Molecular clouds los magnetic field structure

We then use a chemical evolution code along with extinction maps of each cloud to find the electron column density of the molecular cloud at the position of each rotation measure data point. Combining the rotation measures produced by the molecular clouds and the electron column density, we calculate the line-of-sight magnetic field strength and direction. In California and Orion A, we find clear evidence that the magnetic fields at one side of these filamentary structures are pointing towards us and are pointing away from us at the other side.

Even though the magnetic fields in Perseus might seem to suggest the same behavior, not enough data points are available to draw such conclusions. In Orion B, as well, there are not enough data points available to detect such behavior. This magnetic field reversal is consistent with a helical magnetic field morphology.

In the vicinity of available Zeeman measurements in OMC-1, OMC-B, and the dark cloud Barnard 1, we find magnetic field values of -23+/-38uG, -129+/-28uG, and 32+/-101uG, respectively, which are in agreement with the Zeeman measurements.