Alignments in quasar polarizations: pseudoscalar-photon mixing in the presence of correlated magnetic fields

TL;DR

This paper explores how pseudoscalar-photon mixing in correlated extragalactic magnetic fields can explain the large-scale alignment of quasar polarizations observed across different redshifts, within a cosmological model.

Contribution

It introduces a model of magnetic domains affecting photon polarization, providing a new explanation for quasar polarization alignments.

Findings

Correlations between Stokes parameters over large scales are demonstrated.

The model explains observed quasar polarization alignments across redshifts.

Pseudoscalar-photon mixing effects are significant in cosmological magnetic fields.

Abstract

We investigate the effects of pseudoscalar-photon mixing on electromagnetic radiation in the presence of correlated extragalactic magnetic fields. We model the Universe as a collection of magnetic domains and study the propagation of radiation through them. This leads to correlations between Stokes parameters over large scales and consistently explains the observed large-scale alignment of quasar polarizations at different redshifts within the framework of the big bang model.