Protostars and Planets VI, Heidelberg, July 15-20, 2013
Poster 1S053
Characterizing filament properties in simulations of magnetized, turbulent clumps
Klassen, Mikhail (McMaster University)
Pillsworth, Samantha (McMaster University)
Kirk, Helen (McMaster University)
Pudritz, Ralph (McMaster University)
Abstract:
Supersonic turbulence within molecular clouds gives rise to networks of filaments, now revealed with unprecedented clarity and detail by Herschel. To better understand the nature of filaments, their formation, and their relevance as sites for star formation, we perform supercomputer simulations of cluster-forming molecular cloud clumps of varying masses and magnetization, including radiation feedback from stars. The simulated volumes are of side lengths approximately 2 and 4pc, with either 500 or 1000 solar masses of molecular gas. We initialize our simulation with a turbulent velocity field that quickly gives rise to a web of filaments. We produce column density maps of the data from these simulations and identify filaments using the DisPerSE algorithm. We further analyze their radial density profiles and the mass-per-unit-length along the filaments. We find that purely hydrodynamic simulations result in more condensed filaments. Magnetized clouds slow the condensation of material onto filaments and result in shallower radial density profiles with less substructure. Star formation is seen only in the densest regions where filaments intersect. Our best-fit radial density profiles have power-law values comparable to those found from Herschel results.
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