Fulltext

Cosmological magnetic fields: their generation, evolution and observation

Durrer, Ruth ; Neronov, Andrii

In: The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review, 2013, vol. 21, no. 1, p. 1-109

Ajouter à la liste personnelle
    Titre
    • Cosmological magnetic fields: their generation, evolution and observation
    Auteur
    • Durrer, Ruth. Département de Physique Théorique and Center for Astroparticle Physics, Université de Genève, 24 Quai E. Ansermet, 1213, Genève, Switzerland
    • Neronov, Andrii. ISDC Data Centre for Astrophysics, Observatoire de Genève and Center for Astroparticle Physics, Université de Genève, 16 Chemin d'Ecogia, 1290, Versoix, Switzerland
    Type de document
    • Postprint
    Langue
    • Anglais
    Publié dans
    • The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review, 2013, vol. 21, no. 1, p. 1-109. Springer Berlin Heidelberg
    Autre version électronique
    Identifiant OAI-PMH
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:313137
    Summary
    We review the possible mechanisms for the generation of cosmological magnetic fields, discuss their evolution in an expanding Universe filled with the cosmic plasma and provide a critical review of the literature on the subject. We put special emphasis on the prospects for observational tests of the proposed cosmological magnetogenesis scenarios using radio and gamma-ray astronomy and ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. We argue that primordial magnetic fields are observationally testable. They lead to magnetic fields in the intergalactic medium with magnetic field strength and correlation length in a well defined range. We also state the unsolved questions in this fascinating open problem of cosmology and propose future observations to address them