T. Pillai
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View article: Grain alignment and dust evolution physics with polarisation (GRADE-POL)
Grain alignment and dust evolution physics with polarisation (GRADE-POL) Open
The polarisation of light induced by aligned interstellar dust serves as a significant tool in investigating cosmic magnetic fields and dust properties, while posing a challenge in characterising the polarisation of the cosmic microwave ba…
View article: Magnetic Fields in the Bones of the Milky Way
Magnetic Fields in the Bones of the Milky Way Open
Stars primarily form in galactic spiral arms within dense, filamentary molecular clouds. The largest and most elongated of these molecular clouds are referred to as ``bones," which are massive, velocity-coherent filaments (lengths ~20 to >…
View article: Parallel Alignments between Magnetic Fields and Dense Structures in the Central Molecular Zone
Parallel Alignments between Magnetic Fields and Dense Structures in the Central Molecular Zone Open
The recent Far-Infrared Polarimetric Large-Area Central Molecular Zone Exploration (FIREPLACE) survey with SOFIA has mapped plane-of-sky magnetic field orientations within the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) of the Milky Way. Applying the His…
View article: The Rosetta Stone project
The Rosetta Stone project Open
Context . The physical mechanisms that regulate the collapse of high-mass parsec-scale clumps and allow them to form clusters of new stars, including high-mass stars, represent a crucial aspect of star formation. Aims . To investigate thes…
View article: The Rosetta Stone project. III. ALMA synthetic observations of fragmentation in high-mass star-forming clumps
The Rosetta Stone project. III. ALMA synthetic observations of fragmentation in high-mass star-forming clumps Open
The physical mechanisms that regulate the collapse of high-mass parsec-scale clumps and allow them to form clusters of new stars represent a crucial aspect of star formation. To investigate these mechanisms, we developed the Rosetta Stone …
View article: CH<sub>3</sub>OH as a user-friendly density probe: Calibration and beyond
CH<sub>3</sub>OH as a user-friendly density probe: Calibration and beyond Open
Context . Almost all the physics of star formation critically depends on the number density of the molecular gas involved. However, the methods to estimate this keystone property often rely on very uncertain assumptions about the geometry …
View article: A survey of magnetic field properties in Bok Globules
A survey of magnetic field properties in Bok Globules Open
Bok globules are small, dense clouds that act as isolated precursors for the formation of single or binary stars. Although recent dust polarization surveys, primarily with Planck, have shown that molecular clouds are strongly magnetized, t…
View article: Subclustering and Star Formation Efficiency in Three Protoclusters in the Central Molecular Zone
Subclustering and Star Formation Efficiency in Three Protoclusters in the Central Molecular Zone Open
We present the highest-resolution (∼0 04) Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array 1.3 mm continuum observations so far of three massive star-forming clumps in the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ), namely 20 km s −1 C1, 20 km s −1 C4…
View article: ALMA Observations of Massive Clouds in the Central Molecular Zone: External-pressure-confined Dense Cores and Salpeter-like Core Mass Functions
ALMA Observations of Massive Clouds in the Central Molecular Zone: External-pressure-confined Dense Cores and Salpeter-like Core Mass Functions Open
We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Band 6 (1.3 mm) observations of dense cores in three massive molecular clouds within the central molecular zone (CMZ) of the Milky Way, including the Dust Ridge cloud e, Sgr C, and th…
View article: ALMA observations of massive clouds in the central molecular zone: slim filaments tracing parsec-scale shocks
ALMA observations of massive clouds in the central molecular zone: slim filaments tracing parsec-scale shocks Open
The central molecular zone (CMZ) of our Galaxy exhibits widespread emission from SiO and various complex organic molecules (COMs), yet the exact origin of such emission is uncertain. Here we report the discovery of a unique class of long (…
View article: ALMA Band 6 C-8 observations of three clumps in the 20km/s and the Sgr C cloud
ALMA Band 6 C-8 observations of three clumps in the 20km/s and the Sgr C cloud Open
We deposit the final data products underpinning this article: Subclustering and Star Formation Efficiency in Three Protoclusters in the Central Molecular Zone, Zhang et al. 2025, ApJL, accepted (arXiv link). A detailed description of the d…
View article: ALMA Observations of Massive Clouds in the Central Molecular Zone: External-Pressure-Confined Dense Cores and Salpeter-like Core Mass Functions
ALMA Observations of Massive Clouds in the Central Molecular Zone: External-Pressure-Confined Dense Cores and Salpeter-like Core Mass Functions Open
We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Band 6 (1.3 mm) observations of dense cores in three massive molecular clouds within the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) of the Milky Way, including the Dust Ridge cloud e, Sgr C,…
View article: A Survey of Magnetic Field Properties in Bok Globules
A Survey of Magnetic Field Properties in Bok Globules Open
Bok globules are small, dense clouds that act as isolated precursors for the formation of single or binary stars. Although recent dust polarization surveys, primarily with Planck, have shown that molecular clouds are strongly magnetized, t…
View article: Revisiting rotationally excited CH at radio wavelengths: A case study towards W51
Revisiting rotationally excited CH at radio wavelengths: A case study towards W51 Open
Context. Ever since they were first detected in the interstellar medium, the radio wavelength (3.3 GHz) hyperfine-structure splitting transitions in the rotational ground state of CH were observed to show anomalous excitation. Astonishingl…
View article: Revisiting rotationally excited CH at radio wavelengths: A case study towards W51
Revisiting rotationally excited CH at radio wavelengths: A case study towards W51 Open
Ever since they were first detected in the interstellar medium, the radio wavelength (3.3 GHz) hyperfine-structure splitting transitions in the rotational ground state of CH have been observed to show anomalous excitation. Astonishingly, t…
View article: Magnetic Field Alignment Relative to Multiple Tracers in the High-mass Star-forming Region RCW 36
Magnetic Field Alignment Relative to Multiple Tracers in the High-mass Star-forming Region RCW 36 Open
We use polarization data from SOFIA HAWC+ to investigate the interplay between magnetic fields and stellar feedback in altering gas dynamics within the high-mass star-forming region RCW 36, located in Vela C. This region is of particular i…
View article: Magnetic field morphology and evolution in the Central Molecular Zone and its effect on gas dynamics
Magnetic field morphology and evolution in the Central Molecular Zone and its effect on gas dynamics Open
The interstellar medium in the Milky Way’s Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) is known to be strongly magnetised, but its large-scale morphology and impact on the gas dynamics are not well understood. We explore the impact and properties of magn…
View article: Magnetic Field Alignment Relative to Multiple Tracers in the High-mass Star-forming Region RCW 36
Magnetic Field Alignment Relative to Multiple Tracers in the High-mass Star-forming Region RCW 36 Open
We use polarization data from SOFIA HAWC+ to investigate the interplay between magnetic fields and stellar feedback in altering gas dynamics within the high-mass star-forming region RCW 36, located in Vela C. This region is of particular i…
View article: A Broad Line-width, Compact, Millimeter-bright Molecular Emission Line Source near the Galactic Center
A Broad Line-width, Compact, Millimeter-bright Molecular Emission Line Source near the Galactic Center Open
A compact source, G0.02467–0.0727, was detected in Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array 3 mm observations in continuum and very broad line emission. The continuum emission has a spectral index α ≈ 3.3, suggesting that the emission …
View article: Dark Dragon Breaks Magnetic Chain: Dynamical Substructures of IRDC G28.34 Form in Supported Environments
Dark Dragon Breaks Magnetic Chain: Dynamical Substructures of IRDC G28.34 Form in Supported Environments Open
We have comprehensively studied the multiscale physical properties of the massive infrared dark cloud G28.34 (the Dragon cloud) with dust polarization and molecular line data from Planck, FCRAO-14 m, James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, and Atac…
View article: A broad linewidth, compact, millimeter-bright molecular emission line source near the Galactic Center
A broad linewidth, compact, millimeter-bright molecular emission line source near the Galactic Center Open
A compact source, G0.02467-0.0727, was detected in ALMA \threemm observations in continuum and very broad line emission. The continuum emission has a spectral index $α\approx3.3$, suggesting that the emission is from dust. The line emissio…
View article: Magnetic field morphology and evolution in the Central Molecular Zone and its effect on gas dynamics
Magnetic field morphology and evolution in the Central Molecular Zone and its effect on gas dynamics Open
The interstellar medium in the Milky Way's Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) is known to be strongly magnetised, but its large-scale morphology and impact on the gas dynamics are not well understood. We explore the impact and properties of magn…
View article: Dark Dragon Breaks Magnetic Chain: Dynamical Substructures of IRDC G28.34 Form in Supported Environments
Dark Dragon Breaks Magnetic Chain: Dynamical Substructures of IRDC G28.34 Form in Supported Environments Open
We have comprehensively studied the multi-scale physical properties of the infrared dark cloud (IRDC) G28.34 (the Dragon cloud) with dust polarization and molecular line data from Planck, FCRAO-14m, JCMT, and ALMA. We find that the average…
View article: Magnetic Fields in the Central Molecular Zone Influenced by Feedback and Weakly Correlated with Star Formation
Magnetic Fields in the Central Molecular Zone Influenced by Feedback and Weakly Correlated with Star Formation Open
Magnetic fields of molecular clouds in the central molecular zone (CMZ) have been relatively under-observed at sub-parsec resolution. Here, we report JCMT/POL2 observations of polarized dust emission in the CMZ, which reveal magnetic field…
View article: CMZoom. IV. Incipient High-mass Star Formation throughout the Central Molecular Zone
CMZoom. IV. Incipient High-mass Star Formation throughout the Central Molecular Zone Open
In this work, we constrain the star-forming properties of all possible sites of incipient high-mass star formation in the Milky Way’s Galactic Center. We identify dense structures using the CMZoom 1.3 mm dust continuum catalog of objects w…
View article: CMZoom IV. Incipient High-Mass Star Formation Throughout the Central Molecular Zone
CMZoom IV. Incipient High-Mass Star Formation Throughout the Central Molecular Zone Open
In this work, we constrain the star-forming properties of all possible sites of incipient high-mass star formation in the Milky Way's Galactic Center. We identify dense structures using the CMZoom 1.3mm dust continuum catalog of objects wi…
View article: Magnetic field segments derived from JCMT/POL2 850 micrion polarization observations toward the Central Molecular Zone
Magnetic field segments derived from JCMT/POL2 850 micrion polarization observations toward the Central Molecular Zone Open
Catalogs of magnetic field segments derived from JCMT/POL2 850 micrion polarization observations toward the Central Molecular Zone (Lu et al. 2023, ApJ accepted, https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023arXiv231201776L/abstract). The position…
View article: The role of turbulence in high-mass star formation: Subsonic and transonic turbulence are ubiquitously found at early stages
The role of turbulence in high-mass star formation: Subsonic and transonic turbulence are ubiquitously found at early stages Open
Context. Traditionally, supersonic turbulence is considered to be one of the most likely mechanisms slowing the gravitational collapse in dense clumps, thereby enabling the formation of massive stars. However, several recent studies have r…
View article: The role of turbulence in high-mass star formation: Subsonic and transonic turbulence are ubiquitously found at early stages
The role of turbulence in high-mass star formation: Subsonic and transonic turbulence are ubiquitously found at early stages Open
Context. Traditionally, supersonic turbulence is considered to be one of the most likely mechanisms to slow down the gravitational collapse in dense clumps, thereby enabling the formation of massive stars. However, several recent studies h…
View article: The JWST Galactic Center Survey -- A White Paper
The JWST Galactic Center Survey -- A White Paper Open
The inner hundred parsecs of the Milky Way hosts the nearest supermassive black hole, largest reservoir of dense gas, greatest stellar density, hundreds of massive main and post main sequence stars, and the highest volume density of supern…