arXiv subjects

Qilao Gu

Publications and source records attributed to Qilao Gu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Formation of a Protostellar Multiple System via Rotational Fragmentation

We present a multi-scale analysis of the dense core G205.46-14.56-N2 and its host filament G205.46-14.56 using ALMA, Herschel, JCMT, and PMO observations. The filament exhibits a hierarchical fragmentation process primarily governed by thermal Jeans instability. The central region of the dense core G205.46-14.56-N2 hosts a remarkable mirror-symmetric twin binary protostellar system. We detect well-collimated, aligned outflows from all four protostars. Velocity fields traced by H$_2$CO emission reveal clear gradients, and the ratio of rotational kinetic energy to gravitational energy increases with spatial resolution, indicating fast differential rotation within the core. The morphology and kinematics of the quadruple system bear striking resemblance to pure hydrodynamic simulations of rapidly rotating core collapse. These findings (ordered fragmentation and aligned outflows) are inconsistent with the stochastic expectations of turbulent fragmentation and instead may provide direct observational evidence that rotation-driven fragmentation is a viable pathway for forming compact protostellar multiple systems. To our knowledge, this study presents the first high-order (N$\geq$4) protostellar multiple system whose formation can be attributed to rotational fragmentation.

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arXiv2026

The Keplerian disk, envelope, and streamers surrounding an early O-type protostar in the Sagittarius C cloud of the Central Molecular Zone

Disk-mediated accretion is central to theories of massive star formation, setting the initial conditions for their evolution. Yet observations of Keplerian disks around early O-type protostars remain scarce, as they are often blended into complex surrounding structures. We report ALMA Band 6 observations (300 au resolution) of an accretion disk surrounding a high-mass protostar in the Sagittarius C (Sgr C) cloud in the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) around the Galactic Center. We identify spectral lines and analyze the spatial distribution of the emission of the complex organic molecules. We use a dynamical model with an inner Keplerian disk and an outer free-fall envelope to fit the three-dimensional position-position-velocity data of the stacked CH$_3$OCHO molecular lines and constrain the mass of the central protostar to be $\sim40^{+2}_{-3} M_{\odot}$. The fitting results additionally show that the disk has a centrifugal radius at about 1300 au. Considering the infall velocity, radius, and mass of the envelope, we estimate the accretion rate from the envelope onto the disk to be $\sim7\times 10^{-3}\ M_{\odot}\,\mathrm{yr^{-1}}$. We also identify spiral-like structures in the disk that can be described by free-falling streamers. Our results highlight the critical role of accretion disks and streamers in the mass accumulation of early O-type stars in the CMZ.

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arXiv2026

ALMA-QUARKS view of W49N: Multipolar episodic outflow associated with the most energetic Galactic water maser

We present a detailed investigation of a multipolar episodic molecular outflow in the mini-starburst region W49N, which hosts the most luminous water maser in the Galaxy. Using high-resolution ($\sim$0.3 arcsec) Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the $\mathrm{^{12}CO}$ emission as part of the ALMA-QUARKS survey, we analyze the morphology and kinematics of the outflow. Our observations reveal four newly identified outflow lobes in addition to the previously known central bipolar jet. These lobes appear more jet-like rather than exhibiting wide opening angles. Based on the $\mathrm{^{12}CO}$ (2-1) and $\mathrm{^{13}CO}$ (2-1) emission, we provide a more reliable estimate of the outflow's physical parameters, confirming it as one of the most energetic outflows in the Galaxy. Notably, these newly discovered lobes exhibit chains of knots, a characteristic signature of episodic ejection. Furthermore, two of the lobes display prominent S-shaped wiggles, suggestive of a precessing jet. The discovery of these features -- commonly observed in outflows from low-mass protostars -- in such an extreme massive star-forming environment provides compelling evidence that some underlying physical mechanisms for launching outflows are conserved across a wide range of stellar masses.

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arXiv2025

A misaligned protostellar disk fed by gas streamers in a barred spiral-like massive dense core

High-mass stars, born in massive dense cores (MDCs), profoundly impact the cosmic ecosystem through feedback processes and metal enrichment, yet little is known about how MDCs assemble and transfer mass across scales to form high-mass young stellar objects (HMYSOs). Using multi-scale (40-2500 au) observations of an MDC hosting an HMYSO, we identify a coherent dynamical structure analogous to barred spiral galaxies: three 20,000 au spiral arms feed a 7,500 au central bar, which channels gas to a 2,000 au pseudodisk. Further accretion proceeds through the inner structures, including a Keplerian disk and an inner disk (100 au), which are thought to be driving a collimated bipolar outflow. This is the first time that these multi-scale structures (spiral arms, bar, streamers, envelope, disk, and outflow) have been simultaneously observed as a physically coherent structure within an MDC. Our discovery suggests that well-organized hierarchical structures play a crucial role during the gas accretion and angular momentum build-up of a massive disk.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

The JCMT BISTRO Survey: Unveiling the Magnetic Fields around Galactic Center

We acquired 450 {\mu}m and 850 {\mu}m dust continuum polarization observations toward the inner region of the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) as part of the B-Fields In Star-Forming Region Observations (BISTRO) survey using the POL-2 polarimeter on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. These observations encompassed three dense structures: the 20 km s{^{-1}} cloud (20MC), 50 km s{^{-1}} cloud (50MC), and circumnuclear disk (CND). Our aim is to investigate the magnetic field morphology and strength in the inner region of the CMZ using polarized dust continuum and the Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi method. The magnetic field morphology is highly ordered in all three dense regions. The plane-of-sky magnetic field strengths are {\sim}1 mG for the 20MC and the 50MC, and {\sim}2 mG for the CND. We compare the energy contributions of turbulence, gravity, and thermal motion with that of the magnetic field using the plasma {\beta}, mass-to-flux ratio, and Alfv\'en Mach number. The outcomes reveal the magnetic field stands out as the predominant factor within the inner region of the CMZ. The dominance of the magnetic field may explain the low star-forming rate in the CMZ. We further investigate the dust grain alignment efficiency by exploring the relationship between polarization fraction and total intensity. The results suggest that dust grains are well aligned with the magnetic fields.

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arXiv2025

Network of velocity-coherent filaments formed by supersonic turbulence in a very-high-velocity HI cloud

The warm neutral medium (WNM) was thought to be subsonically/transonically turbulent, and it lacks a network of intertwined filaments that are commonly seen in both molecular clouds and cold neutral medium (CNM). Here, we report HI~21 cm line observations of a very-high-velocity (-330 km s$^{-1}$ $<V_{\rm LSR}<$ -250 km s$^{-1}$) cloud (VHVC), using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity. For the first time, such a VHVC is clearly revealed to be a supersonic WNM system consisting of a network of velocity-coherent HI~filaments. The filaments are in the forms of slim curves, hubs, and webs, distributed in different layers within the position-position-velocity ({\it ppv}) data cube. The entire cloud has skewed log-normal probability distribution of column density and the filaments themselves show asymmetrical radial density profiles, indicating shock compression by supersonic magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence, as is also confirmed by our MHD simulation (sonic Mach number $M_{\rm s}=3$ and Alfv\'en Mach number $M_{\rm A}=1$). This work suggests that hierarchical filaments can be established by shocks in a low-density WNM, where gravity is negligible, offering a viable pathway to structure formation in the earliest evolutionary phases of the interstellar medium (ISM).

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arXiv2025

ALMA observations of massive clouds in the central molecular zone: slim filaments tracing parsec-scale shocks

The central molecular zone (CMZ) of our Galaxy exhibits widespread emission from SiO and various complex organic molecules (COMs), yet the exact origin of such emission is uncertain. Here we report the discovery of a unique class of long ($>$0.5 pc) and narrow ($<$0.03 pc) filaments in the emission of SiO 5$-$4 and eight additional molecular lines, including several COMs, in our ALMA 1.3 mm spectral line observations toward two massive molecular clouds in the CMZ, which we name as slim filaments. However, these filaments are not detected in the 1.3 mm continuum at the 5$\sigma$ level. Their line-of-sight velocities are coherent and inconsistent with being outflows. The column densities and relative abundances of the detected molecules are statistically similar to those in protostellar outflows but different from those in dense cores within the same clouds. Turbulent pressure in these filaments dominates over self gravity and leads to hydrostatic inequilibrium, indicating that they are a different class of objects than the dense gas filaments in dynamical equilibrium ubiquitously found in nearby molecular clouds. We argue that these newly detected slim filaments are associated with parsec-scale shocks, likely arising from dynamic interactions between shock waves and molecular clouds. The dissipation of the slim filaments may replenish SiO and COMs in the interstellar medium and lead to their widespread emission in the CMZ.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

A Tale of Three: Magnetic Fields along the Orion Integral-Shaped Filament as Revealed by JCMT BISTRO survey

As part of the BISTRO survey, we present JCMT 850 $\mu$m polarimetric observations towards the Orion Integral-Shaped Filament (ISF) that covers three portions known as OMC-1, OMC-2, and OMC-3. The magnetic field threading the ISF seen in the JCMT POL-2 map appears as a tale of three: pinched for OMC-1, twisted for OMC-2, and nearly uniform for OMC-3. A multi-scale analysis shows that the magnetic field structure in OMC-3 is very consistent at all the scales, whereas the field structure in OMC-2 shows no correlation across different scales. In OMC-1, the field retains its mean orientation from large to small scales, but shows some deviations at small scales. Histograms of relative orientations between the magnetic field and filaments reveal a bimodal distribution for OMC-1, a relatively random distribution for OMC-2, and a distribution with a predominant peak at 90$^\circ$ for OMC-3. Furthermore, the magnetic fields in OMC-1 and OMC-3 both appear to be aligned perpendicular to the fibers, which are denser structures within the filament, but the field in OMC-2 is aligned along with the fibers. All these suggest that gravity, turbulence, and magnetic field are each playing a leading role in OMC-1, 2, and 3, respectively. While OMC-2 and 3 have almost the same gas mass, density, and non-thermal velocity dispersion, there are on average younger and fewer young stellar objects in OMC-3, providing evidence that a stronger magnetic field will induce slower and less efficient star formation in molecular clouds.

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arXiv2024

The JCMT BISTRO Survey: The Magnetic Fields of the IC 348 Star-forming Region

We present 850 $\mu$m polarization observations of the IC 348 star-forming region in the Perseus molecular cloud as part of the B-fields In STar-forming Region Observation (BISTRO) survey. We study the magnetic properties of two cores (HH 211 MMS and IC 348 MMS) and a filamentary structure of IC 348. We find that the overall field tends to be more perpendicular than parallel to the filamentary structure of the region. The polarization fraction decreases with intensity, and we estimate the trend by power-law and the mean of the Rice distribution fittings. The power indices for the cores are much smaller than 1, indicative of possible grain growth to micron size in the cores. We also measure the magnetic field strengths of the two cores and the filamentary area separately by applying the Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi method and its alternative version for compressed medium. The estimated mass-to-flux ratios are 0.45-2.20 and 0.63-2.76 for HH 211 MMS and IC 348 MMS, respectively, while the ratios for the filament is 0.33-1.50. This result may suggest that the transition from subcritical to supercritical conditions occurs at the core scale ($\sim$ 0.05 pc) in the region. In addition, we study the energy balance of the cores and find that the relative strength of turbulence to the magnetic field tends to be stronger for IC 348 MMS than HH 211 MMS. The result could potentially explain the different configurations inside the two cores: a single protostellar system in HH 211 MMS and multiple protostars in IC 348 MMS.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

INvestigations of massive Filaments ANd sTar formation (INFANT). I. Core Identification and Core Mass Function

Filamentary structures are ubiquitously found in high-mass star-forming clouds. To investigate the relationship between filaments and star formation, we carry out the INFANT (INvestigations of massive Filaments ANd sTar formation) survey, a multi-scale, multi-wavelength survey of massive filamentary clouds with ALMA band 3/band 6 and VLA K band. In this first paper, we present the ALMA band 6 continuum observations toward a sample of 8 high-mass star forming filaments. We covered each target with approximately rectangular mosaic field of view with two 12-m array configurations, achieving an angular resolution of $\sim$0.6" (2700 AU at 4.5 kpc) and a continuum rms of $\sim$0.1 mJy/beam ($\sim$0.06 Msun in gas mass assuming 15 K). We identify cores using the getsf and astrodendro and find the former is more robust in terms of both identification and measuring flux densities. We identify in total 183 dense cores (15--36 cores in each cloud) and classify their star formation states via outflow and warm gas tracers. The protostellar cores are statistically more massive than the prestellar cores, possibly indicating further accretion onto cores after formation of protostars. For the high-mass end ($M_\text{core}$ $>$ 1.5 Msun) of the core mass function (CMF) we derive a power-law index of $-$1.15 $\pm$ 0.12 for the whole sample, and $-$1.70 $\pm$ 0.25 for the prestellar population. We also find a steepening trend in CMF with cloud evolution ($-$0.89 $\pm$ 0.15 for the young group v.s. $-$1.44 $\pm$ 0.25 for the evolved group) and discuss its implication for cluster formation.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

On the Scarcity of Dense Cores ($n>10^{5}$ cm$^{-3}$) in High Latitude Planck Galactic Cold Clumps

High-latitude ($|b|>30^{\circ}$) molecular clouds have virial parameters that exceed 1, but whether these clouds can form stars has not been studied systematically. Using JCMT SCUBA-2 archival data, we surveyed 70 fields that target high-latitude Planck galactic cold clumps (HLPCs) to find dense cores with density of $10^{5}$-$10^{6}$ cm$^{-3}$ and size of $<0.1$ pc. The sample benefits from both the representativeness of the parent sample and covering densest clumps at the high column density end ($>1\times10^{21}$ cm$^{-2}$). At an average noise rms of 15 mJy/beam, we detected Galactic dense cores in only one field, G6.04+36.77 (L183), while also identifying 12 extragalactic objects and two young stellar objects. Compared to the low-latitude clumps, dense cores are scarce in HLPCs. With synthetic observations, the densities of cores are constrained to be $n_c\lesssim10^5$ cm$^{-3}$, should they exist in HLPCs. Low-latitude clumps, Taurus clumps, and HLPCs form a sequence where a higher virial parameter corresponds to a lower dense core detection rate. If HLPCs were affected by the Local Bubble, the scarcity should favor turbulence-inhibited rather than supernova-driven star formation. Studies of the formation mechanism of the L183 molecular cloud are warranted.

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arXiv2024

Filamentary Network and Magnetic Field Structures Revealed with BISTRO in the High-Mass Star-Forming Region NGC2264 : Global Properties and Local Magnetogravitational Configurations

We report 850 $μ$m continuum polarization observations toward the filamentary high-mass star-forming region NGC 2264, taken as part of the B-fields In STar forming Regions Observations (BISTRO) large program on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). These data reveal a well-structured non-uniform magnetic field in the NGC 2264C and 2264D regions with a prevailing orientation around 30 deg from north to east. Field strengths estimates and a virial analysis for the major clumps indicate that NGC 2264C is globally dominated by gravity while in 2264D magnetic, gravitational, and kinetic energies are roughly balanced. We present an analysis scheme that utilizes the locally resolved magnetic field structures, together with the locally measured gravitational vector field and the extracted filamentary network. From this, we infer statistical trends showing that this network consists of two main groups of filaments oriented approximately perpendicular to one another. Additionally, gravity shows one dominating converging direction that is roughly perpendicular to one of the filament orientations, which is suggestive of mass accretion along this direction. Beyond these statistical trends, we identify two types of filaments. The type-I filament is perpendicular to the magnetic field with local gravity transitioning from parallel to perpendicular to the magnetic field from the outside to the filament ridge. The type-II filament is parallel to the magnetic field and local gravity. We interpret these two types of filaments as originating from the competition between radial collapsing, driven by filament self-gravity, and the longitudinal collapsing, driven by the region's global gravity.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2024

The ALMA-QUARKS survey: Detection of two extremely dense substructures in a massive prestellar core

Only a handful of massive starless core candidates have been discovered so far, but none of them have been fully confirmed. Within the MM1 clump in the filamentary infrared dark cloud G34.43+0.24 that was covered by the ALMA-ATOMS survey at Band 3 ($\sim2\arcsec$, 6000\,au) and the ALMA-QUARKS survey at Band 6 ($\sim 0.3\arcsec$, 900\,au), two prestellar core candidates MM1-C and E1 with masses of 71 and 20 \solarmass~and radii of 2100--4400\,au were discovered. The two cores show no obvious sign of star-formation activities. In particular, MM1-C is a very promising massive prestellar core candidate with a total gas mass of 71\,\solarmass. Within MM1-C, we detected two extremely dense substructures, C1 and C2, as characterized by their high densities of $\rm n_{H_2}\sim 10^{8-9} cm^{-3}$. Moreover, evidence of further fragmentation in C2 was also revealed. We have detected the primordial fragmentation in the earliest stage of massive star formation, and we speculate that MM1-C would be the birthplace of a massive multiple system. However, we cannot fully rule out the possibility that the massive prestellar core MM1-C will just form a cluster of low-mass stars if it undergoes further fragmentation.

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arXiv2023

Magnetic Fields in the Central Molecular Zone Influenced by Feedback and Weakly Correlated with Star Formation

Magnetic fields of molecular clouds in the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) have been relatively underobserved at sub-parsec resolution. Here we report JCMT/POL2 observations of polarized dust emission in the CMZ, which reveal magnetic field structures in dense gas at ~0.5 pc resolution. The eleven molecular clouds in our sample including two in the western part of the CMZ (Sgr C and a far-side cloud candidate), four around the Galactic longitude 0 (the 50 km s-1 cloud, CO0.02-0.02, the `Stone' and the `Sticks & Straw' among the Three Little Pigs), and five along the Dust Ridge (G0.253+0.016, clouds b, c, d, and e/f), for each of which we estimate the magnetic field strength using the angular dispersion function method. The morphologies of magnetic fields in the clouds suggest potential imprints of feedback from expanding H II regions and young massive star clusters. A moderate correlation between the total viral parameter versus the star formation rate and the dense gas fraction of the clouds is found. A weak correlation between the mass-to-flux ratio and the star formation rate, and a weak anti-correlation between the magnetic field and the dense gas fraction are also found. Comparisons between magnetic fields and other dynamic components in clouds suggest a more dominant role of self-gravity and turbulence in determining the dynamical states of the clouds and affecting star formation at the studied scales.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

The first Ka-band (26.1-35 GHz) blind line survey towards Orion KL

We conducted a Ka-band (26.1--35 GHz) line survey towards Orion KL using the TianMa 65-m Radio Telescope (TMRT). It is the first blind line survey in the Ka band, and achieves a sensitivity of mK level (1--3 mK at a spectral resolution of $\sim$1 km s$^{-1}$). In total, 592 Gaussian features are extracted. Among them, 257 radio recombination lines (RRLs) are identified. The maximum $Δn$ of RRLs of H, He and C are 20, 15, and 5, respectively. Through stacking, we have detected the $β$ lines of ion RRLs (RRLs of C$^+$ with possible contribution of other ions like O$^+$) for the first time, and tentative signal of the $γ$ lines of ion RRLs can also be seen on the stacked spectrum. Besides, 318 other line features were assigned to 37 molecular species, and ten of these species were not detected in the Q-band survey of TMRT. The vibrationally excited states of nine species were also detected. Emission of most species can be modeled under LTE. A number of transitions of E-CH3OH ($J_2-J_1$) display maser effects, which are confirmed by our modeling, and besides the bumping peak at $J\sim 6$ there is another peak at $J\sim 13$. Methylcyanoacetylene (CH$_3$C$_3$N) is detected in Orion KL for the first time. This work emphasizes that the Ka band, which was long-ignored for spectral line surveys, is very useful for surveying RRLs and molecular lines simultaneously.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

The ALMA-QUARKS survey: -- I. Survey description and data reduction

This paper presents an overview of the QUARKS survey, which stands for `Querying Underlying mechanisms of massive star formation with ALMA-Resolved gas Kinematics and Structures'. The QUARKS survey is observing 139 massive clumps covered by 156 pointings at ALMA Band 6 ($λ\sim$ 1.3 mm). In conjunction with data obtained from the ALMA-ATOMS survey at Band 3 ($λ\sim$ 3 mm), QUARKS aims to carry out an unbiased statistical investigation of massive star formation process within protoclusters down to a scale of 1000 au. This overview paper describes the observations and data reduction of the QUARKS survey, and gives a first look at an exemplar source, the mini-starburst Sgr B2(M). The wide-bandwidth (7.5 GHz) and high-angular-resolution (~0.3 arcsec) observations of the QUARKS survey allow to resolve much more compact cores than could be done by the ATOMS survey, and to detect previously unrevealed fainter filamentary structures. The spectral windows cover transitions of species including CO, SO, N$_2$D$^+$, SiO, H$_{30}α$, H$_2$CO, CH$_3$CN and many other complex organic molecules, tracing gas components with different temperatures and spatial extents. QUARKS aims to deepen our understanding of several scientific topics of massive star formation, such as the mass transport within protoclusters by (hub-)filamentary structures, the existence of massive starless cores, the physical and chemical properties of dense cores within protoclusters, and the feedback from already formed high-mass young protostars.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

The JCMT BISTRO Survey: Studying the Complex Magnetic Field of L43

We present observations of polarized dust emission at 850 $μ$m from the L43 molecular cloud which sits in the Ophiuchus cloud complex. The data were taken using SCUBA-2/POL-2 on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope as a part of the BISTRO large program. L43 is a dense ($N_{\rm H_2}\sim 10^{22}$-10$^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$) complex molecular cloud with a submillimetre-bright starless core and two protostellar sources. There appears to be an evolutionary gradient along the isolated filament that L43 is embedded within, with the most evolved source closest to the Sco OB2 association. One of the protostars drives a CO outflow that has created a cavity to the southeast. We see a magnetic field that appears to be aligned with the cavity walls of the outflow, suggesting interaction with the outflow. We also find a magnetic field strength of up to $\sim$160$\pm$30 $μ$G in the main starless core and up to $\sim$90$\pm$40 $μ$G in the more diffuse, extended region. These field strengths give magnetically super- and sub-critical values respectively and both are found to be roughly trans-Alfvénic. We also present a new method of data reduction for these denser but fainter objects like starless cores.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

First BISTRO observations of the dark cloud Taurus L1495A-B10: the role of the magnetic field in the earliest stages of low-mass star formation

We present BISTRO Survey 850 μm dust emission polarisation observations of the L1495A-B10 region of the Taurus molecular cloud, taken at the JCMT. We observe a roughly triangular network of dense filaments. We detect 9 of the dense starless cores embedded within these filaments in polarisation, finding that the plane-of-sky orientation of the core-scale magnetic field lies roughly perpendicular to the filaments in almost all cases. We also find that the large-scale magnetic field orientation measured by Planck is not correlated with any of the core or filament structures, except in the case of the lowest-density core. We propose a scenario for early prestellar evolution that is both an extension to, and consistent with, previous models, introducing an additional evolutionary transitional stage between field-dominated and matter-dominated evolution, observed here for the first time. In this scenario, the cloud collapses first to a sheet-like structure. Uniquely, we appear to be seeing this sheet almost face-on. The sheet fragments into filaments, which in turn form cores. However, the material must reach a certain critical density before the evolution changes from being field-dominated to being matter-dominated. We measure the sheet surface density and the magnetic field strength at that transition for the first time and show consistency with an analytical prediction that had previously gone untested for over 50 years (Mestel 1965).

astro-ph.GA↗