Interstellar magnetic fields exist over a broad range of spatial scales, extending from the large Galactic scales (∼ 10 kpc) down to the very small dissipative scales (≪ 1 pc). In this paper, we use a set of 490 pulsars distributed over roughly one third of the Galactic disk out to a radius R ≃ 10 kpc (assuming R⊙ = 8.5 kpc) and combine their observed rotation and dispersion measures with their...

In astrophysical situations, e.g. in the interstellar medium (ISM), neutrals can provide viscous damping on scales much larger than the magnetic diffusion scale. Through numerical simulations, we have found that the magnetic field can have a rich structure below the dissipation cutoff scale. This implies that magnetic fields in the ISM can have structures on scales much smaller than parsec scal...

We study the resonant interaction of charged particles with a gravitational wave propagating in the non-empty interstellar space in the presence of a uniform magnetic field. It is found that this interaction can be cast in the form of a parametric resonance problem which, besides the main resonance, allows for the existence of many secondary ones. Each of them is associated with a non-zero reso...

This work investigates some aspects of the transport of low-energy e (Ek . 1 MeV) in the interstellar medium (ISM). We consider resonance interactions with magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves above the resonance threshold. Below the threshold, collisions take over and deflect e in their motion parallel to magnetic-field lines. Using Monte-Carlo simulations, we model the propagation and energy losse...

Linearly polarized, non-masing, rotational lines have been detected for the first time in the interstellar medium. This effect occurs in molecular clouds with a magnetic field, and traces the field direction, offering an alternative technique to dust emission polarimetry. The line polarization mechanism is similar to that in masers, but with lower degrees of polarization (∼ 1 %). We have detect...

When the ion mean free path much exceeds the Larmor radius in a plasma, the viscous stress tensor is altered dramatically, and depends only upon quantities measured along the field lines. This regime corresponds to typical interstellar medium conditions in galaxies and protogalaxies, even if the magnetic field is extremely weak with negligible pressure and tension forces. Despite the fact that ...

We investigate favourable circumstances for fast magnetic reconnection in astrophysical plasmas based on recent results by Rogers et al. (2001). Given that a critical magnetic field structure with antiparallel field lines exists, our analysis demonstrates that a sufficient condition for fast reconnection is that the ratio of the thermal pressure to the magnetic field pressure β should be signif...

Context. Supernovae are known to be the dominant energy source for driving turbulence in the interstellar medium. Yet their effect on magnetic field amplification in spiral galaxies is still poorly understood. Analytical models based on the evolution of isolated, non-interacting supernova remnants predicted a dominant vertical pumping rendering dynamo action improbable. Aims. In the present wor...

The synchrotron radio maps of supernova remnants (SNRs) in uniform interstellar medium and interstellar magnetic field (ISMF) are analysed, allowing different ‘sensitivity’ of injection efficiency to the shock obliquity. The very-high energy γ-ray maps due to inverse Compton process are also synthesized. The properties of images in these different wavelength bands are compared, with particulr e...

We analyze 3D numerical simulations of driven incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in a periodic box threaded by a moderately strong external magnetic field. We sum over nonlinear interactions within Fourier wavebands and find that the time scale for the energy cascade is consistent with the Goldreich-Sridhar model of strong MHD turbulence. Using higher order longitudinal structu...