The Magnetic Field of the Large Magellanic Cloud Revealed Through Faraday Rotation
B. M. Gaensler,1,2*
M. Haverkorn,1
L. Staveley-Smith,3
J. M. Dickey,4
N. M. McClure-Griffiths,3
J. R. Dickel,5
M. Wolleben6
We have measured the Faraday rotation toward a large sample
of polarized radio sources behind the Large Magellanic Cloud
(LMC) to determine the structure of this galaxy's magnetic field.
The magnetic field of the LMC consists of a coherent axisymmetric
spiral of field strength
1 microgauss. Strong fluctuations in
the magnetic field are also seen on small (<0.5 parsec) and
large (
100 parsecs) scales. The large bursts of recent star
formation and supernova activity in the LMC argue against standard
dynamo theory, adding to the growing evidence for rapid field
amplification in galaxies.
2 School of Physics, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
3 Australia Telescope National Facility, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Post Office Box 76, Epping, New South Wales 1710, Australia.
4 Physics Department, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 252-21, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
5 Astronomy Department, University of Illinois, 1002 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
6 Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, Germany.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bgaensler{at}cfa.harvard.edu
