Magnetic Fields via Polarimetry Progress of Grain Alignment Theory.pdfVIP

a r X i v : a s t r o - p h / 0 2 0 8 4 8 7 v 1 2 8 A u g 2 0 0 2 Magnetic Fields via Polarimetry: Progress of Grain Alignment Theory A. Lazarian a, aUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, Astronomy Department, 475 N. Charter St., Madison, WI 53706, e-mail: lazarian@astro.wisc.edu Abstract Most astrophysical systems, e.g. stellar winds, the diffuse interstellar medium, molec- ular clouds, are magnetized with magnetic fields that influence almost all of their properties. One of the most informative techniques of magnetic field studies is based on the use of starlight polarization and polarized e