Phone (852) 39431118
Email hbli(at)cuhk.edu.hk
Our recent review article
Star formation in barren and fecund clouds
A pair of neighbouring molecular clouds, Pipe and Ophiuchus, have similar masses and ages yet very different star formation rates, evident from Ophiuchus's burst of colour due to stellar feedback. The different birth rates had been a mystery until our study looking into the alignment of the clouds' structure with their magnetic fields.
PHYS 4430 lecture note is published.
Here is a related talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6Ay2FMs6Ac
Education: PhD, Department of Astronomy and Physics, Northwestern University, 2006
Position:2019-now, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
2013-2019, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
2009-2013, Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
2006-2009, Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
2000-2006, Research/Teaching Assistant, Northwestern University
1997-1999, Second Lieutenant, Taiwanese Marine Corp
Research Interest: Star formation
Interstellar medium turbulence and magnetic fields
Astronomical instrumentation
Selected Recent Publications:Magnetic fields of molecular clouds "Anchoring Magnetic Field in Turbulent Molecular Clouds
The Alignment of Molecular Cloud Magnetic Fields with the Spiral Arms in M33
The Link between Magnetic Fields and Cloud/Star Formation
Anchoring Magnetic Field in Turbulent Molecular Clouds II - from 0.1 to 0.01 Parsec
A comparison between magnetic field directions inferred from Planck and starlight polarimetry towards Gould Belt Clouds
Magnetic Fields in Molecular Clouds—Observation and Interpretation", LI, H.-b. Galaxies 2021, 9, 41 (2021)
... and their effects on cloud fragmentation"The link between magnetic fields and filamentary clouds: bimodal cloud orientations in the Gould Belt
Self-similar Fragmentation Regulated by Magnetic Fields in a Region Forming Massive Stars
The link between magnetic field orientations and star formation rates
The link between magnetic fields and filamentary clouds II: Bimodal linear mass distributions
Bayesian Revisit of the Relationship between the Total Field Strength and the Volume Density of Interstellar Clouds
The links between magnetic fields and filamentary clouds III: field regulated mass cumulative functions
Evidence of Dynamically Important Magnetic Fields in Molecular Clouds
Velocity Anisotropy in Self-gravitating Molecular Clouds. I. Simulation
Probing the Turbulence Dissipation Range and Magnetic Field Strengths in Molecular Clouds
Tracing Turbulent Ambipolar Diffusion in Molecular Clouds
Probing the Turbulence Dissipation Range and Magnetic Field Strengths in Molecular Clouds II. Directly Probing the Ion-neutral Decoupling Scale
Design and Initial Performance of SHARP, a Polarimeter for SHARC-II Camera at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory
Atacama sub-millimeter telescope experiment polarimeter (APol) I: design and lab-test result
A control system for the ASTEPolarimeter: design and testing
http://www.cpr.cuhk.edu.hk/en/press_detail.php?1=1&1=1&id=2538&t=" target="_blank">CUHK Physicist and Statistician Work Together to Reveal Link Between Magnetic Fields and Birth Rate of Stars, CUHK
CUHK Physicist Unveils Mystery of Massive Star Formation, CUHK
As Stars Form, Magnetic Fields Influence Regions Big and Small, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Magnetic fields set the stage for the birth of new stars, Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie
Stellar midwives, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
Magnetic Fields in Interstellar Clouds, Harvard-Smithsonian Centerfor Astrophysics Weekly Science Update
MagneticFields Play Larger Role in Star Formation than Previously Thought,Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Research in the Media (Examples):中大揭磁场催生「巨星」, 文汇报
Cosmic magnetic fields act as 'birth control' for stars, Hong Kong and US scientists discover, South China Morning Post
Even though cosmic magnetic fields are much weaker than Earth's magnetic field, they have an important effect in regulating how stars form, Astronomy Magazine
Anziehende Geburten im All, Frankfurter Allgemeine
Magnetic Fields May Rock Cosmic Cradles for Unborn Stars, Space.com
Magnetic Fields Guide Star Birth, Space.com
Magnetic Fields Set Stage for Birth of New Stars, Science Daily
Birth Control for Stars, Science Now
