Origin of magnetic fields may lie in special relativity's spacetime distortions

Origin of magnetic fields may lie in special relativity's spacetime distortions: The discovery that special relativity can provide an ideal universal vorticity generation mechanism could help scientists understand the origins of the massive magnetic fields in astrophysical settings. As one of the most challenging unsolved problems in theoretical physics, finding a universal origin of magnetic fields could also shed light on the properties of large physical systems, and possibly even advanced spacetime geometries.

“Magnetic fields are found in all levels of cosmic and astrophysical settings,” Mahajan said. “Most of them are, perhaps, relic fields created at some time in the evolution of the universe. The magnetic fields could have played a very fundamental part in the structure formation. Unless one isolates how and where and perhaps when they are generated, it is hard to put together a satisfactory story of the universe.