Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2005-10-06
Astrophys.J.638:191-195,2006
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
6 files; 4 figures; accepted for ApJ
Scientific paper
10.1086/498640
New 13CO data from the BU-FCRAO Milky Way Galactic Ring Survey (GRS) are analyzed to understand the shape and internal motions of molecular clouds. For a sample of more than five hundred molecular clouds, we find that they are preferentially elongated along the Galactic plane. On the other hand, their spin axes are randomly oriented. We therefore conclude that the elongation is not supported by internal spin but by internal velocity anisotropy. It has been known that some driving mechanisms are necessary to sustain the supersonic velocity dispersion within molecular clouds. The mechanism for generating the velocity dispersion must also account for the preferred elongation. This excludes some driving mechanisms, such as stellar winds and supernovae, because they do not produce the systemic elongation along the Galactic plane. Driving energy is more likely to come from large scale motions, such as the Galactic rotation.
Hasegawa Tetsuo
Koda Jin
Sawada Tsuyoshi
Scoville Nick
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