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In a continuing effort to investigate the role of magnetic fields in evolved low and intermediate mass stars (principally regarding the shaping of their envelopes), we present new ALMA high resolution polarization data obtained for the nebula OH 231.8+4.2. We found that the polarized emission likely arises from aligned grains in the presence of magnetic fields rather than radiative alignment and self scattering. The ALMA data show well organized electric field orientations in most of the nebula and the inferred magnetic field vectors (rotated by 90 degrees) trace an hourglass morphology centred on the central system of the nebula. One region in the southern part of OH 231.8+4.2 shows a less organized distribution probably due to the shocked environment. These findings, in conjunction with earlier investigations (maser studies and dust emission analysis at other scales and wavelengths) suggest an overall magnetic hourglass located inside a toroidal field. We propose the idea that the magnetic field structure is closely related to the architecture of a magnetic tower and that the outflows were therefore magnetically launched. While the current dynamical effect of the fields might be weak in the equatorial plane principally due to the evolution of the envelope, it would still be affecting the outflows. In that regard, the measurement of the magnetic field at the stellar surface, which is still missing, combined with a full MHD treatment are required to better understand and constrain the events occurring in OH 231.8+4.2., 9 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Main Journal

We present 850 $��$m polarimetric observations toward the Serpens Main molecular cloud obtained using the POL-2 polarimeter on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) as part of the B-fields In STar-forming Region Observations (BISTRO) survey. These observations probe the magnetic field morphology of the Serpens Main molecular cloud on about 6000 au scales, which consists of cores and six filaments with different physical properties such as density and star formation activity. Using the histogram of relative orientation (HRO) technique, we find that magnetic fields are parallel to filaments in less dense filamentary structures where $N_{H_2} < 0.93\times 10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$ (magnetic fields perpendicular to density gradients), while being perpendicular to filaments (magnetic fields parallel to density gradients) in dense filamentary structures with star formation activity. Moreover, applying the HRO technique to denser core regions, we find that magnetic field orientations change to become perpendicular to density gradients again at $N_{H_2} \approx 4.6 \times 10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$. This can be interpreted as a signature of core formation. At $N_{H_2} \approx 16 \times 10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$ magnetic fields change back to being parallel to density gradients once again, which can be understood to be due to magnetic fields being dragged in by infalling material. In addition, we estimate the magnetic field strengths of the filaments ($B_{POS} = 60-300~��$G)) using the Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi method and discuss whether the filaments are gravitationally unstable based on magnetic field and turbulence energy densities., 18 pages, accepted for publication in ApJ

We report the first high spatial resolution measurement of magnetic fields surrounding LkH$\alpha$ 101, a part of the Auriga-California molecular cloud. The observations were taken with the POL-2 polarimeter on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope within the framework of the B-fields In Star-forming Region Observations (BISTRO) survey. Observed polarization of thermal dust emission at 850 $\mu$m is found to be mostly associated with the red-shifted gas component of the cloud. The magnetic field displays a relatively complex morphology. Two variants of the Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi method, unsharp masking and structure function, are used to calculate the strength of magnetic fields in the plane of the sky, yielding a similar result of $B_{\rm POS}\sim 115$ $\mathrm{\mu}$G. The mass-to-magnetic-flux ratio in critical value units, $\lambda\sim0.3$, is the smallest among the values obtained for other regions surveyed by POL-2. This implies that the LkH$\alpha$ 101 region is sub-critical and the magnetic field is strong enough to prevent gravitational collapse. The inferred $\delta B/B_0\sim 0.3$ implies that the large scale component of the magnetic field dominates the turbulent one. The variation of the polarization fraction with total emission intensity can be fitted by a power-law with an index of $\alpha=0.82\pm0.03$, which lies in the range previously reported for molecular clouds. We find that the polarization fraction decreases rapidly with proximity to the only early B star (LkH$\alpha$ 101) in the region. The magnetic field tangling and the joint effect of grain alignment and rotational disruption by radiative torques are potential of explaining such a decreasing trend., Comment: 25 pages, 19 figures, Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal

We present new observations of the active star formation region NGC 1333 in the Perseus molecular cloud complex from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope B -Fields In Star-forming Region Observations (BISTRO) survey with the POL-2 instrument. The BISTRO data cover the entire NGC 1333 complex (∼1.5 pc × 2 pc) at 0.02 pc resolution and spatially resolve the polarized emission from individual filamentary structures for the first time. The inferred magnetic field structure is complex as a whole, with each individual filament aligned at different position angles relative to the local field orientation. We combine the BISTRO data with low- and high- resolution data derived from Planck and interferometers to study the multiscale magnetic field structure in this region. The magnetic field morphology drastically changes below a scale of ∼1 pc and remains continuous from the scales of filaments (∼0.1 pc) to that of protostellar envelopes (∼0.005 pc or ∼1000 au). Finally, we construct simple models in which we assume that the magnetic field is always perpendicular to the long axis of the filaments. We demonstrate that the observed variation of the relative orientation between the filament axes and the magnetic field angles are well reproduced by this model, taking into account the projection effects of the magnetic field and filaments relative to the plane of the sky. These projection effects may explain the apparent complexity of the magnetic field structure observed at the resolution of BISTRO data toward the filament network., Erratum published in volume 899, issue 1, 5 p., April 10 2021. DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/abf2b3

[Abridged] Filaments and hubs have received special attention recently thanks to studies showing their role in star formation. While the column density and velocity structures of both filaments and hubs have been studied, their magnetic fields (B-field) are not yet characterized. We aim to understand the role of the B-field in the dynamical evolution of the NGC 6334 hub-filament network. We present new observations of the dust polarized emission at 850$\mu$m towards NGC 6334 obtained with the JCMT/POL-2. We study the distribution and dispersion of the polarized intensity ($PI$), the polarization fraction ($PF$), and the B-field angle ($\theta_{B}$). We derive the power spectrum of the intensity and $\theta_{B}$ along the ridge crest. Our analyses show a complex B-field structure when observed over the whole region ($\sim10$ pc), however, at smaller scales ($\sim1$ pc), $\theta_{B}$ varies coherently along the filaments. The observed power spectrum of $\theta_{B}$ can be well represented with a power law function with a slope $-1.33\pm0.23$, which is $\sim20\%$ shallower than that of $I$. This result is compatible with the properties of simulated filaments and may indicate the processes at play in the formation of filaments. $\theta_{B}$ rotates from being mostly perpendicular to the filament crests to mostly parallel as they merge with the hubs. This variation of $\theta_{B}$ may be tracing local velocity flows of matter in-falling onto the hubs. Our analysis suggests a variation of the energy balance along the crests of these filaments, from magnetically critical/supercritical at their far ends to magnetically subcritical near the hubs. We detect an increase of $PF$ towards the high-column density star cluster-forming hubs that may result from the increase of grain alignment efficiency due to stellar radiation from the newborn stars., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

We present the 850 $\mu$m polarization observations toward the IC5146 filamentary cloud taken using the Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array 2 (SCUBA-2) and its associated polarimeter (POL-2), mounted on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), as part of the B-fields In STar forming Regions Observations (BISTRO). This work is aimed at revealing the magnetic field morphology within a core-scale ($\lesssim 1.0$ pc) hub-filament structure (HFS) located at the end of a parsec-scale filament. To investigate whether or not the observed polarization traces the magnetic field in the HFS, we analyze the dependence between the observed polarization fraction and total intensity using a Bayesian approach with the polarization fraction described by the Rice likelihood function, which can correctly describe the probability density function (PDF) of the observed polarization fraction for low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) data. We find a power-law dependence between the polarization fraction and total intensity with an index of 0.56 in $A_V\sim$ 20--300 mag regions, suggesting that the dust grains in these dense regions can still be aligned with magnetic fields in the IC5146 regions. Our polarization maps reveal a curved magnetic field, possibly dragged by the contraction along the parsec-scale filament. We further obtain a magnetic field strength of 0.5$\pm$0.2 mG toward the central hub using the Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi method, corresponding to a mass-to-flux criticality of $\sim$ $1.3\pm0.4$ and an Alfv\'{e}nic Mach number of $, Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

著者人数: 122名 (所属. 宇宙航空研究開発機構宇宙科学研究所(JAXA)(ISAS): 權, 靜美; 中西, 裕之; 中川, 貴雄）, Accepted: 2018-03-26, 資料番号: SA1170332000

著者人数: 124名（所属. 宇宙航空研究開発機構宇宙科学研究所(JAXA)(ISAS): 權, 靜美), Accepted: 2018-05-10, 資料番号: SA1180101000

We present a study of the radial distribution of dust species in young brown dwarf disks. Our work is based on a compositional analysis of the 10 and 20 micron silicate emission features for brown dwarfs in the Taurus-Auriga star-forming region. A fundamental finding of our work is that brown dwarfs exhibit stronger signs of dust processing in the cold component of the disk, compared to the higher mass T Tauri stars in Taurus. For nearly all of our targets, we find a flat disk structure, which is consistent with the stronger signs of dust processing observed in these disks. For the case of one brown dwarf, 2M04230607, we find the forsterite mass fraction to be a factor of ~3 higher in the outer disk compared to the inner disk region. Simple large-scale radial mixing cannot account for this gradient in the dust chemical composition, and some local crystalline formation mechanism may be effective in this disk. The relatively high abundance of crystalline silicates in the outer cold regions of brown dwarf disks provides an interesting analogy to comets. In this context, we have discussed the applicability of the various mechanisms that have been proposed for comets on the formation and the outward transport of high-temperature material. We also present Chandra X-ray observations for two Taurus brown dwarfs, 2M04414825 and CFHT-BD-Tau 9. We find 2M04414825, which has a ~12% crystalline mass fraction, to be more than an order of magnitude brighter in X-ray than CFHT-BD-Tau 9, which has a ~35% crystalline mass fraction. Combining with previous X-ray data, we find the inner disk crystalline mass fractions to be anti-correlated with the X-ray strength.

Post-AGB stars are key objects for the study of the dramatic morphological changes of low- to intermediate-mass stars on their evolution from the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) towards the Planetary Nebula stage. There is growing evidences that binary interaction processes may very well have a determining role in the shaping process of many objects, but so far direct evidence is still weak. We aim at a systematic study of the dust distribution around a large sample of Post-AGB stars as a probe of the symmetry breaking in the nebulae around these systems. We used imaging in the mid-infrared to study the inner part of these evolved stars to probe direct emission from dusty structures in the core of Post-AGB stars in order to better understand their shaping mechanisms. We imaged a sample of 93 evolved stars and nebulae in the mid-infrared using VISIR/VLT, T-Recs/Gemini South and Michelle/Gemini North. We found that all the the Proto-Planetary Nebulae we resolved show a clear departure from spherical symmetry. 59 out of the 93 observed targets appear to be non resolved. The resolved targets can be divided in two categories. The nebulae with a dense central core, that are either bipolar and multipolar. The nebulae with no central core have an elliptical morphology. The dense central torus observed likely host binary systems which triggered fast outflows that shaped the nebulae.

Post-AGB stars are key objects for the study of the dramatic morphological changes of low- to intermediate-mass stars on their evolution from the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) towards the planetary nebula stage. There is growing evidences that binary interaction processes may very well have a determining role in the shaping process of many objects, but so far direct evidence is still weak. We aim at a systematic study of the dust distribution around a large sample of post-AGB stars as a probe of the symmetry breaking in the nebulae around these systems. We used imaging in the mid-infrared to study the inner part of these evolved stars to probe direct emission from dusty structures in the core of post-AGB stars in order to better understand their shaping mechanisms. We imaged a sample of 93 evolved stars and nebulae in the mid-infrared using VISIR/VLT, T-Recs/Gemini South and Michelle/Gemini North. We found that all the the proto-planetary nebulae we resolved show a clear departure from spherical symmetry. 59 out of the 93 observed targets appear to be non resolved. The resolved targets can be divided in two categories. The nebulae with a dense central core, that are either bipolar and multipolar. The nebulae with no central core have an elliptical morphology. The dense central torus observed likely host binary systems which triggered fast outflows that shaped the nebulae.

We present near-infrared polarimetric images of the dusty circumstellar envelope (CSE) of IRAS 19306+1407, acquired at the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) using the UKIRT 1-5 µm Imager Spectrometer (UIST) in conjunction with the half-waveplate module IRPOL2. We present additional 450 and 850 µm photometry obtained with the Sub-mm Common User Bolometer Array (SCUBA) at the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), as well as archived Hubble Space Telescope (HST) F606W- and F814W-filter images. The CSE structure in polarized flux at J- and Kbands shows an elongation NNE-SSW with two bright scattering shoulders NW-SE. These features are not perpendicular to each other and could signify a recent ‘twist’ in the outflow axis. We model the CSE using an axisymmetric light scattering (ALS) code to investigate the polarization produced by the CSE, and an axisymmetric radiation transport (DART) code to fit the SED. A good fit was achieved with the ALS and DART models using silicate grains, 0.1-0.4 µm with a power-law size distribution of a 3.5 , and an axisymmetric shell geometry with an equator-to-pole contrast of 7:1. The spectral type of the central star is determined to be B1I supporting previous suggestions that the object is an early PN. We have constrained the CSE and interstellar extinction as 2.0 and 4.2 mag respectively, and have estimated a distance of 2.7 kpc. At this distance the stellar luminosity is ∼4500 L⊙ and the mass of the CSE ∼0.2 M⊙. We also determine that the mass loss lasted ∼5300 yrs with a mass-loss rate of ∼3.4×10 5 M ⊙ yr 1 .

We present late-time optical and mid-infrared observations of the Type-II supernova 2003gd in NGC 628. Mid-infrared excesses consistent with cooling dust in the ejecta are observed 499-678 days after outburst, and are accompanied by increasing optical extinction and growing asymmetries in the emission-line profiles. Radiative-transfer models show that up to 0.02 solar masses of dust has formed within the ejecta, beginning as early as 250 days after outburst. These observations show that dust formation in supernova ejecta can be efficient and that massive-star supernovae can be major dust producers throughout the history of the Universe., 11 pages, 1 figure. Accepted 2006 May 30 for publication in Science; Published in 2006 Jun 8 edition of Science Express; 2nd version fixes minor change in conclusion made in press

In an imaging polarimetry survey of candidate post-AGB stars, scattering envelopes are detected around 20 objects. These envelopes represent the final mass-loss phases at the end of the AGB. In all cases, evidence for axisymmetry in the dust density is seen, suggesting that the presence of an axisymmetric outflow may be a ubiquitous phenomenon of the AGB to post-AGB transition. We use the polarized flux images to classify the objects into detached shell, bipolar and unresolved targets. Modelling based on a simple axisymmetric shell geometry supports the contention that post-AGB objects fall into one of two classes that differ in the amount of dust in the circumstellar environment: the detached shells correspond to stars with an optically thin expanding circumstellar envelope (CSE) whereas the bipolar and unresolved targets have optically thick dust structures, probably in the form of discs, which remain bound to the star, rather than partaking in the expansion of the AGB CSE. It is suggested that this bifurcation in morphology is rooted in the presence or absence of a binary companion, which determines whether or not a disc forms. Because the detached shell objects also appear axisymmetric, an additional mechanism for generating the axisymmetry, such as a magnetically shaped outflow, is needed if they do indeed have single star progenitors.

We present 10 and 20 micron images of IRAS 19500-1709 taken with the mid-infrared camera, OSCIR, mounted on the Gemini North Telescope. An extended circumstellar envelope is detected, with the N band image indicating an elongation in a NE-SW direction. We use a dust radiation transport code to fit the spectral energy distribution from UV to sub-mm wavelengths, with a detached dust shell model. A good fit is achieved using dust composed of amorphous carbon, silicon carbide and magnesium sulphide. We derive estimates for the inner and outer radius, density and mass of the dust in the shell. The inner radius is not resolved in our OSCIR imaging, giving an upper limit of 0.4 arcsec. With this constraint, we conclude that IRAS 19500-1709 must be at least 4 kpc away in order to have the minimum luminosity consistent with a post-AGB status., 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

We present the third in a series of results from our programme of the detection and measurement of magnetic fields in protoplanetary nebulae (PPN), using full-polarization MERLIN observations of OH masers. These are the first maps of the OH 1612- and 1667-MHz masing emission from IRAS 20406+2953. We have identified a Zeeman pair in the 1612-MHz data; this result heralds the second magnetic field strength measured in-a PPN. We show that the field, of strength -3.1 mG, is sufficiently strong to be shaping the outflowing mass from the star. By considering the spatial distribution of the masers and the structure of the linear polarization data, we suggest a field configuration that is toroidal. The observed change in polarization position angle between the peak red- and blueshifted components of the maser features, if attributed to Faraday rotation within the circumstellar envelope, gives an electron density of ∼1 cm -3 . We show that this is sufficient to freeze the field into the outflowing wind.

We report the diminution of the 1667-MHz OH maser in the post-asymptotic giant branch star IRAS 17436 + 5003, by a factor of greater than or similar to 17 over a period of less than or similar to 12 yr, from observations with MERLIN. This circumstellar maser was detected by Likkel in 1987, at the 13sigma level of her observations with the Green Bank Telescope. We discuss a number of possible reasons for this phenomenon and conclude that it is most likely due to turbulence arising from interacting stellar winds.

We present mid-infrared (IR) images of HD 161796 (IRAS 17436+5003), taken with the OSCIR imager on the Gemini North Telescope, that resolve for the first time the thermal emission structure of the dust shell around this post-asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star. As well as a basic axisymmetric structure, the observations show deviations from axisymmetry in the dust density and a twist in the symmetry axis. Modelling of the mid-IR images and of the spectral energy distribution from ultraviolet to submillimetre wavelengths reproduces all of the axisymmetric features with an equator-to-pole density contrast of 6: 1 and an inclination of the symmetry axis of 10° to the plane of the sky. We find that a model incorporating small (0.01μm) grains and a steep (α a - 6 ) power-law size distribution can successfully account for the thermal emission and for the observed degrees of near-IR polarization. Assuming a distance of 1.2 kpc to HD 161796, the stellar luminosity is 3.4 x 10 3 L O . and the mass of the shell is ∼0.7 M O .. This is consistent with a star of initial mass between 1 and 2 M O . that has undergone an intensive (2.2 x 10 - 4 M O . yr - 1 ) phase of mass loss lasting about 3000 yr at the end of the AGB. A current stellar mass of 0.56 M O ., as indicated by the luminosity, suggests that HD 161796 is a few hundred years into its post-AGB evolution and will take about 5000 yr to evolve from its present temperature of 7500 K to become the central star of an extended elliptical planetary nebula.

Imaging polarimetry has been used to study the extended, detached circumstellar shells around the bright carbon stars R Scl and U Ant. The observations were done in two narrow band filters centred on the resonance lines of neutral K and Na, but much broader than the expected line widths. The polarimetric data reveal brightness distributions, in both cases, which are in perfect agreement with previous observations of scattered light obtained through direct imaging techniques. The total intensity images towards R Scl outline, in both filters, circular disk-like distributions out to a radius of21 00 ,w here the intensity drops sharply. The polarised intensity images reveal, however, that the scattering occurs in a geometrically thin shell. The degree of polarisation reaches values of35% in both filters. The imaging polarimetry observations of U Ant reveal a somewhat more complex structure, where the existence of several shells can be discerned. The polarised scattered light comes from a component, at a radius of50 00 from the star, which lies outside the region where the bulk of the light is scattered. The latter comes from a dominating shell at43 00 , which coincides spatially with the detached gas shell inferred from CO radio line data, and there may be another two shells inside this. The polarisation degree reaches50% in the outer component. We model, with a code based on the Monte Carlo method, the scattered emission under the assumption of dust scattering, using the observed polarised brightness distributions as constraints. In the case of R Scl we found that the polarised, as well as the total, light distributions can be explained by scattering in a 2 00 wide shell of radius 20 00 containing a dust mass of2 10 6 M. This dust shell is also responsible for the thermal dust emission measured by IRAS. There is room, up to 30% of the total scattered flux, for other scattering agents. Comparison with CO radio line data shows that this dust shell probably lies outside the detached CO gas shell. In the case of U Ant the modelling explains the outer component in terms of a 5 00 wide shell at a radius of about 52 00 with a dust mass of4 10 6 M. This is also the dust shell responsible for the emission measured by IRAS. However, the bulk of the scattered light cannot in this case be due to scattering by dust. In accordance with a discussion in a previous paper we attribute the remaining, unpolarised, scattering to the KI and Na D resonance lines. In both cases we found evidence that a dust shell has separated from the rest of the circumstellar medium. This may be due to gas-grain drift, or to hydrodynamical eects, which may also explain the complex multiple-shell structure seen towards U Ant. The model results are very dependent on the grain size distribution, and the observational data can only be reconciled with a very steep decline in grain size.

We present long-slit spectroscopy and spectro-astrometry of HeI 1.083 micron emission in the T Tauri star, DG Tau. We identify three components in the HeI feature: (1) a blueshifted emission component atv -200 km s^-1, (2) a bright emission component at zero-velocity with a FWZI of ~500 km s^-1, and (3) a blueshifted absorption feature at velocities between -250 and -500 km s^-1. The position and velocity of the blueshifted HeI emission coincide with a high-velocity component (HVC) of the [FeII] 1.257 micron emission, which arises from a jet within an arcsecond of the star. The presence of such a high excitation line (excitation energy ~ 20 eV) within the jet supports the scenario of shock heating. The bright HeI component does not show any spatial extension, and it is likely to arise from magnetospheric accretion columns. The blueshifted absorption shows greater velocities than that in H-alpha, suggesting that these absorption features arise from the accelerating wind close to the star.

We use ground-based imaging polarimetry to detect and image the dusty circumstellar envelopes of a sample of proto-planetary nebulae (PPNe) at near-infrared wavelengths. We detect extended (up to 9 arcsec diameter) circumstellar envelopes around 15 out of 16 sources with a range of morphologies including bipolars and shells. The distribution of scattered light in combination with its polarization (up to 40 per cent) provides unambiguous evidence for axisymmetry in 14 objects showing this to be a common trait of PPNe. We suggest that the range of observed envelope morphologies results from the development of an axisymmetric dust distribution during the superwind phase at the end of the AGB. We identify shells seen in polarized light with scattering from these superwind dust distributions which allows us to provide constraints on the duration of the superwind phase. In one object (IRAS 19475+3119) the circumstellar envelope has a two-armed spiral structure which we suggest results from the interaction of the mass losing star with a binary companion., 25 pages (two column format) and 16 figures. Accepted by MNRAS

ABSTRA C T Large degrees of circular polarization at near-infrared wavelengths have been reported in the OMC1 star-forming region. This discovery, in combination with compelling evidence for the existence of non-spherical aligned grains in star formation regions, has prompted us to investigate scattering from spheroidal particles as a possible mechanism for the production of large circular polarization in reflection nebulae. We use a dipole calculation to model the small particle limit and a T-matrix code to treat arbitrarily sized particles. We find that size distributions of perfectly aligned spheroids, with only modest 2:1 axis ratios, are capable of producing circular polarization of up to 50 per cent when scattering unpolarized incident light. This is the case even for dielectric materials, such as ‘astronomical silicate’, as long as sufficient large particles are included in the size distribution. We consider the effects of particle alignment and find that spinning oblate spheroids should be much more efficient circular polarizers than equivalent prolate spheroids.

We present the first imaging circular polarimetry of the Orion Molecular Cloud, OMC-1. The observations, taken in the J, H, Kn and nbL bands, reveal a complex pattern of circular polarization. Globally, there is a background circular polarization of the order of ±2 per cent in the Kn band, conforming to the typical quadrupolar patterns that have been observed in other outflow sources. Overlying this pattern are regions of relatively high degrees of circular polarization to the east and west of the source IRc2, with degrees as high as +17 per cent in the Kn band, the highest circular polarization yet measured for any young stellar object. No circular polarization is seen in the J band, indicating that the circular polarization detected at longer wavelengths originates from within OMC-1 and not from scattering off the foreground ionization front associated with the M42 nebula. We demonstrate a correlation between these patches of high circular polarization and regions of enhanced linear polarization, and argue that these observations are best explained using a model that incorporates scattering of radiation off oblate grains, which have been aligned by the local magnetic field. Modelling of the ellipticity (the ratio of circular to linear polarization) suggests that the grains are composed of silicate and/or organic refractory material, and that grains larger than are typically found in the interstellar medium are needed. The lower, background, circular polarization is produced by scattering off randomly oriented grains in the outflow cavities, the grain alignment being destroyed by the passage of shocks. We put forward a morphological model for OMC-1 which has the regions of high polarization separate from, but near to, the main outflow region. Those regions exhibiting high polarization must somehow have a direct view of the illuminating source of the nebula. Implications of this work to the origins of life are briefly discussed.

We present broad-band, near-infrared (IHKn) imaging linear polarimetry of the young stellar object GSS 30. The overall polarization pattern is centrosymmetric about the illuminating source, IRS 1. The model by Clark & McCall is used to derive the wavelength dependence of the degrees of polarization of the scattered radiation in the nebula. The results suggest that the axis of the nebula is inclined at an angle of - 25°-30° to the plane of the sky, with the northern lobe towards us. The grain size distribution is best fitted by grains covering the range 0.005 to 0.35 ~m. However, the model cannot reproduce the observed polarization pattern across the nebula, which is seen to decrease towards its edge. A polarization disc, i.e. a band of aligned polarization vectors, is seen close to the source. This pattern breaks down to the east of the source where the polarization pattern reverts back to a centro symmetric one. We speculate that a binary system could disrupt the density gradient across the circumstellar disc such that photons can easily escape in this direction and are then scattered (singly) towards us. To the west of the source the pattern of the polarization disc remains intact. The degrees of polarization, both in the line of sight to the source and along the disc, are higher at I and H than they are at Kn. We propose that the wavelength dependence of the polarization here may be produced by a combination of scattering and dichroism, with the grains aligned by a magnetic field parallel to the plane of the disc.

HD 142527 is a pre-transition disk with strong evidence for on-going planet formation. Recent observations show a disrupted disk with spiral arms, a dust-depleted inner cavity and the possible presence of gas streams driving gas from the outer disk towards the central star. We aim to derive the morphology of the disk, as well as the distribution and properties of the dust at its surface. We have obtained polarized differential images of HD 142527 at $H$ and $Ks$ bands with NaCo at the VLT. Combining these images with classical PSF-subtraction, we are able to derive the polarization degree of this disk. At $H$ band the polarization degree of the disk varies between 10% and 25%. This result cannot be reproduced by dust distributions containing highly porous material. The polarization is better matched by distributions of compact particles, with maximum sizes at least up to a few microns, in agreement with previous observations. We also observe two regions of low emission (nulls) in total and in polarized intensity. In particular, one of these nulls is at roughly the same position as the maximum of the horse-shoe shape observed in sub-millimeter continuum emission ALMA Band-7 (345 GHz) observations. We discuss the possible link between both features., Comment: Accepted for publication on A&A

We present linear and circular imaging polarimetry observations of the Chamaeleon Infrared Nebula, a bipolar reflection nebula in the Chamaeleon I dark cloud, at near infrared (JHKn) wavelengths. The detection of both high degrees of linear polarisation and a significant degree of circular polarisation in the extended nebulosity allows us to comment on the scattering geometry and the range of particle sizes present.

The CORNISH project is the highest resolution radio continuum survey of the Galactic plane to date. It is the 5 GHz radio continuum part of a series of multi-wavelength surveys that focus on the northern GLIMPSE region (10 deg < l < 65 deg), observed by the Spitzer satellite in the mid-infrared. Observations with the Very Large Array in B and BnA configurations have yielded a 1.5" resolution Stokes I map with a root-mean-squared noise level better than 0.4 mJy/beam. Here we describe the data-processing methods and data characteristics, and present a new, uniform catalogue of compact radio-emission. This includes an implementation of automatic deconvolution that provides much more reliable imaging than standard CLEANing. A rigorous investigation of the noise characteristics and reliability of source detection has been carried out. We show that the survey is optimised to detect emission on size scales up to 14" and for unresolved sources the catalogue is more than 90 percent complete at a flux density of 3.9 mJy. We have detected 3,062 sources above a 7-sigma detection limit and present their ensemble properties. The catalogue is highly reliable away from regions containing poorly-sampled extended emission, which comprise less than two percent of the survey area. Imaging problems have been mitigated by down-weighting the shortest spacings and potential artefacts flagged via a rigorous manual inspection with reference to the Spitzer infrared data. We present images of the most common source types found: regions, planetary nebulae and radio-galaxies. The CORNISH data and catalogue are available online at http://cornish.leeds.ac.uk, 25 pages, 22 figures. To appear in ApJ. Sup

Some evolved stars in the pre-planetary nebula phase produce highly-collimated molecular outflows that resemble the accretion-driven jets and outflows from pre-main sequence stars. We show that IRAS 16342-3814 (the Water Fountain Nebula) is such an object and present K-band integral field spectroscopy revealing a fast (> 150 km/s) bipolar H2 outflow. The H2 emission is shock excited and may arise in fast-moving clumps, accelerated by the previously observed precessing jet. The total luminosity in H2 is 0.37 L$_{\odot}$ which is comparable with that of accretion-powered outflows from Class 0 protostars. We also detect CO overtone bandhead emission in the scattered continuum, indicating hot molecular gas close to the centre, a feature also observed in a number of protostars with active jets. It seems likely that the jet and outflow in IRAS 16342-3814 are powered by accretion onto a binary companion.

The results of a near-infrared (J H K LP) imaging linear polarimetry survey of 20 young stellar objects (YSOs) in rho Ophiuchi are presented. The majority of the sources are unresolved, with K-band polarizations, P_K < 6 per cent. Several objects are associated with extended reflection nebulae. These objects have centrosymmetric vector patterns with polarization discs over their cores; maximum polarizations of P_K > 20 per cent are seen over their envelopes. Correlations are observed between the degree of core polarization and the evolutionary status inferred from the spectral energy distribution. K-band core polarizations >6 per cent are only observed in Class I YSOs. A 3D Monte Carlo model with oblate grains aligned with a magnetic field is used to investigate the flux distributions and polarization structures of three of the rho Oph YSOs with extended nebulae. A rho proportional to r^(-1.5) power law for the density is applied throughout the envelopes. The large-scale centrosymmetric polarization structures are due to scattering. However, the polarization structure in the bright core of the nebula appears to require dichroic extinction by aligned non-spherical dust grains. The position angle indicates a toroidal magnetic field in the inner part of the envelope. Since the measured polarizations attributed to dichroic extinction are usually, 26 pages. Accepted by MNRAS. Available as online early version

Dust emission from the Type II supernova SN 2002hh in NGC 6946 has been detected at mid-infrared wavelengths by the Spitzer Space Telescope from 590 to 758 days after outburst and confirmed by higher angular resolution Gemini-N mid-IR observations. The day-600 5.8-24 micron emission can be fit by a 290-K blackbody having a luminosity of 1.6E+7 L_Sol. The minimum emitting radius of 1.1E+17 cm is too large for the emitting dust to have been formed in the supernova ejecta. Using radiative transfer models and realistic dust grain parameters, fits to the observed flux distribution could be obtained with an optically thick dust shell having a mass of 0.10-0.15 M_Sol, corresponding to a total dust+gas mass in excess of 10 M_Sol, suggesting a massive M supergiant or luminous blue variable precursor to this self-obscured object., To be published in ApJ Letters [12 pages, 2 figures]

The dust shell around the evolved star HD 179821 has been detected in scattered light in near-IR imaging polarimetry observations. Here, we subtract the contribution of the unpolarized stellar light to obtain an intrinsic linear polarization of between 30 and 40 per cent in the shell which seems to increase with radial offset from the star. The J and K band data are modelled using a scattering code to determine the shell parameters and dust properties. We find that the observations are well described by a spherically symmetric distribution of dust with an inverse square density law, indicating that when mass-loss was occurring, the mass-loss rate was constant. The models predict that the detached nature of a spherically symmetric, optically thin dust shell, with a distinct inner boundary, will only be apparent in polarized flux. This is in accordance with the observations of this and other optically thin circumstellar shells, such as IRAS 17436+5003. By fitting the shell brightness we derive an optical depth to the star which is consistent with V band observations and which, assuming a distance of 6 kpc, gives an inner shell radius of 1.44 X 10^{15} m, a dust number density of 2.70 X 10^{-1} m^{-3}. and a dust mass of 0.08 Msun. We have explored axisymmetric shell models but conclude that any deviations from spherical symmetry in the shell must be slight, with an equator-to-pole density contrast of less than 2:1. We have not been able to simultaneously fit the high linear polarizations and the small (E(J-K)=-0.3) colour excess of the shell and we attribute this to the unusual scattering properties of the dust. We suggest that the dust grains around HD 179821 are either highly elongated or consist of aggregates of smaller particles., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 12 pages, 7 figures

We present 1 micron Hubble Space Telescope/NICMOS resolved imaging polarimetry of the GG Tau circumbinary ring. We find that the ring displays east-west asymmetries in surface brightness as well as several pronounced irregularities, but is smoother than suggested by ground-based adaptive optics observations. The data are consistent with a 37 deg system inclination and a projected rotational axis at a position angle of 7 deg east of north, determined from millimeter imaging. The ring is strongly polarized, up to 50%, which is indicative of Rayleigh-like scattering from sub-micron dust grains. Although the polarization pattern is broadly centrosymmetric and clearly results from illumination of the ring by the central stars, departures from true centrosymmetry and the irregular flux suggest that binary illumination, scattering through unresolved circumstellar disks, and shading by these disks, may all be factors influencing the observed morphology. We confirm a 0.25 arcsec shift between the inner edges of the NIR and millimeter images and find that the global morphology of the ring and the polarimetry provide strong evidence for a geometrically thick ring. A simple Monte Carlo scattering simulation is presented which reproduces these features and supports the thick ring hypothesis. We cannot confirm filamentary streaming from the binary to the ring, also observed in the ground-based images, although it is possible that there is material inside the dynamically cleared region which might ontribute to filamentary deconvolution artifacts. Finally, we find a faint 5th point source in the GG Tau field which, if it is associated with the system, is almost certainly a brown dwarf., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures (fig. 1 in colour)

We have used radio observations of OH masers in proto-planetary nebula (PPN) candidates to probe the magnetic field structure of these objects. Here we present the first results of our study, concerning the PPN OH17.7–2.0.