The large scale magnetic field configuration in the Sombrero galaxy - persistence during galaxy evolution?

Radio polarization observations at 4.86 and 8.35 GHz of the nearby edge-on galaxy M 104 revealed a large-scale magnetic field in this early-type spiral. This is to our knowledge the first detection of a regular magntic field in an Sa galaxy in the radio range. The magnetic field orientation in M 104 is predominantly parallel to the disk but has also vertical components at larger z-distances from the disk, i.e. a field configuration typical for normal edge-on spiral galaxies. Bolometer observations at 345 GHz data pertain to the cold dust content of the galaxy. Despite the optical appearance of the object with the huge dust lane, its dust content is smaller than that of more late-type spirals. (c) 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.