The Magnetic Fields in the Galactic Center: Detection of H i Zeeman Splitting
Abstract
We have measured the Very Large Array (VLA) to search for Zeeman splitting of H I absorption against Sgr A West in order to measure directly the magnetic field strength along the line of sight. We report several directions within the circumnuclear molecular gas about 1 min north of Sgr A*. Our results show that the magnetic field is preferentially pointed toward us in this region with our most reliable detection being -3.0+/-0.5 mG. The highest detected fields appear to be associated with infalling gas rather than the circumnuclear disk itself. We suggest that the average line-of-sight component of the field within the circumnuclear disk as traced by the H I gas is less than 1 mG.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- June 1995
- DOI:
- 10.1086/187902
- Bibcode:
- 1995ApJ...445L.113P
- Keywords:
-
- Absorption Spectra;
- Galactic Bulge;
- H I Regions;
- Interstellar Magnetic Fields;
- Line Spectra;
- Molecular Gases;
- Radio Astronomy;
- Radio Spectra;
- Zeeman Effect;
- Decimeter Waves;
- Galactic Structure;
- Ultrahigh Frequencies;
- Very Large Array (Vla);
- Astronomy;
- GALAXY: CENTER;
- ISM: MAGNETIC FIELDS;
- POLARIZATION;
- RADIO LINES: ISM