ALMA obs. of polarized dust emission from Ser-emb 8

Assuming models of dust-grain alignment hold, the observed polarization pattern gives a projected view of the magnetic field structure in this source. Contrary to expectations based on models of strongly magnetized star formation, the magnetic field in Ser-emb 8 does not exhibit an hourglass morphology.

Combining the new ALMA data with previous observational studies, we can connect magnetic field structure from protostellar core (~80000au) to disk (~100au) scales. We compare our observations with four magnetohydrodynamic gravo-turbulence simulations made with the AREPO code that have initial conditions ranging from super-Alfvenic (weakly magnetized) to sub-Alfvenic (strongly magnetized). These simulations achieve the spatial dynamic range necessary to resolve the collapse of protostars from the parsec scale of star-forming clouds down to the ~100au scale probed by ALMA.