Fisher analysis on wide-band polarimetry for probing the intergalactic magnetic field

Abstract

We investigate the capability of current radio telescopes for probing Faraday rotation measure (RM) due to the intergalactic magnetic field (IGMF) in the large-scale structure of the universe, which is expected to be of order O (1) rad m-2. We consider polarization observations of a compact radio source such as quasars behind a diffuse source such as the Galaxy, and calculate Stokes parameters Q and U assuming a simple model of the Faraday dispersion functions with Gaussian shape. Then, we perform the Fisher analysis to estimate the expected errors in the model parameters from QU-fitting of polarization intensity, accounting for the sensitivities and frequency bands of Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder, Low Frequency Array, and the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope. Finally, we examine the conditions on the source intensities which are required to detect the IGMF. Our analysis indicates that the QU-fitting is promising for forthcoming wideband polarimetry to explore RM due to the IGMF in filaments of galaxies. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Astronomical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.