Galactic magnetic fields and hierarchical galaxy formation

Rodrigues, L.F.S.; Shukurov, A.; Fletcher, A.; Baugh, C.M.

Abstract

A framework is introduced for coupling the evolution of galactic magnetic fields sustained by the mean-field dynamo with the formation and evolution of galaxies in cold dark matter cosmology. Estimates of the steady-state strength of the large-scale and turbulent magnetic fields from mean-field and fluctuation dynamo models are used together with galaxy properties predicted by semi-analytic models of galaxy formation for a population of spiral galaxies. We find that the field strength is mostly controlled by the evolving gas content of the galaxies. Thus, because of the differences in the implementation of the star formation law, feedback from supernovae and ram-pressure stripping, each of the galaxy formation models considered predicts a distribution of field strengths with unique features. The most prominent of them is the difference in typical magnetic field strengths obtained for the satellite and central galaxy populations as well as the typical strength of the large-scale magnetic field in galaxies of different mass.

Citation

Rodrigues, L., Shukurov, A., Fletcher, A., & Baugh, C. (2015). Galactic magnetic fields and hierarchical galaxy formation. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 450(4), 3472-3489. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stv816

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 27, 2015
• Publication Date: Jul 11, 2015
• Deposit Date: May 27, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 23, 2015
• Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
• Print ISSN: 0035-8711
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2966
• Publisher: Royal Astronomical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 450
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 3472-3489
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stv816
• Keywords: Galaxies: evolution, Galaxies: magnetic fields.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1427936