From filaments to outflows in magnetized molecular clouds
Ralph Pudritz (McMaster University) - Feb 4, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Turbulent fragmentation of gas in molecular clouds by supersonic
turbulence has the potential to provide a comprehensive theory of star
formation. A heirarchy of physical processes involved: from the formation
of large scale filaments in shocks, to the growth of star-forming cores
within them. On smaller scales, the collapse of overdense asymmetric
cores into disks and the early appearance of outflows become important for
understanding binary formation and star formation efficiencies. Magnetic
fields can play an important role on all of these physical scales - from
controlling the degree of fragmentation to enabling the appearance of
outflows. I present the results of our recent 3D numerical simulations of
magnetized, cooling, self-gravitating, cluster forming regions in
molecular clouds. We make contact with results of recent observations of
the mass functions and magnetic fields of cores, as well as the appearance
of outflows in the earliest stages of gravitational collapse and disk
formation.
The seminar will be held in 544 Campbell Hall.
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