Sensitivity of {gamma}-ray telescopes for detection of magnetic fields in the intergalactic medium
- ISDC Data Center for Astrophysics, Chemin d'Ecogia 16, 1290 Versoix, Switzerland and Geneva Observatory, 51 ch. des Maillettes, CH-1290 Sauverny (Switzerland)
We explore potential of current and next-generation {gamma}-ray telescopes for the detection of weak magnetic fields in the intergalactic medium. We demonstrate that using two complementary techniques, observation of extended emission around point sources and observation of time delays in {gamma}-ray flares, one would be able to probe most of the cosmologically and astrophysically interesting part of the 'magnetic field strength' vs 'correlation length' parameter space. This implies that {gamma}-ray observations with Fermi and ground-based Cherenkov telescopes will allow to (a) strongly constrain theories of the origin of magnetic fields in galaxies and galaxy clusters and (b) discover, constrain or rule out the existence of weak primordial magnetic field generated at different stages of evolution of the Early Universe.
- OSTI ID:
- 21313547
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 80, Issue 12; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.80.123012; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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