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| Paper: |
Magnetic fields in spiral galaxies |
| Volume: |
18, The Interpretation of Modern Synthesis Observations of Spiral Galaxies |
| Page: |
43 |
| Authors: |
Beck, Rainer |
| Abstract: |
The large-scale structures of the interstellar magnetic fields in spiral galaxies are of axisymmetric-spiral or bisymmetric-spiral type, but also 'zero' cases without uniform direction have been found. In all cases the field lines are roughly parallel to the optical spiral arms. The uniform field is strongest in the interarm regions while the unresolved ('turbulent') field is strongest in the spiral arms. This can be understood if the connection between molecular clouds and field turbulence, as observed in a region of M31, is a general phenomenon. In regions of low molecular gas density the disk field may bend into the halo, observed as high Faraday rotation in several face-on galaxies. Exceptionally high star formation may drive a galactic wind pulling field lines radially outwards. |
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