Simulated Observations of the Magnetic Fields of the Milky Way

Magnetic field is an essential ingredient of the interstellar medium, exerting a significant pressure to the diffuse gas and thus affecting the astrophysics of star formation and ultimately the evolution of galaxies. It is therefore critical to have an accurate knowledge in the strength and structure of the Milky Way magnetic field for full understanding in Galactic astrophysics.

This project will simulate observations of the magnetic fields of a Milky Way-like galaxy from a recent, high-resolution simulation. The goal is to identify effective ways to reconstruct the 3D magnetic field geometry of this simulated galaxy using observables projected onto the 2D sky. The results will be highly relevant to the Galactic magnetism community, as we anticipate the arrival of high quality observational data (including those from the Square Kilometre Array Observatory and its pathfinder telescopes) tracing the Milky Way magnetic fields over the coming years.

Prospective students should have basic knowledge in computer programming in Python. For more information, please feel free to contact the supervisors.

(Image: The rotation measure of the Milky Way in Galactic projection; Hutschenreuter et al. 2022)