Radio observational constraints on Galactic 3D-emission models

TL;DR

This study uses radio observations to constrain and refine 3D models of the Galactic magnetic field and interstellar medium, improving understanding of the Galaxy's magnetic structure and emission properties.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive 3D Galactic magnetic field model constrained by multi-frequency radio observations, accounting for various emission and depolarization effects.

Findings

Regular magnetic field in the disk is about 2 microG.

Random magnetic field strength is approximately 3 microG.

An axisymmetric disk field with reversals fits observations best.

Abstract

(Abridged) We constrain simulated all-sky maps in total intensity, linear polarization, and rotation measure (RM) by observations. We test a number of large-scale magnetic field configurations and take the properties of the warm interstellar medium into account. From a comparison of simulated and observed maps we are able to constrain the regular large-scale Galactic magnetic field in the disk and the halo of the Galaxy. The local regular field is 2 microG and the average random field is about 3 microG. The known local excess of synchrotron emission originating either from enhanced CR electrons or random magnetic fields is able to explain the observed high-latitude synchrotron emission. The thermal electron model (NE2001) in conjunction with a proper filling factor accounts for the observed optically thin thermal emission and low frequency absorption by optically thick emission. A coupling factor between thermal electrons and the random magnetic field component is proposed, which in addition to the small filling factor of thermal electrons increases small-scale RM fluctuations and thus accounts for the observed depolarization at 1.4 GHz. We conclude that an axisymmetric magnetic disk field configuration with reversals inside the solar circle fits available observations best. Out of the plane a strong toroidal magnetic field with different signs above and below the plane is needed to account for the observed high-latitude RMs. Our preferred 3D-model fits the observations better than other models over a wide frequency range.