Picogauss magnetic fields in voids from ultra-high energy cosmic rays

Abstract

We argue that ultra-high energy cosmic rays emitted by galaxy clusters result in electric currents in filaments of the large-scale structure that are sufficient to generate magnetic fields in voids of the magnitude of ~1e-12 G and the coherence length of up to tens of Mpc. These fields satisfy both the lower and upper observational bounds on magnetic fields in voids without a need of any primordial component.

arXiv commentThe paper is withdrawn because the proposed mechanism does not work. Thanks to Francesco Miniati who pointed out the loophole in the arguments