Fluid dynamics of stellar jets in real time: Third Epoch Hubble Space Telescope images of HH 1, HH 34, AND HH 47
Journal Article
·
· The Astrophysical Journal
- Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Rice University
- Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States)
- Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), Berkshire (United Kingdom)
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
We present new, third-epoch Hubble Space Telescope Hα and [S II] images of three Herbig-Haro (HH) jets (HH 1&2, HH 34, and HH 47) and compare the new images with those from previous epochs. The high spatial resolution, coupled with a time series whose cadence is of order both the hydrodynamic and radiative cooling timescales of the flow, allows us to follow the hydrodynamic/magnetohydrodynamic evolution of an astrophysical plasma system in which ionization and radiative cooling play significant roles. Cooling zones behind the shocks are resolved, so it is possible to identify which way material flows through a given shock wave. The images show that heterogeneity is paramount in these jets, with clumps dominating the morphologies of both bow shocks and their Mach disks. This clumpiness exists on scales smaller than the jet widths and determines the behavior of many of the features in the jets. Evidence also exists for considerable shear as jets interact with their surrounding molecular clouds, and in several cases we observe shock waves as they form and fade where material emerges from the source and as it proceeds along the beam of the jet. Fine structure within two extended bow shocks may result from Mach stems that form at the intersection points of oblique shocks within these clumpy objects. Taken altogether, these observations represent the most significant foray thus far into the time domain for stellar jets, and comprise one of the richest data sets in existence for comparing the behavior of a complex astrophysical plasma flow with numerical simulations and laboratory experiments.
- Research Organization:
- Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- Contributing Organization:
- AWE LANL LLE General Atomics LLNL
- Grant/Contract Number:
- NA0000904
- OSTI ID:
- 1334724
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 21578329
- Journal Information:
- The Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: The Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 736; ISSN 0004-637X
- Publisher:
- Institute of Physics (IOP)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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