Observations of Magnetic Fields in Molecular Clouds: Testing Star Formation Theory

伊利诺伊大学香槟分校：Richard Crutcher TITLE：分子云中磁场的观测：测试恒星形成理论。伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的理查德·克鲁彻将继续他的长期研究计划，旨在观察分子云中的磁场，以测试恒星形成理论。对于磁驱动的低质量恒星的形成，克鲁彻博士将测试质量与磁通量之比从分子云包层到核心增加的基本原理。他还将研究磁场在高质量恒星形成中的作用，方法是测量密度高的高质量恒星形成区域的磁场强度，这些区域被称为“红外暗云”。最后，他将利用詹姆斯·克雷克·麦克斯韦望远镜(JCMT)观测速度的提高，与“亚毫米共用测辐射热计阵列2”(SCUBA2)仪器一起，对无恒星核心中的尘埃极化进行调查。研究将通过在国际会议上进行特邀演讲、在会议记录中评论文章、在专著章节中发表文章以及在被引用期刊上发表论文等方式来传播，从而产生更广泛的影响。克鲁彻博士还将建立一个网站，提供有关宇宙磁场的教育和研究资源。该研究项目将涉及本科生和一名研究生。

AST-0606822INSTITUTION: University of Illinois at Urbana ChampaignPI: Richard CrutcherTITLE: Observations of Magnetic Fields in Molecular Clouds: Testing Star Formation TheoryABSTRACTDr. Richard Crutcher, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will continue his long-term research program aimed at observing magnetic fields in molecular clouds to test star formation theory. For magnetically driven low-mass star formation, Dr. Crutcher will test the basic principle that the ratio of the mass to the magnetic flux increases from a molecular cloud envelope to the core. He will also study the role of magnetic fields in high-mass star formation, by carrying out measurements of magnetic field strengths in dense high-mass star formation regions called "Infrared Dark Clouds". Finally, he will use the improvement in observing speed of the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), with the "Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array 2" (SCUBA2) instrument, to carry out a survey of dust polarization in starless cores.The research will have broader impact through dissemination by means of invited talks at international meetings, review articles in conference proceedings, articles in monograph chapters, and papers in refereed journals. Dr. Crutcher will also establish a web site to provide an educational and a research resource on cosmic magnetic fields. The research project will involve undergraduates and a graduate student.