Three-dimensional magnetic fields of molecular clouds

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advancements in methods for inferring the three-dimensional magnetic fields of molecular clouds, which are crucial for understanding star formation and interstellar medium evolution.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of novel techniques for probing and integrating different magnetic field components to reconstruct 3D magnetic fields in molecular clouds.

Findings

Recent techniques enable more accurate 3D magnetic field inference.

Integration of observational data improves understanding of magnetic field structures.

Future methods will further refine 3D magnetic field mapping.

Abstract

To investigate the role of magnetic fields in the evolution of the interstellar medium, formation and evolution of molecular clouds, and ultimately the formation of stars, their three-dimensional (3D) magnetic fields must be probed. Observing only one component of magnetic fields (along the line of sight or parallel to the plane of the sky) is insufficient to identify these 3D vectors. In recent years, novel techniques for probing each of these two components and integrating them with additional data (from observations or models), such as Galactic magnetic fields or magnetic field inclination angles, have been developed, in order to infer 3D magnetic fields. We review and discuss these advancements, their applications, and their future direction.