Observations of Polarized Dust Emission at Far-infrared through Millimeter Wavelengths


Abstract in English

Interstellar polarization at far-infrared through millimeter wavelengths (0.1 - 1 mm) is primarily due to thermal emission from dust grains aligned with magnetic fields. This mechanism has led to studies of magnetic fields in a variety of celestial sources, as well as the physical characteristics of the dust grains and their interaction with the field. Observations have covered a diverse array of sources, from entire galaxies to molecular clouds and proto-stellar disks. Maps have been generated on a wide range of angular scales, from surveys covering large fractions of the sky, down to those with arcsecond spatial resolution. Additionally, the increasing availability of observations at multiple wavelengths in this band allows empirical tests of models of grain alignment and cloud structure. I review some of the recent work in this field, emphasizing comparisons of observations on multiple spatial scales and at multiple wavelengths.

Download