Marian Lazar Universität Bochum

Strong quasistatic magnetic fields in astrophysical scenarios (pdf)

Magnetic fields play a crucial role for the onset of most nonthermal phenomena in cosmological plasma sources. Nonthermal radiation usually having a power-law emission spectrum is observed from numerous relativistic outflow sources (established by the H.E.S.S. gamma-ray telescope) in jets and shocks of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs), galactic microquasars or Crab-like supernova remnants. In these plasma systems the emission is thought to be generated by the accelerated charges moving arround sufficiently strong magnetic fields, via the synchrotron mechanism. Our research projects are concerned with the collective plasma processes, which are supposed to be responsible for generation of a sufficiently strong magnetic field in regions with anisotropic thermal distributions, or in counterstreaming plasmas.