scholarly journals Cloud–cloud collisions and triggered star formation

Author(s):  
Yasuo Fukui ◽  
Asao Habe ◽  
Tsuyoshi Inoue ◽  
Rei Enokiya ◽  
Kengo Tachihara

Abstract Star formation is a fundamental process for galactic evolution. One issue over the last several decades has been determining whether star formation is induced by external triggers or self-regulated in a closed system. The role of an external trigger, which can effectively collect mass in a small volume, has attracted particular attention in connection with the formation of massive stellar clusters, which in extreme cases may lead to starbursts. Recent observations have revealed massive cluster formation triggered by cloud–cloud collisions in nearby interacting galaxies, including the Magellanic system and the Antennae Galaxies as well as almost all well-known high-mass star-forming regions in the Milky Way, such as RCW 120, M 20, M 42, NGC 6334, etc. Theoretical efforts are going into the foundation for the mass compression that causes massive cluster/star formation. Here, we review the recent progress on cloud–cloud collisions and the triggered star-cluster formation, and discuss future prospects for this area of study.

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédérique Motte ◽  
Sylvain Bontemps ◽  
Fabien Louvet

This review examines the state-of-the-art knowledge of high-mass star and massive cluster formation, gained from ambitious observational surveys, which acknowledges the multiscale characteristics of these processes. After a brief overview of theoretical models and main open issues, we present observational searches for the evolutionary phases of high-mass star formation, first among high-luminosity sources and more recently among young massive protostars and the elusive high-mass prestellar cores. We then introduce the most likely evolutionary scenario for high-mass star formation, which emphasizes the link of high-mass star formation to massive cloud and cluster formation. Finally, we introduce the first attempts to search for variations of the star-formation activity and cluster formation in molecular cloud complexes in the most extreme star-forming sites and across the Milky Way. The combination of Galactic plane surveys and high–angular resolution images with submillimeter facilities such as Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) are prerequisites to make significant progress in the forthcoming decade.


2020 ◽  
Vol 644 ◽  
pp. A34
Author(s):  
G. Sabatini ◽  
S. Bovino ◽  
A. Giannetti ◽  
F. Wyrowski ◽  
M. A. Órdenes ◽  
...  

Context. Deuteration has been suggested to be a reliable chemical clock of star-forming regions due to its strong dependence on density and temperature changes during cloud contraction. In particular, the H3+ isotopologues (e.g. ortho-H2D+) seem to act as good proxies of the evolutionary stages of the star formation process. While this has been widely explored in low-mass star-forming regions, in the high-mass counterparts only a few studies have been pursued, and the reliability of deuteration as a chemical clock remains inconclusive. Aims. We present a large sample of o-H2D+ observations in high-mass star-forming regions and discuss possible empirical correlations with relevant physical quantities to assess its role as a chronometer of star-forming regions through different evolutionary stages. Methods. APEX observations of the ground-state transition of o-H2D+ were analysed in a large sample of high-mass clumps selected from the ATLASGAL survey at different evolutionary stages. Column densities and beam-averaged abundances of o-H2D+ with respect to H2, X(o-H2D+), were obtained by modelling the spectra under the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium. Results. We detect 16 sources in o-H2D+ and find clear correlations between X(o-H2D+) and the clump bolometric luminosity and the dust temperature, while only a mild correlation is found with the CO-depletion factor. In addition, we see a clear correlation with the luminosity-to-mass ratio, which is known to trace the evolution of the star formation process. This would indicate that the deuterated forms of H3+ are more abundant in the very early stages of the star formation process and that deuteration is influenced by the time evolution of the clumps. In this respect, our findings would suggest that the X(o-H2D+) abundance is mainly affected by the thermal changes rather than density changes in the gas. We have employed these findings together with observations of H13CO+, DCO+, and C17O to provide an estimate of the cosmic-ray ionisation rate in a sub-sample of eight clumps based on recent analytical work. Conclusions. Our study presents the largest sample of o-H2D+ in star-forming regions to date. The results confirm that the deuteration process is strongly affected by temperature and suggests that o-H2D+ can be considered a reliable chemical clock during the star formation processes, as proved by its strong temporal dependence.


2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S287) ◽  
pp. 133-140
Author(s):  
S. E. Kurtz

AbstractClass I 44 GHz methanol masers are not as well-known, as common, or as bright as their more famous Class II cousins at 6.7 and 12.2 GHz. Nevertheless, the 44 GHz masers are commonly found in high-mass star forming regions. At times they appear to trace dynamically important phenomena; at other times they show no obvious link to the star formation process. Here, we summarize the major observational efforts to date, including both dedicated surveys and collateral observations. The principal results are presented, some that were expected, and others that were unexpected.


2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S287) ◽  
pp. 182-183
Author(s):  
V. Migenes ◽  
I. T. Rodríguez ◽  
M. A. Trinidad

AbstractWe present and discuss VLA-EVLA high-sensitivity and spatial resolution observations of Water Vapor MASERs and continuum emission towards two sources that have been proposed in the literature to be high-mass star forming regions: IRAS 19217+1651 and 23151+5912. Our results indicate the presence of disks which can confirm that these regions are high-mass star forming regions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 611 ◽  
pp. L3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vlas Sokolov ◽  
Ke Wang ◽  
Jaime E. Pineda ◽  
Paola Caselli ◽  
Jonathan D. Henshaw ◽  
...  

High-mass star forming regions are typically thought to be dominated by supersonic motions. We present combined Very Large Array and Green Bank Telescope (VLA+GBT) observations of NH3 (1,1) and (2,2) in the infrared dark cloud (IRDC) G035.39-00.33, tracing cold and dense gas down to scales of 0.07 pc. We find that, in contrast to previous, similar studies of IRDCs, more than a third of the fitted ammonia spectra show subsonic non-thermal motions (mean line width of 0.71 km s−1), and sonic Mach number distribution peaks around ℳ = 1. As possible observational and instrumental biases would only broaden the line profiles, our results provide strong upper limits to the actual value of ℳ, further strengthening our findings of narrow line widths. This finding calls for a re-evaluation of the role of turbulent dissipation and subsonic regions in massive-star and cluster formation. Based on our findings in G035.39, we further speculate that the coarser spectral resolution used in the previous VLA NH3 studies may have inhibited the detection of subsonic turbulence in IRDCs. The reduced turbulent support suggests that dynamically important magnetic fields of the 1 mG order would be required to support against possible gravitational collapse. Our results offer valuable input into the theories and simulations that aim to recreate the initial conditions of high-mass star and cluster formation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 713 (2) ◽  
pp. 883-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bik ◽  
E. Puga ◽  
L.B.F.M. Waters ◽  
M. Horrobin ◽  
Th. Henning ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S287) ◽  
pp. 184-185
Author(s):  
Florian Niederhofer ◽  
Elizabeth Humphreys ◽  
Ciriaco Goddi ◽  
Lincoln J. Greenhill

AbstractRadio Source I in the Orion BN/KL region provides the closest example of high mass star formation. It powers a rich ensemble of SiO and H2O masers, and is one of only three star-forming regions known to display SiO maser emission. Previous monitoring of different SiO masers with the VLBA and VLA has enabled the resolution of a compact disk and a protostellar wind at radii <100 AU from Source I, which collimates into a bipolar outflow at radii of 100-1000 AU (see contribution by Greenhill et al., this volume). Source I may provide the best case of disk-mediated accretion and outflow recollimation in massive star formation. Here, we report preliminary results of sub-arcsecond resolution 325 GHz H2O maser observations made with the SMA. We find that 325 GHz H2O masers trace a more collimated portion of the Source I outflow than masers at 22 GHz, but occur at similar radii suggesting similar excitation conditions. A velocity gradient perpendicular to the outflow axis, indicating rotation, supports magneto-centrifugal driving of the flow.


Author(s):  
Kazuki Sato ◽  
Tetsuo Hasegawa ◽  
Tomofumi Umemoto ◽  
Hiro Saito ◽  
Nario Kuno ◽  
...  

Abstract We have developed a method to make a spectral-line-based survey of hot cores, which represent an important stage of high-mass star formation, and applied the method to the data of the FUGIN (FOREST Unbiased Galactic plane Imaging survey with the Nobeyama 45 m telescope) survey. First, we select hot core candidates by searching the FUGIN data for the weak hot core tracer lines (HNCO and CH3CN) by stacking, and then we conduct follow-up pointed observations on these candidates in C34S, SO, OCS, HC3N, HNCO, CH3CN, and CH3OH J = 2–1 and J = 8–7 lines to confirm and characterize them. We applied this method to the l = 10°–20° portion of the FUGIN data and identified 22 “HotCores” (compact sources with more than two significant detections of the hot core tracer lines, i.e., SO, OCS, HC3N, HNCO, CH3CN, or CH3OH J = 8–7 lines) and 14 “DenseClumps” (sources with more than two significant detection of C34S, CH3OH J = 2–1, or the hot core tracer lines). The identified HotCores are found to be associated with signposts of high-mass star formation such as ATLASGAL clumps, WISE H ii regions, and Class II methanol masers. Many of the FUGIN HotCores are identified with the Herschel Hi-GAL clumps with a median mass of 6.8 × 102 M⊙ and a median bolometric luminosity of 7.4 × 103 L⊙. Five of the seven HotCores with stronger CH3CN lines exhibit elevated gas temperatures of 50–100 K. These observations suggest that FUGIN HotCores are closely related to the formation of stars with medium to high mass. For those associated with ATLASGAL clumps, their bolometric luminosity to clump mass ratios are consistent with the star formation stages centered at the hot core phase. The catalog of FUGIN HotCores provides a useful starting point for further statistical studies and detailed observations of high-mass star forming regions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 638 ◽  
pp. A7 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Zavagno ◽  
Ph. André ◽  
F. Schuller ◽  
N. Peretto ◽  
Y. Shimajiri ◽  
...  

Context. Massive stars and their associated ionized (H II) regions could play a key role in the formation and evolution of filaments that host star formation. However, the properties of filaments that interact with H II regions are still poorly known. Aims. To investigate the impact of H II regions on the formation of filaments, we imaged the Galactic H II region RCW 120 and its surroundings where active star formation takes place and where the role of ionization feedback on the star formation process has already been studied. Methods. We used the large-format bolometer camera ArTéMiS on the APEX telescope and combined the high-resolution ArTéMiS data at 350 and 450 μm with Herschel-SPIRE/HOBYS data at 350 and 500 μm to ensure good sensitivity to a broad range of spatial scales. This allowed us to study the dense gas distribution around RCW 120 with a resolution of 8′′ or 0.05 pc at a distance of 1.34 kpc. Results. Our study allows us to trace the median radial intensity profile of the dense shell of RCW 120. This profile is asymmetric, indicating a clear compression from the H II region on the inner part of the shell. The profile is observed to be similarly asymmetric on both lateral sides of the shell, indicating a homogeneous compression over the surface. On the contrary, the profile analysis of a radial filament associated with the shell, but located outside of it, reveals a symmetric profile, suggesting that the compression from the ionized region is limited to the dense shell. The mean intensity profile of the internal part of the shell is well fitted by a Plummer-like profile with a deconvolved Gaussian full width at half maximum of 0.09 pc, as observed for filaments in low-mass star-forming regions. Conclusions. Using ArTéMiS data combined with Herschel-SPIRE data, we found evidence for compression from the inner part of the RCW 120 ionized region on the surrounding dense shell. This compression is accompanied with a significant (factor 5) increase of the local column density. This study suggests that compression exerted by H II regions may play a key role in the formation of filaments and may further act on their hosted star formation. ArTéMiS data also suggest that RCW 120 might be a 3D ring, rather than a spherical structure.


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