The Intrinsic Shapes of Molecular Cloud Fragments over a Range of Length Scales

We decipher intrinsic three-dimensional shape distributions of molecularclouds, cloud cores, Bok globules, and condensations using recently compiledcatalogues of observed axis ratios for these objects mapped in carbon monoxide,ammonia, through optical selection, or in continuum dust emission. We applystatistical techniques to compare assumed intrinsic axis ratio distributionswith observed projected axis ratio distributions. Intrinsically triaxial shapesproduce projected distributions which agree with observations. Molecular cloudsmapped in $^{12}$CO are intrinsically triaxial but more nearly prolate thanoblate, while the smaller cloud cores, Bok globules, and condensations are alsointrinsically triaxial but more nearly oblate than prolate.