Magnetic field evolution and origin in vast extragalactic domains

by Prof. Annalisa Bonafede (University of Bologna)

Thursday 12 Feb 2026, 11:30 → 12:30 Europe/Rome

Sala Jappelli (Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova)

Magnetic fields permeate our Universe on a large number of scales. Yet, from Galactic to Extra-galactic scales, their origin and amplification is  something we have to assume, based on a paucity of data and limits. A key open question, relevant to a vast number  of physical processes,  concerns how magnetic fields grow during cosmic structure formation—the process that ultimately leads to the emergence of galaxy clusters.
Recent observations reveal that magnetic fields extend well beyond cluster virial radii, reaching into the cosmic web’s intergalactic filaments. How these large-scale magnetic fields arise, and how efficiently they are amplified, are still unanswered questions. Intriguingly, new results suggest that magnetic fields in galaxy clusters may strengthen far more rapidly than previously assumed, implying a faster-than-expected kinematic amplification phase.
We are entering a transformative era in the study of cosmic magnetism, thanks to the development of large radio interferometric arrays, such as LOFAR2.0, MeerKAT, MeerKAT+, and ASKAP, that pave the path towards the Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO). 
In this talk, I will present the first results from BELOVED (B-fields EvoLution and Origin in Vast Extragalactic Domains). By combining new polarimetric observations with state-of-the-art simulations, we aim to constrain how magnetic fields in galaxy clusters evolve with mass and redshift, shedding new light on their amplification across cosmic time.

 

Join Zoom Meeting

 

https://unipd.zoom.us/j/82482883288?pwd=MVvmMWSGaiVrGMyAFOdyQG61OAcI7D.1

Meeting ID: 824 8288 3288

Passcode: 072472