Magnetic field amplification by the small-scale dynamo in the early Universe

Abstract

In this paper we show that the Universe is already strongly magnetized at very early epochs during cosmic evolution. Our calculations are based on the efficient amplification of weak magnetic seed fields, which are unavoidably present in the early Universe, by the turbulent small-scale dynamo. We identify two mechanisms for the generation of turbulence in the radiation dominated epoch where velocity fluctuations are produced by the primordial density perturbation and by possible first-order phase transitions at the electroweak or QCD scales. We show that all the necessities for the small-scale dynamo to work are fulfilled. Hence, this mechanism, operating due to primordial density perturbations, guarantees fields with comoving field strength $B_0\sim10^{-6}\varepsilon^{1/2}$ nG on scales up to $\lambda_c\sim0.1$ pc, where $\varepsilon$ is the saturation efficiency. The amplification of magnetic seed fields could be even larger if there are first-order phase transitions in the early Universe. Where, on scales up to $\lambda_c\sim100$ pc, the comoving field strength due to this mechanism will be $B_0\sim10^{-3}\varepsilon^{1/2}$ nG at the present time. Such fields, albeit on small scales, can play an important role in structure formation and could provide an explanation to the apparently observed magnetic fields in the voids of the large-scale structure.