Physicist from Bochum calculate the field strength in the early Universe

Magnets almost become household items. Previously, however, the universe consisted of only non-magnetic elements and particles. The question of how the magnetic forces was born, was investigated by Professor Dr. Reinhard Schlickeiser from Institute of theoretical physics at the Ruhr University in Bochum. In the journal Physical Review Letters, he describes a new mechanism of magnetization of the Universe before the appearance of the first stars.


In the early Universe, there is no permanent magnets

Before the formation of the first stars, glowing matter consisted only of a fully ionized gas of protons, electrons, nuclei of helium and lithium nuclei that were produced during the Big Bang. "All high metals, for example, magnetic iron, in accordance with the present concept could only be formed inside stars", says Reinhard Schlickeiser.

"In ancient times, so there was no permanent magnets in the Universe". The parameters that describe the state of the gas, however, are not permanent. The density and pressure, and electric and magnetic fields oscillate around certain averages. As a result of these fluctuations, at some points in the plasma occur weak magnetic fields, the so - called random field. How these fields were strong, while in fully ionized plasma of protons and electrons, currently calculated professional Schlickeiser, in particular, referring to the density and temperature of the gas that existed in the plasma of the early Universe.

Weak magnetic fields with large amounts of

The result: oscillation of magnetic fields depended on their position in plasma, however, did not depend on time, unlike, for example, from electromagnetic waves, such as light waves that oscillate over time. Everywhere in luminous gas early Universe was a magnetic field with a strength of 10 ^ -20 T, i.e. 10 sextillion shares of Tesla. For comparison, the Earth's magnetic field has tension in 30 ppm Tesla. In MRI scanners, the field strength of the three units of Tesla now commonplace. The magnetic field in the plasma of the early Universe, therefore, was very weak, but it was almost 100 percent of the volume of plasma.

The thermal interaction of shock waves and magnetic fields

Stellar wind or the first supernova explosions of massive stars are generated shock waves that compress random magnetic fields in certain areas. Thus, the fields have been strengthened and agreed on a broad scale. Ultimately, the magnetic force was so great that in turn influenced the shock wave. "This explains the frequently observed balance between magnetic forces and the thermal pressure of gas in space objects", says Professor Schlickeiser. Calculations show that all of fully ionized gases in the early Universe were weakly magnetized. The magnetic field, so existed even before the first stars. Next, a physicist from Bochum plans to study how weak magnetic fields influence of temperature fluctuations in the cosmic background radiation.