HIGH-ANGULAR RESOLUTION DUST POLARIZATION MEASUREMENTS: SHAPED B-FIELD LINES IN THE MASSIVE STAR-FORMING REGION ORION BN/KL

Journal Article · Sat Jul 10 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/717/2/1262· OSTI ID:21455189

Tang, Ya-Wen; Ho, Paul T. P.; Koch, Patrick M; Rao, Ramprasad ^[1]

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1. Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (China)

We present observational results of the thermal dust continuum emission and its linear polarization in one of the nearest massive star-forming sites Orion BN/KL in Orion Molecular Cloud-1. The observations were carried out with the Submillimeter Array. With an angular resolution of 1'' ({approx}2 mpc; 480 AU), we have detected and resolved the densest cores near the BN/KL region. At a wavelength of {approx}870 {mu}m, the polarized dust emission can be used to trace the structure of the magnetic field in this star-forming core. The dust continuum appears to arise from a V-shaped region, with a cavity nearly coincident with the center of the explosive outflows observed on larger scales. The position angles (P.A.s) of the observed polarization vary significantly by a total of about 90{sup 0} but smoothly, i.e., curl-like, across the dust ridges. Such a polarization pattern can be explained with dust grains being magnetically aligned instead of mechanically with outflows, since the latter mechanism would cause the P.A.s to be parallel to the direction of the outflow, i.e., radial-like. The magnetic field projected in the plane of sky is therefore derived by rotating the P.A.s of the polarization by 90{sup 0}. We find an azimuthally symmetric structure in the overall magnetic field morphology, with the field directions pointing toward 2.''5 west to the center of the explosive outflows. We also find a preferred symmetry plane at a P.A. of 36{sup 0}, which is perpendicular to the mean magnetic field direction (120{sup 0}) of the 0.5 pc dust ridge. Two possible interpretations of the origin of the observed magnetic field structure are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 21455189
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 717; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
DUSTS
EMISSION
EVOLUTION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
POLARIZATION
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS