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The magnetic field of the evolved star W43A

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2008

Nikta Amiri ,
Wouter Vlemmings  and
Huib Jan van Langevelde
Nikta Amiri
Affiliation:
Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE), The Netherlands email: amiri@jive.nl, langevelde@jive.nl Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, The Netherlands
Wouter Vlemmings
Affiliation:
Argelander Institute for Astronomy, University of Bonn, Germany email: wouter@astro.uni-bonn.de
Huib Jan van Langevelde
Affiliation:
Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE), The Netherlands email: amiri@jive.nl, langevelde@jive.nl Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, The Netherlands
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Abstract

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Planetary nebulae (PNe) often show large departures from spherical symmetry. The origin and development of these asymmetries is not clearly understood. The most striking structures are the highly collimated jets that are already observed in a number of evolved stars before they enter the PN phase. The aim of this project is to observe the Zeeman splitting of the OH maser of the W43A star and determine the magnetic field strength in the low density region. The 1612 MHz OH masers of W43A were observed with MERLIN to measure the circular polarization due to the Zeeman splitting of 1612 OH masers in the envelope of the evolved star W43A. We measured the circular polarization of the strongest 1612 OH masers of W43A and found a magnetic field strength of ~100μG. The magnetic field measured at the location of W43A OH masers confirms that a large scale magnetic field is present in W43A, which likely plays a role in collimating the jet.

Keywords

Planetary nebula – ISM: magnetic fields – stars: magnetic fields
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 4 , Symposium S259: Cosmic Magnetic Fields: From Planets, to Stars and Galaxies , November 2008 , pp. 109 - 110
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2009

References

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