Faraday Rotation Measure in the Large Scale Structure III

  • Published : 2010.10.06

Abstract

The nature and origin of the intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF) are an outstanding problem of cosmology, yet they are not well understood. Measuring Faraday rotation (RM) is one of a few promising methods to explore the IGMF. We have theoretically investigated RM using a model of the IGMF based on a MHD turbulence dynamo (Ryu et al. 2008; Cho et al. 2009). In the previous KAS meeting, we reported the results for the present-day local universe; for instance, the probability distribution function (PDF) of ${\mid}RM{\mid}$ follows the lognormal distribution, the root mean square (rms) value for filaments is ~1 rad m^{-2}, and the power spectrum peaks at ~1 h^{-1} Mpc scale. In this talk, we extend our study of RM; by stacking simulation data up to redshift z=5 and taking account of the redshift distribution of radio sources, we have reproduced an observable view of RM through filaments against background radio sources. Our findings are as follows. The inducement of RM is a random walk process, so that the rms of RM increases with increasing path length. The rms value of RM for filaments reaches several rad m^{-2}. The PDF still follows the lognormal distribution, and the power spectrum of RM peaks at less than degree scale. Our predictions of RM could be tested, for instance, with LOFAR, ASKAP, MEERKAT, and SKA.

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