About this Research Topic
Magnetic fields are ubiquitous in astrophysical media and play a fundamental role in diverse astrophysical processes over a vast range of length scales, e.g., star formation, cosmic ray propagation, shock acceleration. Measuring magnetic fields can provide valuable information for understanding these important astrophysical processes and also for modeling the Galactic foregrounds from dust emission and synchrotron emission. The latter is essential for detecting the Cosmic Microwave Background and the redshifted 21-cm neutral hydrogen signal from the Epoch of Reionization.
Despite their ubiquity, magnetic fields are notoriously difficult to measure. Based on the recent advances in theoretical studies on statistical properties of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and dust physics and high-resolution multi-band observations, novel analytical and statistical techniques and methods have been developed for measuring and mapping magnetic fields that participate in various astrophysical processes. Recently developed techniques for measuring turbulence and magnetic fields include, e.g.,
- velocity channel analysis (VCA),
- velocity coordinate spectrum (VCS),
- principal component analysis (PCA),
- core velocity dispersion (CVD),
- centroid velocity increments,
- modified velocity centroids (MVC),
- velocity/synchrotron gradient techniques (GTs),
- polarization spatial analysis (PSA),
- polarization variance analysis (PVA),
- structure function anisotropy (SFA),
- modified Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi (DCF) method,
with a large variety of tracers including gas, dust, young stars, galactic and extragalactic radio sources.
This collection aims at presenting the recent theoretical advances and observational techniques developed for measuring magnetic fields over a broad range of length scales in the multi-phase interstellar medium. The synergy of the new and traditional techniques will bring us a more comprehensive picture of galactic and interstellar magnetic fields.
Within this Research Topic, articles addressing the following topics are welcomed:
1. Turbulent dynamo and galactic magnetic fields;
2. Techniques and methods for measuring multi-scale magnetic fields in the interstellar medium;
3. Theories on turbulent magnetic fields;
4. The role of magnetic fields in diverse astrophysical processes in the interstellar medium and other astrophysical media.
We invite contributions consisting of both original research articles and review papers.
Despite their ubiquity, magnetic fields are notoriously difficult to measure. Based on the recent advances in theoretical studies on statistical properties of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and dust physics and high-resolution multi-band observations, novel analytical and statistical techniques and methods have been developed for measuring and mapping magnetic fields that participate in various astrophysical processes. Recently developed techniques for measuring turbulence and magnetic fields include, e.g.,
- velocity channel analysis (VCA),
- velocity coordinate spectrum (VCS),
- principal component analysis (PCA),
- core velocity dispersion (CVD),
- centroid velocity increments,
- modified velocity centroids (MVC),
- velocity/synchrotron gradient techniques (GTs),
- polarization spatial analysis (PSA),
- polarization variance analysis (PVA),
- structure function anisotropy (SFA),
- modified Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi (DCF) method,
with a large variety of tracers including gas, dust, young stars, galactic and extragalactic radio sources.
This collection aims at presenting the recent theoretical advances and observational techniques developed for measuring magnetic fields over a broad range of length scales in the multi-phase interstellar medium. The synergy of the new and traditional techniques will bring us a more comprehensive picture of galactic and interstellar magnetic fields.
Within this Research Topic, articles addressing the following topics are welcomed:
1. Turbulent dynamo and galactic magnetic fields;
2. Techniques and methods for measuring multi-scale magnetic fields in the interstellar medium;
3. Theories on turbulent magnetic fields;
4. The role of magnetic fields in diverse astrophysical processes in the interstellar medium and other astrophysical media.
We invite contributions consisting of both original research articles and review papers.
Keywords: Magnetic Fields, Dust Polarization, Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence, Multi-Phase Interstellar Medium, Galaxies
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
