Formation of Structure in Molecular Clouds: A Case Study | Zendy

Fabian Heitsch | Zendy; Andreas Burkert | Zendy; Lee Hartmann | Zendy; Adrianne Slyz | Zendy; Julien Devriendt | Zendy

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Formation of Structure in Molecular Clouds: A Case Study

Author(s) -

Fabian Heitsch,

Andreas Burkert,

Lee Hartmann,

Adrianne Slyz,

Julien Devriendt

Publication year - 2005

Publication title -

the astrophysical journal

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.376

H-Index - 489

eISSN - 1538-4357

pISSN - 0004-637X

DOI - 10.1086/498413

Subject(s) - turbulence , molecular cloud , star formation , gravitational collapse , astrophysics , physics , structure formation , thermal , hydrogen , nonlinear system , flow (mathematics) , gravitation , mechanics , chemical physics , classical mechanics , galaxy , stars , meteorology , quantum mechanics

Molecular clouds (MCs) are highly structured and ``turbulent''. Colliding gasstreams of atomic hydrogen have been suggested as a possible source of MCs,imprinting the filamentary structure as a consequence of dynamical and thermalinstabilities. We present a 2D numerical analysis of MC formation viaconverging HI flows. Even with modest flow speeds and completely uniforminflows, non-linear density perturbations as possible precursors of MCs arise.Thus, we suggest that MCs are inevitably formed with substantial structure,e.g., strong density and velocity fluctuations, which provide the initialconditions for subsequent gravitational collapse and star formation in avariety of galactic and extragalactic environments.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, resubmitted to ApJ

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