Multiscale investigations of the galactic magnetic field

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Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental forces in Nature. Electric and magnetic fields affect us in more ways than it is possible to list. This is true across all scales, from the very small, such as the electric impulses that control our bodies, to the very large, such as the magnetic field of the Earth that protects us from the ionized Solar wind. In fact, electric and magnetic fields are important throughout the cosmos, helping to form stars and providing support against gravitational collapse in galaxies. While we have known about the Earth's magnetic field for centuries (the discovery of a magnetic compass is attributed to China around 1000 AD), the idea of a Galactic magnetic field was only proposed in 1949 by Enrico Fermi. Proper studies of the Galactic magnetic field beyond the spiral arm that our Sun is located in only began in the late 1970's. Considering the first scientific description of the Earth's magnetic field was in 1600 AD, the study of the Galactic magnetic field is truly in its infancy. My research project entitled "Multiscale Investigations of the Galactic Magnetic Field" is designed to further explore the relationship of the Galactic magnetic field and the interstellar medium (also known as 'the stuff between the stars'). Understanding what the magnetic field looks like now and how it is coupled to the interstellar medium will allow us to determine how the field was originally generated and how it is evolving. The long term goal of this work is to develop an understanding of the role of magnetic fields in the formation and evolution of galaxies in general.