Scientists Crack Star-Birthing Mystery: Indian Team First To Measure Magnetism Near Infant Massive Star | India News
For the first time in the world, a groundbreaking study led by researchers at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, has directly detected and measured magnetic fields near an infant massive star, a discovery that could revolutionise our understanding of how stars and galaxies form.
Massive stars, those more than 8 to 10 times the mass of our Sun, have long baffled astrophysicists. Their formation process remained largely theoretical, especially because measuring magnetism around such nascent giants was nearly impossible, until now.
A Peek Into Star-Birthing Nurseries
The study focused on a massive protostar named IRAS 18162-2048, situated 4,500 light years away. Using cutting-edge data from the Karl G Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in the US, the team observed a rare phenomenon: circularly polarised radio emissions. This form of emission is a telltale marker of magnetic fields.
Thanks to this detection, the researchers were able to measure the magnetic field in the star’s immediate surroundings, finding it to be between 20-35 Gauss, which is about 100 times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field.
Why This Matters?
This is a landmark achievement in astrophysics. Previously, such magnetic fields had only been inferred or observed in low-mass protostars, like those that form stars similar to our Sun. But this study shows that even massive stars may follow similar magnetic pathways during formation, suggesting a universal mechanism behind star births.
Dr Sarita Vig, the lead scientist from IIST who conceptualised the study, emphasised its importance:
“These magnetic field values are now scientifically measured from near the protostar, unlike earlier studies that relied on theoretical models.”
Proving a Universal Theory
The findings also support a long-standing theory in astrophysics, that jets seen erupting from stars and black holes are all powered by the same magnetic engine.
“This is the first strong evidence that jet formation physics is universal, whether it’s a young star or a distant black hole,” said Amal George Cheriyan, a PhD researcher at IIST and co-author of the paper.
Global Collaboration
The work was a joint effort between IIST and leading institutions including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina).
Published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, this pioneering research not only solves a decades-old cosmic puzzle but also opens new paths to explore how magnetic forces influence the birth and evolution of galaxies.
