DETECTION OF THE ZEEMAN EFFECT IN THE 36 GHz CLASS I CH{sub 3}OH MASER LINE WITH THE EVLA

Journal Article · Tue Nov 10 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Astrophysical Journal (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/705/2/L176· OSTI ID:21378271

Sarma, A P ^[1]; Momjian, E ^[2]

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1. Physics Department, DePaul University, 2219 N. Kenmore Ave., Byrne Hall 211, Chicago, IL 60614 (United States)
2. National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States)

We report the first detection of the Zeeman effect in the 36 GHz Class I CH{sub 3}OH maser line. The observations were carried out with 13 antennas of the EVLA toward the high mass star-forming region M8E. Based on our adopted Zeeman splitting factor of z = 1.7 Hz mG{sup -1}, we detect a line-of-sight magnetic field of -31.3 +- 3.5 mG and 20.2 +- 3.5 mG to the northwest and southeast of the maser line peak, respectively. This change in sign over a 1300 AU size scale may indicate that the masers are tracing two regions with different fields, or that the same field curves across the regions where the masers are being excited. The detected fields are not significantly different from the magnetic fields detected in the 6.7 GHz Class II CH{sub 3}OH maser line, indicating that CH{sub 3}OH masers may trace the large-scale magnetic field, or that the magnetic field remains unchanged during the early evolution of star-forming regions. Given what is known about the densities at which 36 GHz CH{sub 3}OH masers are excited, we find that the magnetic field is dynamically significant in the star-forming region.

• OSTI ID: 21378271
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal (Online), Vol. 705, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/705/2/L176; ISSN 1538-4357
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ANTENNAS
GHZ RANGE 01-100
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MASERS
MASS
METHANOL
POLARIZATION
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS
ZEEMAN EFFECT
ALCOHOLS
AMPLIFIERS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
EVOLUTION
FREQUENCY RANGE
GHZ RANGE
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MICROWAVE AMPLIFIERS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS