In this presentation I will discuss the effect the magnetic field has on the line profiles of molecular ion species in the turbulent and weakly ionized regions of molecular clouds. I will start by discussing the behavior of an ion under the influence of the magnetic field and a streaming flow of coexistent neutral particles, and extrapolate to a more general situation in order to infer some observational consequences. After presenting the observational evidence, I will explain how the combination of polarimetry and ion/neutral molecular spectroscopic data permits the determination of the orientation of the magnetic field in molecular clouds. Polarimetry measurements provide the field orientation in the plane of the sky and the ion-to- neutral molecular line width ratio determines the angle between the magnetic field and the line of sight. I will then finish by presenting some results obtained using 350-µm Hertz polarimetry and spectroscopic data, and discuss further applications and tests for this technique.
Tuesday, October 4th
Seminar is to be held at 4:00 PM in the conference room
on the second floor of Dearborn Observatory
Refreshments will be served at 3:30
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