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Interstellar Grain Alignment: Observational Status

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Magnetic Fields in Diffuse Media

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 407))

Abstract

Interstellar polarization in the optical/infrared has long been known to be due to asymmetrical dust grains aligned with the magnetic field and can potentially provide a resource effective way to probe both the topology and strength of the magnetic-field. However, to do so with confidence, the physics and variability of the alignment mechanisms must be quantitatively understood. The last 15 years has seen major advancements in both the theoretical and observational understanding of this problem. I here review the current state of the observational constraints on the grain alignment physics. While none of the three classes of proposed grain alignment theories: mechanical, paramagnetic relaxation and radiative alignment torque, can be viewed as having been empirically confirmed, the first two have failed some critical observational tests, whereas the latter has recently been given specific observational support and must now be viewed as the leading candidate.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Plasma drag is caused by the interaction of the grain electrical dipole moment with the surrounding ions.

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Acknowledgments

I am grateful to several colleagues for helpful discussions and for comments on early versions of the manuscript. I particular acknowledge many helpful conversations with and helpful suggestions by John Vaillancourt. In addition, Dan Clemens, Terry Jones, Alex Lazarian, Peter Martin and Doug Whittet generously responded to e-mail queries and read early drafts of the manuscript. Any errors or misstatements are, however, mine. The citations quoted in this review are by no means complete, given the long and expansive effort in the field. I apologize in advance to any of my colleagues who might feel slighted by missed or insufficiently strong citations and can only assure them that none of those oversights were intentional. I gratefully acknowledge financial support from the National Science Foundation, through grant AST-1109469.

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  1. SOFIA Science Center, Universities Space Research Association, NASA Ames Research Center, M.S. N232-12, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA

    B-G Andersson

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  1. Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Alexander Lazarian

  2. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Elisabete M. de Gouveia Dal Pino

  3. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Claudio Melioli

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Andersson, BG. (2015). Interstellar Grain Alignment: Observational Status. In: Lazarian, A., de Gouveia Dal Pino, E., Melioli, C. (eds) Magnetic Fields in Diffuse Media. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 407. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44625-6_4

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