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Article Contents

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

1.THE RECENT HISTORY OF COSMIC MAGNETIC FIELDS

1.1.Observations

1.2.The alternative: dynamo or primordial ?

1.3.Magnetic fields and structure formation

1.4.The evolution of primordial magnetic fields

2.EFFECTS ON THE COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND

2.1.The effect of a homogeneous magnetic field

2.2.The effect on the acoustic peaks

2.3.Dissipative effects on the MHD modes

2.4.Effects on the CMBR polarization

3.CONSTRAINTS FROM THE BIG BANG NUCLEOSYNTHESIS

3.1.The effect of a magnetic field on the neutron-proton conversion rate

3.2.The effects on the expansion and cooling rates of the Universe

3.3.The effect on the electron thermodynamics

3.4.Derivation of the constraints

3.5.Neutrino spin-oscillations in the presence of a magnetic field

4.GENERATION OF MAGNETIC FIELDS

4.1.Magnetic fields from primordial vorticity

4.2.Magnetic fields from the quark-hadron phase transition

4.3.Magnetic fields from the electroweak phase transition

4.3.1.Magnetic fields from a turbulent charge flow

4.3.2.Magnetic fields from Higgs field equilibration

4.4.Magnetic helicity and electroweak baryogenesis

4.5.Magnetic fields from inflation

4.6.Magnetic fields from cosmic strings

5.PARTICLES AND THEIR COUPLINGS IN THE PRESENCE OF STRONG MAGNETIC FIELDS

5.1.Low Lying States for Particles in Uniform Magnetic Fields

5.1.1.Protons in an External Field

5.1.2.Neutrons in an External Field

5.1.3.Electrons in an External Field

5.1.4.Effects of Magnetic Fields on Strong Forces

5.1.5.Proton Life Time

5.1.6.Decay Rates and Spectrum

5.1.7.Caveats and Limitations

5.1.8.Proton neutron mass difference by a lattice calculation

5.2.Screening of Very Intense Magnetic Fields by chiral symmetry breaking

5.3.The effect of strong magnetic fields on the electroweak vacuum

5.3.1.The electroweak phase transition in a magnetic field

5.3.2.Sphalerons in strong magnetic fields

6.CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES