Magnetic Fields in the Milky Way Halo

S. A. Mao; N. M. McClure-Griffiths; B. M. Gaensler; J. C. Brown; C. L. Van Eck; M. Haverkorn; P. P. Kronberg; J. M. Stil; A. Shukurov; A. R. Taylor

doi:10.1017/S1743921314011727

Magnetic Fields in the Milky Way Halo

S. A. Mao, N. M. McClure-Griffiths, B. M. Gaensler, J. C. Brown, C. L. Van Eck, M. Haverkorn, P. P. Kronberg, J. M. Stil, A. Shukurov, A. R. Taylor

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1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

We present a study of the Milky Way halo magnetic field, determined from observations of Faraday rotation measure (RM) of extragalactic radio sources (EGS) in Galactic longitude range 100°-117° within 30° of the Galactic plane. We find negative median RMs in both the northern and southern Galactic hemispheres for /b/>15°, outside the latitude range where the disk field dominates. This suggest that the halo magnetic field towards the outer Galaxy does not reverse direction across the mid-plane. An azimuthal magnetic field at heights 0.8-2 kpc above/below the Galactic plane between the local and the Perseus spiral arm can reproduce the observed trend of RM against Galactic latitude. We propose that the Milky Way could have a halo magnetic field similar to that observed in M51.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	403
Number of pages	1
Journal	Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Volume	10
Issue number	H16
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921314011727
Publication status	Published - 2012
Externally published	Yes

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title = "Magnetic Fields in the Milky Way Halo",

abstract = "We present a study of the Milky Way halo magnetic field, determined from observations of Faraday rotation measure (RM) of extragalactic radio sources (EGS) in Galactic longitude range 100°-117° within 30° of the Galactic plane. We find negative median RMs in both the northern and southern Galactic hemispheres for /b/>15°, outside the latitude range where the disk field dominates. This suggest that the halo magnetic field towards the outer Galaxy does not reverse direction across the mid-plane. An azimuthal magnetic field at heights 0.8-2 kpc above/below the Galactic plane between the local and the Perseus spiral arm can reproduce the observed trend of RM against Galactic latitude. We propose that the Milky Way could have a halo magnetic field similar to that observed in M51.",

keywords = "Galaxy: halo, ISM: magnetic fields, polarization",

author = "Mao, {S. A.} and McClure-Griffiths, {N. M.} and Gaensler, {B. M.} and Brown, {J. C.} and {Van Eck}, {C. L.} and M. Haverkorn and Kronberg, {P. P.} and Stil, {J. M.} and A. Shukurov and Taylor, {A. R.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 International Astronomical Union.",

year = "2012",

doi = "10.1017/S1743921314011727",

language = "English",

volume = "10",

pages = "403",

journal = "Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union",

issn = "1743-9213",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

number = "H16",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Magnetic Fields in the Milky Way Halo

AU - Mao, S. A.

AU - McClure-Griffiths, N. M.

AU - Gaensler, B. M.

AU - Brown, J. C.

AU - Van Eck, C. L.

AU - Haverkorn, M.

AU - Kronberg, P. P.

AU - Stil, J. M.

AU - Shukurov, A.

AU - Taylor, A. R.

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - We present a study of the Milky Way halo magnetic field, determined from observations of Faraday rotation measure (RM) of extragalactic radio sources (EGS) in Galactic longitude range 100°-117° within 30° of the Galactic plane. We find negative median RMs in both the northern and southern Galactic hemispheres for /b/>15°, outside the latitude range where the disk field dominates. This suggest that the halo magnetic field towards the outer Galaxy does not reverse direction across the mid-plane. An azimuthal magnetic field at heights 0.8-2 kpc above/below the Galactic plane between the local and the Perseus spiral arm can reproduce the observed trend of RM against Galactic latitude. We propose that the Milky Way could have a halo magnetic field similar to that observed in M51.

AB - We present a study of the Milky Way halo magnetic field, determined from observations of Faraday rotation measure (RM) of extragalactic radio sources (EGS) in Galactic longitude range 100°-117° within 30° of the Galactic plane. We find negative median RMs in both the northern and southern Galactic hemispheres for /b/>15°, outside the latitude range where the disk field dominates. This suggest that the halo magnetic field towards the outer Galaxy does not reverse direction across the mid-plane. An azimuthal magnetic field at heights 0.8-2 kpc above/below the Galactic plane between the local and the Perseus spiral arm can reproduce the observed trend of RM against Galactic latitude. We propose that the Milky Way could have a halo magnetic field similar to that observed in M51.

KW - Galaxy: halo

KW - ISM: magnetic fields

KW - polarization

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84981167145&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S1743921314011727

DO - 10.1017/S1743921314011727

M3 - Article

SN - 1743-9213

VL - 10

SP - 403

JO - Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union

JF - Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union

IS - H16

ER -

Magnetic Fields in the Milky Way Halo

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