Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2003-09-26
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
8 pages, 2 figures. To appear in the Proceedings of IAU Symposium 221, "Star Formation at High Angular Resolution", Editors M.
Scientific paper
We summarize the current status of the turbulent model of star formation in turbulent molecular clouds. In this model, clouds, clumps and cores form a hierarchy of nested density fluctuations caused by the turbulence, and either collapse or re-expand. Cores that collapse can be either internally sub- or super-sonic. The former cannot further fragment, and can possibly be associated with the formation of a single or a few stars. The latter, instead, can undergo turbulent fragmentation during their collapse, and probably give rise to a cluster of bound objects. The star formation efficiency is low because only a small fraction of the density fluctuations proceed to collapse. Those that do not may constitute a class of ``failed'' cores that can be associated with the observed starless cores. ``Synthetic'' observations of cores in numerical simulations of non-magnetic turbulence show that a large fraction of them have subsonic internal velocity dispersions, can be fitted by Bonnor-Ebert column density profiles, and exhibit ``coherence'' (an apparent independence of linewidth with column density near the projected core centers), in agreement with observed properties of molecular cloud cores.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Turbulent Star Formation Model. Outline and Tests 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 The Turbulent Star Formation Model. Outline and Tests, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Turbulent Star Formation Model. Outline and Tests will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-650643