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  1. Abstract

    The heart of the Large Magellanic Cloud, 30 Doradus, is a complex region with a clear core-halo structure. Feedback from the stellar cluster R136 has been shown to be the main source of energy creating multiple parsec-scale expanding-shells in the outer region, and carving a nebula core in the proximity of the ionization source. We present the morphology and strength of the magnetic fields (B-fields) of 30 Doradus inferred from the far-infrared polarimetric observations by SOFIA/HAWC+ at 89, 154, and 214μm. TheB-field morphology is complex, showing bending structures around R136. In addition, we use high spectral and angular resolution [Cii] observations from SOFIA/GREAT and CO(2-1) from APEX. The kinematic structure of the region correlates with theB-field morphology and shows evidence of multiple expanding-shells. OurB-field strength maps, estimated using the Davis–Chandrasekhar–Fermi method and structure-function, show variations across the cloud within a maximum of 600, 450, and 350μG at 89, 154, and 214μm, respectively. We estimated that the majority of the 30 Doradus clouds are subcritical and sub-Alfvénic. The probability distribution function of the gas density shows that the turbulence is mainly compressively driven, while the plasma beta parameter indicates supersonic turbulence. We show that theB-field is sufficient to hold the cloud structure integrity under feedback from R136. We suggest that supersonic compressive turbulence enables the local gravitational collapse and triggers a new generation of stars to form. The velocity gradient technique using [Cii] and CO(2-1) is likely to confirm these suggestions.

     
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