Issue |
A&A
Volume 371, Number 1, May III 2001
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 274 - 286 | |
Section | The Sun | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20010329 | |
Published online | 15 May 2001 |
Zeeman line splitting measurements sampling dense gas in dark cloud and star-forming cores
1
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany
2
Cornell University, 108 Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
3
Institut für Theoretische Astrophysik, Universität Heidelberg, Tiergartenstraße 15, 69121 Heidelberg, Germany
Corresponding author: K. Uchida, kuchida@astrosun.tn.cornell.edu
Received:
31
October
2000
Accepted:
28
February
2001
We present measurements of Zeeman splitting in SO line
emission/absorption arising from dense thermal gas (>106 cm-3)
associated with ten compact HII and star-forming regions. No
line-of-sight magnetic field, above an average 1σ limit of
0.57 mG, is detected toward any of these sources. The W3(OH) region,
found in a previous study to have a line-of-sight field of 3 mG in
its dense gas, is thus unique in this respect. The implication of
this study is that the magnetic fields in dense clouds are supercritical
in the sense that they are not capable of supporting their host
clouds against gravitational collapse. The relatively low average
field limit is consistent with those theories predicting the
quick onset of and short timescales for ambipolar diffusion.
Also presented are (1) Zeeman splitting measurements of the CCS
line probing the 104-5 cm-3 gas towards three positions
in the Taurus star forming region, giving a 1σ average upper
limit of 66 μG, and (2) measurements of Zeeman splitting in the OH
hyperfine line toward the compact HII regions DR-21
and G10.62.
Key words: radio lines: ISM / magnetic field / HII regions / ISM: molecules / ISM: clouds
© ESO, 2001
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