Magnetic Field of the Vela C Molecular Cloud
Abstract
We have performed extensive near-infrared (JHK s) imaging polarimetry toward the Vela C molecular cloud, which covers the five high-density sub-regions (North, Centre-Ridge, Centre-Nest, South-Ridge, and South-Nest) with distinct morphological characteristics. The obtained polarization vector map shows that three of these sub-regions have distinct plane-of-the-sky (POS) magnetic-field characteristics according to the morphological characteristics. (1) In the Centre-Ridge sub-region, a dominating ridge, the POS magnetic field is mostly perpendicular to the ridge. (2) In the Centre-Nest sub-region, a structure having a slightly extended nest of filaments, the POS magnetic field is nearly parallel to its global elongation. (3) In the South-Nest sub-region, which has a network of small filaments, the POS magnetic field appears to be chaotic. By applying the Chandrasekhar-Fermi method, we derived the POS magnetic field strength as ∼70-310 μG in the Centre-Ridge, Centre-Nest, and South-Ridge sub-regions. In the South-Nest sub-region, the dispersion of polarization angles is too large to apply the C-F method. Because the velocity dispersion in this sub-region is not greater than those in the other sub-regions, we suggest that the magnetic field in this sub-region is weaker than those in other sub-regions. We also discuss the relationship between the POS magnetic field (configuration and strength) and the cloud structure of each sub-region.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- October 2016
- DOI:
- 10.3847/2041-8205/830/2/L23
- Bibcode:
- 2016ApJ...830L..23K
- Keywords:
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- infrared: stars;
- ISM: individual objects: Vela C;
- ISM: magnetic fields;
- ISM: structure;
- polarization