Research summary
Images of the night sky are captivating-but they can’t convey the fact that almost all the normal matter in the Universe is magnetic, or that the Universe is constantly changing. These two little-known dimensions are key to understanding some of the fundamental processes taking place in astrophysics-including the cycles through which stars and galaxies return matter and energy to interstellar and intergalactic space, and the varied and dramatic ways in which stars end their lives.
Dr. Bryan Gaensler, Canada Research Chair in Radio Astronomy, is trying to figure out how the Universe became magnetic and how this magnetism has since evolved. He and his research team are also working to understand the extreme conditions revealed by transient and explosive events throughout the cosmos. Their work will advance our understanding of the Universe and prepare Canada to participate in the billion-dollar Square Kilometre Array, an intergovernmental radio telescope project.