Ionisation impact of high-mass stars on interstellar filaments

Minier, V.; Tremblin, Pascal; Hill, T.; Motte, F.; André, Ph.; Lo, Nadia; Schneider, N.; Audit, E.; White, G. J.; Hennemann, M.; Cunningham, M. R.; Deharveng, L.; Didelon, P.; Francesco, James Di; Elia, D.; Giannini, T.; Luong, Q. Nguyên; Pezzuto, S.; Rygl, K. L. J.; Spinoglio, L.; Ward-Thompson, Derek; Zavagno, A.

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219423

Cited by 50 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…A strong feedback similar to the situation in the CNC has been found in the Herschel study of the RCW36 bipolar nebula in Vela C by Minier et al (2013).…”

Section: Relative Importance Of Massive Star Feedback and Primordial supporting

confidence: 74%

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

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Preibisch

Ratzka

et al. 2013

A&A

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Context. The star formation process in large clusters/associations can be strongly influenced by the feedback from high-mass stars. Whether the resulting net effect of the feedback is predominantly negative (cloud dispersal) or positive (triggering of star formation due to cloud compression) is still an open question. Aims. The Carina Nebula complex (CNC) represents one of the most massive star-forming regions in our Galaxy. We use our Herschel far-infrared observations to study the properties of the clouds over the entire area of the CNC (with a diameter of ≈3.2 • , which corresponds to ≈125 pc at a distance of 2.3 kpc). The good angular resolution (10 −36 ) of the Herschel maps corresponds to physical scales of 0.1-0.4 pc, and allows us to analyze the small-scale (i.e., clump-size) structures of the clouds. Methods. The full extent of the CNC was mapped with PACS and SPIRE in the 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm bands. We determined temperatures and column densities at each point in these maps by modeling the observed far-infrared spectral energy distributions. We also derived a map showing the strength of the UV radiation field. We investigated the relation between the cloud properties and the spatial distribution of the high-mass stars and computed total cloud masses for different density thresholds. Results. Our Herschel maps resolve for the first time the small-scale structure of the dense clouds over the entire spatial extent of the CNC. Several particularly interesting regions, including the prominent pillars south of η Car, are analyzed in detail. We compare the cloud masses derived from the Herschel data with previous mass estimates based on sub-mm and molecular line data. Our maps also reveal a peculiar wave-like pattern in the northern part of the Carina Nebula. Finally, we characterize two prominent cloud complexes at the periphery of our Herschel maps, which are probably molecular clouds in the Galactic background. Conclusions. We find that the density and temperature structure of the clouds in most parts of the CNC is dominated by the strong feedback from the numerous massive stars, and not by random turbulence. Comparing the cloud mass and the star formation rate derived for the CNC with other Galactic star-forming regions suggests that the CNC is forming stars in a particularly efficient way. We suggest this to be a consequence of triggered star formation by radiative cloud compression.

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“…A strong feedback similar to the situation in the CNC has been found in the Herschel study of the RCW36 bipolar nebula in Vela C by Minier et al (2013).…”

Section: Relative Importance Of Massive Star Feedback and Primordial supporting

confidence: 74%

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

Roccatagliata

Preibisch

Ratzka

et al. 2013

A&A

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“…Towards the bipolar nebula around RCW 36 (Minier et al 2013), the ionization by the H ii region and the related increase in dust temperature can potentially introduce differences in the B ⊥ orientation across the BLASTPol wavelength bands. To test this, we evaluated the difference between the B ⊥ orientation inferred from the observations at different wavelengths in the region around RCW 36, where the dust temperature, derived from the Herschel observations, is larger than 20 K. The results, presented in the bottom panel of Fig.…”

Section: Notesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relation between the column density structures and the magnetic field orientation in the Vela C molecular complex

Soler

Ade

Angilè

et al. 2017

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We statistically evaluated the relative orientation between gas column density structures, inferred from Herschel submillimetre observations, and the magnetic field projected on the plane of sky, inferred from polarized thermal emission of Galactic dust observed by the Balloon-borne Large-Aperture Submillimetre Telescope for Polarimetry (BLASTPol) at 250, 350, and 500 µm, towards the Vela C molecular complex. First, we find very good agreement between the polarization orientations in the three wavelength-bands, suggesting that, at the considered common angular resolution of 3. 0 that corresponds to a physical scale of approximately 0.61 pc, the inferred magnetic field orientation is not significantly affected by temperature or dust grain alignment effects. Second, we find that the relative orientation between gas column density structures and the magnetic field changes progressively with increasing gas column density, from mostly parallel or having no preferred orientation at low column densities to mostly perpendicular at the highest column densities. This observation is in agreement with previous studies by the Planck collaboration towards more nearby molecular clouds. Finally, we find a correspondence between (a) the trends in relative orientation between the column density structures and the projected magnetic field; and (b) the shape of the column density probability distribution functions (PDFs). In the sub-regions of Vela C dominated by one clear filamentary structure, or "ridges", where the high-column density tails of the PDFs are flatter, we find a sharp transition from preferentially parallel or having no preferred relative orientation at low column densities to preferentially perpendicular at highest column densities. In the sub-regions of Vela C dominated by several filamentary structures with multiple orientations, or "nests", where the maximum values of the column density are smaller than in the ridge-like sub-regions and the high-column density tails of the PDFs are steeper, such a transition is also present, but it is clearly less sharp than in the ridge-like sub-regions. Both of these results suggest that the magnetic field is dynamically important for the formation of density structures in this region.

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“…Such regions are observed within the HOBYS 1 key program (see Motte et al 2010Motte et al , 2012, and our study focuses on typical examples, i.e. the Rosette Schneider et al 2010b) and M 16 molecular clouds (Hill et al 2012b), and the H ii regions RCW 120 Anderson et al 2010Anderson et al , 2012 and RCW 36 (in the Vela C molecular cloud, Hill et al 2011;Minier et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…If the gravitational collapse had happened before, we would expect the exponent to be close to 2 and to be only marginally affected by the ionization since the ionizing front did not overwhelm the condensation. Indeed, the numerical study in Minier et al (2013) in the case of RCW 36 showed that the collapse of a condensation that is located in the shell is likely to be triggered. If the condensation had gravitationally collapsed prior to the passage of the ionization front, the condensation would already be dense enough to resist the ionization front expansion.…”

Section: Rcw 120mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ionization compression impact on dense gas distribution and star formation

Tremblin

Schneider

Minier

et al. 2014

A&A

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Aims. Ionization feedback should impact the probability distribution function (PDF) of the column density of cold dust around the ionized gas. We aim to quantify this effect and discuss its potential link to the core and initial mass function (CMF/IMF). Methods. We used Herschel column density maps of several regions observed within the HOBYS key program in a systematic way: M 16, the Rosette and Vela C molecular clouds, and the RCW 120 H ii region. We computed the PDFs in concentric disks around the main ionizing sources, determined their properties, and discuss the effect of ionization pressure on the distribution of the column density. Results. We fitted the column density PDFs of all clouds with two lognormal distributions, since they present a "double-peak" or an 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. Such a double peak is not visible for all clouds associated with ionization fronts, but it depends on the relative importance of ionization pressure and turbulent ram pressure. A power-law tail is present for higher column densities, which are generally ascribed to the effect of gravity. 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 that is able to disentangle triggered star formation from pre-existing star formation. Conclusions. In the context of the gravo-turbulent scenario for the origin of the CMF/IMF, the double-peaked or enlarged shape of the PDF may affect the formation of objects at both the low-mass and the high-mass ends of the CMF/IMF. In particular, a broader PDF is required by the gravo-turbulent scenario to fit the IMF properly 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 said to broaden the PDF, the relative importance of the different effects remains an open question.

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Ionisation impact of high-mass stars on interstellar filaments

Cited by 50 publications

References 49 publications

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

The relation between the column density structures and the magnetic field orientation in the Vela C molecular complex

Ionization compression impact on dense gas distribution and star formation

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