On the nature of bipolar sources in dense molecular clouds

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (313) References (103) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS On the nature of bipolar sources in dense molecular clouds. Konigl, A. Abstract An attempt is made to present a unified interpretation of anisotropic emission and outflow phenomena which are detected over a wide range of scales in the vicinity of young stellar objects embedded in dense molecular clouds. The evolution of an interstellar bubble in an anisotropic medium is considered, and the formation and propagation of jets, and their relation to the various bipolar phenomena observed in molecular clouds, are discussed. The possible role of magnetic fields in reproducing bipolar emission sources is examined. It is found that an isotropic stellar wind which expands in a medium with an anisotropic density distribution would give rise to an interstellar bubble which elongates in the direction of the external density gradient. Under certain conditions which are likely to prevail in protostellar environments, the elongating bubble could become unstable to the formation of de Laval nozzles. Once these are established, the outflow becomes channeled into two oppositely directed, supersonic jets. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: October 1982 DOI: 10.1086/160324 Bibcode: 1982ApJ...261..115K Keywords: Early Stars; Interstellar Magnetic Fields; Magnetohydrodynamic Flow; Molecular Clouds; Nebulae; Stellar Winds; Convergent-Divergent Nozzles; Density Distribution; Herbig-Haro Objects; Protostars; Stellar Mass Ejection; Supersonic Jet Flow; Astrophysics full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (5)