, 2002
A variety of observations suggest that magnetic fields are present in all galaxies and galaxy clusters. These fields are characterized by a modest strength (10^{-7}-10^{-5} G) and huge spatial scale (~Mpc). It is generally assumed that magnetic fields in spiral galaxies arise from the combined action of differential rotation and helical turbulence, a process known as the alpha-omega dynamo. However fundamental questions concerning the nature of the dynamo as well as the origin of the seed fields necessary to prime it remain unclear. Moreover, the standard alpha-omega dynamo does not explain the existence of magnetic fields in elliptical galaxies and clusters. The author summarizes what is known observationally about magnetic fields in galaxies, clusters, superclusters, and beyond. He then reviews the standard dynamo paradigm, the challenges that have been leveled against it, and several alternative scenarios. He concludes with a discussion of astrophysical and early Universe candidates for seed fields.
Similar papers 1
July 28, 1997
The observed galactic magnetic fields may have a primordial origin. I briefly review the observations, their interpretation in terms of the dynamo theory, and the current limits on cosmological magnetic fields. Several possible mechanisms for generating a primordial magnetic field are then discussed. Turbulence and the evolution of the microscopic fields to macroscopic fields is described in terms of a shell model, which provides an approximation to the full magnetohydrodynam...
March 9, 2019
The origin and maintenance of coherent magnetic fields in the Universe is reviewed with an emphasis on the possible challenges that arise in their theoretical understanding. We begin with the interesting possibility that magnetic fields originated at some level from the early universe. This could be during inflation, the electroweak or the quark-hadron phase transitions. These mechanisms can give rise to fields which could be strong, but often with much smaller coherence scal...
March 29, 1999
Magnetic fields correlated on several kiloparsec scales are seen in spiral galaxies. Their origin could be due to amplification of a small seed field by a turbulent galactic dynamo. We critically review the current status of the galactic dynamo, especially some of its problems and possible solutions. We also comment on the nature of seed magnetic fields, needed to prime the dynamo.
February 20, 2008
The origin of cosmic magnetism is an issue of fundamental importance in astrophysics. We review here some of the ideas of how large scale magnetic fields in the universe, particularly in galaxies and galaxy clusters could arise. The popular paradigm involves the generation of a seed magnetic field followed by turbulent dynamo amplification of the seed field. We first outline various seed field generation mechanisms including Biermann batteries. These in general give a field m...
September 19, 2011
Magnetic fields appear to be ubiquitous in astrophysical environments. Their existence in the intracluster medium is established through observations of synchrotron emission and Faraday rotation. On the other hand, the nature of magnetic fields outside of clusters, where observations are scarce and controversial, remains largely unknown. In this chapter, we review recent developments in our understanding of the nature and origin of intergalactic magnetic fields, and in partic...
March 19, 2010
Most of the baryonic matter in the Universe is permeated by magnetic fields which affect many, if not most, of astrophysical phenomena both, in compact sources and in diffuse gas. Recent years have been marked by a worldwide surge of interest in the astrophysical magnetic fields, their origin, and their influence on the formation and evolution of astrophysical objects (stars, galaxies, cooling flows). This growing interest is in part due to the fact that it has become possibl...
September 10, 2018
The origin and maintenance of large scale magnetic fields in the Universe is discussed. A popular idea is that cosmic batteries generate seed magnetic fields which were amplified by magnetic induction due to turbulent motions, at times combined with differential rotation. We outline a seed field mechanism, the Biermann battery and then consider some basic ideas behind both small and large-scale turbulent dynamos. The small-scale dynamo may help understand magnetism in galaxy ...
January 24, 2000
Recent rotation measure observations of a dozen or so galaxy clusters have revealed a surprisingly large amount of magnetic fields, whose estimated energy and flux are, on average, $\sim 10^{58}$ ergs and $\sim 10^{41}$ G cm$^2$, respectively. These quantities are so much larger than any coherent sums of individual galaxies within the cluster that an efficient galactic dynamo is required. We associate these fields with single AGNs within the cluster and therefore with all gal...
July 18, 2007
We review the literature concerning how the cosmic magnetic fields pervading nearly all galaxies actually got started. some observational evidence involves the chemical abundance of the light elements Be and B, while another one is based on strong magnetic fields seen in high red shift galaxies. Seed fields, whose strength is of order 10^{-20} gauss, easily sprung up in the era preceding galaxy formation. Several mechanisms are proposed to amplify these seed fields to microga...
July 22, 2010
Magnetic fields appear everywhere in the universe. From stars and galaxies, all the way to galaxy clusters and remote protogalactic clouds magnetic fields of considerable strength and size have been repeatedly observed. Despite their widespread presence, however, the origin of cosmic magnetic fields is still a mystery. The galactic dynamo is believed capable of amplifying weak magnetic seeds to strengths like those measured in ours and other galaxies, but the question is wher...