Diffusive Transport of the Interstellar Magnetic Field

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AST 0098701ZweibelThe Galactic magnetic field is a major component of the interstellar medium. Although the origin of the field remains a mystery, many of the processes which maintain the field in its current state have now been identified. One of the most important of these processes is diffusive transport, which changes the distribution of magnetic flux to mass despite the high conductivity of interstellar gas. Dr. Ellen Zweibel, at the University of Colorado, will pursue two research projects directed at understanding diffusive transport of the interstellar magnetic field. The first project concerns the field strengths in molecular clouds, which impact molecular cloud dynamics and star formation. The second project concerns the escape of magnetic flux from the Galactic disk, its implications for the vertical structure of the Galactic magnetic field, and its impact on the Galactic dynamo. These projects are related through their joint dependence on ambipolar drift and turbulence. ***