——-
The mention of cosmic-scale magnetic fields is still likely to met with an uncomfortable silence in some astronomical circles – and after a bit of foot-shuffling and throat-clearing, the discussion will be moved on to safer topics. But look, they’re out there. They probably do play a role in galaxy evolution, if not galaxy formation – and are certainly a feature of the interstellar medium and the intergalactic medium.
——-
This article talks a it about the prevalence of magnetic fields in the universe, and their possible effects on the evolution of same.  I thought it interesting, as it’s a recognition of something that was pointed out in BBNH.  Enjoy,

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-05-cosmic-magnetic-fields.html

Pat

Thank you very much for the contribution. It’s really interesting

“The strength of intracluster magnetic fields averages around 3 x 10-6 gauss (G), which isn’t a lot.”

How could they drive cosmic events at this strength?

At typical intra-cluster distances of 1 Megaparsec—3x10^24 cm,  a magnetic field of that strength has about 10^61 ergs of energy. That’s about the total energy output of a galaxy like the Milky way for a few billion years. Equally important, the velocity such a field can impart to plasma of the density of intra-cluster gas is quite comparbale to the velocites galaxies move at.

Recent consternation over the discovery of The Band around the heliosphere, apparently a result of interaction with galactic magnetic fields. The big, heavy pennies beginning to drop?

Additional evidence for that interaction was the discovery of a “tail” of emissions in the underlying boundary landscape, which is apparently deflected in the direction of the galactic magnetic field as the ribbon seems to indicate.

“This galactic magnetic field may be a missing key to understanding how the heliosphere protects the solar system from galactic cosmic rays,” says Schwadron.

Also seen in the maps is the expected feature of the “nose” of the heliosphere. The nose represents the direction in which the solar system moves through the local part of the galaxy nearest to our Sun and that Schwadron compares to the “bow wave in front of a ship, which shows us how our motion through the galaxy compresses and deflects the material of the local galactic medium around our heliosphere.”

http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/731/1/56 Astrophysical Journal

Also: super electric currents in ultramafic (conductive) magma under Io’s crust explain its vulcnism and magnetic fields: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/galileo20110512.html