Complex Scattered Radiation Fields and Multiple Magnetic Fields in the
  Protostellar Cluster in NGC 2264
  Near-infrared (IR) imaging polarimetry in the J, H, and Ks bands has been
carried out for the protostellar cluster region around NGC 2264 IRS 2 in the
Monoceros OB1 molecular cloud. Various infrared reflection nebulae clusters
(IRNCs) associated with NGC 2264 IRS 2 and IRAS 12 S1 core were detected as
well as local infrared reflection nebulae (IRNe). The illuminating sources of
the IRNe were identified with known or new near- and mid-IR sources. In
addition, 314 point-like sources were detected in all three bands and their
aperture polarimetry was studied. Using a color-color diagram, reddened field
stars and diskless pre-main sequence stars were selected to trace the magnetic
field (MF) structure of the molecular cloud. The mean polarization position
angle of the point-like sources is 81 \pm 29 degree in the cluster core, and 58
\pm 24 degree in the perimeter of the cluster core, which is interpreted as the
projected direction on the sky of the MF in the observed region of the cloud.
The Chandrasekhar-Fermi method gives a rough estimate of the MF strength to be
about 100 {\mu}G. A comparison with recent numerical simulations of the cluster
formation implies that the cloud dynamics is controlled by the relatively
strong MF. The local MF direction is well associated with that of CO outflow
for IRAS 12 S1 and consistent with that inferred from submillimeter
polarimetry. In contrast, the local MF direction runs roughly perpendicular to
the Galactic MF direction.
