Time-dependent bow shocks and the condensation structure of Herbig-Haro objects

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/165819· OSTI ID:5404434

Raga, A C; Bohm, K H

Some Herbig-Haro objects show a structure which appears to look like a bow shock, but also show a number of condensations superposed on this bow-shaped structure. In the case of HH 1 and HH 2 considerably different proper motions have been measured for the individual condensations. It is, however, very hard to explain why the condensations remain so close to each other if they are indeed separate entities. In this paper it is shown that an interpretation of the whole Herbig-Haro object as a single, time-dependent bow shock provides a natural explanation for the occurrence of condensations (which in numerical calculations appear to be associated with thermal instabilities in the postshock flow) with different proper motions. To this effect, time-dependent, axisymmetric, nonadiabatic bow shock models have been developed from which predictions were obtained for spatially resolved H-alpha intensity maps, and then these predictions are compared qualitatively with observations of a few Herbig-Haro objects. 57 references.

• Research Organization: Washington Univ., Seattle
• OSTI ID: 5404434
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 323; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BALMER LINES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MORPHOLOGY
NEBULAE
PROTOSTARS
SHOCK WAVES
STAR EVOLUTION
STAR MODELS
TIME DEPENDENCE