Magnetic fields near the peripheries of galactic discs
  Magnetic fields are observed beyond the peripheries of optically detected
galactic discs, while numerical models of their origin and the typical
magnitudes are still absent. Previously, studies of galactic dynamo have
avoided considering the peripheries of galactic discs because of the very
limited (though gradually growing) knowledge about the local properties of the
interstellar medium. Here we investigate the possibility that magnetic fields
can be generated in the outskirts of discs, taking the Milky Way as an example.
We consider a simple evolving galactic dynamo model in the "no-z" formulation,
applicable to peripheral regions of galaxies, for various assumptions about the
radial and vertical profiles of the ionized gas disc. The magnetic field may
grow as galaxies evolve, even in the more remote parts of the galactic disc,
out to radii of 15 to 30 kpc, becoming substantial after times of about 10 Gyr.
This result depends weakly on the adopted distributions of the half thickness
and surface density of the ionized gas component. The model is robust to
changes in the amplitude of the initial field and the position of its maximum
strength. The magnetic field in the remote parts of the galactic disc could be
generated in situ from a seed field by local dynamo action. Another possibility
is field production in the central regions of a galaxy, followed by transport
to the disc's periphery by the joint action of the dynamo and turbulent
diffusivity. Our results demonstrate the possibilities for the appearance and
strengthening of magnetic fields at the peripheries of disc galaxies and
emphasize the need for observational tests with new and anticipated radio
telescopes (LOFAR, MWA, and SKA).
