Poster abstract
Collisions of supersonic clouds
Abstract
We present simulations of collisions between molecular clouds. The simulations are performed with the SEREN SPH code.
We examine the results of cloud collisions between low-mass cores of ~0.2--10 $\,{\rm M}_\odot$ modelled as Bonner-Ebert spheres. We consider the effects of varying mass, impact parameter, collision velocity, internal turbulence and the external pressure environment. We find that these cloud-cloud collisions can lead to cloud disruption, merging or collapse.
We also examine collisions between larger clouds of up to 500 $\,{\rm M}_\odot$. We explore the effect of various density profiles, such as uniform density clouds, strongly turbulent and fractal clouds. Each collision can produce a shock compressed layer which then fragments into filaments. A first generation of stars condenses out of the densest part of these filaments. This network of filaments can then collapse to form a dense protocluster and a second generation of stars forms from infalling gas. Higher velocity collisions can excite the non-linear thin shell instability (NTSI).
The SEREN SPH code treats the energy equation and the associated transport of heating and cooling radiation. The formation of protostars is captured by introducing sink particles.
We examine the results of cloud collisions between low-mass cores of ~0.2--10 $\,{\rm M}_\odot$ modelled as Bonner-Ebert spheres. We consider the effects of varying mass, impact parameter, collision velocity, internal turbulence and the external pressure environment. We find that these cloud-cloud collisions can lead to cloud disruption, merging or collapse.
We also examine collisions between larger clouds of up to 500 $\,{\rm M}_\odot$. We explore the effect of various density profiles, such as uniform density clouds, strongly turbulent and fractal clouds. Each collision can produce a shock compressed layer which then fragments into filaments. A first generation of stars condenses out of the densest part of these filaments. This network of filaments can then collapse to form a dense protocluster and a second generation of stars forms from infalling gas. Higher velocity collisions can excite the non-linear thin shell instability (NTSI).
The SEREN SPH code treats the energy equation and the associated transport of heating and cooling radiation. The formation of protostars is captured by introducing sink particles.