Abstract
In this paper we present a set of numerical simulations designed to study the interaction process of HII molecular clouds. For the initial conditions we assume head-on and oblique collisions of binary identical clouds placedadjacent to one another, with their surfaces just in contact. The colliding initial clouds are uniform density molecular gas spheres with rigid body rotation. The cloud initial conditions are chosen to favor its gravitational collapse as an isolated system. To study the effect of the self-gravity of the cloud in the collision process, we consider several models in which the approaching speed of the colliding clouds increases from zero up to several times the initial sound speed of the barotropic gas. We present the outcome of these collision models for several values of the impact parameter b, which depends on the initial radius of the cloud. We have explored the parameter space of the approaching velocity Vapp of the colliding clouds for configurations that may result in seeds for the formation of more complex systems. Such systems are expected to include filaments and gas clumps, where the star formation process is still possible despite the occurrence of the collision. We show hereby that collisions may have a major and favorable influence on the star formation process.
Highlights
Protostellar cloud collisions are expected to occur in a great variety of astrophysical phenomena, for example, as a consequence of collisions between gas-rich galaxies; or due to the presence of strong tidal forces within a single giant cloud
The width of the slice is determined such that about 10,000 Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) particles enter into the slice, which is centered around the zmax coordinate
It was [40] who predicted that the infall of gas colliding into the galactic disk could have a huge influence on the star formation process, and at the same time, to inherit a very peculiar physical structure to the interstellar gas
Summary
Protostellar cloud collisions are expected to occur in a great variety of astrophysical phenomena, for example, as a consequence of collisions between gas-rich galaxies; or due to the presence of strong tidal forces within a single giant cloud. Of matter within the cloud, due to the expansion of regions leading to a compression in other regions of the same cloud. He presented observational evidence of gas compression at the interface of two colliding molecular clouds, and proposed that collisions may be an alternative mechanism to explain the formation of massive stars in galaxies. Collisions between neutral molecular clouds are frequently mentioned as a possible mechanism for initiating the star formation process. Based on observed carbon molecular lines, [2] suggested that the formation of the stars in the IRAS04000 + 5052 cluster was induced by the collision of two molecular clouds
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
