Exploring Cosmic Magnetic Fields and Interstellar Dust through Polarized Infrared Observations

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

Interstellar space is not empty. The space between stars teams with gas atoms, molecules, and tiny solid particles and is threaded by vast magnetic fields. The investigators will determine the properties of these particles and molecules and how they interact with those magnetic fields. The components of interstellar space play a key role in how stars and planets form, but relevant astronomical observations are scarce. This research will use a unique infrared camera on the largest optical telescope to look at a special type of molecule called a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). A PAH efficiently absorbs ultraviolet light and re-emits that energy in the form of infrared light. The polarization (vibration direction) of that light will be measured, thereby telling scientists how tightly, if at all, these PAHs are gripped by the magnetic field. That measurement is also a valuable clue to the detailed properties of the PAH molecules, such as size and electric charge. Their observations will provide a more complete picture of the contents of interstellar space, since PAHs contain a large fraction of all the carbon in space. The investigator will also observe the magnetic field in the intense burst of star formation occurring in the core of a nearby galaxy. This image will reveal how the magnetic fields, huge molecular clouds, and hundreds of supernova interact across that unusual region. Their observations will thereby provide clues to the origin and changes with time of one of the Universe's most dramatic occurrences, a super-starburst in a galaxy. Through the University of Florida's remote observing facility, many graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in all aspects of this research. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.