Galactic Magnetic Fields

Guest Speaker

Thursday, 11th September 2025 (19:45 - 22:00)

Venue: Hybrid

Galactic magnetic fields can be observed in the optical range via starlight which is polarized by interstellar dust grains in the foreground. These grains are elongated and can be aligned by magnetic fields, where the major axis becomes perpendicular to the field lines. Measurements of many stars revealed a general picture of the magnetic field in the Milky Way near the Sun. Aligned dust grains also emit polarized infrared emission, which is very useful to show magnetic fields in dust clouds in the Milky Way. Zeeman splitting of radio spectral lines allows measurement of relatively strong fields in nearby, dense gas clouds in the Milky Way. For those three techniques observations in external galaxies are still difficult to obtain. The fourth technique, measuring synchrotron emission, is the most powerful one and can be applied over the whole Milky Way, to nearby galaxies, and also to distant galaxies. 

Join online if you can't meet us at the meeting room HERE

Speaker: Phoebe Ryder

Research student at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, focusing on the Galactic Magnetic Field.

I am currently a Masters by research student at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester, where my research focuses on the small-scale structure of the Galactic Magnetic Field. This project is helping me develop my independent research skills, especially in using Python for research, while also improving my communication abilities.

Before joining JBCA, I completed a BSc degree in Physics with Astrophysics at the University of Warwick. During my degree, I developed a range of skills, including proficiency in Python and C from modules like Scientific Computing and Computational Physics, teamwork from lab work and group projects, and written and verbal communication skills from lab reports and the Communicating Science module.