C-type shocks in the interstellar medium: profiles of CH+ and CH absorption lines

We have computed optical absorption-line profiles of CH⁺ and CH, as predicted by a model of a C-type shock propagating in a diffuse interstellar cloud. Both these species are produced in the shock wave in the reaction sequence that is initiated by C⁺(H₂, H)CH⁺. Whilst CH⁺ flows at the ion speed, CH, which forms in the dissociative recombination reaction CH⁺₃(e⁻, H₂)CH, flows at a speed which is intermediate between those of the ions and the neutrals. The predicted velocity shift between the CH⁺ and CH line profiles is found to be no more than approximately 2 km s⁻¹, which is smaller than has previously been assumed. We also investigate OH and HCO⁺, finding that the correlation between their column densities, recently observed in the diffuse interstellar medium, can be reproduced by the model.     

Collapse and fragmentation of rotating, prolate clouds

We present the results of collapse calculations for uniformly rotating, prolate clouds performed using the numerical method: smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). The clouds considered are isothermal, prolate spheroids with different axial ratios ( a/b ), and with different values of β, the ratio of the rotational to gravitational energy. Small density perturbations are added to the clouds, and different initial perturbation spectra are studied. All of the clouds considered are strongly unstable to gravitational contraction, and so collapse to form a spindle configuration. Such a linear structure is unstable to fragmentation, so that the clouds break up into a number of subcondensations. The long-term evolution of the system is then determined by the angular momentum possessed by these fragments.
It is found that a number of the calculations performed result in the formation of orbitally stable binary systems, composed of two rotationally supported discs in orbit about their common centre of mass. Tidal interactions during closest approach, close three-body interactions and the continued accretion of material with high specific angular momentum are all found to increase the orbital separation during these calculations, ensuring that the systems do not merge at later times. The calculations are therefore relevant to the problem of binary star formation, though the systems produced tend to have large orbital separations and periods. One of the strong points of the models presented, however, is their ability to produce systems with a range of mass ratios and orbital eccentricities, without the explicit inclusion of biases in the initial conditions.     

Gas cooling by dust during dynamical fragmentation

We suggest that the abrupt switch, from hierarchical clustering on scales ≳ 0.04 pc, to binary (and occasionally higher multiple) systems on smaller scales, which Larson has deduced from his analysis of the grouping of pre-main-sequence stars in Taurus, arises because pre-protostellar gas becomes thermally coupled to dust at sufficiently high densities. The resulting change — from gas cooling by molecular lines at low densities to gas cooling by dust at high densities — enables the matter to radiate much more efficiently, and hence to undergo dynamical fragmentation. We derive the domain in which gas cooling by dust facilitates dynamical fragmentation. Low-mass (∼ M⊙) clumps — those supported mainly by thermal pressure — can probably access this domain spontaneously, albeit rather quasi-statically, provided that they exist in a region in which external perturbations are few and far between. More massive clumps probably require an impulsive external perturbation, for instance a supersonic collision with another clump, in order for the gas to reach sufficiently high density to couple thermally to the dust. Impulsive external perturbations should promote fragmentation, by generating highly non-linear substructures which can then be amplified by gravity during the subsequent collapse.     

On mixing processes in cumulus clouds

An examination is made of the hypothesis that internal cloud properties are determined by the mixing of dry air from above the cloud top and cloud base air in such a way that the mixture is neutrally buoyant with respect to the clear air environment at each level. It is concluded that the resulting mixture is much drier than is actually observed. Comments are made about observed cloud properties which need to be taken into account in any model of the mixing process.     

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.     

CO Clouds around SNR G21.8-0.6 and G32.8-0.1

We made the first CO(I—0) mapping to SNR G21.8-0.6 and SNR G32.8-0.1, both associated with OH 1720 MHz maser.Based on the morphological correspondence and velocity and position agreement between the radio remnant and the CO clouds,we tentatively identify the clouds that are respectively interacting with the two SNRs.     

The Dependence of the Geoeffectiveness of Interplanetary Flux Rope on Its Orientation,with Possible Application to Geomagnetic Storm Prediction

Interplanetary magnetic clouds (MCs) are one of the main sources of large non-recurrent geomagnetic storms. With the aid of a force-free flux rope model, the dependence of the intensity of geomagnetic activity (indicated by Dst index) on the axial orientation (denoted by θ and φ in GSE coordinates) of the magnetic cloud is analyzed theoretically. The distribution of the Dst values in the (θ, φ) plane is calculated by changing the axial orientation for various cases. It is concluded that (i) geomagnetic storms tend to occur in the region of θ<0°, especially in the region of θ≲−45°, where larger geomagnetic activity could be created; (ii) the intensity of geomagnetic activity varies more strongly with θ than with φ; (iii) when the parameters B ₀ (the magnetic field strength at the flux rope axis), R ₀ (the radius of the flux rope), or V (the bulk speed) increase, or |D| (the shortest distance between the flux rope axis and the x-axis in GSE coordinates) decreases, a flux rope not only can increase the intensity of geomagnetic activity, but also is more likely to create a storm, however the variation of n (the density) only has a little effect on the intensity; (iv) the most efficient orientation (MEO) in which a flux rope can cause the largest geomagnetic activity appears at φ∼0° or ∼ 180°, and some value of θ which depends mainly on D; (v) the minimum Dst value that could be caused by a flux rope is the most sensitive to changes in B ₀ and V of the flux rope, and for a stronger and/or faster MC, a wider range of orientations will be geoeffective. Further, through analyzing 20 MC-caused moderate to large geomagnetic storms during 1998 – 2003, a long-term prediction of MC-caused geomagnetic storms on the basis of the flux rope model is proposed and assessed. The comparison between the theoretical results and the observations shows that there is a close linear correlation between the estimated and observed minimum Dst values. This suggests that using the ideal flux rope to predict practical MC-caused geomagnetic storms is applicable. The possibility of the long-term prediction of MC-caused geomagnetic storms is discussed briefly.     

Deep convective clouds over the northern Pacific and their relationship with oceanic cyclones

Based on combined Cloud Sat/CALIPSO detections, the seasonal occurrence of deep convective clouds(DCCs) over the midlatitude North Pacific(NP) and cyclonic activity in winter were compared. In winter, DCCs are more frequent over the central NP, from approximately 30°N to 45°N, than over other regions. The high frequencies are roughly equal to those occurring in this region in summer. Most of these DCCs have cloud tops above a 12 km altitude, and the highest top is approximately 15 km. These wintertime marine DCCs commonly occur during surface circulation conditions of low pressure, high temperature, strong meridional wind, and high relative humidity. Further, the maximum probability of DCCs,according to the high correlation coefficient, was found in the region 10°–20° east and 5°–10° south of the center of the cyclones. The potential relationship between DCCs and cyclones regarding their relative locations and circulation conditions was also identified by a case study. Deep clouds were generated in the warm conveyor belt by strong updrafts from baroclinic flows. The updrafts intensified when latent heat was released during the adjustment of the cyclone circulation current. This indicates that the dynamics of cyclones are the primary energy source for DCCs over the NP in winter.     

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