Astronomers Reveal Hidden Magnetic Forces Forging New Worlds

By Nat. Insts. of Natural Sciences, Feb. 6, 2025

https://scitechdaily.com/astronomers-reveal-hidden-magnetic-forces-forging-new-worlds/

ALMA observations of the protoplanetary disk around HD 142527. The white bars show the directions of the magnetic field revealed by the orientation of the dust grains. The strength of the magnetic field is 0.3 milligauss. For comparison, a typical refrigerator magnet has a magnetic field of about 1,000,000 milligauss.

 Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), S. Ohashi et al.



Astronomers have finally unlocked a crucial piece of the planet formation puzzle by detecting the magnetic fingerprint of a young star’s protoplanetary disk.

Using ALMA, researchers observed how dust grains align with magnetic fields, revealing the unseen forces shaping planetary birth. This breakthrough opens the door to deeper insights into how dust clumps together to form planets in the swirling chaos of a newborn solar system.

Unlocking the Secrets of Young Star Magnetism

For the first time, astronomers have successfully observed the magnetic field surrounding a young star where planets are likely forming. By studying the alignment of dust particles, they were able to map the three-dimensional structure “fingerprint” of the star’s magnetic field — a discovery that could significantly enhance our understanding of how planets take shape.

Planets emerge from swirling disks of gas and dust, known as protoplanetary disks, that encircle young stars. The process begins when tiny dust grains collide and stick together, gradually forming larger structures. Many forces influence the movement of these dust grains, including magnetism. However, until now, measuring magnetic fields in protoplanetary disks has remained a challenge.

A Cosmic Detective Tool: Dust Alignment

In this study, an international team of astronomers, led by Satoshi Ohashi from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to observe the protoplanetary disk surrounding HD 142527, a young star located 512 light-years away in the Lupus constellation.

The researchers found that dust grains in the disk aligned with the magnetic field lines, allowing them to visualize and measure the otherwise invisible magnetic structure — similar to how iron filings can reveal the magnetic field around a magnet. The team believes this newly mapped magnetic structure may contribute to strong turbulence within the protoplanetary disk, potentially influencing the planet formation process.

A New Era in Planet Formation Studies

Now that this method of dusting for a young star’s magnetic fingerprint has been proven to work, the team wants to apply it to more stars, and measure the magnetic field closer to the star to better understand the magnetic conditions where planets are forming.

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