Radiative Transfer in Star Formation: Testing FLD and Hybrid Methods

We perform a comparison between two radiative transfer algorithms commonly employed in hydrodynamical calculations of star formation: grey flux limited diffusion and the hybrid scheme, in addition we compare these algorithms to results from the Monte-Carlo radiative transfer code MOCASSIN. In disc like density structures the hybrid scheme performs significantly better than the FLD method in the optically thin regions, with comparable results in optically thick regions. In the case of a forming high mass star we find the FLD method significantly underestimates the radiation pressure by a factor of ~100.Comment: 4 Pages; to appear in the proceedings of 'The Labyrinth of Star Formation', Crete, 18-22 June 201

The effects of spatially distributed ionisation sources on the temperature structure of HII region

Spatially resolved studies of star forming regions show that the assumption of spherical geometry is not realistic in most cases, with a major complication posed by the gas being ionised by multiple non-centrally located stars or star clusters. We try to isolate the effects of multiple non-centrally located stars on the temperature and ionisation structure of HII regions, via the construction of 3D photoionisation models using the 3D Monte Carlo photoionisation code MOCASSIN. We find that the true temperature fluctuations due to the stellar distribution (as opposed to the large-scale temperature gradients due to other gas properties) are small in all cases and not a significant cause of error in metallicity studies. Strong emission lines from HII regions are often used to study the metallicity of star-forming regions. We compare integrated emission line spectra from our models and quantify any systematic errors caused by the simplifying assumption of a single, central location for all ionising sources. We find that the dependence of the metallicity indicators on the ionisation parameter causes a clear bias, due to the fact that models with a fully distributed configuration of stars always display lower ionisation parameters than their fully concentrated counterparts. The errors found imply that the geometrical distribution of ionisation sources may partly account for the large scatter in metallicities derived using model-calibrated empirical methods.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, Accepted by MNRA

Can grain growth explain transition disks?

Aims: Grain growth has been suggested as one possible explanation for the diminished dust optical depths in the inner regions of protoplanetary "transition" disks. In this work, we directly test this hypothesis in the context of current models of grain growth and transport. Methods: A set of dust evolution models with different disk shapes, masses, turbulence parameters, and drift efficiencies is combined with radiative transfer calculations in order to derive theoretical spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and images. Results: We find that grain growth and transport effects can indeed produce dips in the infrared SED, as typically found in observations of transition disks. Our models achieve the necessary reduction of mass in small dust by producing larger grains, yet not large enough to be fragmenting efficiently. However, this population of large grains is still detectable at millimeter wavelengths. Even if perfect sticking is assumed and radial drift is neglected, a large population of dust grains is left behind because the time scales on which they are swept up by the larger grains are too long. This mechanism thus fails to reproduce the large emission cavities observed in recent millimeter-wave interferometric images of accreting transition disks.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, accepted to A&

Effects of X-ray irradiation and disk flaring on the [NeII] 12.8 micron emission from young stellar objects

The [Ne II] fine-structure emission line at 12.8 micron has been detected in several young stellar objects (YSO) spectra. This line is thought to be produced by X-ray irradiation of the warm protoplanetary disk atmospheres, however the observational correlation between [Ne II] luminosities and measured X-ray luminosities shows a large scatter. Such spread limits the utility of this line as a probe of the gaseous phase of disks, as several authors have suggested pollution by outflows as a probable cause of the observed scatter. In this work we explore the possibility that the large variations in the observed [Ne II] luminosity may be caused instead by different star-disk parameters. In particular we study the effects that the hardness of the irradiating source and the structure (flaring) of the disk have on the luminosity and spectral profile of the [Ne II] 12.8 micron line. We find that varying these parameter can indeed cause up to an order of magnitude variation in the emission luminosities which may explain the scatter observed, although our models predict somewhat smaller luminosities than those recently reported by other authors who observed the line with the Spitzer Space Telescope. Our models also show that the hardness of the spectrum has only a limited (undetectable) effect on the line profiles, while changes in the flaring power of the disk significantly affect the size of the [Ne II] emission region and, as a consequence, its line profile. In particular we suggest that broad line profiles centred on the stellar radial velocity may be indicative of flat disks seen at large inclination angles.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures. accepted for publication in MNRA

Three-Dimensional Ionisation, Dust RT and Chemical Modelling of Planetary Nebulae

The assumption of spherical symmetry is not justified for the vast majority of PNe. The interpretation of spatially-resolved observations cannot rely solely on the application of 1D codes, which may yield incorrect abundances determinations resulting in misleading conclusions. The 3D photoionisation code MOCASSIN (Monte CAarlo SimulationS of ionised Nebulae) is designed to remedy these shortcomings. The 3D transfer of both primary and secondary radiation is treated self-consistently without the need of approximations. The code was benchmarked and has been applied to the study of several PNe. The current version includes a fully self-consistent radiative transfer treatment for dust grains mixed within the gas, taking into account the microphysics of dust-gas interactions within the geometry-independent Monte Carlo transfer. The new code provides an excellent tool for the self-consistent analysis of dusty ionised regions showing asymmetries and/or density and chemical inhomogeneities. Work is currently in progress to incorporate the processes that dominate the thermal balance of photo-dissociation regions (PDRs), as well as the formation and destruction processes for all the main molecular species.Comment: 3 pages, to appear in Proc. IAU Symp. 234, Planetary Nebulae in Our Galaxy and Beyond (3-7 Apr 2006), eds. M.J. Barlow & R.H. Mendez (Cambridge Univ. Press

Ionization--induced star formation V: Triggering in partially unbound clusters

We present the fourth in a series of papers detailing our SPH study of the effects of ionizing feedback from O--type stars on turbulent star forming clouds. Here, we study the effects of photoionization on a series of initially partially unbound clouds with masses ranging from $10^{4}$--$10^{6}$M$_{\odot}$ and initial sizes from 2.5-45pc. We find that ionizing feedback profoundly affects the structure of the gas in most of our model clouds, creating large and often well-cleared bubble structures and pillars. However, changes in the structures of the embedded clusters produced are much weaker and not well correlated to the evolution of the gas. We find that in all cases, star formation efficiencies and rates are reduced by feedback and numbers of objects increased, relative to control simulations. We find that local triggered star formation does occur and that there is a good correlation between triggered objects and pillars or bubble walls, but that triggered objects are often spatially-mixed with those formed spontaneously. Some triggered objects acquire large enough masses to become ionizing sources themselves, lending support to the concept of propagating star formation. We find scant evidence for spatial age gradients in most simulations, and where we do see them, they are not a good indicator of triggering, as they apply equally to spontaneously-formed objects as triggered ones. Overall, we conclude that inferring the global or local effects of feedback on stellar populations from observing a system at a single epoch is very problematic.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures (mostly degraded to get under the submission size limit), accepted by MNRA

Ionizing feedback from massive stars in massive clusters III: Disruption of partially unbound clouds

We extend our previous SPH parameter study of the effects of photoionization from O-stars on star-forming clouds to include initially unbound clouds. We generate a set of model clouds in the mass range $10^{4}-10^{6}$M$_{\odot}$ with initial virial ratios $E_{\rm kin}/E_{\rm pot}$=2.3, allow them to form stars, and study the impact of the photoionizing radiation produced by the massive stars. We find that, on the 3Myr timescale before supernovae are expected to begin detonating, the fractions of mass expelled by ionizing feedback is a very strong function of the cloud escape velocities. High-mass clouds are largely unaffected dynamically, while lower-mass clouds have large fractions of their gas reserves expelled on this timescale. However, the fractions of stellar mass unbound are modest and significant portions of the unbound stars are so only because the clouds themselves are initially partially unbound. We find that ionization is much more able to create well-cleared bubbles in the unbound clouds, owing to their intrinsic expansion, but that the presence of such bubbles does not necessarily indicate that a given cloud has been strongly influenced by feedback. We also find, in common with the bound clouds from our earlier work, that many of the systems simulated here are highly porous to photons and supernova ejecta, and that most of them will likely survive their first supernova explosions.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures (some degraded and greyscaled), accepted by MNRA

The timing and location of dust formation in the remnant of SN 1987A

The discovery with the {\it Herschel Space Observatory} of bright far infrared and submm emission from the ejecta of the core collapse supernova SN\,1987A has been interpreted as indicating the presence of some 0.4--0.7\,M$_\odot$ of dust. We have constructed radiative transfer models of the ejecta to fit optical to far-infrared observations from the literature at epochs between 615 days and 24 years after the explosion, to determine when and where this unexpectedly large amount of dust formed. We find that the observations by day 1153 are consistent with the presence of 3$\times$10$^{-3}$M$_\odot$ of dust. Although this is a larger amount than has previously been considered possible at this epoch, it is still very small compared to the amount present in the remnant after 24 years, and significantly higher dust masses at the earlier epochs are firmly ruled out by the observations, indicating that the majority of the dust must have formed at very late times. By 8515-9200 days after the explosion, 0.6--0.8\,M$_\odot$ of dust is present, and dust grains with radii greater than 2\,$\mu$m are required to obtain a fit to the observed SED. This suggests that the dust mass increase at late times was caused by accretion onto and coagulation of the dust grains formed at earlier epochs. These findings provide further confirmation that core collapse supernovae can create large quantities of dust, and indicate that the reason for small dust masses being estimated in many cases is that the vast majority of the dust forms long after most supernovae have been detectable at mid-infrared wavelengths.Comment: 13 pages, 16 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA