Fragmentation of isothermal rings and star formation

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/156397· OSTI ID:6879540

Norman, M L; Wilson, J R

Numerical studies of the collapse of a rotating interstellar cloud predict the formation of a ring of matter embedded in the infalling gas cloud. The assumption of axisymmetry in those calculations most likely limits their range of validity to the early stages of collapse before nonaxisymmetric perturbations become important. In this paper we present the results of calculations on the stability of an isothermal ring to nonaxisymmetric perturbations by numerically integrating the equations of hydrodynamics in three space dimensions.We find that the ring fragments primarily into two or three bodies in less than one-half of a rotation period of the ring. The implication for the observational fact that most stars occur in multiple systems is clear. We find the mass and specific angular momentum for each of the resulting bodies to be roughly 10% of those quantities of the initial gas cloud. A ''cascading'' process in star formation is discussed where each of the resulting bodies would form rings in its collapse, which would fragment, etc.

• Research Organization: Department of Applied Science, University of California, Davis; and Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, University of California, Livermore
• OSTI ID: 6879540
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 224:2; 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
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
BINARY STARS
DISTURBANCES
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INTERSTELLAR GRAINS
MECHANICS
NEBULAE
PARTICLES
STAR EVOLUTION
STARS