Aims. Polarization measurements of the Galactic plane at λ6 cm probe the interstellar medium (ISM) to larger distances compared to measurements at longer wavelengths, hence enable us to investigate properties of the Galactic magnetic fields and electron density. Methods. We are conducting a new λ6 cm continuum and polarization survey of the Galactic plane covering 10◦ ≤ l ≤ 230◦ and |b| ≤ 5◦. M...

We carry out three-dimensional MHD simulations of star formation in turbulent, magnetized clouds, including ambipolar diffusion and feedback from protostellar outflows. The calculations focus on relatively diffuse clouds threaded by a strong magnetic field capable of resisting severe tangling by turbulent motions and retarding global gravitational contraction in the cross-field direction. They ...

The unusual class of magnetized nonthermal radio filaments (NTF), threads and streaks with their unique physical characteristics are found only within the inner couple of degrees of the Galactic center. Also, a number of young, mass-losing and rare stellar clusters are recognized to lie in the Galactic center region. The latter characteristic of the Galactic center region is used to explain the...

Using magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) adaptive mesh refinement simulations, we study the formation and early evolution of disk galaxies with a magnetized interstellar medium. For a 10 M⊙ halo with initial NFW dark matter and gas profiles, we impose a uniform 10 G magnetic field and follow its collapse, disk formation and evolution up to 1 Gyr. Comparing to a purely hydrodynamic simulation with the sa...

A strong case has been made that radio waves from sources within about half a degree of the Galactic center undergo extreme diffractive scattering. However, problems arise when standard (“Kolmogorov”) models of electron density fluctuations are employed to interpret the observations of scattering in conjunction with those of free-free radio emission. Specifically, the outer scale of a Kolmogoro...

February 11, 2008 Two sets of data show that small interstellar grains captured in interstellar magnetic fields, → BIS, draped over the heliosphere appear to polarize the light of nearby stars. The polarizing grains couple to → BIS, while larger grains couple to the cloud velocity. The maximum polarization direction, Pmax, is offset in ecliptic longitude by ∆λ ∼ +35 from the upwind direction, a...

We investigate the dynamical condensation process in a magnetized thermally bistable medium. We perform one-dimensional two fluid numerical simulations that describe the neutral and ionized components in the interstellar medium with purely transverse magnetic fields. We find that the clouds that are formed as a consequence of the thermal instability always have a magnetic field strength on the ...

The large-scale magnetic field of our Galaxy can be probed in three dimensions using Faraday rotation of pulsar signals. We report on the determination of 223 rotation measures from polarization observations of relatively distant southern pulsars made using the Parkes radio telescope. Combined with previously published observations these data give clear evidence for large-scale counterclockwise...

We consider grains with superparamagnetic inclusions and report two new condensed matter effects that can enhance the internal relaxation of the energy of a wobbling grain, namely, superparamagnetic Barnett relaxation, as well as, an increase of frequencies for which nuclear relaxation becomes important. This findings extends the range of grain sizes for which grains are thermally trapped, i.e....

We discuss the damping of strong magnetic turbulence downstream of the forward shock of young supernova remnants (SNR). We find that strong magnetic fields, that have been produced by the streaming instability in the upstream region of the shock, or by other kinetic instabilities at the shock, will be efficiently reduced, so the region of enhanced magnetic field strength would typically have a ...