arXiv subjects

Woojin Kwon

Publications and source records attributed to Woojin Kwon.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

ALOHA IRDCs Molecular Line Follow-up: I. Gas properties and kinematics

Infrared Dark Clouds are ideal sites for investigating the initial conditions of massive star and cluster formation. The A Lei Of the Habitat and Assembly of Infrared Dark Clouds (ALOHA IRDCs), a James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) Large Program, has mapped nearby IRDCs with SCUBA-2. Complementary molecular line observations are needed to characterise the physical, kinematic, and chemical properties of the dense gas. We aim to determine the thermal, kinematic, and chemical properties of clumps identified in the ALOHA IRDCs, and to assess their evolutionary status and level of star-forming activity. We performed single-pointing K-band and W-band observations towards 56 ALOHA IRDCs clumps using the Effelsberg 100-m and Yebes 40-m telescopes, respectively. We derived NH3 kinetic temperatures using the hyperfine group ratio (HFGR) method and identified infall and shock signatures from HCO+, H13CO+, SiO, and HNCO profiles. Water masers and NH2D emission were used as complementary tracers of chemical evolution and star formation. The clumps exhibit kinetic temperatures of 15-29 K. We detect NH2D emission towards 18 sources, with NH2D centroid velocities consistent with NH3, indicating both species trace the same dense gas component. More than half of the clumps display blue-asymmetric HCO+ profiles, identifying them as infall candidates. Water masers are detected in 22 sources, with prominent velocity ranges and variability. Broad SiO emission (>~20 km/s) indicates strong shocks, while narrower extents (<~6km/s) likely trace large-scale interactions or low-velocity shocks. The widespread infall signatures, shock tracers, masers, and NH2D emission suggest that relatively quiescent, chemically young material can coexist with dynamically active gas affected by early protostellar feedback, providing insight into the coupled physical and chemical evolution of massive IRDC clumps.

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arXiv2026

Early Planet Formation in Embedded Disks (eDisk). XXIV: Systematic Investigation of Disk Structures based on Visibility Analysis

The dust continuum emission from young protostellar disks encodes key information about their mass distribution and early evolution, yet uniform high-resolution comparative studies remain limited. We present a systematic uv-plane analysis of parametric intensity models applied to ALMA Band-6 (1.3 mm) observations of 23 disks (19 protostellar systems with 4 being in binary) from the eDisk sample, spanning Gaussian profiles to power-law cores with exponential tails (PLCT), including asymmetric extensions. Gaussian models generally fail to reproduce the centrally peaked emission and extended outer structure observed in most disks, whereas the PLCT framework provides a significantly improved description of radial brightness profiles. Incorporating azimuthal asymmetries further reduces residuals in 15 of 17 inclined disks, indicating that departures from axisymmetry are common at early stages. Only two disks, L1489 IRS and Oph IRS63, exhibit clear gap and ring substructures, while most appear smooth at the spatial resolution and sensitivity of our observations. These systems are among the most evolved in the sample, and the absence of flat-spectrum sources limits the evolutionary range probed, {suggesting that the detection of prominent gaps and rings is not common} in the earliest phases of disk evolution. Using a uniform definition of disk radius based on the 95\% enclosed flux, we find a positive correlation with stellar mass, $R_{\rm disk} \propto M_{\star}^{1.5 \pm 0.1}$, with disks in binary systems systematically smaller than those around isolated protostars. While the models capture overall morphology and large-scale asymmetries, distinguishing intrinsic structures from radiative transfer effects in optically thick regions remains challenging.

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arXiv2026

BISTRO Survey: Gravity-Dominated and Magnetically Regulated Star Formation in M17 SW

We present high-resolution magnetic field maps of the M17 SW molecular cloud using JCMT 850 $\mu$m dust polarization at a scale of 14$''$. The magnetic field exhibits a distinct arc-like structure that encircles three dense clumps (C1, C2, and C3). By combining polarization data with ammonia line observations, the plane-of-sky magnetic field strength, measured using the Skalidis-Tassis method to minimize angle dispersion errors, ranges from 0.1 to 2.4 mG (mean: 0.54 mG). Energy budget analysis reveals a hierarchy dominated by gravity ($e_G \approx 10^{-7.8}$ erg cm$^{-3}$), which exceeds both magnetic ($e_B \approx 10^{-8.3}$ erg cm$^{-3}$) and turbulent ($e_k \approx 10^{-8.7}$ erg cm$^{-3}$) energies. Since all three energy densities lie within one order of magnitude, gravitational dominance acts primarily as the global driver, while the system remains in a state of near-equipartition. Structurally, the northeastern boundary shows magnetic field lines perpendicular to the shock front, consistent with compression from the adjacent HII region. Within the cloud, magnetic field lines generally align with gravity to assist collapse, but turn perpendicular to gravity within curved accretion bridges. This configuration provides support against radial collapse while guiding gas flow. Kinematic evidence suggests that these channels transport material from Clump C3 onto the massive Clump C2. Star formation in M17 SW is globally driven by gravity but locally regulated by the magnetic field structure.

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arXiv2026

HOPS-288: A Laboratory for Complex Organics in Proto-multiple Systems

Complex organic molecules (COMs) in young stellar objects (YSOs) have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their potential connection to pre-biotic chemistry and their utility as tracers of warm or shocked gas components. Proto-binary and multiple systems with close separations are particularly valuable targets for investigating chemical inheritance and reaction, as their members are expected to form from similar material in their parental cloud. We present ALMA observations of the hierarchical proto-triple system HOPS-288, focusing on the physical structure, kinematics, and COM compositions. The system is treated as a proto-binary system consisting of HOPS-288-A and HOPS-288-B due to the limited spatial resolutions, with a separation of 200~au. Three COM-rich features are revealed: two hot corinos associated with the two members, rich in a variety of COMs, and an intervening component between the two members traced by CH$_3$OH and tentatively by CH$_3$CHO. The hot corino in HOPS-288-A exhibits rotational features and might trace a disk. The hot corino in HOPS-288-B is also possibly exhibiting rotational motion. The intervening component could possibly trace a shocked region in the circumbinary disk or a bridge between the two members. The column densities of COMs, including $^{13}$CH$_3$OH, CH$_2$DOH, CH$_3$CHO, HCOOCH$_3$, C$_2$H$_5$OH, $^{13}$CH$_3$CN, and NH$_2$CHO, are broadly similar between the two sources, possibly suggesting the complex organic similarities among proto-binary/multiple systems. Given the complexity of the studied physical structures, further detailed investigations will be essential to confirm this result.

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arXiv2025

Early Planet Formation in Embedded Disks (eDisk). XIX. Structures of molecular outflows

As part of the ALMA Large Program "Early Planet Formation in Embedded Disks" (eDisk), 12CO (2 - 1) was observed towards 19 nearby low-mass protostars. Of these objects, 15 sources are found to show molecular outflow emission. Based on their morphological and kinematical structures, the CO outflows are classified into three types: a wind-driven shell, where ambient material is swept up by a wide-angle wind from the star, a bow shock, and a slow disk wind, which is a conical or parabolic flow with onion-like velocity structure. We categorize 11 outflows as a slow disk wind, 7 as a wind-driven shell, and 1 as a bow shock. Four of these outflows were found to show signs of both slow disk wind and wind-driven shell characteristics. Five objects show misalignment between the red- and blue-shifted outflows. Seven objects show significant misalignment between the outflow axis (either or both of the red- and blue-shifted outflows) and the minor axis of the dust continuum emission around the protostar. For the objects showing wind-driven shell emission, we compare simple parametrized models with the observations to derive physical properties of the observed shells, such as their dynamical ages. This shows evidence of a time variability in the outflows, such as changes in their direction. In some objects, large differences are seen between the properties of the red- and blue-shifted outflows, possibly indicating differences in the properties of the ambient medium with which the outflow interacts.

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arXiv2025

A Bridge between Young Stars Formed by Gravitational Interaction

The majority of stars are born in clustered environments. In these environments, close encounters between young stars with planet-forming disks are expected to occur frequently. However, direct evidence of such interactions remains rare. Here, we report clear signatures of a recent dynamical interaction between the young stellar systems L1448 IRS3A and L1448 IRS3B. Millimeter wavelength observations reveal a distinct, tidally stripped bridge between the two systems. Together with previously reported spiral arm structures at the outer edge of the IRS3A disk and at the inner and outer regions of the IRS3B disk, these features imply that the systems are undergoing a dynamical flyby. Hydrodynamical simulations reproduce these features and suggest that the closest approach occurred about 15,000 yr ago. These findings offer rare insight into how stellar interactions can reshape disk structures and influence the formation of young multiple stellar systems.

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arXiv2025

Multi-band ALMA Polarization Observations of BHB07-11 Reveal Aligned Dust Grains in Complex Spiral Arm Structures

Polarization-mode observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) are powerful tools for studying the dust grain populations in circumstellar disks. Many sources exhibit polarization signatures consistent with aligned dust grains, yet the physical origin of this alignment remains uncertain. One such source is BHB07-11, a Class I protobinary object in the Pipe Nebula with complex spiral arm structures in its circumbinary disk. While magnetic fields are often invoked to explain grain alignment in the interstellar medium, the contrasting conditions in circumstellar disk environments demand further investigation into grain alignment mechanisms. To determine BHB07-11's dominant polarization mechanism, we leverage ALMA polarization-mode dust continuum observations in Bands 3 ($\lambda$=3.1 mm), 6 ($\lambda$=1.3 mm), and 7 ($\lambda$=0.87 mm), in combination with high-resolution dust continuum and spectral line observations in Band 6. Observed polarization vectors in each band are consistent with emission from aligned grains and follow the structure of the spiral arms as shown in the high-resolution observations. Given the relationship between the observed polarization vector orientation and the spiral arms, we find that the polarization morphology is most consistent with grains aligned through a relative velocity flow between gas and dust in the spiral arms, as envisioned in the recently developed badminton birdie-like alignment mechanism, rather than alignment with a magnetic field or other known alignment mechanisms.

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arXiv2025

TRAO Survey of the Nearby Filamentary Molecular Clouds, the Universal Nursery of Stars (TRAO-FUNS). IV. Filaments and Dense Cores in the W40 and Serpens South Regions of Aquila

We present the results of molecular line observations toward the W40 and Serpens South regions of the Aquila molecular cloud complex, conducted as part of the TRAO-FUNS project to investigate the role of filamentary structures in the formation of dense cores and stars in molecular clouds. We performed a Gaussian decomposition of the C$^{18}$O spectra to disentangle multiple velocity components along the line-of-sight and a `Friends-of-Friends' algorithm on these decomposed components to identify 24 velocity-coherent filaments in the observed region. The `FellWalker' algorithm is applied on the N$_{2}$H$^{+}$ integrated intensity map to identify the dense cores embedded within the filaments. Many of the filaments previously identified from the Herschel survey are found to contain multiple velocity-coherent filaments. Virial analysis indicated that all of our identified filaments are thermally supercritical and gravitationally bound. Velocity gradients are observed along the filaments in the vicinity of embedded dense cores, indicating the presence of longitudinal flows that contribute to core formation. The median mass flow rate across the observed region is estimated to be $\sim$35 M$_{\odot}$ Myr$^{-1}$, with Serpens South showing a rate $\sim$40\% higher than W40. The analysis of non-thermal motions revealed that the dense cores mainly show subsonic to transonic motions, while their host filaments are mostly supersonic, suggesting that the turbulent motions in filaments may dissipate on smaller scales, allowing core formation. These findings highlight the essential role of the filaments' criticality, mass flow, and turbulent dissipation in the formation of dense cores within the filaments.

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arXiv2025

The Hourglass-shaped Magnetic Fields and Dust Filaments in the HH 211 Protostellar Envelope

Magnetic fields influence the structure and evolution of protostellar systems, thus understanding their role is essential for probing the earliest stages of star formation. We present ALMA Band 3 and 6 polarized continuum observations at $\sim$0.5$^{\prime \prime}$ resolution toward the Class 0 protostellar system HH 211. Three dust filaments ($\sim$4000 au in length) are found in the HH 211 protostellar envelope, two of which are aligned with core-scale ($\sim$10,000 au) magnetic fields detected by previous JCMT observations. This result suggests that the formation of the dust filaments may be influenced by magnetic fields. In the inner envelope ($\sim$1000 au), we detect a clear hourglass-shaped magnetic field morphology near the protostar and toroidal fields along the outflow directions. We also estimate the line-of-sight-averaged temperature and column density distributions in the inner envelope and find that the temperature is higher in the east, while the column density is enhanced in the southern and western regions. The southern dense regions of the inner envelope may trace either outflow cavity walls, due to their alignment with the outflow, or possible infalling channels in the midplane, given the close correspondence between the observed magnetic fields and the predicted infall trajectories.

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arXiv2025

Early Planet Formation in Embedded Disks (eDisk) XXII: Keplerian disk, disk structures and jets/outflows in the Class 0 protostar IRAS 04166+2706

We present ALMA observations of the Class 0 protostar IRAS 04166+2706, obtained as part of the ALMA large program Early Planet Formation in Embedded Disks (eDisk). These observations were made in the 1.3 mm dust continuum and molecular lines at angular resolutions of $\sim 0.05''$ ($\sim 8$ au) and $\sim 0.16''$ ($\sim25$ au), respectively. The continuum emission shows a disk-like structure with a radius of $\sim22$ au. Kinematical analysis of $^{13}$CO(2-1), C$^{18}$O(2-1), H$_2$CO (3$_{0,3}$-2$_{0,2}$), CH$_3$OH (4$_2$-3$_1$) emission demonstrates that these molecular lines trace the infalling-rotating envelope and possibly a Keplerian disk, enabling us to estimate the protostar mass to be $0.15 \rm{M_\odot} < \rm{M_\star} < 0.39 M_\odot$. The dusty disk is found to exhibit a brightness asymmetry along its minor axis in the continuum emission, probably caused by a flared distribution of the dust and the high optical depth of the dust emission. In addition, the CO(2-1) and SiO(5-4) emissions show knotty and wiggling motions in the jets. Our high angular resolution observations revealed the most recent mass ejection events, which have occurred within the last $\sim 25$ years.

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arXiv2025

Early Planet Formation in Embedded Disks (eDisk) XVII: A Compact but Structured Keplerian Disk and Large-scale Streamers Revealed in the Class I Protostellar System IRAS 04169+2702

We present high-resolution ($\sim$0.05"; 8 au) dust continuum and molecular line observations toward the Class I protostellar system IRAS 04169+2702 in the Taurus B213 region, as part of the ALMA Large Program Early Planet Formation in Embedded Disks (eDisk). The 1.3-mm dust continuum emission traces a circumstellar disk with a central depression toward the protostar. Our VLA observations of the same target reveal a single central peak dominated by the free-free emission, which coincides with the depression of the thermal dust emission. The mean spectral index of the thermal dust emission from 1.3 mm to 1.4 cm is approximately 2.8, suggestive of the presence of grains grown to millimeter or centimeter sizes in the disk. Velocity gradients along the disk major axis are seen in emission from $^{12}$CO (2-1), $^{13}$CO (2-1), and C$^{18}$O (2-1) molecular lines. The position-velocity diagrams of these lines unveil a Keplerian-rotating disk with a radius of $\sim$21 au around a 1.3 $M_{\odot}$ protostar, as well as an infalling and rotating envelope with the angular momentum conserved. In addition to the compact disk, large-scale infalling spiral structures extending up to approximately 1400 au, streamers, are discovered in C$^{18}$O (2-1), SO (6$_5$-5$_4$), and H$_2$CO (3$_{0, 3}$-2$_{0, 2}$) as well as in the 1.3-mm continuum emission. Notably, in the region closer to the protostar, the spatial coincidence of C$^{18}$O and SO may indicate the presence of a shock related to accretion through the spiral arms.

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arXiv2025

ALMASOP. A Rotating Feature Rich in Complex Organic Molecules in a Protostellar Core

Interstellar complex organic molecules (COMs) in solar-like young stellar objects (YSOs), particularly within protostellar disks, are of significant interest due to their potential connection to prebiotic chemistry in emerging planetary systems. We report the discovery of a rotating feature enriched in COMs, including CH3OH, CH3CHO, and NH2CHO, in the protostellar core G192.12-11.10. By constructing a YSO model, we find that the COM-rich feature is likely located within or near the boundary of the Keplerian disk. The image synthesis results suggest that additional heating mechanisms leading to a warm ring or a warm inner disk are required to reproduce the observed emission. We discuss possible origins of the COM-rich feature, particularly accretion shocks as a plausible cause for a warm ring. Additionally, molecules such as C18O, H2CO, DCS, H2S, and OCS exhibit distinct behavior compared to CH3OH, indicating a range of physical and chemical conditions within the region. The observed kinematics of H2S and OCS suggest that OCS resides in regions closer to the central protostar than H2S, consistent with previous experimental studies.

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arXiv2025

The JCMT BISTRO-3 Survey: Variation of magnetic field orientations on parsec and sub-parsec scales in the massive star-forming region G28.34+0.06

Magnetic fields play a significant role in star-forming processes on core to clump scales. We investigate magnetic field orientations and strengths in the massive star-forming clump P2 within the filamentary infrared dark cloud G28.34+0.06 using dust polarization observations made using SCUBA-2/POL-2 on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope as part of the B-field In STar-forming Region Observations (BISTRO) survey. We compare the magnetic field orientations at the clump scale of ~2 parsecs from these JCMT observations with those at the core scale of ~0.2 parsecs from archival ALMA data, finding that the magnetic field orientations on these two different scales are perpendicular to one another. We estimate the distribution of magnetic field strengths, which range from 50 to 430 {\mu}G over the clump. The region forming the core shows the highest magnetic field strength. We also obtain the distribution of mass-to-flux ratios across the clump. In the region surrounding the core, the mass-to-flux ratio is larger than 1, which indicates the magnetic field strength is insufficient to support the region against gravitational collapse. Therefore, the change in the magnetic field orientation from clump to core scales may be the result of gravitational collapse, with the field being pulled inward along with the flow of material under gravity.

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arXiv2025

Early Planet Formation in Embedded Disks (eDisk) XXI: Limited role of streamers in mass supply to the disk in the Class 0 protostar IRAS 16544-1604

Asymmetric and narrow infalling structures, often called streamers, have been observed in several Class 0/I protostars, which is not expected in the classical star formation picture. Their origin and impact on the disk formation remain observationally unclear. By combining data from the James Cleark Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), we investigate the physical properties of the streamers and parental dense core in the Class 0 protostar, IRAS 16544$-$1604. Three prominent streamers associated to the disk with lengths between 2800 to 5800 au, are identified on the northern side of the protostar in the C$^{18}$O emission. Their mass and mass infalling rates are estimated to be in the range of (1-4)$\times$10$^{-3}$ $M_\odot$ and (1-5)$\times$10$^{-8}$ $M_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$, respectively. Infall signatures are also observed in the more diffuse extended protostellar envelope observed with the ALMA from the comparison to the infalling and rotating envelope model. The parental dense core detected by the JCMT observation has a mass of $\sim$0.5 $M_\odot$, sub to transonic turbulence of $\mathcal{M}$ $=$ 0.8-1.1, and a mass-to-flux ratio of 2-6. Our results show that the streamers in IRAS 16544-1604 only possess 2% of the entire dense core mass and contribute less than 10% of the mass infalling rate of the protostellar envelope. Therefore, the streamers in IRAS 16544-1604 play a minor role in the mass accretion process onto the disk, in contrast to those streamers observed in other sources and those formed in numerical simulations of collapsing dense cores with similar turbulence and magnetic field strengths.

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arXiv2025

Characterizing Magnetic Properties of Young Protostars in Orion

The {\em B}-field Orion Protostellar Survey (BOPS) recently obtained polarimetric observations at 870 ${\rm \mu m}$ towards 61 protostars in the Orion molecular clouds with $\sim 1^{\prime\prime}$ spatial resolution using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. From the BOPS sample, we selected the 26 protostars with extended polarized emission within a radius of $\sim 6^{\prime\prime}$ (2400~au) around the protostar. This allows to have sufficient statistical polarization data to infer the magnetic field strength. The magnetic field strength is derived using the Davis-Chandrasekhar-Fermi method. The underlying magnetic field strengths are approximately 2.0~mG for protostars with a standard hourglass magnetic field morphology, which is higher than the values derived for protostars with rotated hourglass, spiral, and complex magnetic field configurations ($\lesssim1.0$~mG). This suggests that the magnetic field plays a more significant role in envelopes exhibiting a standard hourglass field morphology, and a value of $\gtrsim2.0$ mG would be required to maintain such a structure at these scales. Furthermore, most protostars in the sample are slightly supercritical, with mass-to-flux ratios $\lesssim3.0$. In particular, the mass-to-flux ratios for all protostars with a standard hourglass magnetic field morphology are lower than 3.0. However, these ratios do not account for the contribution of the protostellar mass, which means they are likely significantly underestimated.

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arXiv2025

L1448 IRS3B: Dust Polarization Aligned with Spiral Features, Tracing Gas Flows

Circumstellar disk dust polarization in the (sub)millimeter is, for the most part, not from dust grain alignment with magnetic fields but rather indicative of a combination of dust self-scattering with a yet unknown alignment mechanism that is consistent with mechanical alignment. While the observational evidence for scattering has been well established, that for mechanical alignment is less so. Circum-multiple dust structures in protostellar systems provide a unique environment to probe different polarization alignment mechanisms. We present ALMA Band 4 and Band 7 polarization observations toward the multiple young system L1448 IRS3B. The polarization in the two Bands is consistent with each other, presenting multiple polarization morphologies. On the size scale of the inner envelope surrounding the circum-multiple disk, the polarization is consistent with magnetic field dust grain alignment. On the very small scale of compact circumstellar regions, we see polarization that is consistent with scattering around source a and c, which are likely the most optically thick components. Finally, we see polarization that is consistent with mechanical alignment of dust grains along the spiral dust structures, which would suggest that the dust is tracing the relative gas flow along the spiral arms. If the gas-flow dust grain alignment mechanism is dominant in these cases, disk dust polarization may provide a direct probe of the small-scale kinematics of the gas flow relative to the dust grains.

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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

The JCMT BISTRO Survey: Magnetic Fields Align with Orbital Structure in the Galactic Center

We present the magnetic field in the dense material of the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) of the Milky Way, traced in 850 $\mu$m polarized dust emission as part of the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) B-fields In STar-forming Region Observations (BISTRO) Survey. We observe a highly ordered magnetic field across the CMZ between Sgr B2 and Sgr C, which is strongly preferentially aligned with the orbital gas flows within the clouds of the CMZ. We find that the observed relative orientations are non-random at a $>$99% confidence level and are consistent with models in which the magnetic field vectors are aligned within 30$^{o}$ to the gas flows in 3D. The deviations from aligned magnetic fields are most prominent at positive Galactic longitudes, where the CMZ clouds are more massive, denser, and more actively forming stars. Our observed strongly preferentially parallel magnetic field morphology leads us to hypothesize that in the absence of star formation, the magnetic field in the CMZ is entrained in the orbital gas flows around Sgr A$^{*}$, while gravitational collapse and feedback in star-forming regions can locally reorder the field. This magnetic field behavior is similar to that observed in the CMZ of the nuclear starburst galaxy NGC 253. This suggests that despite its current low star formation rate, the CMZ of the Milky Way is analogous to those of more distant, actively star-forming, galaxies.

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