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arXiv · 2607.00347

Cosmic Magnetism Science with the SKA

Tessa Vernstrom·Jennifer L. West·Cathy Horellou
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Abstract

Magnetic fields are a fundamental component of astrophysical systems, yet many key questions about their origin, amplification, and role in structure formation and evolution remain unresolved. The SKA will mark a transformational step forward in addressing these questions, enabling studies of cosmic magnetism across a large range of spatial scales and environments. This overview summarizes the main science cases in the Cosmic Magnetism Science Working Group, which cover a huge breadth of scales from the smallest scales governing planet and star formation, all the way up to the large-scale structure of the Universe. The chapter summarizes the main observational techniques for studying magnetic fields, including direct polarization imaging, Faraday rotation, rotation-measure grids, and Zeeman splitting. We also address fundamental considerations of these studies including SKA-Low vs SKA-Mid and wide-area vs deep observing strategies.

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Tessa Vernstrom, Jennifer L. West, Cathy Horellou. 2026-07-01. Cosmic Magnetism Science with the SKA. https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.00347

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