6,919 research outputs found
Observational Constraints on the Ages of Molecular Clouds and the Star-Formation Timescale: Ambipolar-Diffusion--Controlled or Turbulence-Induced Star Formation?
We revisit the problem of the star formation timescale and the ages of
molecular clouds. The apparent overabundance of star-forming molecular clouds
over clouds without active star formation has been thought to indicate that
molecular clouds are "short-lived" and that star formation is "rapid". We show
that this statistical argument lacks self-consistency and, even within the
rapid star-formation scenario, implies cloud lifetimes of approximately 10 Myr.
We discuss additional observational evidence from external galaxies that
indicate lifetimes of molecular clouds and a timescale of star formation of
approximately 10 Myr . These long cloud lifetimes in conjunction with the rapid
(approximately 1 Myr) decay of supersonic turbulence present severe
difficulties for the scenario of turbulence-controlled star formation. By
contrast, we show that all 31 existing observations of objects for which the
linewidth, the size, and the magnetic field strength have been reliably
measured are in excellent quantitative agreement with the predictions of the
ambipolar-diffusion theory. Within the ambipolar-diffusion-controlled star
formation theory the linewidths may be attributed to large-scale non-radial
cloud oscillations (essentially standing large-amplitude, long-wavelength
Alfven waves), and the predicted relation between the linewidth, the size, and
the magnetic field is a natural consequence of magnetic support of
self-gravitating clouds.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, uses emulateapj; accepted for publication in Ap
Ambipolar-Diffusion Timescale, Star-Formation Timescale, and the Ages of Molecular Clouds: Is There a Discrepancy?
We re-examine critically the estimates of the duration of different phases of
star formation and the lifetimes of molecular clouds, based on the ages of
T-Tauri stars, age spreads of stars in clusters, and statistics of pre-stellar
cores. We show that all available observational data are consistent with
lifetimes of molecular clouds comparable to 10 Myr, as well as with the
predictions of the theory of self-initiated, ambipolar-diffusion--controlled
star formation. We conclude that there exists no observational support for
either "young" molecular clouds or "rapid" star formation.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. 5 pages, 4
figures, uses emulateapj.cl
Constraints on the Space Density of Methane Dwarfs and the Substellar Mass Function from a Deep Near-Infrared Survey
We report preliminary results of a deep near-infrared search for
methane-absorbing brown dwarfs; almost five years after the discovery of Gl
229b, there are only a few confirmed examples of this type of object. New J
band, wide-field images, combined with pre-existing R band observations, allow
efficient identification of candidates by their extreme (R-J) colours.
Follow-up measurements with custom filters can then confirm objects with
methane absorption. To date, we have surveyed a total of 11.4 square degrees to
J~20.5 and R~25. Follow-up CH_4 filter observations of promising candidates in
1/4 of these fields have turned up no methane absorbing brown dwarfs. With 90%
confidence, this implies that the space density of objects similar to Gl 229b
is less than 0.012 per cubic parsec. These calculations account for the
vertical structure of the Galaxy, which can be important for sensitive
measurements. Combining published theoretical atmospheric models with our
observations sets an upper limit of alpha <= 0.8 for the exponent of the
initial mass function power law in this domain.Comment: 11 pages + 2 figures To be published in Astrophysical Journal Letter
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