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

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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.