L43: A case study of the role of radiation fields in dust grain alignment

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Sebastian Wolf
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 541114698

Observations and numerical-theoretical analyses show that magnetic fields and turbulence fundamentally influence the process of star formation up to the evolution of protoplanetary disks into planetary systems. Measurements of the polarization of thermal radiation from dust grains aligned by magnetic fields play an essential role in characterizing magnetic fields during the early stages of star formation in molecular clouds. An understanding of the alignment mechanisms of the dust grains is therefore needed for a comprehensive interpretation of the polarization measurements, but has so far -- starting from theoretical models -- been clarified via observations to a very limited extent only. In this project, the influence of anisotropic radiation fields on the alignment of dust particles by magnetic fields will be investigated (Radiative Torque Alignment, RAT). This study is possible thanks to the very specific spatial configuration of the molecular cloud core L43 with an embedded but optically still visible star acting as an anisotropic radiation source. This specific example will also be used to evaluate the applicability of the obtained results in future interpretations of polarization data and thus for magnetic field studies. Of particular interest are astrophysical objects on different spatial size scales representing different phases of the star and planet formation process.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants