2019 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Using magnetic fields to probe the core-fragmentation model of binary formation
| Project/Area Number |
18K13586
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| Research Institution | National Astronomical Observatory of Japan |
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Principal Investigator |
HULL CHARLES 国立天文台, チリ観測所, 特任助教 (70814755)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
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| Keywords | Star formation / Radio astronomy / Binary stars / Protostars / Polarization / Magnetic fields / Outflows / Dust |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
In the last year, two articles have been published in the Astrophysical Journal (ApJ) highlighting the exciting new results enabled by this KAKENHI program. The primary article, with C. Hull as first author, is entitled "Understanding the Origin of the Magnetic Field Morphology in the Wide-binary Protostellar System BHR 71," 2020, ApJ, 892, 152. This article directly addressed the primary science goal of the KAKENHI project: to observe and analyze the magnetic field in a very young, forming binary star-forming system. The second article was written by Valentin Le Gouellec, the Research Collaborator of C. Hull. This article, on which C. Hull is second author, examined exciting new magnetic phenomena in sources similar to those studied by the paper by C. Hull. The paper by Le Gouellec, Hull, et al. is entitled, "Characterizing Magnetic Field Morphologies in Three Serpens Protostellar Cores with ALMA," 2019, ApJ, 885, 106. Hull and Le Gouellec have gone beyond the original goals by discovering several unexpected phenomena in young, star-forming sources: specifically, that the magnetic fields frequently seem to closely follow the walls of the cavity created by the outflowing material; and that occasionally magnetic fields are seen in surprisingly ordered structures that may be magnetized accretion streamers. These groundbreaking observations are only possible with ALMA, and are deepening our understanding of the role of the magnetic field in the formation of the youngest stars.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
1: Research has progressed more than it was originally planned.
Reason
This project progressed much faster than expected during the first year (FY2018) due to the efficient delivery of excellent quality ALMA data. Thus, ample time remained in FY2019 for detailed analysis, which resulted in the acceptance of the primary article by C. Hull (Hull et al. 2020, ApJ, 892, 152) long before the end of the 2-year KAKENHI period. Furthermore, the outstanding work by Valentin Le Gouellec, C. Hull's Research Collaborator and graduate student, on his parallel article (Le Gouellec, Hull, et al. 2019, ApJ, 885, 106) further strengthened the conclusions found in C. Hull's first-author work. Finally, conference attendance and international collaborations enabled by funding from this KAKENHI grant allowed Hull and Le Gouellec to develop a deep, productive relationship with several collaborators, primarily in Europe, who work on similar scientific topics. This has led to multiple additional co-author papers for both Hull and Le Gouellec, and will extend the impact of the results from this KAKENHI well beyond its 2-year period.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
This KAKENHI grant has been extended for 1 year, to allow for the continued presentation of the exciting results enabled by this program. This extension is particularly useful because the present COVID-19 situation is preventing C. Hull and his collaborators from presenting their work in-person at international meetings. Once the situation improves, collaboration visits and conference attendance will continue. In the meantime, Hull and his Research Collaborator and Ph.D. student Valentin Le Gouellec will continue to move forward with their studies of the exciting phenomena revealed by the research funded by this KAKENHI. The primary results of these future works will be published in the form of two additional papers by V. Le Gouellec: one studying the statistical properties of ALMA polarization observations (C. Hull: 4th author, to be submitted in May 2020), and one studying the phenomena found in Hull's original KAKENHI-funded research by comparing ALMA observations with simulations (C. Hull: 2nd author, likely to be submitted in early 2021). In addition, once ALMA re-opens its call for proposals (in early 2021, at the latest), Hull and Le Gouellec will propose for observing time to perform astrochemical studies of several sources, following up on the results of this KAKENHI research.
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| Causes of Carryover |
This KAKENHI project was so successful that multiple related publications are still being prepared, and several future conference and collaboration travel plans have been made. This carryover funding in FY2020 will be used to support travel to conferences to present additional results; collaboration visits to continue research on this KAKENHI topic; and publication charges for the resulting papers.
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| Remarks |
C. Hull would like to thank the JSPS for the support of his and his Research Collaborator/student's research via this KAKENHI grant.
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[Journal Article] Characterizing magnetic field morphologies in three Serpens protostellar cores with ALMA2019
Author(s)
Le Gouellec, V.J.M., Hull, C.L.H., Maury, A.J., Girart, J.M., Tychoniec, L., Kristensen, L.E., Li, Z.-Y., Louvet, F., Cortes, P.C., and Rao, R.
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Journal Title
Astrophysical Journal
Volume: 885
Pages: 1-24
DOI
Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
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