The Magnetic Field in the Galactic Disk from Extended Emission Rotation Measures
Abstract
I present my analysis of the extended emission (XE) polarisation data from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey. I used this dataset to determine Rotation Measures (RMs) with the aim of studying the Galactic magnetic field (GMF) structure. I have shown that RMs of the XE do contain useful information, despite predicted difficulties with this kind of dataset. I have found evidence that the large-scale field reversal between the local arm and the Sagittarius arm is not strictly perpendicular to the Galactic plane as previously thought, but has some component within the Galactic disk. This geometry lends credibility to a model of the GMF similar to the Parker spiral Solar magnetic field, an idea proposed in 1982 but rejected shortly thereafter on the grounds of incompatibility with observations available at the time. I have created a Galactic scale version of this model of the magnetic field, constrained by the XE RMs.
Description
Keywords
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Citation
Ordog, A. (2016). The Magnetic Field in the Galactic Disk from Extended Emission Rotation Measures (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28241