Open AccessThe formation of molecular clouds
Author(s) -
Pringle J.E.,
Allen Ronald J.,
Lubow S.H.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.04777.x
Subject(s) - physics , molecular cloud , astrophysics , interstellar medium , interstellar cloud , astronomy , galaxy , stars
In a recent paper, Elmegreen has made a cogent case, from an observational point of view, that the lifetimes of molecular clouds are comparable to their dynamical time‐scales. If so, this has important implications for the mechanisms by which molecular clouds form. In particular, we consider the hypothesis that molecular clouds may form not by in situ cooling of atomic gas, but rather by the agglomeration of the dense phase of the interstellar medium, much, if not most, of which is already in molecular form.