Cooling behind mildly supersonic shocks in molecular clouds

Details Cooling behind mildly supersonic shocks in molecular clouds Cooling behind mildly supersonic shocks in molecular clouds

Nov 1997

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997mnras.291..578w&link_type=abstract

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 291, p. 578

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

12

Interstellar Gas, Molecular Clouds, Supersonic Flow, Shock Wave Propagation, Star Formation, Cooling Flows (Astrophysics), Gas Temperature, Carbon Monoxide, Cosmic Dust

Scientific paper

Collisions between stable, thermally supported gas clumps produce shock-compressed layers. However, these layers then undergo gravitational fragmentation only if the gas cools - on a dynamical time-scale or faster - to below its pre-shock temperature. Here we present an approximate analytic treatment of post-shock cooling which demonstrates that, under the conditions prevailing in molecular clouds, where the typical collision speeds are -1 km/s, cooling by dust is likely to be the dominant cooling mechanism, and is sufficiently fast to satisfy this requirement. Cooling by CO appears to be of secondary importance.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Cooling behind mildly supersonic shocks in molecular clouds does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Cooling behind mildly supersonic shocks in molecular clouds, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cooling behind mildly supersonic shocks in molecular clouds will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-924316