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The magnetic field of the Galaxy determined from the zeeman splitting of the 21-cm hydrogen line

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 August 2015

R. D. Davies*
Affiliation:
Nuffield Radio Astronomy Laboratories, Jodrell Bank

Extract

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The Zeeman effect can be used to measure directly the longitudinal component of the magnetic field in interstellar neutral hydrogen clouds. The frequency separation between the two circularly polarized components is 28 c/s for 10–5 G and can be inferred from measurements of the intensity difference between left- and right-hand circular polarization as a function of frequency. Earlier experiments at Jodrell Bank showed that the mean field in the interstellar medium was less than 10–5 G (Davies et al. 1960). Recent work using more sensitive techniques has provided a positive measurement of a weak general magnetic field and of fields of varying intensity in different interstellar clouds.

Type
Section 1: The Galaxy
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Academy of Science 1964 

References

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