Gravitational contraction of cold interstellar clouds with a magnetic field
Journal Article
·
· Sov. Astron. AJ (Engl. Transl.); (United States)
OSTI ID:7256346
A simplified model for the isothermal gravitational contraction of a gas cloud with a magnetic field is considered. Upon reaching a state of centrifugal equilibrium, the cloud will lose angular momentum and gradually contract to a density rho/sub D/ at which diffusion of the magnetic field through the gas becomes important. Subsequently the cloud will contract to a disk until condensations are formed whose mass is of the order of stellar masses. The contraction will take approximately-less-than10/sup 7/ yr if the cloud initially has a very small angular momentum, or if the medium in which the cloud was formed has a density approximately-greater-than10/sup -20/ g/cm/sup 3/. Otherwise the condensation of gas into stars may take tens of millions of years because of the inefficient braking of the rotation of the cloud by the magnetic field.
- Research Organization:
- Shternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow
- OSTI ID:
- 7256346
- Journal Information:
- Sov. Astron. AJ (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Astron. AJ (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 2:6; ISSN SAAJA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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