Journal
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
Volume 490, Issue 3, Pages L39-L42Publisher
EDP SCIENCES S A
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:200810861
Keywords
ISM: magnetic fields; stars: formation; magnetohydrodynamics (MHD); polarization
Categories
Funding
- Marie-Curie Research Training Network Constellation [MRTN-CT-2006-035890]
- Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion and FEDER [AYA2005-08523-C03]
- Generalitat of Catalunya [2005SGR00489]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Context. Magnetic fields are believed to play a crucial role in the process of star formation. Aims. We compare high-angular resolution observations of the submillimeter polarized emission of NGC 1333 IRAS 4A, tracing the magnetic field around a low-mass protostar, with models of the collapse of magnetized molecular cloud cores. Methods. Assuming a uniform dust alignment efficiency, we computed the Stokes parameters and synthetic polarization maps from the model density and magnetic field distribution by integrations along the line-of-sight and convolution with the interferometric response. Results. The synthetic maps are in good agreement with the data. The best-fitting models were obtained for a protostellar mass of 0.8 M-circle dot, of age 9 x 10(4) yr, formed in a cloud with an initial mass-to-flux ratio similar to 2 times the critical value. Conclusions. The magnetic field morphology in NGC 1333 IRAS 4A is consistent with the standard theoretical scenario for the formation of solar-type stars, where well-ordered, large-scale, rather than turbulent, magnetic fields control the evolution and collapse of the molecular cloud cores from which stars form.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available