Intergalactic Magnetic Fields from Quasar Outflows
Author
Furlanetto, Steven R.
Loeb, Abraham
Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1086/321630Metadata
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Furlanetto, Steven R., and Abraham Loeb. 2001. “Intergalactic Magnetic Fields from Quasar Outflows.” The Astrophysical Journal 556 (2): 619–34. https://doi.org/10.1086/321630.Abstract
Outflows from quasars inevitably pollute the intergalactic medium (IGM) with magnetic fields. The short-lived activity of a quasar leaves behind an expanding magnetized bubble in the IGM. We model the expansion of the remnant quasar bubbles and calculate their distribution as a function of size and magnetic field strength at different redshifts. We generically find that by a redshift z similar to 3, about 5%-20% of the IGM volume is filled by magnetic fields with an energy density greater than or similar to 10% of the mean thermal energy density of a photoionized IGM (at similar to 10(4) K). As massive galaxies and X-ray clusters condense out of the magnetized IGM, the adiabatic compression of the magnetic field could result in the field strength observed in these systems without a need for further dynamo amplification. The intergalactic magnetic field could also provide a nonthermal contribution to the pressure of the photoionized gas that may account for the claimed discrepancy between the simulated and observed Doppler width distributions of the Ly alpha forest.Terms of Use
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