Can Turbulent, High-density Gas Form Stars in Molecular Clouds: A Case Study in Ophiuchus. (1st July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jiao, Sihan; Wu, Jingwen; Ruan, Hao; Lin, Yuxin; Tsai, Chao-Wei; Feng, Linjing
• Is Part Of: Research in astronomy and astrophysics. Volume 22:Number 7(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-07-01
• Subjects: ISM: clouds -- stars: formation -- ISM: structure; Astronomy -- Periodicals; Astrophysics -- Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1088/1674-4527/ac6850
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1674-4527

Abstract

Abstract: Star formation is governed by the interplay between gravity and turbulence in most of molecular clouds. Recent theoretical works assume that dense gas, whose column density is above a critical value in the column density probability distribution function (N-PDF), where gravity starts to overcome turbulence, becomes star-forming gas and will collapse to form stars. However, these high-density gases will include some very turbulent areas in the clouds. Will these dense but turbulent gases also form stars? We test this scenario in Ophiuchus molecular cloud using N-PDF analysis and find that at least in some regions, the turbulent, dense gas is not forming stars. We identified two isolated high-density structures in Ophiuchus, which are gravitationally unbound and show no sign of star formation. Their high densities may come from turbulence.