Interpreting the Role of the Magnetic Field from Dust Polarization Maps

Understand

Dust polarization observations from the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) are analyzed with the goal of providing a general tool to interpret the role of the magnetic field in molecular clouds.

• Magnetic field and dust emission gradient orientations are observed to show distinct patterns and features.
• The angle $\delta$ between these two orientations can be interpreted as a magnetic field alignment deviation, assuming the emission gradient orientation to coincide with the density gradient orientation in the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) force equation.
• In SMA high-resolution (collapsing) cores, additional symmetry properties in $\delta$ can reveal accretion and outflow zones.