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| EPoS Contribution |
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The Formation and Fragmentation of Filaments
Matthias Gritschneder U Munich, Munich, DE | |
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We analyze the stability of filaments in equilibrium between gravity and internal as well as external pressure using the grid based AMR-code RAMSES. It is well known that a straight marginable stable cylinder fragments into cores if the density is slightly perturbed. The cores form on the length scale of the fastest growing mode, set by the mass-to-line ratio of the filament. However, we discovered that a homogenous cylinder in a stable configuration starts to oscillate, is triggered into fragmentation, and collapses when it is bent, e.g. with a slight sinusoidal perturbation. This previously unstudied behaviour is important as it allows a filament to fragment at any given scale, as long as it has slight bends. In our realization in the figure below, the spacing between the cores matches the wavelength of the sinusoidal perturbation.
We then continue to investigate the formation of filaments by studying infall onto a filament and the created sub(sonic) turbulence. This enables us to address the question if quiescent, Ostriker-like filaments can be formed easily or if the initial conditions already set the future fragmentation properties. | |
| Collaborators: A. Burkert, U Munich, DE S. Heigl, U Munich, DE |
Key publication
Suggested Session: Filaments |