The Evolution of Molecular Clouds: Turbulence-regulated Global Radial Collapse
The star formation efficiency (SFE) measures the proportion of molecular gas converted into stars, while the star formation rate (SFR) indicates the rate at which gas is transformed into stars. Here we propose such a model in the framework of a turbulence-regulated global radial collapse in molecula...
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| 格式: | 文件 |
| 语言: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| 丛编: | The Astrophysical Journal |
| 主题: | |
| 在线阅读: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb131 |
| _version_ | 1826550431629705216 |
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| author | An-Xu Luo Hong-Li Liu Jin-Zeng Li |
| author_facet | An-Xu Luo Hong-Li Liu Jin-Zeng Li |
| author_sort | An-Xu Luo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The star formation efficiency (SFE) measures the proportion of molecular gas converted into stars, while the star formation rate (SFR) indicates the rate at which gas is transformed into stars. Here we propose such a model in the framework of a turbulence-regulated global radial collapse in molecular clouds being in quasi-virial equilibrium, where the collapse velocity depends on the density profile and the initial mass-to-radius ratio of molecular clouds, with the collapse velocity accelerating during the collapse process. This simplified analytical model allows us to estimate a lifetime of giant molecular clouds of approximately 0.44−7.36 × 10 ^7 yr, and a star formation timescale of approximately 0.5–5.88 × 10 ^6 yr. Additionally, we can predict an SFE of approximately 1.59%, and an SFR of roughly 1.85 M _⊙ yr ^−1 for the Milky Way in agreement with observations. |
| first_indexed | 2025-03-14T06:37:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-db066090cc5c449fb4fb346dfd81e60c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-14T06:37:14Z |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-db066090cc5c449fb4fb346dfd81e60c2025-03-05T06:09:08ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-01981214710.3847/1538-4357/adb131The Evolution of Molecular Clouds: Turbulence-regulated Global Radial CollapseAn-Xu Luo0https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5853-2079Hong-Li Liu1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3343-9645Jin-Zeng Li2School of Physics and Astronomy, Yunnan University , Kunming, 650091, People’s Republic of China ; hongliliu2012@gmail.com; National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, 100101, People’s Republic of China ; ljz@nao.cas.cnSchool of Physics and Astronomy, Yunnan University , Kunming, 650091, People’s Republic of China ; hongliliu2012@gmail.comNational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing, 100101, People’s Republic of China ; ljz@nao.cas.cnThe star formation efficiency (SFE) measures the proportion of molecular gas converted into stars, while the star formation rate (SFR) indicates the rate at which gas is transformed into stars. Here we propose such a model in the framework of a turbulence-regulated global radial collapse in molecular clouds being in quasi-virial equilibrium, where the collapse velocity depends on the density profile and the initial mass-to-radius ratio of molecular clouds, with the collapse velocity accelerating during the collapse process. This simplified analytical model allows us to estimate a lifetime of giant molecular clouds of approximately 0.44−7.36 × 10 ^7 yr, and a star formation timescale of approximately 0.5–5.88 × 10 ^6 yr. Additionally, we can predict an SFE of approximately 1.59%, and an SFR of roughly 1.85 M _⊙ yr ^−1 for the Milky Way in agreement with observations.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb131Molecular cloudsStar formationInterstellar medium |
| spellingShingle | An-Xu Luo Hong-Li Liu Jin-Zeng Li The Evolution of Molecular Clouds: Turbulence-regulated Global Radial Collapse The Astrophysical Journal Molecular clouds Star formation Interstellar medium |
| title | The Evolution of Molecular Clouds: Turbulence-regulated Global Radial Collapse |
| title_full | The Evolution of Molecular Clouds: Turbulence-regulated Global Radial Collapse |
| title_fullStr | The Evolution of Molecular Clouds: Turbulence-regulated Global Radial Collapse |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Evolution of Molecular Clouds: Turbulence-regulated Global Radial Collapse |
| title_short | The Evolution of Molecular Clouds: Turbulence-regulated Global Radial Collapse |
| title_sort | evolution of molecular clouds turbulence regulated global radial collapse |
| topic | Molecular clouds Star formation Interstellar medium |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb131 |
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