arXiv subjects

P. Hennebelle

Publications and source records attributed to P. Hennebelle.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Protostellar collapse: radiative and magnetic feedbacks on small scale fragmentation

It is established that both radiative transfer and magnetic field have a strong impact on the collapse and the fragmentation of prestellar dense cores, but no consistent calculation exists yet at such scales. We present original AMR calculations including magnetic field (in the ideal MHD limit) and radiative transfer, within the Flux Limited Diffusion approximation, of the collapse of a 1 solar mass dense core. We compare the results with calculations performed with a barotropic EOS. We show that radiative transfer has an important impact on the collapse and the fragmentation, through the cooling or heating of the gas, and is complementary of the magnetic field. A larger field yields a stronger magnetic braking, increasing the accretion rate and thus the effect of the radiative feedback. Even for a strongly magnetized core, where the dynamics of the collapse is dominated by the magnetic field, radiative transfer is crucial to determine the temperature and optical depth distributions, two potentially accessible observational diagnostics. A barotropic EOS cannot account for realistic fragmentation. The diffusivity of the numerical scheme, however, is found to strongly affect the output of the collapse, leading eventually to spurious fragmentation. Both radiative transfer and magnetic field must be included in numerical calculations of star formation to obtain realistic collapse configurations and observable signatures. Nevertheless, the numerical resolution and the robustness of the solver are of prime importance to obtain reliable results. When using an accurate solver, the fragmentation is found to always remain inhibited by the magnetic field, at least in the ideal MHD limit, even when radiative transfer is included.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2009

On the Structure of the Turbulent Interstellar Clouds

{It is well established that the atomic interstellar hydrogen is filling the galaxies and constitutes the building blocks of molecular clouds.} {To understand the formation and the evolution of molecular clouds, it is necessary to investigate the dynamics of turbulent and thermally bistable as well as barotropic flows.} {We perform high resolution 3-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of 2-phase, isothermal and polytropic flows.} {We compare the density PDF and Mach number density relation in the various simulations and conclude that 2-phase flows behave rather differently than polytropic flows. We also extract the clumps and study their statistical properties such as mass spectrum, mass-size relation and internal velocity dispersion. In each case, it is found that the behaviour is well represented by a simple powerlaw. While the various exponents inferred are very similar for the 2-phase, isothermal and polytropic flows, we nevertheless find significant differences, such as for example the internal velocity dispersion which is smaller for 2-phase flows.} {The structures statistics are very similar to what has been inferred from observations, in particular the mass spectrum, the mass-size relation and the velocity dispersion-size relation are all powerlaws whose indices well agree with the observed values. Our results suggest that in spite of various statistics being similar for 2-phase and polytropic flows, they nevertheless present significant differences, stressing the necessity to consider the proper thermal structure of the interstellar atomic hydrogen for computing its dynamics as well as the formation of molecular clouds.}

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arXiv2009

Simulated CII observations for SPICA/SAFARI

We investigate the case of CII 158 micron observations for SPICA/SAFARI using a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) simulation of the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) and the Meudon PDR code. The MHD simulation consists of two converging flows of warm gas (10,000 K) within a cubic box 50 pc in length. The interplay of thermal instability, magnetic field and self-gravity leads to the formation of cold, dense clumps within a warm, turbulent interclump medium. We sample several clumps along a line of sight through the simulated cube and use them as input density profiles in the Meudon PDR code. This allows us to derive intensity predictions for the CII 158 micron line and provide time estimates for the mapping of a given sky area.

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arXiv2009

Disk formation during collapse of magnetized protostellar cores

In the context of star and planet formation, understanding the formation of disks is of fundamental importance. Previous studies found that the magnetic field has a very strong impact on the collapse of a prestellar cloud, particularly in possibly suppressing the formation of a disk even for relatively modest values of the magnetic intensity. Since observations infer that cores have a substantial level of magnetization, this raises the question of how disks form. However, most studies have been restricted to the case in which the initial angle, $α$, between the magnetic field and the rotation axis equals 0$^\circ$. We explore and analyse the influence of non aligned configurations on disk formation. We perform 3D ideal MHD, AMR numerical simulations for various values of $μ$, the ratio of the mass-to-flux to the critical mass-to-flux, and various values of $α$. We find that disks form more easily as $α$ increases from 0 to 90$^\circ$. We propose that as the magnetized pseudo-disks become thicker with increasing $α$, the magnetic braking efficiency is lowered. We also find that even small values of $α$ ($\simeq$ 10-20$^\circ$) show significant differences with the alligned case. Within the framework of ideal MHD and for our choice of initial conditions, centrifugally supported disks cannot form for values of $μ$ smaller than $\simeq$3, if the magnetic field and the rotation axis are perpendicular, and smaller than about $\simeq$5-10 when they are perfectly aligned.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2009

Supernova Propagation And Cloud Enrichment: A new model for the origin of $^{60}$Fe in the early solar system

The radioactive isotope $^{60}$Fe ($T_{1/2} = 1.5 $ Myr) was present in the early solar system. It is unlikely that it was injected directly into the nascent solar system by a single, nearby supernova. It is proposed instead that it was inherited during the molecular cloud stage from several supernovae belonging to previous episodes of star formation. The expected abundance of $^{60}$Fe in star forming regions is estimated taking into account the stochasticity of the star-forming process, and it is showed that many molecular clouds are expected to contain $^{60}$Fe (and possibly $^{26}$Al [$T_{1/2} = 0.74 $ Myr]) at a level compatible with that of the nascent solar system. Therefore, no special explanation is needed to account for our solar system's formation.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2008

From the warm magnetized atomic medium to molecular clouds

{It has recently been proposed that giant molecular complexes form at the sites where streams of diffuse warm atomic gas collide at transonic velocities.} {We study the global statistics of molecular clouds formed by large scale colliding flows of warm neutral atomic interstellar gas under ideal MHD conditions. The flows deliver material as well as kinetic energy and trigger thermal instability leading eventually to gravitational collapse.} {We perform adaptive mesh refinement MHD simulations which, for the first time in this context, treat self-consistently cooling and self-gravity.} {The clouds formed in the simulations develop a highly inhomogeneous density and temperature structure, with cold dense filaments and clumps condensing from converging flows of warm atomic gas. In the clouds, the column density probability density distribution (PDF) peaks at $\sim 2 \times 10^{21} \psc$ and decays rapidly at higher values; the magnetic intensity correlates weakly with density from $n \sim 0.1$ to $10^4 \pcc$, and then varies roughly as $n^{1/2}$ for higher densities.} {The global statistical properties of such molecular clouds are reasonably consistent with observational determinations. Our numerical simulations suggest that molecular clouds formed by the moderately supersonic collision of warm atomic gas streams.}

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Diffuse interstellar medium and the formation of molecular clouds

(Abridged) The formation of molecular clouds (MCs) from the diffuse interstellar gas appears to be a necessary step for star formation, as young stars invariably occur within them. However, the mechanisms controlling the formation of MCs remain controversial. In this contribution, we focus on their formation in compressive flows driven by interstellar turbulence and large-scale gravitational instability. Turbulent compression driven by supernovae appears insufficient to explain the bulk of cloud and star formation. Rather, gravity must be important at all scales, driving the compressive flows that form both clouds and cores. Cooling and thermal instability allow the formation of dense gas out of moderate, transonic compressions in the warm diffuse gas, and drive turbulence into the dense clouds. MCs may be produced by an overshoot beyond the thermal-pressure equilibrium between the cold and warm phases of atomic gas, caused by some combination of the ram pressure of compression and the self-gravity of the compressed gas. In this case, properties of the clouds such as their mass, mass-to-magnetic flux ratio, and total kinetic and gravitational energies are in general time-variable quantities. MCs may never enter a quasi-equilibrium or virial equilibrium state but rather continuously collapse to stars.

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arXiv2007

Magnetic processes in a collapsing dense core. I Accretion and Ejection

Abridged. It is important for the star formation process to understand the collapse of a prestellar dense core. We investigate the effect of the magnetic field during the first collapse up to the formation of the firstcore, focusing particularly on the magnetic braking and the launching of outflows. We perform 3D AMR high resolution numerical simulations of a magnetically supercritical collapsing dense core using the RAMSES MHD code and develop semi-analytical models that we compare with the numerical results. We study in detail the various profiles within the envelope of the collapsing core for various magnetic field strengths. Even modest values of magnetic field strength modify the collapse significantly. This is largely due to the amplification of the radial and toroidal components of the magnetic field by the differential motions within the collapsing core. For a weak magnetic intensity corresponding to an initial mass-to-flux over critical mass-to-flux ratio, $μ$ equals to 20, a centrifugally supported disk forms. The strong differential rotation triggers the growth of a slowly expanding magnetic tower. For a higher magnetic field strengths corresponding to $μ=2$, the collapse occurs primarily along the field lines, therefore delivering weaker angular momentum in the inner part whereas at the same time, strong magnetic braking occurs. As a consequence no centrifugally supported disk forms. An outflow is launched from the central thermally supported core. Detailed comparisons with existing analytical predictions indicate that it is magneto-centrifugally driven. For cores having a mass-to-flux over critical mass-to-flux radio $μ< 5$, the magnetic field appears to have a significant impact.....

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Magnetic processes in a collapsing dense core. II Fragmentation. Is there a fragmentation crisis ?

Abridged. A large fraction of stars are found in binary systems. It is therefore important for our understanding of the star formation process, to investigate the fragmentation of dense molecular cores. We study the influence of the magnetic field, ideally coupled to the gas, on the fragmentation in multiple systems of collapsing cores. We present high resolution numerical simulations performed with the RAMSES MHD code starting with a uniform sphere in solid body rotation and a uniform magnetic field parallel to the rotation axis. We pay particular attention to the strength of the magnetic field and interpret the results using the analysis presented in a companion paper. The results depend much on the amplitude, $A$, of the perturbations seeded initially. For a low amplitude, $A=0.1$, we find that for values of the mass-to-flux over critical mass-to-flux ratio, $μ$, as high as $μ= 20$, the centrifugally supported disk which fragments in the hydrodynamical case, is stabilized and remains axisymmetric. Detailed investigations reveals that this is due to the rapid growth of the toroidal magnetic field induced by the differential motions within the disk. For values of $μ$ smaller $\simeq 5$, corresponding to larger magnetic intensities, there is no centrifugally supported disk because of magnetic braking. When the amplitude of the perturbation is equal to $A=0.5$, each initial peak develops independently and the core fragments for a large range of $μ$. Only for values of $μ$ close to 1 is the magnetic field able to prevent the fragmentation. Since a large fraction of stars are binaries, the results of low magnetic intensities preventing the fragmentation in case of weak perturbations, is problematic. We discuss three possible mechanisms...

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arXiv2007

Numerical methods comparison for protostellar collapse calculations

The development of parallel supercomputers allows today the detailed study of the collapse and the fragmentation of prestellar cores with increasingly accurate numerical simulations. Thanks to the advances in sub-millimeter observations, a wide range of observed initial conditions enable us to study the different modes of low-mass star formation. The challenge for the simulations is to reproduce the observational results. Two main numerical methods, namely AMR and SPH, are widely used to simulate the collapse and the fragmentation of prestellar cores. We compare here thoroughly these two methods with numerical resolution requirements deduced from previous studies. Our physical model is as simple as possible, and consists of an isothermal sphere rotating around the z-axis. We first study the conservation of angular momentum as a function of the resolution. Then, we explore a wide range of simulation parameters to study the fragmentation of prestellar cores. There seems to be a convergence between the two methods, provided resolution in each case is sufficient. Resolution criteria adapted to our physical cases, in terms of resolution per Jeans mass, for an accurate description of the formation of protostellar cores are deduced from the present study. This convergence is encouraging for future work in simulations of low-mass star formation, providing the aforementioned criteria are fulfilled.

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arXiv2007

Effects of turbulent diffusion on the chemistry of diffuse clouds

Aims. We probe the effect of turbulent diffusion on the chemistry at the interface between a cold neutral medium (CNM) cloudlet and the warm neutral medium (WNM). Methods. We perform moving grid, multifluid, 1D, hydrodynamical simulations with chemistry including thermal and chemical diffusion. The diffusion coefficients are enhanced to account for turbulent diffusion. We post-process the steady-states of our simulations with a crude model of radiative transfer to compute line profiles. Results. Turbulent diffusion spreads out the transition region between the CNM and the WNM. We find that the CNM slightly expands and heats up: its CH and H$_2$ content decreases due to the lower density. The change of physical conditions and diffusive transport increase the H$^+$ content in the CNM which results in increased OH and H$_2$O. Diffusion transports some CO out of the CNM. It also brings H$_2$ into contact with the warm gas with enhanced production of CH$^+$, H$_3^+$, OH and H$_2$O at the interface. O lines are sensitive to the spread of the thermal profile in the intermediate region between the CNM and the WNM. Enhanced molecular content at the interface of the cloud broadens the molecular line profiles and helps exciting transitions of intermediate energy. The relative molecular yield are found higher for bigger clouds. Conclusions. Turbulent diffusion can be the source of additional molecular production and should be included in chemical models of the interstellar medium (ISM). It also is a good candidate for the interpretation of observational problems such as warm H$_2$, CH$^+$ formation and presence of H$_3^+$.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

On the structure of the interstellar atomic gas

The interstellar atomic hydrogen is known to be a 2-phase medium in which turbul ence plays an important rôle. Here we present high resolution numerical simulations describing the gas from tens of parsec down to hundreds of AU. This high resolut ion allows to probe numerically, the small scale structures which naturally arises from the turbulence and the 2-phase physics.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Influence of the magnetic field on the thermal condensation

The neutral atomic interstellar medium (HI) is well known to be strongly magnetized. Since HI is a 2-phase medium the questions arise of what is the effect of the magnetic field on a 2-phase medium, how magnetic field affects thermal instability ? Here we summarize analytical and numerical results which have been obtained previously to investigate this question.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Strongly triggered collapse model confront observations

Detailed modelling of individual protostellar condensations, is important to test the various theories. Here we present comparisons between strongly induced collapse models with one young class-0, IRAS4A in the Perseus cloud and one prestellar cloud observed in the Coalsack molecular cloud.

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arXiv2006

On the structure of the turbulent interstellar atomic hydrogen. II- First comparison between observation and theory

{It is necessary to understand the dynamics of the atomic gas to use complex modeling and to carry out detailed comparisons between theoretical models and observations.}{In a companion paper, we present high resolution bidimensional numerical simulations of the interstellar atomic hydrogen. Here, we further characterize these simulations and we compare our results with various observations.}{We give statistics of the column density and velocity along the line of sight and show that they compare favorably with observations of high-latitude lines of sight. We compute synthetic HI spectra and qualitatively discuss the information that could be inferred if these spectra were observed. Finally, we extract CNM clouds and study their physical properties finding strong similarities with real clouds. In particular, we find that the clouds follow Larson-type relations, i.e. $M \propto L^γ$, where $γ\simeq 1.7$ (we speculate that in 3D, $γ\simeq 2.5$) and $\sqrt{<δv^2>} \propto L^{0.4}$. We also find that the distribution, ${\cal N}(N)$, of the column density, $N$, of the CNM structures formed in the simulation follows ${\cal N}(N) \propto N^{-1.2}$ which is marginally compatible with the observational result obtained by Heiles & Troland (2005). From the mass-size relation and the mass spectrum, we derive an exponent for the column density distribution close to the value obtained in the numerical simulation.} {We conclude that the simulations reproduce various observational features reasonably well....}

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

On the structure of the turbulent interstellar atomic hydrogen. I- Physical characteristics

{We study in some details the statistical properties of the turbulent 2-phase interstellar atomic gas.{We present high resolution bidimensional numerical simulations of the interstellar atomic hydrogen which describe it over 3 to 4 orders of magnitude in spatial scales.}{The simulations produce naturally small scale structures having either large or small column density. It is tempting to propose that the former are connected to the tiny small scale structures observed in the ISM. We compute the mass spectrum of CNM structures and find that ${\cal N}(M) dM \propto M ^{-1.7} dM$, which is remarkably similar to the mass spectrum inferred for the CO clumps. We propose a theoretical explanation based on a formalism inspired from the Press & Schecter (1974) approach and used the fact that the turbulence within WNM is subsonic. This theory predicts ${\cal N}(M) \propto M ^{-5/3}$ in 2D and ${\cal N}(M) \propto M ^{-16/9}$ in 3D. We compute the velocity and the density power-spectra and conclude that, although the latter is rather flat, as observed in supersonic isothermal simulations, the former follows the Kolmogorov prediction and is dominated by its solenoidal component. This is due to the bistable nature of the flow which produces large density fluctuations even when the rms Mach number (of WNM) is not large. We also find that, whereas the energy at large scales is mainly in the WNM, at smaller scales, it is dominated by the kinetic energy of the CNM fragments.}

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arXiv2006

Probing the formation of intermediate- to high-mass stars in protoclusters II. Comparison between millimeter interferometric observations of NGC 2264-C and SPH simulations of a collapsing clump

The earliest phases of massive star formation in clusters are still poorly understood. Here, we test the hypothesis for high-mass star formation proposed in our earlier paper (Peretto et al. 2006). In order to confirm the physical validity of this hypothesis, we carried out IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometer observations of NGC 2264-C and performed SPH numerical simulations of the collapse of a Jeans-unstable, prolate dense clump. Our Plateau de Bure observations reveal the presence of a new compact source (C-MM13) located only \~ 10000 AU away, but separated by ~ 1.1 km/s in (projected) velocity, from the most massive Class 0 object (C-MM3) lying at the very center of NGC 2264-C. Detailed comparison with our numerical SPH simulations supports the view that NGC 2264-C is an elongated cluster-forming clump in the process of collapsing and fragmenting along its long axis, leading to a strong dynamical interaction and possible protostar merger in the central region of the clump. The present study also sets several quantitative constraints on the initial conditions of large-scale collapse in NGC 2264-C. Our hydrodynamic simulations indicate that the observed velocity pattern characterizes an early phase of protocluster collapse which survives for an only short period of time (i.e., < 10^5 yr). To provide a good match to the observations the simulations require an initial ratio of turbulent to gravitational energy of only ~ 5 %, which strongly suggests that the NGC 2264-C clump is structured primarily by gravity rather than turbulence. The required "cold'' initial conditions may result from rapid compression by an external trigger.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

A High Order Godunov Scheme with Constrained Transport and Adaptive Mesh Refinement for Astrophysical MHD

In this paper, we present a new method to perform numerical simulations of astrophysical MHD flows using the Adaptive Mesh Refinement framework and Constrained Transport. The algorithm is based on a previous work in which the MUSCL--Hancock scheme was used to evolve the induction equation. In this paper, we detail the extension of this scheme to the full MHD equations and discuss its properties. Through a series of test problems, we illustrate the performances of this new code using two different MHD Riemann solvers (Lax-Friedrich and Roe) and the need of the Adaptive Mesh Refinement capabilities in some cases. Finally, we show its versatility by applying it to two completely different astrophysical situations well studied in the past years: the growth of the magnetorotational instability in the shearing box and the collapse of magnetized cloud cores. We have implemented this new Godunov scheme to solve the ideal MHD equations in the AMR code RAMSES. It results in a powerful tool that can be applied to a great variety of astrophysical problems, ranging from galaxies formation in the early universe to high resolution studies of molecular cloud collapse in our galaxy.

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