106 research outputs found
Self-Consistent Analysis of OH Zeeman Observations
Crutcher, Hakobian, and Troland (2009) used OH Zeeman observations of four
nearby molecular dark clouds to show that the ratio of mass to magnetic flux
was smaller in the ~0.1 pc cores than in the ~1 pc envelopes, in contradiction
to the prediction of ambipolar diffusion driven core formation. A crucial
assumption was that the magnetic field direction is nearly the same in the
envelope and core regions of each cloud. Mouschovias and Tassis (2009) have
argued that the data are not consistent with this assumption, and presented a
new analysis that changes the conclusions of the study. Here we show that the
data are in fact consistent with the nearly uniform field direction assumption;
hence, the original study is internally self-consistent and the conclusions are
valid under the assumptions that were made. We also show that the Mouschovias
and Tassis model of magnetic fields in cloud envelopes is inconsistent with
their own analysis of the data. However, the data do not rule out a more
complex field configuration that future observations may discern.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication by MNRAS Letter
Testing Magnetic Star Formation Theory
We report here observations of the Zeeman effect in the 18-cm lines of OH in
the envelope regions surrounding four molecular cloud cores toward which
detections of B(LOS) have been achieved in the same lines, and evaluate the
ratio of mass to magnetic flux, M/Phi, between the cloud core and envelope.
This relative M/Phi measurement reduces uncertainties in previous studies, such
as the angle between B and the line of sight and the value of [OH/H]. Our
result is that for all four clouds, the ratios R of the core to the envelope
values of M/Phi are less than 1. Stated another way, the ratios R' of the core
to the total cloud M/Phi are less than 1. The extreme case or idealized (no
turbulence) ambipolar diffusion theory of core formation requires the ratio of
the central to total M/Phi to be approximately equal to the inverse of the
original subcritical M/Phi, or R' > 1. The probability that all four of our
clouds have R' > 1 is 3 x 10^{-7}; our results are therefore significantly in
contradiction with the hypothesis that these four cores were formed by
ambipolar diffuson. Highly super-Alfvenic turbulent simulations yield a wide
range of relative M/Phi, but favor a ratio R < 1, as we observe. Our experiment
is limited to four clouds, and we can only directly test the predictions of the
extreme-case "idealized" models of ambipolar-diffusion driven star formation
that have a regular magnetic field morphology. Nonetheless, our experimental
results are not consistent with the "idealized" strong field, ambipolar
diffusion theory of star formation.Comment: 30 pages, 6 figures; paper revised after journal review, now accepted
by Ap
BIMA N2H+ 1-0 mapping observations of L183 -- fragmentation and spin-up in a collapsing, magnetized, rotating, pre-stellar core
We have used the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Array (BIMA) to make deep N2H+
1-0 maps of the pre-stellar core L183, in order to study the spatial and
kinematic substructure within the densest part of the core. Three spatially and
kinematically distinct clumps are detected, which we label L183-N1, L183-N2 and
L183-N3. L183-N2 is approximately coincident with the submillimetre dust peak
and lies at the systemic velocity of L183. Thus we conclude that L183-N2 is the
central dense core of L183. L183-N1 and 3 are newly-discovered fragments of
L183, which are marked by velocity gradients that are parallel to, but far
stronger than, the velocity gradient of L183 as a whole, as detected in
previous single-dish data. Furthermore, the ratio of the large-scale and
small-scale velocity gradients, and the ratio of their respective size-scales,
are consistent with the conservation of angular momentum for a rotating,
collapsing core undergoing spin-up. The inferred axis of rotation is parallel
to the magnetic field direction, which is offset from its long axis, as we have
seen in other pre-stellar cores. Therefore, we propose that we have detected a
fragmenting, collapsing, filamentary, pre-stellar core, rotating about its
B-field, which is spinning up as it collapses. It will presumably go on to form
a multiple protostellar system.Comment: 7 figures, 1 table, 21 pages, accepted for publication in Ap
Magnetic Fields in Diffuse H I and Molecular Clouds
This book chapter reviews the current state of observations of magnetic
fields in diffuse H I and in dense molecular clouds. It covers techniques for
measuring magnetic fields, the analysis of the observations, and the role of
magnetic fields in the physics of interstellar clouds and in the star formation
process.Comment: 50 pages, 14 figures, to be published as book chapter in 'Cosmic
Magnetic Fields
MAPPING MAGNETIC FIELDS IN MOLECULAR CLOUDS WITH THE CN ZEEMAN EFFECT
The role of magnetic fields in star formation remains controversial. Observations of the Zeeman effect provide the only available technique for directly measuring the strengths of magnetic fields in molecular clouds. We have mapped the Zeeman effect toward the massive star forming complex W3OH in the CN N=2-1 transition at 226 GHz with both the IRAM 30-m telescope and the CARMA array and have combined these data to produce a fully spatially sampled map of the magnetic field along the line of sight, with approximately 4 arcsec resolution. These are both the first CN Zeeman maps and the first detections of the Zeeman effect in the CN N=2-1 transition. We will present this map and discuss the astrophysical implications. This work may be considered to be a pathfinder for future similar ALMA observations, which have the potential to advance considerably our understanding of the role of magnetic fields in the star formation process
Magnetic Fields in Dark Cloud Cores: Arecibo OH Zeeman Observations
We have carried out an extensive survey of magnetic field strengths toward
dark cloud cores in order to test models of star formation: ambipolar-diffusion
driven or turbulence driven. The survey involved hours of observing
with the Arecibo telescope in order to make sensitive OH Zeeman observations
toward 34 dark cloud cores. Nine new probable detections were achieved at the
2.5-sigma level; the certainty of the detections varies from solid to marginal,
so we discuss each probable detection separately. However, our analysis
includes all the measurements and does not depend on whether each position has
a detection or just a sensitive measurement. Rather, the analysis establishes
mean (or median) values over the set of observed cores for relevant
astrophysical quantities. The results are that the mass-to-flux ratio is
supercritical by , and that the ratio of turbulent to magnetic energies
is also . These results are compatible with both models of star
formation. However, these OH Zeeman observations do establish for the first
time on a statistically sound basis the energetic importance of magnetic fields
in dark cloud cores at densities of order cm, and they lay
the foundation for further observations that could provide a more definitive
test.Comment: 22 pages, 2 figures, 2 table
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