Giant Molecular Filaments Research Articles

PLANCK COLD CLUMPS IN THE λ ORIONIS COMPLEX. I. DISCOVERY OF AN EXTREMELY YOUNG CLASS 0 PROTOSTELLAR OBJECT AND A PROTO-BROWN DWARF CANDIDATE IN THE BRIGHT-RIMMED CLUMP PGCC G192.32–11.88

ABSTRACT We are performing a series of observations with ground-based telescopes toward Planck Galactic cold clumps (PGCCs) in the λ Orionis complex in order to systematically investigate the effects of stellar feedback. In the particular case of PGCC G192.32–11.88, we discovered an extremely young Class 0 protostellar object (G192N) and a proto-brown dwarf candidate (G192S). G192N and G192S are located in a gravitationally bound bright-rimmed clump. The velocity and temperature gradients seen in line emission of CO isotopologues indicate that PGCC G192.32–11.88 is externally heated and compressed. G192N probably has the lowest bolometric luminosity (∼0.8 L ☉ ?> ) and accretion rate (6.3 × 10−7 M ☉ ?> yr−1) when compared with other young Class 0 sources (e.g., PACS Bright Red Sources) in the Orion complex. It has slightly larger internal luminosity (0.21 ± 0.01 L ☉ ?> ) and outflow velocity (∼14 km s−1) than the predictions of first hydrostatic cores (FHSCs). G192N might be among the youngest Class 0 sources, which are slightly more evolved than an FHSC. Considering its low internal luminosity (0.08 ± 0.01 L ⊙ ?> ) and accretion rate (2.8 × 10−8 M ☉ ?> yr−1), G192S is an ideal proto-brown dwarf candidate. The star formation efficiency (∼0.3%–0.4%) and core formation efficiency (∼1%) in PGCC G192.32–11.88 are significantly smaller than in other giant molecular clouds or filaments, indicating that the star formation therein is greatly suppressed owing to stellar feedback.

Giant molecular filaments in the Milky Way

Throughout the Milky Way, molecular clouds typically appear filamentary, and mounting evidence indicates that this morphology plays an important role in star formation. What is not known is to what extent the dense filaments most closely associated with star formation are connected to the surrounding diffuse clouds up to arbitrarily large scales. How are these cradles of star formation linked to the Milky Way's spiral structure? Using archival Galactic plane survey data, we have used multiple datasets in search of large-scale, velocity-coherent filaments in the Galactic plane. In this paper, we present our methods employed to identify coherent filamentary structures first in extinction and confirmed using Galactic Ring Survey data. We present a sample of seven Giant Molecular Filaments (GMFs) that have lengths of order $\sim$100 pc, total masses of 10$^4$ - 10$^5$ M$_{\odot}$, and exhibit velocity coherence over their full length. The GMFs we study appear to be inter-arm clouds and may be the Milky Way analogues to spurs observed in nearby spiral galaxies. We find that between 2 and 12% of the total mass (above $\sim$10$^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$) is "dense" (above 10$^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$), where filaments near spiral arms in the Galactic midplane tend to have higher dense gas mass fractions than those further from the arms.