Broadband polarimetry with the square kilometre array: A unique astrophysical probe

Abstract

Faraday rotation of polarised background sources is a unique probe of astrophysical magnetic fields in a diverse range of foreground objects. However, to understand the properties of the polarised sources themselves and of depolarising phenomena along the line of sight, we need to complement Faraday rotation data with polarisation observations over very broad bandwidths. Just as it is impossible to properly image a complex source with limited u-v coverage, we can only meaningfully understand the magneto-ionic properties of polarised sources if we have excellent coverage in l2-space. We here propose a set of broadband polarisation surveys with both SKA1 and SKA2, which will provide a singular set of scientific insights on the ways in which galaxies and their environments have evolved over cosmic time.