Gravity-driven Magnetic Field at ∼1000 au Scales in High-mass Star Formation

• Autores: Sanhueza, Patricio; Girart, Josep Miquel; Padovani, Marco; Galli, Daniele; Hull, Charles L. H.; Zhang, Qizhou; Cortes, Paulo; Stephens, Ian; Fernandez Lopez, Manuel; Jackson, James M.; Frau, Pau; Kock, Patrick M.; Wu, Benjamin; Zapata, Luis A.; Olguin, Fernando; Lu, Xing; Silva, Andrea; Tang, Ya Wen; Sakai, Takeshi; Guzmán, Andrés E.; Tatematsu, Ken'Ichi; Nakamura, Fumitaka; Chen, Huei Ru Vivien
• Año de publicación: 2021
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: Young stellar objects; Magnetic fields; Massive stars; Star-forming regions
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

A full understanding of high-mass star formation requires the study of one of the most elusive components of the energy balance in the interstellar medium: magnetic fields. We report Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) 1.2 mm, high-resolution (700 au) dust polarization and molecular line observations of the rotating hot molecular core embedded in the high-mass star-forming region IRAS 18089-1732. The dust continuum emission and magnetic field morphology present spiral-like features resembling a whirlpool. The velocity field traced by the H13CO+ (J = 3-2) transition line reveals a complex structure with spiral filaments that are likely infalling and rotating, dragging the field with them. We have modeled the magnetic field and find that the best model corresponds to a weakly magnetized core with a mass-to-magnetic-flux ratio (λ) of 8.38. The modeled magnetic field is dominated by a poloidal component, but with an important contribution from the toroidal component that has a magnitude of 30% of the poloidal component. Using the Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi method, we estimate a magnetic field strength of 3.5 mG. At the spatial scales accessible to ALMA, an analysis of the energy balance of the system indicates that gravity overwhelms turbulence, rotation, and the magnetic field. We show that high-mass star formation can occur in weakly magnetized environments, with gravity taking the dominant role.
Fil: Sanhueza, Patricio. National Astronomical Observatory Of Japan; Japón
Fil: Girart, Josep Miquel. Instituto de Estudios Espaciales de Cataluña; España
Fil: Padovani, Marco. Osservatorio Astrofisico Di Arcetri; Italia
Fil: Galli, Daniele. Osservatorio Astrofisico Di Arcetri; Italia
Fil: Hull, Charles L. H.. Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array; Chile
Fil: Zhang, Qizhou. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Estados Unidos
Fil: Cortes, Paulo. National Radio Astronomy Observatory; Estados Unidos
Fil: Stephens, Ian. Worcester State University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Fernandez Lopez, Manuel. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía; Argentina
Fil: Jackson, James M.. NASA Ames Research Center; Estados Unidos
Fil: Frau, Pau. Csic. Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio; España
Fil: Kock, Patrick M.. Academia Sinica; China
Fil: Wu, Benjamin. National Astronomical Observatory Of Japan; Japón
Fil: Zapata, Luis A.. Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica; México
Fil: Olguin, Fernando. National Tsing Hua University; China
Fil: Lu, Xing. National Astronomical Observatory Of Japan; Japón
Fil: Silva, Andrea. National Astronomical Observatory Of Japan; Japón
Fil: Tang, Ya Wen. Academia Sinica; China
Fil: Sakai, Takeshi. The University Of Electro-communications; Japón
Fil: Guzmán, Andrés E.. National Astronomical Observatory Of Japan; Japón
Fil: Tatematsu, Ken'Ichi. National Astronomical Observatory Of Japan; Japón
Fil: Nakamura, Fumitaka. National Astronomical Observatory Of Japan; Japón
Fil: Chen, Huei Ru Vivien. National Tsing Hua University; China