The LOFAR Key Science Project on cosmic magnetism

Author

Scaife, Anna M M ; Beck, Rainer ; Anderson, James M. ; Heald, George ; Reich, Wolfgang ; De Bruyn, A. Ger

Author_Institution

Dublin Inst. for Adv. Studies, Dublin, Ireland

fYear

2011

fDate

13-20 Aug. 2011

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

4

Abstract

The LOFAR Key Science Project on cosmic magnetism in the nearby Universe (MKSP) aims to investigate fundamental astrophysical questions which will help us to understand the origin of cosmic magnetism. Low-frequency observations trace regions of low magnetic field strengths and/or low-energy cosmic-ray electrons which both live longer and travel further from their acceleration sites. Consequently the LOFAR telescope will detect the weak halo fields of spiral and dwarf galaxies and will allow investigations of the unexplored domain of extremely weak magnetic fields via Faraday rotation to be measured with unprecedented precision. Detection of weak fields in stellar jets and in intergalactic filaments may become possible for the first time.

Keywords

astrophysical jets; cosmic acceleration; cosmic ray electrons; cosmology; galaxies; intergalactic magnetic fields; Faraday rotation; LOFAR key science project; LOFAR telescope; Universe; cosmic acceleration; cosmic magnetism; dwarf galaxies; intergalactic filaments; low magnetic field strengths; low-energy cosmic-ray electrons; low-frequency observation; spiral galaxies; stellar jets; weak halo field detection; weak magnetic field detection; Faraday effect; Frequency measurement; Magnetic domains; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic separation; Magnetosphere; Rotation measurement;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

General Assembly and Scientific Symposium, 2011 XXXth URSI

Conference_Location

Istanbul

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-5117-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/URSIGASS.2011.6051192

Filename

6051192