Recombination Era Magnetic Fields from Axion Dark Matter

Journal Article · 03 February 2016 · Phys.Rev.D

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.93.043003 · OSTI ID:1247497

Banik, Nilanjan  ^[1]; Christopherson, Adam J. ^[2]

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1. Florida U.; Fermilab
2. Florida U.

We introduce a new mechanism for generating magnetic fields in the recombination era. This Harrison-like mechanism utilizes vorticity in baryons that is sourced through the Bose-Einstein condensate of axions via gravitational interactions. The magnetic fields generated are on galactic scales ∼10  kpc and have a magnitude of the order of B∼10−23G today. The field has a greater magnitude than those generated from other mechanisms relying on second-order perturbation theory, and is sufficient to provide a seed for battery mechanisms.

• Research Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Florida U.
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy; USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-07CH11359; FG02-97ER41029
• OSTI ID: 1247497
• Report Number(s): FERMILAB-PUB-15-570-A-AE-PPD-T; oai:inspirehep.net:1382330; arXiv:1507.03001
• Journal Information: Phys.Rev.D, Journal Name: Phys.Rev.D Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 93
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English