The Disk-Halo Distinction of Galaxies Using Faraday Tomography

Abstract

Faraday tomography allows us to study the distribution and properties of the magnetoionic medium of galaxies through the Faraday effect. However, this can be achieved only after the Faraday spectrum is interpreted. One approach is using galactic ISM/magnetism models to investigate how characteristic properties of the galaxies in the physical depth space are reflected to the Faraday spectrum. In this paper, I employ a realistic Galactic ISM/magnetism model and calculate the intrinsic Faraday spectrum of face-on galaxies, especially focusing on the galactic disk-halo structure and on the presence of the coherent, vertical magnetic field. I also calculate the Faraday depth cubes of the Milky Way from the model. I discuss the possibility of studying the disk and halo structures by means of Faraday tomography.

Keywords

• galaxies: magnetic fields
• galaxies: ISM
• polarization
• techniques: polarimetric