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Session 16 -- Molecular Clouds

Display presentation, Wednesday, January 12, 9:30-6:45, Salons I/II Room (Crystal Gateway)

[16.12] Far-infrared Polarimetry of M17

New polarization measurements of the thermal emission due to magnetically aligned dust will be presented for M17. In 1992 and 1993, about 100 measurements were obtained using the University of Chicago array polarimeter STOKES on the Kuiper Airborne Observatory. Although the M17 molecular cloud contains many tracers of star formation, the primary heat source for the region is a nearby OB cluster. The interface between the molecular cloud and the HII region associated with the OB cluster is viewed nearly edge on.

The variation in magnitude and direction of the measured polarization is surprisingly smooth across the cloud. The morphology of the magnetic field

and its interaction with the region implied by the results will be discussed.

Wednesday program listing