Collapse of a Molecular Cloud Core to Stellar Densities: The First Three-Dimensional Calculations

We present results from the first three-dimensional calculations ever to follow the collapse of a molecular cloud core (~ 10^{-18} g cm^{-3}) to stellar densities (> 0.01 g cm^{-3}). The calculations resolve structures over 7 orders of magnitude in spatial extent (~ 5000 AU - 0.1 R_\odot), and over 17 orders of magnitude in density contrast. With these calculations, we consider whether fragmentation to form a close binary stellar system can occur during the second collapse phase. We find that, if the quasistatic core that forms before the second collapse phase is dynamically unstable to the growth of non-axisymmetric perturbations, the angular momentum extracted from the central regions of the core, via gravitational torques, is sufficient to prevent fragmentation and the formation of a close binary during the subsequent second collapse.Comment: ApJ Letters, in press (will appear in Nov 20 issue; available from the ApJ Rapid Release web page). 7 pages, incl. 5 figures. Also available at http://www.mpia-hd.mpg.de/theory/bat

The effect of magnetic fields on star cluster formation

We examine the effect of magnetic fields on star cluster formation by performing simulations following the self-gravitating collapse of a turbulent molecular cloud to form stars in ideal MHD. The collapse of the cloud is computed for global mass-to-flux ratios of infinity, 20, 10, 5 and 3, that is using both weak and strong magnetic fields. Whilst even at very low strengths the magnetic field is able to significantly influence the star formation process, for magnetic fields with plasma beta < 1 the results are substantially different to the hydrodynamic case. In these cases we find large-scale magnetically-supported voids imprinted in the cloud structure; anisotropic turbulent motions and column density structure aligned with the magnetic field lines, both of which have recently been observed in the Taurus molecular cloud. We also find strongly suppressed accretion in the magnetised runs, leading to up to a 75% reduction in the amount of mass converted into stars over the course of the calculations and a more quiescent mode of star formation. There is also some indication that the relative formation efficiency of brown dwarfs is lower in the strongly magnetised runs due to the reduction in the importance of protostellar ejections.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures, 8 very pretty movies, MNRAS, accepted. Version with high-res figures + movies available from http://www.astro.ex.ac.uk/people/dprice/pubs/mcluster/index.htm

Electrostatic Turbulence and Debye-scale Structures in Collisionless Shocks

We present analysis of more than 100 large-amplitude bipolar electrostatic structures in a quasi-perpendicular supercritical Earth's bow shock crossing, measured by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft. The occurrence of the bipolar structures is shown to be tightly correlated with magnetic field gradients in the shock transition region. The bipolar structures have negative electrostatic potentials and spatial scales of a few Debye lengths. The bipolar structures propagate highly oblique to the shock normal with velocities (in the plasma rest frame) of the order of the ion-acoustic velocity. We argue that the bipolar structures are ion phase space holes produced by the two-stream instability between incoming and reflected ions. This is the first identification of the ion two-stream instability in collisionless shocks

Gravitationally Lensed Gamma-Ray Bursts as Probes of Dark Compact Objects

If dark matter in the form of compact objects comprises a large fraction of the mass of the universe, then gravitational lensing effects on gamma-ray bursts are expected. We utilize BATSE and Ulysses data to search for lenses of different mass ranges, which cause lensing in the milli, pico, and femto regimes. Null results are used to set weak limits on the cosmological abundance of compact objects in mass ranges from 10$^{-16}$ to 10$^{-9}$ $M_{\odot}$. A stronger limit is found for a much discussed $\Omega = 0.15$ universe dominated by black holes of masses $\sim 10^{6.5} M_{\odot}$, which is ruled out at the $\sim$ 90% confidence level.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, fixed minor corrections. Accepted for publication in ApJ(L

The Initial Mass Function of Low-Mass Stars and Brown Dwarfs in Taurus

By combining deep optical imaging and infrared spectroscopy with data from the Two-Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) and from previous studies (e.g., Briceno et al.), I have measured the Initial Mass Function (IMF) for a reddening-limited sample in four fields in the Taurus star forming region. This IMF is representative of the young populations within these fields for masses above 0.02 Msun. Relative to the similarly derived IMF for the Trapezium Cluster (Luhman et al.), the IMF for Taurus exhibits a modest deficit of stars above one solar mass (i.e., steeper slope), the same turnover mass (~0.8 Msun), and a significant deficit of brown dwarfs. If the IMF in Taurus were the same as that in the Trapezium, 12.8+/-1.8 brown dwarfs (>0.02 Msun) are expected in these Taurus fields where only one brown dwarf candidate is found. These results are used to test theories of the IMF.Comment: to be published in The Astrophysical Journal, 24 pages, 6 figures, also found at http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/~kluhman/taurus

Unveiling the Circumstellar Envelope and Disk: A Sub-Arcsecond Survey of Circumstellar Structures

We present the results of a 2.7 mm continuum interferometric survey of 24 young stellar objects in 11 fields. The target objects range from deeply embedded Class 0 sources to optical T Tauri sources. This is the first sub-arcsecond survey of the 2.7 mm dust continuum emission from young, embedded stellar systems. The images show a diversity of structure and complexity. The optically visible T Tauri stars (DG Tauri, HL Tauri, GG Tauri,and GM Aurigae) have continuum emission dominated by compact, less than 1", circumstellar disks. The more embedded near-infrared sources (SVS13 and L1551 IRS5) have continuum emission that is extended and compact. The embedded sources (L1448 IRS3, NGC1333 IRAS2, NGC1333 IRAS4, VLA1623, and IRAS 16293-2422) have continuum emission dominated by the extended envelope, typically more than 85%. In fact, in many of the deeply embedded systems it is difficult to uniquely isolate the disk emission component from the envelope extending inward to AU size scales. All of the target embedded objects are in multiple systems with separations on scales of 30" or less. Based on the system separation, we place the objects into three categories: separate envelope (separation > 6500 AU), common envelope (separation 150-3000 AU), and common disk (separation < 100 AU). These three groups can be linked with fragmentation events during the star formation process: separate envelopes from prompt initial fragmentation and the separate collapse of a loosely condensed cloud, common envelopes from fragmentation of a moderately centrally condensed spherical system, and common disk from fragmentation of a high angular momentum circumstellar disk.Comment: 47 Pages, 18 Figures, ApJ accepte

Observational Implications of Precessing Protostellar Discs and Jets

We consider the dynamics of a protostellar disc in a binary system where the disc is misaligned with the orbital plane of the binary, with the aim of determining the observational consequences for such systems. The disc wobbles with a period approximately equal to half the binary's orbital period and precesses on a longer timescale. We determine the characteristic timescale for realignment of the disc with the orbital plane due to dissipation. If the dissipation is determined by a simple isotropic viscosity then we find, in line with previous studies, that the alignment timescale is of order the viscous evolution timescale. However, for typical protostellar disc parameters, if the disc tilt exceeds the opening angle of the disc, then tidally induced shearing within the disc is transonic. In general, hydrodynamic instabilities associated with the internally driven shear result in extra dissipation which is expected to drastically reduce the alignment timescale. For large disc tilts the alignment timescale is then comparable to the precession timescale, while for smaller tilt angles $\delta$, the alignment timescale varies as $(\sin \delta)^{-1}$. We discuss the consequences of the wobbling, precession and rapid realignment for observations of protostellar jets and the implications for binary star formation mechanisms.Comment: MNRAS, in press. 10 pages. Also available at http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~mbat

Polarization reorientation in ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate thin films with electron beams

Ferroelectric domain patterning with an electron beam is demonstrated. Polarization of lead zirconate titanate thin films is shown to be reoriented in both positive and negative directions using piezoresponse force and scanning surface potential microscopy. Reorientation of the ferroelectric domains is a response to the electric field generated by an imbalance of electron emission and trapping at the surface. A threshold of 500 µC/cm2 and a saturation of 1500 µC/cm2 were identified. Regardless of beam energy, the polarization is reoriented negatively for beam currents less than 50 pA and positively for beam currents greater than 1 nA

Fragmentation of a Molecular Cloud Core versus Fragmentation of the Massive Protoplanetary Disk in the Main Accretion Phase

The fragmentation of molecular cloud cores a factor of 1.1 denser than the critical Bonnor-Ebert sphere is examined though three-dimensional numerical simulations. A nested grid is employed to resolve fine structure down to 1 AU while following the entire structure of the molecular cloud core of radius 0.14 pc. A total of 225 models are shown to survey the effects of initial rotation speed, rotation law, and amplitude of bar mode perturbation. The simulations show that the cloud fragments whenever the cloud rotates sufficiently slowly to allow collapse but fast enough to form a disk before first-core formation. The latter condition is equivalent to $\Omega_0 t_{\rm ff} \gtrsim 0.05$, where $\Omega_0$ and $t_{\rm ff}$ denote the initial central angular velocity and the freefall time measured from the central density, respectively. Fragmentation is classified into six types: disk-bar, ring-bar, satellite, bar, ring, and dumbbell types according to the morphology of collapse and fragmentation. When the outward decrease in initial angular velocity is more steep, the cloud deforms from spherical at an early stage. The cloud deforms into a ring only when the bar mode m = 2 perturbation is very minor. The ring fragments into two or three fragments via ring-bar type fragmentation and into at least three fragments via ring type fragmentation. When the bar mode is significant, the cloud fragments into two fragments via either bar or dumbbell type fragmentation. These fragments eventually merge due to their low angular momenta, after which several new fragments form around the merged fragment via satellite type fragmentation.Comment: Accepted by ApJ, 53 pages, 27 figures. Document with high quality figures and movies are available in http://meric.i.hosei.ac.jp/~matsu/fragment03

Limits on the cosmological abundance of supermassive compact objects from a millilensing search in gamma-ray burst data

A new search for the gravitational lens effects of a significant cosmological density of supermassive compact objects (SCOs) on gamma-ray bursts has yielded a null result. We inspected the timing data of 774 BATSE-triggered GRBs for evidence of millilensing: repeated peaks similar in light-curve shape and spectra. Our null detection leads us to conclude that, in all candidate universes simulated, $\Omega_{SCO} < 0.1$ is favored for $10^5 < M_{SCO}/M_{\odot} < 10^9$, while in some universes and mass ranges the density limits are as much as 10 times lower. Therefore, a cosmologically significant population of SCOs near globular cluster mass neither came out of the primordial universe, nor condensed at recombination.Comment: 14 pages including 3 figures, appeared 2001 January 2