Exploring weak magnetic fields with LOFAR and SKA

TL;DR

This paper discusses how low-frequency radio polarimetry with LOFAR and SKA can detect and map weak magnetic fields in various cosmic environments, complementing higher-frequency observations.

Contribution

It presents the potential of LOFAR and SKA for studying weak magnetic fields through low-frequency polarimetry and analyzes polarized source distributions at these frequencies.

Findings

Polarized source counts at 350 MHz and 1.4 GHz are characterized.

Test observations with WSRT and GMRT demonstrate feasibility.

Prospects for detecting weak magnetic fields with LOFAR are outlined.

Abstract

Regular magnetic field structures can be derived from the Faraday rotation measures (RM) of polarized background sources observable at 1.4 GHz with the SKA. At lower frequencies ($<250$ MHz) polarimetry of radio sources with the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) will allow the investigation of extremely small RM, to detect and map weak regular fields in halos and outer parts of spiral galaxies, and in the interstellar and intergalactic medium. Very little is known yet about the number density of polarized sources at low frequencies. Observed distributions of polarized sources at 350 MHz and 1.4 GHz and perspectives to detect weak magnetic fields with LOFAR are presented. Test observations of polarized radio sources with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) and the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) are discussed.