Sagittarius C is known for its distinctive filaments, dynamic structure, and active stellar nurseries. Using NASA's now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), researchers led by University of Chicago doctoral student Roy Zhao measured the polarized infrared emission from dust grains aligned by the local magnetic field. The observations, taken at 214 microns, reveal the field's orientation and its connection to surrounding astrophysical processes.
The team found the magnetic field encircling an expanding bubble of hot ionized gas, apparently sculpted by winds from massive young stars. This configuration compresses nearby gas and shapes the magnetic geometry. The findings also bolster the magnetic reconnection hypothesis for the origin of radio filaments-where merging magnetic fields accelerate electrons to near-light speed-first suggested decades ago.
The results illuminate how magnetic structures, cold clouds, and ionized regions interact, influencing star formation and energetic particle flows. Such insights, Zhao noted, can be applied to similar regions throughout the galaxy, helping astronomers reconstruct their histories.
The researchers plan to extend their survey to other wavelengths to probe warmer regions heated by stellar radiation, aiming for a complete picture of magnetic and dynamical interactions in Sagittarius C.
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