Magnetic fields in galaxies - how to observe them and why

by Dr Rainer Beck

Thursday 6 Jul 2023, 11:15 → 12:15 Europe/Berlin

GAFO 03/974 (Ruhr University Bochum)

Magnetic fields are ubiquitous in the Universe and affect almost all astrophysical processes, whereas our knowledge is still rather limited. I will explain and critically discuss the various methods to observe interstellar magnetic fields in the optical, infrared, and radio ranges. I will demonstrate how the field strength can be measured from radio synchrotron intensity. A selection of fascinating results on magnetic fields in the Milky Way and nearby spiral galaxies will be presented.