Scientists have mapped the Milky Way’s magnetic field using radio telescopes, a breakthrough reported by the Canarian Institute for Astrophysics. The effort is part of a broader push to understand the cosmos through the study of cosmic microwave background radiation, a faint glow that dates back to the universe’s earliest moments after the Big Bang. This thermal radiation appears in radio waves because of the expansion of space, or redshift, and it carries vital clues about how the universe formed and evolved. To interpret these signals accurately, researchers must separate the microwave background from the galaxy’s own radio emissions, which can obscure the pristine cosmological information.
During the QUIJOTE experiment, astronomers concentrated on the radio output of the Milky Way and created a detailed map of its emission using the Teide observatory. The team reports that the synchrotron radiation produced by fast-moving charged particles spiraling in the Galaxy’s magnetic field has been characterized with a level of precision never achieved before. The study of this radiation helps reveal the structure and strength of the Milky Way’s magnetic fields and provides a clearer view of how these fields shape the interstellar environment. According to Jose Alberto Rubinho, who led the project, the results offer a more accurate picture of the galaxy’s synchrotron processes and their connection to the magnetic architecture of our home galaxy. The resulting map serves as a crucial tool for disentangling Galactic foregrounds from the cosmic background signal, enabling more reliable insights into the early universe.
The scientists anticipate that the new data on magnetic fields and associated synchrotron radiation will reduce the interference caused by our galaxy when researchers analyze the cosmic microwave background. This improvement will help scientists extract cleaner cosmological information from the faint remnants of the Big Bang, refining our understanding of the universe’s birth and evolution. The work underscores the importance of mapping Galactic emissions with high precision to advance CMB studies and to sharpen models of cosmic history.
Vyacheslav Pilipenko, a former geophysicist, has discussed whether magnetic storms can influence human well-being and affect power grid infrastructure, such as transformer failures on power lines. While the debate continues, the broader effort to chart magnetic fields and their effects on space weather remains a key area of research for both astrophysics and planetary science.