Detection of a Magnetized Disk around a Very Young Protostar
Abstract
We present subarcsecond resolution polarimetric observations of the 878 μm thermal dust continuum emission obtained with the Submillimeter Array toward the IRAS 16293-2422 protostellar binary system. We report the detection of linearly polarized dust emission arising from the circumstellar disk associated with the IRAS 16293-2422 B protostar. The fractional polarization of ~= 1.4% is only slightly lower than that expected from theoretical calculations in such disks. The magnetic field structure on the plane of the sky derived from the dust polarization suggests a complex magnetic field geometry in the disk, possibly associated with a rotating disk that is wrapping the field lines as expected from the simulations. The polarization around IRAS 16293-2422 A at subarcsecond angular resolution is only marginally detected.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- January 2014
- DOI:
- 10.1088/2041-8205/780/1/L6
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1311.6225
- Bibcode:
- 2014ApJ...780L...6R
- Keywords:
-
- ISM: individual objects: IRAS 16293 2422;
- ISM: magnetic fields;
- polarization;
- stars: formation;
- techniques: polarimetric;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- 6 pages, 3 figures, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, accepted