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A unified model for the fan region and the North Polar Spur: a bundle of filaments in the local galaxy

From National Research Council Canada

DOIResolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac2ba2
AuthorSearch for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7722-8458; Search for: 1ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1455-2546; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3382-9558; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2645-1339; Search for: 1ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7301-5666
Affiliation
  1. National Research Council of Canada. Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics
FunderSearch for: Gouvernement du Canada. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
FormatText, Article
Physical description16 p.
Subjectpolarimetry; interstellar medium; galaxy magnetic fields
Abstract
We present a simple, unified model that can explain two of the brightest, large-scale, diffuse, polarized radio features in the sky, the North Polar Spur (NPS) and the Fan Region, along with several other prominent loops. We suggest that they are long, magnetized, and parallel filamentary structures that surround the Local arm and/or Local Bubble, in which the Sun is embedded. We show that this model is consistent with the large number of observational studies on these regions and is able to resolve an apparent contradiction in the literature that suggests that the high-latitude portion of the NPS is nearby, while lower-latitude portions are more distant. Understanding the contributions of this local emission is critical to developing a complete model of the Galactic magnetic field. These very nearby structures also provide context to help understand similar nonthermal, filamentary structures that are increasingly being observed with modern radio telescopes.
Publication date
PublisherIOP
In
  • The Astrophysical Journal 923, no. 1 (10 December 2021).
LanguageEnglish
Peer reviewedYes
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Record identifier57eb6797-25b6-4177-a0a8-579666a86332
Record created2022-08-31
Record modified2022-08-31
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