Circumstellar Magnetic Field Diagnostics from the Polarization of Line Scattering

在获奖期间，将开发一套新的稀薄天体物理等离子体的磁场诊断方法，并做出可以进行观测跟踪的预测。这些效应表现在从磁化体积散射的光的偏振上。原子对光的荧光散射会导致可见的谱线线偏振，这取决于公认的原子物理学。这种新的诊断方法可能会首次测量到星际包层中的磁场，因此对于研究星际介质、彗星、冷星云和热星风之间的星风耦合现象是非常有价值的。拟议的工作涉及(A)原子排列理论的发展，(B)对天体物理感兴趣的离子进行新的原子物理计算，以及(C)探索排列和极化效应都适用的制度。这项工作的更广泛影响包括发展太阳和恒星物理界之间的跨学科联系，以及开发一种可能的稀薄等离子体新诊断方法。

" Circumstellar Magnetic Field Diagnostics from the Polarization of Line Scattering "AST- 0098597During the period of the award, a new set of magnetic field diagnostics for dilute astrophysical plasmas will be developed and predictions made which can be followed up observationally. These effects manifest themselves in the polarization of light which has been scattered from the magnetized volumes. Fluorescent scattering of light by atoms causes an observable linear polarization of spectral lines which depends on well-established atomic physics. The new diagnostics could yield the first-ever measurements of magnetic fields in circumstellar envelopes and thus be invaluable to investigations of phenomena involving star-wind coupling with the interstellar medium, comet comae, cool star envelopes and hot stellar winds. The proposed work involves (a) the development of the theory of atomic alignment, (b) new atomic physics calculations for ions of astrophysical interest, and (c) an exploration of the regime where both alignment and polarization effects apply. Broader impacts of the work include the development of cross-disciplinary ties between the solar and stellar physics communities and the development of a potential new diagnostic for dilute plasmas.