2006/02/06 by Yutaka Fujita, Y. Fujita, Tsunehiko N. Kato +1
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Galaxy #Galaxy cluster #Instability #Magnetic field #Radio galaxy #Redshift #Shock wave #Weibel instability #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1002/asna.200610553
Invited review, 6 pages, accepted by Astronomische Nachrichten (proceedings of "The Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Magnetism", 29 August - 2 September 2005, Bologna, Italy)
arxiv created 2006/02/06 · openalex publication_date 2006/05/16 · arxiv updated 2015/06/24 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract We show that strong magnetic fields can be generated at shock waves associated with formation of galaxies or clusters of galaxies by the Weibel instability, an instability in collisionless plasmas. The estimated strength of the magnetic field generated through this mechanism is close to the order of values observed in galaxies or clusters of galaxies at present, which indicates that strong amplification of magnetic fields after formation of galaxies or clusters of galaxies is not required. This mechanism could have worked even at a redshift of ∼10, and therefore the generated magnetic fields may have affected the formation of stars at the early Universe. This model will be tested by future observations of nearby clusters of galaxies. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)