Magnetic fields permeate the universe
JPL; NASA/SOFIA/E. Lopez-Rodiguez; NASA/Spitzer/J. Moustakas et al.
Scientists may have discovered the origin of the magnetic fields that are present throughout the universe. Using simulations, researchers have found that the turbulent plasma that once existed in the early universe likely developed powerful magnetic fields.
The phenomenon known as the Weibel instability was studied by Lorenzo Sironi and his colleagues at Columbia University. By simulating turbulence in plasma, they observed that asymmetries in fluid motion can lead to the formation of magnetic fields.
In turbulence, it is common for particles to move in different directions. The Weibel instability occurs when there is an imbalance in the number of particles moving in a particular direction. This imbalance causes the magnetic fields to strengthen and spread throughout space.
Understanding the origins of galaxy-scale magnetic fields is a breakthrough in our knowledge of the universe. This research provides valuable insights into the early stages of the universe and how magnetic fields came to exist on such large scales.
