35 research outputs found
The highly variable time evolution of star-forming cores identified with dendrograms
We investigate the time evolution of dense cores identified in molecular
cloud simulations using dendrograms, which are a common tool to identify
hierarchical structure in simulations and observations of star formation. We
develop an algorithm to link dendrogram structures through time using the
three-dimensional density field from magnetohydrodynamical simulations, thus
creating histories for all dense cores in the domain. We find that the
population-wide distributions of core properties are relatively invariant in
time, and quantities like the core mass function match with observations.
Despite this consistency, an individual core may undergo large (>40%),
stochastic variations due to the redefinition of the dendrogram structure
between timesteps. This variation occurs independent of environment and stellar
content. We identify a population of short-lived (<200 kyr) overdensities
masquerading as dense cores that may comprise ~20% of any time snapshot.
Finally, we note the importance of considering the full history of cores when
interpreting the origin of the initial mass function; we find that, especially
for systems containing multiple stars, the core mass defined by a dendrogram
leaf in a snapshot is typically less than the final system stellar mass. This
work reinforces that there is no time-stable density contour that defines a
star-forming core. The dendrogram itself can induce significant structure
variation between timesteps due to small changes in the density field. Thus,
one must use caution when comparing dendrograms of regions with different ages
or environment properties because differences in dendrogram structure may not
come solely from the physical evolution of dense cores.Comment: 20 pages, 17 figures. Submitted to MNRA
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First stars of the ρ Ophiuchi dark cloud
Star formation in molecular clouds can be triggered by the dynamical action of winds from massive stars. Furthermore, X-ray and UV fluxes from massive stars can influence the life time of surrounding circumstellar disks. We present the results of a 53 ks XMM-Newton observation centered on the ρ Ophiuchi A+B binary system. ρ Ophiuchi lies in the center of a ring of dust, likely formed by the action of its winds. This region is different from the dense core of the cloud (L1688 Core F) where star formation is at work. X-rays are detected from ρ Ophiuchi as well as a group of surrounding X-ray sources. We detected 89 X-ray sources, 47 of them have at least one counterpart in 2MASS+All-WISE catalogs. Based on IR and X-ray properties, we can distinguish between young stellar objects (YSOs) belonging to the cloud and background objects. Among the cloud members, we detect three debris-disk objects and 22 disk-less - Class III young stars.We show that these stars have ages in 5-10 Myr, and are significantly older than the YSOs in L1688. We speculate that they are the result of an early burst of star formation in the cloud. An X-ray energy of ≥5 × 1044 erg has been injected into the surrounding mediumover the past 5 Myr, we discuss the effects of such energy budget in relation to the cloud properties and dynamics.Astronom
Core Formation, Coherence and Collapse: A New Core Evolution Paradigm Revealed by Machine Learning
We study the formation, evolution and collapse of dense cores by tracking
density structures in a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation. We identify cores
using the dendrogram algorithm and utilize machine learning techniques,
including principal component analysis (PCA) and the k-means clustering
algorithm to analyze the full density and velocity dispersion profiles of these
cores. We find that there exists an evolutionary sequence consisting of three
distinct phases: i) the formation of turbulent density structures (Phase I),
ii) the dissipation of turbulence and the formation of coherent cores (Phase
II), and iii) the transition to protostellar cores through gravitational
collapse (Phase III). In dynamically evolving molecular clouds, the existence
of these three phases corresponds to the coexistence of three populations of
cores with distinct physical properties. The prestellar and protostellar cores
frequently analyzed in previous studies of observations and simulations belong
to the last phase in this evolutionary picture. We derive typical lifetimes of
1.41.010 yr, 3.31.410 yr and
3.31.410 yr, respectively for Phase I, II and III. We find
that cores can form from both converging flows and filament fragmentation and
that cores may form both inside and outside the filaments. We then compare our
results to previous observations of coherent cores and provide suggestions for
future observations to study cores belonging to the three phases.Comment: Submitted to Astrophysical Journal in June, 202
A Detailed Study of Spitzer-IRAC Emission in Herbig-Haro Objects (I): Morphology and Flux Ratios of Shocked Emission
We present a detailed analysis of Spitzer-IRAC images obtained toward six
Herbig-Haro objects (HH 54/211/212, L 1157/1448, BHR 71). Our analysis
includes: (1) comparisons in morphology between the four IRAC bands (3.6, 4.5,
5.8 and 8.0 um), and H2 1-0 S(1) at 2.12 um for three out of six objects; (2)
measurements of spectral energy distributions (SEDs) at selected positions; and
(3) comparisons of these results with calculations of thermal H2 emission at
LTE (207 lines in four bands) and non-LTE (32-45 lines, depending on particle
for collisions). We show that the morphologies observed at 3.6 and 4.5 um are
similar to each other, and to H2 1-0 S(1). This is well explained by thermal H2
emission at non-LTE if the dissociation rate is significantly larger than
0.002-0.02, allowing thermal collisions to be dominated by atomic hydrogen. In
contrast, the 5.8 and 8.0 um emission shows different morphologies from the
others in some regions. This emission appears to be more enhanced at the wakes
in bow shocks, or less enhanced in patchy structures in the jet. These
tendencies are explained by the fact that thermal H2 emission in the 5.8 and
8.0 um band is enhanced in regions at lower densities and temperatures.
Throughout, the observed similarities and differences in morphology between
four bands and 1-0 S(1) are well explained by thermal H2 emission. The observed
SEDs are categorized into:- (A) those in which the flux monotonically increases
with wavelength; and (B) those with excess emission at 4.5-um. The type-A SEDs
are explained by thermal H2 emission, in particular with simple shock models
with a power-law cooling function. Our calculations suggest that the type-B
SEDs require extra contaminating emission in the 4.5-um band. The CO
vibrational emission is the most promising candidate, and the other
contaminants discussed to date are not likely to explain the observed SEDs.Comment: 35 pages, 21 figures, 6 tables, accepted by Astrophysical Journa
Local Magnetic Field Role in Star Formation
We highlight distinct and systematic observational features of magnetic field
morphologies in polarized submm dust continuum. We illustrate this with
specific examples and show statistical trends from a sample of 50 star-forming
regions.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; to appear in the EAS Proceedings of the 6th
Zermatt ISM Symposium "Conditions and Impact of Star Formation from Lab to
Space", September 201
Magnetic Fields and Massive Star Formation
Massive stars ( \msun) typically form in parsec-scale molecular clumps
that collapse and fragment, leading to the birth of a cluster of stellar
objects. We investigate the role of magnetic fields in this process through
dust polarization at 870 m obtained with the Submillimeter Array (SMA).
The SMA observations reveal polarization at scales of \lsim 0.1 pc. The
polarization pattern in these objects ranges from ordered hour-glass
configurations to more chaotic distributions. By comparing the SMA data with
the single dish data at parsec scales, we found that magnetic fields at dense
core scales are either aligned within of or perpendicular to the
parsec-scale magnetic fields. This finding indicates that magnetic fields play
an important role during the collapse and fragmentation of massive molecular
clumps and the formation of dense cores. We further compare magnetic fields in
dense cores with the major axis of molecular outflows. Despite a limited number
of outflows, we found that the outflow axis appears to be randomly oriented
with respect to the magnetic field in the core. This result suggests that at
the scale of accretion disks (\lsim 10^3 AU), angular momentum and dynamic
interactions possibly due to close binary or multiple systems dominate over
magnetic fields. With this unprecedentedly large sample massive clumps, we
argue on a statistical basis that magnetic fields play an important role during
the formation of dense cores at spatial scale of 0.01 - 0.1 pc in the context
of massive star and cluster star formation.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa
The Green Bank Ammonia Survey (GAS): First Results of NH3 mapping the Gould Belt
We present an overview of the first data release (DR1) and first-look science
from the Green Bank Ammonia Survey (GAS). GAS is a Large Program at the Green
Bank Telescope to map all Gould Belt star-forming regions with
mag visible from the northern hemisphere in emission from NH and other key
molecular tracers. This first release includes the data for four regions in
Gould Belt clouds: B18 in Taurus, NGC 1333 in Perseus, L1688 in Ophiuchus, and
Orion A North in Orion. We compare the NH emission to dust continuum
emission from Herschel, and find that the two tracers correspond closely.
NH is present in over 60\% of lines-of-sight with mag in
three of the four DR1 regions, in agreement with expectations from previous
observations. The sole exception is B18, where NH is detected toward ~ 40\%
of lines-of-sight with mag. Moreover, we find that the NH
emission is generally extended beyond the typical 0.1 pc length scales of dense
cores. We produce maps of the gas kinematics, temperature, and NH column
densities through forward modeling of the hyperfine structure of the NH
(1,1) and (2,2) lines. We show that the NH velocity dispersion,
, and gas kinetic temperature, , vary systematically between
the regions included in this release, with an increase in both the mean value
and spread of and with increasing star formation activity.
The data presented in this paper are publicly available.Comment: 33 pages, 27 figures, accepted to ApJS. Datasets are publicly
available: https://dataverse.harvard.edu/dataverse/GAS_DR
Droplets I: Pressure-Dominated Sub-0.1 pc Coherent Structures in L1688 and B18
We present the observation and analysis of newly discovered coherent
structures in the L1688 region of Ophiuchus and the B18 region of Taurus. Using
data from the Green Bank Ammonia Survey (GAS), we identify regions of high
density and near-constant, almost-thermal, velocity dispersion. Eighteen
coherent structures are revealed, twelve in L1688 and six in B18, each of which
shows a sharp "transition to coherence" in velocity dispersion around its
periphery. The identification of these structures provides a chance to study
the coherent structures in molecular clouds statistically. The identified
coherent structures have a typical radius of 0.04 pc and a typical mass of 0.4
Msun, generally smaller than previously known coherent cores identified by
Goodman et al. (1998), Caselli et al. (2002), and Pineda et al. (2010). We call
these structures "droplets." We find that unlike previously known coherent
cores, these structures are not virially bound by self-gravity and are instead
predominantly confined by ambient pressure. The droplets have density profiles
shallower than a critical Bonnor-Ebert sphere, and they have a velocity (VLSR)
distribution consistent with the dense gas motions traced by NH3 emission.
These results point to a potential formation mechanism through pressure
compression and turbulent processes in the dense gas. We present a comparison
with a magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a star-forming region, and we
speculate on the relationship of droplets with larger, gravitationally bound
coherent cores, as well as on the role that droplets and other coherent
structures play in the star formation process.Comment: Accepted by ApJ in April, 201