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VERSION:2.0
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PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
BEGIN:VEVENT
SEQUENCE:0
UID:UW-Physics-Event-4686
DTSTART:20171130T213000Z
DTEND:20171130T230000Z
DTSTAMP:20260417T035225Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20171113T133958Z
LOCATION:4421 Sterling Hall\, Coffee and Cookies at 3:30 PM\, Talk Beg
 ins 3:45 PM
SUMMARY:Studying the Role of Magnetic Fields in Star Formation from th
 e Stratosphere\, Astronomy Colloquium\, Laura Fissel\, NRAO
DESCRIPTION:Whether magnetic fields influence the formation and evolut
 ion of molecular clouds remains a key open question in our understandi
 ng of the star formation process. Maps of polarized thermal dust emiss
 ion can be used to create “portraits” of magnetic field morphology
 \, yet observing through the Earth’s atmosphere has long restricted 
 polarimeters to map small areas or extremely bright clouds. In this ta
 lk I will discuss results from a survey of the young giant molecular c
 loud Vela C with the Balloon-borne Large Aperture Sub-mm Telescope for
  Polarimetry (BLASTPol).  Operating from the upper stratosphere above 
 99.5% of the atmosphere BLASTPol created the most detailed magnetic fi
 eld map ever made of a giant molecular cloud.  By applying the same st
 atistical analysis techniques to both our Vela C data and synthetic ob
 servations of MHD cloud formation models we find that the magnetic fie
 ld of Vela C is likely significantly inclined with respect to the plan
 e-of-the-sky.  Comparisons between magnetic field orientation traced b
 y BLASTPol and elongation of column density and molecular line map str
 uctures also indicate that the large-scale magnetic field of Vela C is
  strong enough to influence the cloud gas dynamics.  With a new genera
 tion polarimeters (e.g. BLAST-TNG\, TolTEC) we will soon be able to ap
 ply the same analysis techniques to dozens of clouds at even higher re
 solution\, providing important constraints on the role of magnetic fie
 lds in star and planet formation.
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=4686
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