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The Magnetic Field of the Milky Way from Faraday Rotation of Pulsars and Extragalactic Sources

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Abstract

Faraday rotation towards polarised pulsars and extragalactic sources is the best observable for determining the configuration of the magnetic field of the Galaxy in its plane and also at high latitudes. The Galactic magnetic field plays an important role in numerous astrophysical processes, including star formation and propagation of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays; it is also an important component in measurements of the cosmological microwave background. This review article provides a brief overview of the latest advancements in the field, from an observer’s point of view. The most recent results based on pulsar rotation measures are discussed, which show that we have begun to confidently resolve the main features of the Galactic magnetic field on kiloparsec scales, both in the Solar neighbourhood and at larger distances. As we are currently in great anticipation of polarisation observations with new, state-of-the-art telescopes and hardware, a brief overview of how much this field of research will benefit from the upcoming pulsar surveys is also given.

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    Aristeidis Noutsos

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Noutsos, A. The Magnetic Field of the Milky Way from Faraday Rotation of Pulsars and Extragalactic Sources. Space Sci Rev 166, 307–324 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-011-9860-2

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