Correlation analysis of the Taurus molecular cloud complex
Autocorrelation and power spectrum methods were applied to the analysis of the density and velocity structure of the Taurus Complex and Heiles Cloud 2 as traced out by /sup 13/CO J = 1 ..-->.. 0 molecular line observations obtained with the 14m antenna of the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory. Statistically significant correlations in the spacing of density fluctuations within the Taurus Complex and Heiles 2 were uncovered. The length scales of the observed correlations correspond in magnitude to the Jeans wavelengths characterizing gravitational instabilities with (i) interstellar atomic hydrogen gas for the case of the Taurus complex, and (ii) molecular hydrogen for Heiles 2. The observed correlations may be the signatures of past and current gravitational instabilities frozen into the structure of the molecular gas. The appendices provide a comprehensive description of the analytical and numerical methods developed for the correlation analysis of molecular clouds.
- Research Organization:
- Massachusetts Univ., Amherst (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6752634
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
MILKY WAY
STAR CLUSTERS
MOLECULES
CLOUDS
CORRELATIONS
DENSITY
GRAVITATIONAL INSTABILITY
VELOCITY
GALAXIES
INSTABILITY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA INSTABILITY
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
640105 - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies