TRACING TURBULENT AMBIPOLAR DIFFUSION IN MOLECULAR CLOUDS

Journal Article · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/718/2/905· OSTI ID:21455102

Huabai, Li ^[1]; Houde, Martin ^[2]; Shihping, Lai ^[3]

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1. Max-Planck Institute for Astronomy, Koenigstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)
2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7 (Canada)
3. Institute of Astronomy and Department of Physics, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China)

Though flux freezing is a good approximation frequently assumed for molecular clouds, ambipolar diffusion (AD) is inevitable at certain scales. The scale at which AD sets in can be a crucial parameter for turbulence and the star formation process. However, both observation and simulation of AD are very challenging and our knowledge of it is very limited. We recently proposed that the difference between ion and neutral velocity spectra is a signature of turbulent AD and can be used to estimate the AD scales and magnetic field strengths. Here, we present observational evidence showing that this difference between the velocity dispersions from coexistent ions and neutrals is indeed correlated with magnetic field strength.

• OSTI ID: 21455102
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 718; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
AMBIPOLAR DIFFUSION
ASTROPHYSICS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CLOUDS
DIFFUSION
IONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PHYSICS
SIMULATION
STARS
TURBULENCE