Twisted magnetic field around newborn star confirms decades-old jet theory
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), of which the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) is a partner, have captured the first direct, high-resolution images of a magnetic field wrapped tightly around the outflow of gas streaming away from a forming star—evidence that solves a decades-old puzzle about how young stars…
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers have captured the first direct, high-resolution images of a magnetic field tightly wrapped around the gas outflow from a forming star. This breakthrough solves a long-standing puzzle about how young stars create powerful jets. The research team, led by Tao-Chung Ching, focused on the young double-star system NGC 1333 IRAS 4A, located about 960 light-years from Earth.
By measuring the polarization of carbon monoxide gas, the team traced the shape and strength of the magnetic field, finding it wrapped around the outflow like a coil, perpendicular to the gas flow and matching the outflow's rotation. This geometry, known as a toroidal or donut-shaped magnetic field, matches theoretical predictions for decades.
The study also revealed a simple mathematical relationship between the twisted magnetic field and the electric currents in the gas, providing a new method to determine magnetic field directions in star-forming regions. Understanding how magnetic fields shape stellar outflows is crucial for explaining how young stars shed excess material and angular momentum without collapsing.
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