High-mass star formation due to cloud-cloud collisions
Journal Article
·
· Astrophys. J.; (United States)
Observational evidence is presented for the compression of molecular gas in the interface between colliding GMCs, and it is proposed that this is the dominant mode for high-mass star formation in the Galaxy. For a sample of 94 GMCs associated with high-luminosity radio H II regions, the efficiency of OB star formation decreases significantly with increasing cloud mass over the observed mass range. It is concluded that star formation is generally not stimulated by an internal mechanism. The formation of OB stars by cloud-cloud collisions is suggested by the observed quadratic dependence of the Galactic H II region distribution on the local density of H2. The preference for OB star formation in spiral arms is then naturally accounted for by orbit crowding and the increased collision frequency of clouds in the spiral arms. 26 references.
- Research Organization:
- Owens Valley Radio Observatory, Pasadena, CA; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; Steward Observatory, Tucson, AZ
- OSTI ID:
- 6542353
- Journal Information:
- Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 310; ISSN ASJOA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COLLISIONS
COSMIC GASES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GASES
H2 REGIONS
LUMINOSITY
MASS
MILKY WAY
MOLECULES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS
SUPERMASSIVE STARS
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COLLISIONS
COSMIC GASES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GASES
H2 REGIONS
LUMINOSITY
MASS
MILKY WAY
MOLECULES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS
SUPERMASSIVE STARS