Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
1999-03-14
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Submitted to ApJ with 10 figures
Scientific paper
10.1086/307613
Molecular clouds are supported by thermal pressure, magnetic pressure, and turbulent pressure. Each of these can be modeled with a polytropic equation of state, so that overall the total pressure is the sum of the individual components. We model the turbulent pressure as being due to a superposition of Alfven waves. The theory of polytropes is generalized to allow for the flow of entropy in response to a perturbation, as expected for the entropy associated with wave pressure. The equation of state of molecular clouds is "soft", so that the properties of the clouds are generally governed by the conditions at the surface. In general, the polytropes are not isentropic, and this permits large density and pressure drops to occur between the center and the edge of the polytropes, as is observed.
Holliman John H.
II
McKee Christopher F.
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