Tracing the Magnetic Field in Orion A

We use extensive 350 μm polarimetry and continuum maps obtained with the Hertz polarimeter and SHARC II (Submillimeter High Angular Resolution Camera II) along with HCN and HCO⁺ spectroscopic data to trace the orientation of the magnetic field in the Orion A star-forming region. Using the polarimetry data, we find that the direction of the projection of the magnetic field in the plane of the sky relative to the orientation of the integral-shaped filament varies considerably as one moves from north to south. While in IRAS 05327-0457 and OMC-3 MMS 1-6 the projection of the field is primarily perpendicular to the filament, it becomes better aligned with it at OMC-3 MMS 8-9, and well aligned with it at OMC-2 FIR 6. The OMC-2 FIR 4 cloud, located between the last two clouds, is a peculiar object in which we find almost no polarization. There is a relatively sharp boundary within its core where two adjacent regions exhibiting differing polarization angles merge. The projected angle of the field is more complicated in OMC-1, where it exhibits smooth variations in its orientation across the face of this massive complex. We also note that while the relative orientation of the projected angle of the magnetic field to the filament varies significantly in the OMC-3 and OMC-2 regions, its orientation relative to a fixed position on the sky shows far greater stability. This suggests that the orientation of the field is perhaps relatively unaffected by the mass condensation present in these parts of the molecular cloud. By combining the polarimetry and spectroscopic data, we were able to measure a set of average values for the inclination angle of the magnetic field relative to the line of sight. We find that the field is oriented quite close to the plane of the sky in most places. More precisely, the inclination of the magnetic field is ~73° around OMC-3 MMS 6, ~74° at OMC-3 MMS 8-9, ~80° at OMC-2 FIR 4, ~65° in the northeastern part of OMC-1, and ~49° in the Orion bar. The small difference in the inclination of the field between OMC-3 and OMC-2 seems to strengthen the idea that the orientation of the magnetic field is relatively unaffected by the agglomeration of matter located in these regions. We also present polarimetry data for the OMC-4 region located some 13' south of OMC-1.