M4 Science Mission
This page summarizes the goals of the Milky
Way Magnetic Field Mapping Mission (M4), as defined at the M4 Science
Advisory Committee Meeting, held in Boston & Cambridge on February
24-25, 1997.
Technical Specifications (SMEX)
- 100 micron polarimetry (firm)
- 60 micron polarimetry (maybe)
- 40-cm diameter telescope (firm)
- PSF ~1 arcmin
- 3 month minimum mission, not including calibration phase
Galactic Plane Survey (4 Weeks)
Mapping of the Magnetic Field of the Inner Galaxy: +/-
1.5 deg, fully-sampled "super-resolution";+/- ~5 deg, somewhat
undersampled
- Structural connections between star-forming
regions, relationship to galactic magnetic field (3-D structure of plane-of-sky
field, incorporating spectral-line data)
- What is the role of the magnetic field
in high-mass star-forming regions and complexes?
- -Field Structure (Morphology & Dispersion)
in star-forming regions
- -5 kpc ring contains ~1000 IRAS PSC objects
- Ambient Field in Central 100 pc of Galaxy
- Shells, Loops, Chimneys, Bubbles, Worms
Survey of The Nearest Star-Forming
Complex: Ophiuchus (3 weeks)
- Field Structure (Morphology & Dispersion) in star
forming regions--field connections between star-forming sites
- Distinctions between starless and isolated/clustered
star-forming clouds
Cirrus (2 weeks)
- Magnetic Control of Cirrus Structures?
- Constraints on Dust Properties
Guest Investigator Program (3
weeks)
Calibration & Contingency (1 month)
Extended Mission
- 50% Guest Investigator
- 50% Science Team
- more high-latitude science
- extend longitude coverage
- Perseus, Taurus & Orion
Page created by A.
Goodman, 2/26/97.