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Measuring ISM fields using Pulsars

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2008

Aristeidis Noutsos
Aristeidis Noutsos*
Affiliation:
University of Manchester, Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Alan Turing Building, Manchester M13 9PL. email: aristeidis.noutsos@manchester.ac.uk
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Abstract

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The sample of available Galactic pulsar rotation measures has proven an invaluable tool for measuring the direction and magnitude of the interstellar magnetic fields of our Galaxy. In this review, I present highlights of recent efforts to measure and map the Galactic magnetic field using pulsars. I give an overview of the analysis methods that were used by previous authors and underline the key results that have given us a clear picture of the magnetic field in certain regions of the Galaxy. This review also lays out the limitations of the present analysis methods and the observational difficulties that have so far hindered the study of the Galactic magnetic field with pulsars. Despite these difficulties, the continuous discovery of new pulsars in more and more sensitive surveys offer a continuous improvement on the existing knowledge of the Galactic magnetic field.

Keywords

Galaxy: structure – ISM: magnetic fields – pulsars: general – techniques: polarimetric
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 4 , Symposium S259: Cosmic Magnetic Fields: From Planets, to Stars and Galaxies , November 2008 , pp. 15 - 24
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2009

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