(Press-News.org) Scientists from the California Institute of Technology and UCLA have discovered evidence of "universal ubiquitous magnetic fields" that have permeated deep space between galaxies since the time of the Big Bang.
Caltech physicist Shin'ichiro Ando and Alexander Kusenko, a professor of physics and astronomy at UCLA, report the discovery in a paper to be published in an upcoming issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters; the research is currently available online.
Ando and Kusenko studied images of the most powerful objects in the universe — supermassive black holes that emit high-energy radiation as they devour stars in distant galaxies — obtained by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.
"We found the signs of primordial magnetic fields in deep space between galaxies," Ando said.
Physicists have hypothesized for many years that a universal magnetic field should permeate deep space between galaxies, but there was no way to observe it or measure it until now.
The physicists produced a composite image of 170 giant black holes and discovered that the images were not as sharp as expected.
"Because space is filled with background radiation left over from the Big Bang, as well as emitted from galaxies, high-energy photons emitted by a distant source can interact with the background photons and convert into electron-positron pairs, which interact in their turn and convert back into a group of photons somewhat later," said Kusenko, who is also a senior scientist at the University of Tokyo's Institute for Physics and Mathematics of the Universe.
"While this process by itself does not blur the image significantly, even a small magnetic field along the way can deflect the electrons and positrons, making the image fuzzy," he said.
From such blurred images, the researchers found that the average magnetic field had a "femto-Gauss" strength, just one-quadrillionth of the Earth's magnetic field. The universal magnetic fields may have formed in the early universe shortly after the Big Bang, long before stars and galaxies formed, Ando and Kusenko said.
INFORMATION:
The research was funded by NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy and Japan's Society for the Promotion of Science.
For more information about Kusenko's research, visit www.physics.ucla.edu/~kusenko/.
UCLA is California's largest university, with an enrollment of nearly 38,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The UCLA College of Letters and Science and the university's 11 professional schools feature renowned faculty and offer more than 323 degree programs and majors. UCLA is a national and international leader in the breadth and quality of its academic, research, health care, cultural, continuing education and athletic programs. Five alumni and five faculty have been awarded the Nobel Prize.
For more news, visit the UCLA Newsroom or follow us on Twitter.
Universal, primordial magnetic fields discovered in deep space by UCLA, Caltech physicists
2010-09-22
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Spare the rod, spoil the child?
2010-09-22
Grabbing a child firmly by the arm, yelling and repeatedly punishing him or her may not be without long-terms risks, according to researchers from the Université de Montréal. They are studying how this harsh parenting can impair the emotional development of a child, possibly leading to anxiety disorders such as social phobia, separation anxiety and panic attacks.
"Several studies have shown that coercive parenting practices are linked to anxiety," says Françoise Maheu a professor at the Université de Montréal's Department of Psychiatry and lead investigator of the study. ...
'Synthetic lethality' strategy improves molecularly targeted cancer therapy
2010-09-22
PHILADELPHIA (September 21, 2010)—Molecularly targeted therapies can reduce tumors rapidly. However, not all tumors respond to the drugs, and even those that do often develop resistance over time. Looking for a way to combat the problem of resistance, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center hypothesized that hitting already weakened cancer cells with a second targeted agent could kill them—but only if it was the right second agent.
One well-validated molecular target for anti-cancer drugs is the epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR. Using a novel screening approach, ...
Results of the placement of multiple endoscopic stents for postoperative biliary strictures remains excellent after long-term follow-up
2010-09-22
OAK BROOK, Ill. – September 21, 2010 – Researchers from Italy have reported results from more than 10 years of follow-up showing that the placement of multiple endoscopic stents for the treatment of postoperative biliary strictures remains excellent with a low rate of stricture recurrence after this lengthy period of time. When strictures do recur, they can be safely and successfully retreated endoscopically. The study appears in the September issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal ...
Queen's University researchers locate impulse control center in brain
2010-09-22
Impulsive behaviour can be improved with training and the improvement is marked by specific brain changes, according to a new Queen's University study.
A research team led by neuroscience PhD student Scott Hayton has pinpointed the area of the brain that controls impulsive behavior and the mechanisms that affect how impulsive behavior is learned. The findings could have a significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of several disorders and addictions, including ADHD and alcoholism.
"In the classroom, kids often blurt out answers before they raise their hand. ...
GOES-11 catches quick birth of Tropical Storm Georgette already moving into Baja California
2010-09-22
Tropical Storm Georgette formed pretty quickly and the GOES-11 satellite captured her clouds extending over extreme southern Baja California and western Mexico today. Georgette formed just south of Cabo San Lucas this morning and is headed for a Baja landfall.
The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite or GOES-11 is stationary in its position in space, watching over the weather in the western U.S. GOES-11 captured an infrared image of Tropical Storm Georgette's rounded cloud cover stretching north into Baja California, Mexico at 13:15 UTC 9:15 a.m. EDT today, ...
NASA infrared imagery sees tropical depression 14 becomes 12th tropical storm: Lisa
2010-09-22
This Atlantic hurricane season has now spawned 14 tropical depressions and 12 of them have strengthened into tropical storms. The latest is now called Tropical Storm Lisa and is in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Lisa when she was still a low pressure area, but showed a center of circulation and banding of thunderstorms circling it, indicating the storm was getting organized.
The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured "Lisa" when she was still a low pressure area yesterday, Sept. 20 at ...
Hurricane watches up in Canada as the GOES-13 Satellite sees Hurricane Igor still expanding
2010-09-22
Hurricane Igor may be changing into an extra tropical storm and losing his warm core of energy, but he hasn't lost his punch as hurricane watches are up today in eastern Canada. The GOES-13 satellite captured a look at Hurricane Igor this morning, and noticed the storm continues to grow larger and part of that expansion is likely a result of absorbing Julia's remnants.
The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite or GOES-13 is stationary in its position in space, watching over the weather in the eastern U.S. GOES-13 captured a visible satellite image of Hurricane ...
High-dose aspirin reduces pain for severe headache and migraine
2010-09-22
An inexpensive, hundred-year-old therapy for pain – aspirin – is effective in high doses for the treatment of severe headache and migraine caused by drug withdrawal, according to a new study by researchers with the UCSF Headache Center. Study participants were administered aspirin through an IV and 25 percent of the time they reported a significant reduction in pain – three points on the 10-point pain scale. (A difference of three points downgrades a headache from severe to moderate, moderate to mild, or from mild to pain-free). Participants reported a more modest pain ...
Research shows child rearing practices of distant ancestors foster morality, compassion in kids
2010-09-22
Ever meet a kindergartener who seemed naturally compassionate and cared about others' feelings? Who was cooperative and didn't demand his own way? Chances are, his parents held, carried and cuddled him a lot; he most likely was breastfed; he probably routinely slept with his parents; and he likely was encouraged to play outdoors with other children, according to new research findings from the University of Notre Dame.
Three new studies led by Notre Dame Psychology Professor Darcia Narvaez show a relationship between child rearing practices common in foraging hunter-gatherer ...
Scientists using lasers to cool and control molecules
2010-09-22
New Haven, Conn.—Ever since audiences heard Goldfinger utter the famous line, "No, Mr. Bond; I expect you to die," as a laser beam inched its way toward James Bond and threatened to cut him in half, lasers have been thought of as white-hot beams of intensely focused energy capable of burning through anything in their path.
Now a team of Yale physicists has used lasers for a completely different purpose, employing them to cool molecules down to temperatures near what's known as absolute zero, about -460 degrees Fahrenheit. Their new method for laser cooling, described ...