Cosmic magnetism in centimeter- and meter-wavelength radio astronomy

Abstract

The magnetic field is ubiquitous in the universe. Though it plays an essential role in various astrophysical phenomena, its real origin and evolution are poorly known. This article reviews the understanding of the latest research concerning magnetic fields in the interstellar medium, the Milky Way Galaxy, external galaxies, active galactic nuclei, clusters of galaxies, and the cosmic web. Particularly, the review is concentrated in the achievements that have been provided by centimeter- and meter-wavelength radio observations. The article also introduces various methods for analyzing linear polarization data, including synchrotron radiation, Faraday rotation, depolarization, and Faraday tomography.