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A simulation of the collapse and fragmentation of cooling molecular cloudsThe application of the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics method to the fragmentation of rotating cloud and disk systems is described, allowing for molecular cooling due to H2 and CO. A novel approach to solving Poisson's equation for disklike structures which exploits the multigrid algorithm is also described. Numerical studies are presented which investigate the evolution of both rotating clouds and Maclaurin disks, in each case with both an isothermal equation of state and with molecular cooling. The results establish the influence of molecular cooling on the fragmentation of molecular clouds. The isothermal sequences, if they fragment at all, do so into far fewer lumps than the cooling sequences. This is not due to a cooling instability as such, but rather to the reduced thermal support. One of the sequences shows a remarkable similarity to the W49A star-forming region.
Document ID
19910057568
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Monaghan, Joe J.
(Monash University Clayton, Australia)
Lattanzio, John C.
(Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore; California, University Berkeley, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 375
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
91A42191
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: W-7405-ENG-48
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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