Journal
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Volume 637, Issue 2, Pages L101-L104Publisher
IOP Publishing Ltd
DOI: 10.1086/500411
Keywords
galaxy : center; ISM : general; MHD; turbulence
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
A great deal of study has been conducted over the last 20 years on the origin of the magnetic activity in the Galactic center. One of the most popular hypotheses assumes a milligauss magnetic field with poloidal geometry, pervading the inner few hundred parsecs of the Galactic center region. However, there is growing observational evidence for the large-scale distribution of a much weaker field of B less than or similar to 10 mu G in this region. Here we propose that the Galactic center magnetic field originates from turbulent activity, which is known to be extreme in the central hundred parsecs. In this picture, the spatial distribution of the magnetic field energy is highly intermittent, and the regions of strong field have filamentary structure. We propose that the observed nonthermal radio filaments appear in ( or, possibly, may be identified with) such strongly magnetized regions. At the same time, the largescale diffuse magnetic field is weak. Both results of our model can explain the magnetic field measurements of the Galactic center region. In addition, we discuss the role of ionized outflow from stellar clusters in producing the long magnetized filaments perpendicular to the Galactic plane.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available