Cardiff University | Prifysgol Caerdydd ORCA
Online Research @ Cardiff 
WelshClear Cookie - decide language by browser settings

Ionization compression impact on dense gas distribution and star formation Probability density functions around H II regions as seen by Herschel

Tremblin, P., Schneider, N., Minier, V., Didelon, P., Hill, T., Anderson, L. D., Motte, F., Zavagno, A., Andre, Ph., Aroumanian, D., Audit, E., Benedettini, M., Bontemps, S., Csengeri, T., Di Francesco, J., Giannini, T., Hennemann, M., Nguyen Luong, Q., Marston, A. P., Peretto, Nicolas ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6893-602X, Rivera-Ingraham, A., Russeil, D., Rydl, K. L. J., Spinoglio, L. and White, G. J. 2014. Ionization compression impact on dense gas distribution and star formation Probability density functions around H II regions as seen by Herschel. Astronomy and Astrophysics 564 , A106. 10.1051/0004-6361/201322700

[thumbnail of 1401.7333v1.pdf]
Preview
PDF - Accepted Post-Print Version
Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract

Ionization feedback should impact the probability distribution function (PDF) of the column density around the ionized gas. We aim to quantify this effect and discuss its potential link to the Core and Initial Mass Function (CMF/IMF). We used in a systematic way Herschel column density maps of several regions observed within the HOBYS key program: M16, the Rosette and Vela C molecular cloud, and the RCW 120 H ii region. We fitted the column density PDFs of all clouds with two lognormal distributions, since they present a double-peak or enlarged shape in the PDF. Our interpretation is that the lowest part of the column density distribution describes the turbulent molecular gas while the second peak corresponds to a compression zone induced by the expansion of the ionized gas into the turbulent molecular cloud. The condensations at the edge of the ionized gas have a steep compressed radial profile, sometimes recognizable in the flattening of the power-law tail. This could lead to an unambiguous criterion able to disentangle triggered from pre-existing star formation. In the context of the gravo-turbulent scenario for the origin of the CMF/IMF, the double peaked/enlarged shape of the PDF may impact the formation of objects at both the low-mass and the high-mass end of the CMF/IMF. In particular a broader PDF is required by the gravo-turbulent scenario to fit properly the IMF with a reasonable initial Mach number for the molecular cloud. Since other physical processes (e.g. the equation of state and the variations among the core properties) have already been suggested to broaden the PDF, the relative importance of the different effects remains an open question.

Item Type: Article
Date Type: Published Online
Status: Published
Schools: Physics and Astronomy
Subjects: Q Science > QB Astronomy
Q Science > QC Physics
Publisher: EDP Sciences
ISSN: 0004-6361
Date of First Compliant Deposit: 16 November 2016
Date of Acceptance: 28 January 2014
Last Modified: 19 Nov 2023 07:05
URI: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/94283

Citation Data

Cited 63 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item Edit Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics