PGMS: to study the Galactic magnetism out of the Galactic plane

TL;DR

The PGMS survey maps polarized synchrotron emission along a Galactic meridian to study Galactic magnetism outside the plane and assess foreground noise for CMB B-mode polarization detection.

Contribution

It provides new observational data on Galactic magnetic fields off the plane and insights into synchrotron foregrounds relevant for CMB polarization studies.

Findings

Mapped magnetic fields in the thick disc and halo

Characterized synchrotron emission as CMB foreground

First results of the PGMS survey

Abstract

The Parkes Galactic Meridian Survey (PGMS) is a 5 deg X 90 deg strip to map the polarized synchrotron emission along a Galactic meridian from the Galactic plane down to the south Galactic pole. The survey is carried out at the Parkes radio telescope at a frequency of 2.3 GHz with 30 adjacent 8-MHz bands which enable Faraday Rotation studies. The scientific goal is twofold: (1) To probe the Galactic magnetism off the Galactic plane of which little is known so far. PGMS gives an insight into the Galactic magnetic field in the thick disc, halo, and disc-halo transition; (2) To study the synchrotron emission as foreground noise of the CMB Polarization, especially for the weak B-Mode which carries the signature of the primordial gravitational wave background left by the Inflation. PGMS observations have been recently concluded. In this contribution we present the survey along with first results.