On the possible equation of state of a giant molecular cloud

We intend to probe into the nature of the thermodynamical equilibrium of an idealized isothermal, spherical, self-gravitating, giant molecular cloud. The necessity of invoking a frozen in magnetic field has been pointed out for clouds with uniform mass distribution. An equation of state corresponding to the macroscopic statistical equilibrium of the cloud, steeped into a weak homogeneous magnetic field, has also been derived.     

The density and magnetic field of the dense cores of the molecular cloud L 1630

The density and magnetic field strength of the dense cores in the Orion B molecular cloud are derived from the observed radius and FWHM line width based on the model of a uniformly magnetic sphere. We obtain the average magnetic field strength of 110μG and the average density of 8 × 10⁴/cm³ for the 39 cores, which agree closely with the observations. The method for deriving the density and magnetic field strength is applicable to the cores with R>0.2pc.     

Interaction between a high-velocity star and a hot dense cloud

In order to investigate the fate of a high-velocity star confined to a massive gas cloud, the hydrodynamic behavior of a radiation-dominated flow past a finite-size gravitating object is calculated. Such a study is important in the context of quasars and active galactic nuclei, since large gas clouds have been suggested to be associated with the phenomena occurring in these systems. In particular, we study the processes of mass and energy exchange between the ambient gas and the star. A significant result is that the effective accretion cross-section is found to be a substantial fraction of the stellar geometrical cross-section. Consequently, the buildup of massive stars via accretion of the surrouding gas may be important in determining the evolution of the system of stars confined to the cloud.     

Interstellar polarization in a molecular cloud in serpens

Observations of the polarization of stars in the direction of a molecular cloud in Serpens are presented. A dependence of the degree of linear polarization on total absorption A_v is found in their direction, different for stars in the cloud and in its vicinity. On this basis, it is concluded that the polarizing efficiency of particles in the cloud is reduced. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 397-403, July–September, 2000.     

Dust dynamics in dense molecular cores

We show that in a quiescent, dense pre-stellar core, exposed to the average interstellar radiation field, radiation pressure can cause the dust to migrate inwards, relative to the gas, on a time-scale of a few megayears – and faster if the radiation field is stronger than average. This has two potentially important effects.
First, there is an increase in the abundance of dust relative to gas in the inner parts of the core, and hence also in the efficiency of gas-cooling by dust. The increased cooling efficiency predisposes these regions to dynamical collapse and star formation. Additionally, it predisposes them to fragmentation, particularly if – as seems likely – the dust enhancements are stochastic and inhomogeneous, due to anisotropy of the incident radiation field and/or to directing of the migration by the local magnetic field. It also increases the metallicities of the resulting stars, and hence presumably the likelihood of planet formation in their accretion discs.
Secondly, there is a steepening of the optical-depth profile, especially at those impact parameters b where the visual optical depth through the core   τ _t∼1  . Since the observational evidence for steep optical-depth profiles in the outer envelopes of some pre-stellar cores (specifically   τ _t∝ b ^{- β}   , with   β ≳2)  constrains only the dust column density, this leaves open the possibility that the gas has a shallower column-density profile.     

Photon-photon absorption above a molecular cloud torus in blazars

Gamma rays have been observed from two blazars at TeV energies. One of these, Markarian 421, has been observed also at GeV energies and has roughly equal luminosity per decade at GeV and TeV energies. Photon-photon pair production on the infrared background radiation is expected to prevent observation above 1 TeV. However, the infrared background is not well known and it may be possible to observe the nearest blazars up to energies somewhat below 100 TeV where absorption on the cosmic microwave background will give a sharp cut-off. Blazars are commonly believed to correspond to low power radio galaxies, seen down along a relativistic jet; as such they are all expected to have the nuclear activity encircled by a dusty molecular torus, which subtends an angle of 90 degrees or more in width as seen from the central source. Photon-photon pair production can also take place on the infrared radiation produced at the AGN by this molecular torus and surrounding outer disk. We calculate the optical depth for escaping γ-rays produced near the central black hole and at various points along the jet axis for the case of blazars where the radiation is observed in a direction closely aligned with the jet. We find that the TeV emission site must be well above the top of the torus. For example, if the torus has an inner radius of 0.1 pc and an outer radius of 0.2 pc, then the emission site in Mrk 421 would have be at least 0.25 pc above the upper surface of the torus, and if Mrk 421 is observed above 50 TeV in the future, the emission site would have to be at least 0.5 pc above the upper surface. This has important implications for models of γ-ray emission in active galactic nuclei.     

Hydrated sulphuric acid in dense molecular clouds

We consider sulphur depletion in dense molecular clouds, and suggest hydrated sulphuric acid, H₂SO₄ ·  n H₂O, as a component of interstellar dust in icy mantles. We discuss the formation of hydrated sulphuric acid in collapsing clouds and its instability in heated regions in terms of the existing hot core models and observations. We also show that some features of the infrared spectrum of hydrated sulphuric acid have correspondence in the observed spectra of young stellar objects.     

The star-forming content of the W3 giant molecular cloud

We have surveyed a ∼0.9 square degree area of the W3 giant molecular cloud (GMC) and star-forming region in the 850-μm continuum, using the Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. A complete sample of 316 dense clumps were detected with a mass range from around 13 to  2500 M_⊙  . Part of the W3 GMC is subject to an interaction with the H  ii region and fast stellar winds generated by the nearby W4 OB association. We find that the fraction of total gas mass in dense, 850-μm traced structures is significantly altered by this interaction, being around 5–13 per cent in the undisturbed cloud but ∼25–37 per cent in the feedback-affected region. The mass distribution in the detected clump sample depends somewhat on assumptions of dust temperature and is not a simple, single power law but contains significant structure at intermediate masses. This structure is likely to be due to crowding of sources near or below the spatial resolution of the observations. There is little evidence of any difference between the index of the high-mass end of the clump mass function in the compressed region and in the unaffected cloud. The consequences of these results are discussed in terms of current models of triggered star formation.     

Accretion of Jupiter’s atmosphere from a supernova-contaminated molecular cloud

If Jupiter and the Sun both formed directly from the same well-mixed proto-solar nebula, then their atmospheric compositions should be similar. However, direct sampling of Jupiter’s troposphere indicates that it is enriched in elements such as C, N, S, Ar, Kr, and Xe by 2-6× relative to the Sun (Wong, M.H., Lunine, J.I., Atreya, S.K., Johnson, T., Mahaffy, P.R., Owen, T.C., Encrenaz, T. [2008]. 219-246). Most existing models to explain this enrichment require an extremely cold proto-solar nebula which allows these heavy elements to condense, and cannot easily explain the observed variations between these species. We find that Jupiter’s atmospheric composition may be explained if the Solar System’s disk heterogeneously accretes small amounts of enriched material such as supernova ejecta from the interstellar medium during Jupiter’s formation. Our results are similar to, but substantially larger than, isotopic anomalies in terrestrial material that indicate the Solar System formed from multiple distinct reservoirs of material simultaneously with one or more nearby supernovas (Trinquier, A., Birck, J.-L., Allegre, C.J. [2007]. Astrophys. J. 655, 1179-1185). Such temporal and spatial heterogeneities could have been common at the time of the Solar System’s formation, rather than the cloud having a purely well-mixed ‘solar nebula’ composition.     

The magnetic field in a protostellar cloud

General forms of theB-p relation are investigated in both the isothermal and the non-isothermal regions. The magnetic flux dissipation either by ambipolar diffusion or by Ohmic dissipation has been studied. The rates of heating due to the magnetic dissipation processes have been calculated in comparison with the rate of compressional heating.The magnetic field strength is derived as a function of flux/mass ratio, mass, density, and geometry of the isothermal cloud. In the non-isothermal region, the temperature is added to the above-mentioned variables.It has been found that the magnetic flux starts to dissipate via ambipolar diffusion at neutral density ofn>3×10⁹ cm^–3. Ambipolar diffusion continues effective until reaching densities ofn>10¹¹ cm^–3, where Ohmic dissipation dominates. Under some conditions, the electrons evaporate from the grain surface atn>10¹³ cm^–3, while the ions are still adsorbed on the grain surfce. In this case, the magnetic flux loss returns to be influenced by ambipolar diffusion.The rates of heating by both Ohmic dissipation _OD and ambipolar diffusion _AD are found to be smaller than the rate of compressional heating _C in case of magnetic dissipation. Assuming that the magnetic field is frozen in the medium, then _C is smaller than both _OD and _AD . The above results of heating were found in the non-isothermal region.     

Energetics of the molecular cloud W40

In this paper we study the main processes of energy exchange In the molecular lines and Infrared data, we estimate the basic physical parameters of the cloud and calculate its cooling and heating rates by gas and by dust. Based on the results of calculation, we discuss the energy constraints among the dust, the gas and the embedded infrared source.     

Submillimetre co rotational lines from dense cores in molecular clouds

A simple, spherically-symmetric, centrally-condensed model is constructed for a dense core in a molecular cloud. Optical depths and peak brightness temperatures are calculated for the 10 lowest rotational transitions of carbon monoxide. The cloud, using parameters given by observation for dark condensations in molecular clouds, turns out to be optically thin in these transitions, which allows the maximum density and density distribution to be estimated.     

Neutron stars and the dense matter equation of state

Neutron stars provide a unique laboratory with which to study cold, dense matter. The observational quantities of primary astrophysics interest are the maximum mass and the typical radius of a neutron star. These quantities are related to the relative stiffness of neutron-rich matter at supernuclear densities and the density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy near the nuclear saturation density. The measurements of these nuclear properties via nuclear systematics and structure, heavy-ion collisions and parity-violating electron scattering from neutron-rich nuclei, are discussed. Several new observations, including mass measurements of binary pulsars and a confirmed distance determination for a nearby cooling neutron star, will be summarized. Additionally addressed will be observations of thermal emissions from cooling neutron stars in globular clusters and thermonuclear explosions from accreting stars. It will be demonstrated how this astrophysical data is shedding light on the pressure-density relation of extremely dense matter.