Speaker
Description
There is a deep connection between the evolution of a galaxy and its magnetic field, which can act in both directions; magnetic fields appear strongly dependent on galaxy interactions, whilst magnetic fields contribute significantly in many processes that occur in the interstellar medium. Thus it is crucial to understand how environment can affect magnetic fields of large scales. However, so far an evolutionary study of this kind has been impossible due to the lack of polarization radio observations of any type of galaxy groups, let alone those in well-defined evolutionary stages. In this regard, we (the AMIGA team) have begun a pioneering project which will use our evolutionary model of Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs) of galaxies, together with new full stokes continuum polarization studies from the JVLA, with the final aim of creating an evolutionary scheme for magnetic fields in HCGs, and to investigate how magnetic fields might modify or contribute to the morphology of HI in these interacting systems.
To perform such a study it is crucial to reach the deepest possible sensitivities in order to detect the faintest extended radio emission associated with the outskirts of galaxies and the IGM. The broadband receivers of the JVLA ($\sim 4\,{\rm GHz}$) can now reach sensitivities of the order of a few $\mu$Jy in our observations and make this study unique in terms of sensitivity and resolution in the field of interacting galaxies. However, the sensitivity needed to perform such study makes it challenging and needs new techniques and tools to calibrate and image radio observations.
| Wish list question? | 7. What is the relationship between galaxies' HI reservoirs and their ionized circumgalactic media at z ~ 0? |
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