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Magnetic fields are believed to play an important role in controlling thestability and contraction of dense condensations of gas and dust leading to theformation of stars and planetary systems. In the present study, the magneticfield of FeSt 1-457, a cold starless molecular cloud core, was mapped on thebasis of the polarized near-infrared light from 185 background stars afterbeing dichroically absorbed by dust aligned with the magnetic field in thecore. A distinct "hourglass-shaped" magnetic field was identified in the regionof the core, which was interpreted as the first evidence of a magnetic fieldstructure distorted by mass condensation in a starless core. The steepcurvature of the magnetic field lines obtained in the present study indicatesthat the distortion was mainly created during the formation phase of the densecore. The derived mass-to-magnetic flux ratio indicates that the core is in amagnetically supercritical state. However, the stability of the core can beconsidered to be in a nearly critical state if the additional contributionsfrom the thermal and turbulent support are included. Further diffusion of themagnetic field and/or turbulent dissipation would cause the onset of dynamicalcollapse of the core. The geometrical relationship between the direction of themagnetic field lines and the elongation of the core was found to be in goodagreement with the theoretical predictions for the formation of Sun-like starsunder the influence of a magnetic field.

Distortion of Magnetic Fields in a Starless Core: Near-Infrared Polarimetry of FeSt 1-457