Twisted magnetic fields in space sculpt the jets of black holes and baby stars

Twisted magnetic fields form jets in stars and black holes, proven by observing HH 80-81's field structure.

: Twisted magnetic fields are thought to be a universal mechanism for shaping astrophysical jets emitted by protostars and supermassive black holes. Evidence was gathered from the study of the HH 80-81 protostellar jet, revealing a helical magnetic field. Advances in radio telescope technology allowed for detailed Rotation Measure analysis, confirming the 3D magnetic structure. The research highlights the universality of helical fields in jet formation across different space entities.

Twisted magnetic fields, found in both protostars and supermassive black holes, are identified as a potential universal mechanism for generating astrophysical jets. A study specifically analyzed the HH 80-81 protostellar jet, located over 5,500 light-years away, and detected a helical magnetic field akin to those in jets from black holes.

Research teams, using upgraded technology like the Very Large Array, were able to perform Rotation Measure analysis, a method that accounts for Faraday rotation to discern the true magnetic field orientation in jets. This new analysis provided strong evidence that helical magnetic fields are integral to the jet formation process in these extreme and vastly different cosmic objects.

Such findings underscore the importance of advanced observational techniques in unraveling cosmic phenomena, bridging knowledge gaps between protostellar and black hole jet formations. The results were published in The Astrophysical Journal, marking a substantial leap in our understanding of magnetic fields in the universe.