The origin and evolution of cluster magnetism

Abstract

Random motions can occur in the intergalactic gas of galaxy clusters at all stages of their evolution. Depending on the poorly known value of the Reynolds number, these motions can or cannot become turbulent, but in any case they can generate random magnetic fields via dynamo action. We argue that magnetic fields inferred observationally for the intracluster medium require dynamo action, and then estimate parameters of random flows and magnetic fields at various stages of the cluster evolution. Polarization in cluster radio halos predicted by the model would be detectable with the SKA.

4 pages, 1 figure, to be published by Astronomische Nachrichten (proceedings of "The Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Magnetism", 29 August - 2 September 2005, Bologna, Italy); version updated to match the accepted text

References in corpus (8)

• Astrophysical magnetic fields and nonlinear dynamo theory
• Simulations of small-scale turbulent dynamo
• Evolving turbulence and magnetic fields in galaxy clusters
• Plasma instabilities and magnetic-field growth in clusters of galaxies
• On viscosity, conduction and sound waves in the intracluster medium
• Impact of stochastic gas motions on galaxy cluster abundance profiles
• Magnetic fields in Clusters of Galaxies
• The cool wake around 4C 34.16 as seen by XMM-Newton

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Turbulent magnetic field amplification from the smallest to the largest magnetic Prandtl numbers
• An examination of magnetized outflows from active galactic nuclei in galaxy clusters