The new map is the most extensive of its kind and could help scientists better understand one of the universe’s most mysterious forces. The researchers used radio telescopes to measure how light from galaxies twists as it travels through intergalactic space – an effect caused by magnetic fields.
“This map opens a completely new window onto the magnetic structures of the cosmos,” a CSIRO spokesperson told the Guardian. The data covers an area five times larger than all previous magnetic field maps combined.
Magnetic fields permeate the entire universe, but their exact role in the formation of galaxies and the evolution of the cosmos remains largely unclear. The new map now provides a detailed foundation for studying these processes.
The measurements are based on the analysis of so-called Faraday rotation: when polarized light travels through a magnetic field, its plane of oscillation rotates. The extent of this rotation reveals the strength and direction of the field.
Source: www.theguardian.com
