Inefficient star formation: the combined effects of magnetic fields and radiative feedback
Price, Daniel J.; Bate, Matthew R.
Date: 19 August 2009
Article
Journal
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publisher
Oxford University Press / Royal Astronomical Society
Publisher DOI
Abstract
We investigate the effects of magnetic fields and radiative protostellar feedback on the star formation process using self-gravitating radiation magnetohydrodynamical calculations. We present results from a series of calculations of the collapse of 50 M⊙ molecular clouds with various magnetic field strengths and with and without radiative ...
We investigate the effects of magnetic fields and radiative protostellar feedback on the star formation process using self-gravitating radiation magnetohydrodynamical calculations. We present results from a series of calculations of the collapse of 50 M⊙ molecular clouds with various magnetic field strengths and with and without radiative transfer. We find that both magnetic fields and radiation have a dramatic impact on star formation, though the two effects are in many ways complementary. Magnetic fields primarily provide support on large scales to low-density gas, whereas radiation is found to strongly suppress small-scale fragmentation by increasing the temperature in the high-density material near the protostars. With strong magnetic fields and radiative feedback, the net result is an inefficient star formation process with a star formation rate of ≲10 per cent per free-fall time that approaches the observed rate, although we have only been able to follow the calculations for 1/3 of a free-fall time beyond the onset of star formation.
Physics and Astronomy
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
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