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Register a new userStar Formation & Young Stellar Content in the W3 GMC
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Alana Rivera-Ingraham
Publication date
2011
fields
Physics
and research's language is
English
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In this work we have carried out an in-depth analysis of the young stellar content in the W3 GMC. The YSO population was identified and classified in the IRAC/MIPS color-magnitude space according to the `Class scheme and compared to other classifications based on intrinsic properties. Class 0/I and II candidates were also compared to low/intermediate-mass pre-main-sequence stars selected through their colors and magnitudes in 2MASS. We find that a reliable color/magnitude selection of low-mass PMS stars in the infrared requires prior knowledge of the protostar population, while intermediate mass objects can be more reliably identified. By means of the MST algorithm and our YSO spatial distribution and age maps we investigated the YSO groups and the star formation history in W3. We find signatures of clustered and distributed star formation in both triggered and quiescent environments. The central/western parts of the GMC are dominated by large scale turbulence likely powered by isolated bursts of star formation that triggered secondary star formation events. Star formation in the eastern high density layer also shows signs of extended periods of star formation. While our findings support triggering as a key factor for inducing and enhancing some of the major star forming activity in the HDL (e.g., W3 Main/W3(OH)), we argue that some degree of quiescent or spontaneous star formation is required to explain the observed YSO population. Our results also support previous studies claiming an spontaneous origin for the isolated massive star(s) powering KR 140.
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The W3 GMC is a prime target for the study of the early stages of high-mass star formation. We have used Herschel data from the HOBYS key program to produce and analyze column density and temperature maps. Two preliminary catalogs were produced by extracting sources from the column density map and from Herschel maps convolved to the 500 micron resolution. Herschel reveals that among the compact sources (FWHM<0.45 pc), W3 East, W3 West, and W3 (OH) are the most massive and luminous and have the highest column density. Considering the unique properties of W3 East and W3 West, the only clumps with on-going high-mass star formation, we suggest a convergent constructive feedback scenario to account for the formation of a cluster with decreasing age and increasing system/source mass toward the innermost regions. This process, which relies on feedback by high-mass stars to ensure the availability of material during cluster formation, could also lead to the creation of an environment suitable for the formation of Trapezium-like systems. In common with other scenarios proposed in other HOBYS studies, our results indicate that an active/dynamic process aiding in the accumulation, compression, and confinement of material is a critical feature of the high-mass star/cluster formation, distinguishing it from classical low-mass star formation. The environmental conditions and availability of triggers determine the form in which this process occurs, implying that high-mass star/cluster formation could arise from a range of scenarios: from large scale convergence of turbulent flows, to convergent constructive feedback or mergers of filaments.
Most stars are born in rich young stellar clusters (YSCs) embedded in giant molecular clouds. The most massive stars live out their short lives there, profoundly influencing their natal environments by ionizing HII regions, inflating wind-blown bubbles, and soon exploding as supernovae. Thousands of lower-mass pre-main sequence stars accompany the massive stars, and the expanding HII regions paradoxically trigger new star formation as they destroy their natal clouds. While this schematic picture is established, our understanding of the complex astrophysical processes involved in clustered star formation have only just begun to be elucidated. The technologies are challenging, requiring both high spatial resolution and wide fields at wavelengths that penetrate obscuring molecular material and remove contaminating Galactic field stars. We outline several important projects for the coming decade: the IMFs and structures of YSCs; triggered star formation around YSC; the fate of OB winds; the stellar populations of Infrared Dark Clouds; the most massive star clusters in the Galaxy; tracing star formation throughout the Galactic Disk; the Galactic Center region and YSCs in the Magellanic Clouds. Programmatic recommendations include: developing a 30m-class adaptive optics infrared telescope; support for high-resolution and wide field X-ray telescopes; large-aperture sub-millimeter and far-infrared telescopes; multi-object infrared spectrographs; and both numerical and analytical theory.
[abridged] Unbound young stellar systems, the loose ensembles of physically related young bright stars, trace the typical regions of recent star formation in galaxies. Their morphologies vary from small associations of stars to enormous stellar complexes. Being associated with star-forming regions of various sizes, they trace the regions where stars form at various scales, from compact clusters to whole galactic disks. They have been, thus, the focus of several studies with special interest on their demographics, classification, and structural morphology. Their surveys demonstrate that the clear distinction of these systems into well-defined classes is not straightforward, due to their low densities, asymmetric shapes and variety in structural parameters. Unbound stellar structures follow a hierarchical clustering pattern up to the scale of a whole star-forming galaxy. This structural pattern, which is usually characterized as self-similar or fractal, appears to be identical to that of star-forming giant molecular clouds and interstellar gas, driven mainly by turbulence cascade. In this short review, I make a concise compilation of our understanding of unbound young stellar systems across various environments in the local universe, as it is developed during the last 60 years. I present a factual assessment of the clustering behavior of star formation, as revealed from the assembling pattern of stars across loose stellar structures and its relation to the interstellar medium and the environmental conditions. I also provide a consistent account of the processes that possibly play important role in the formation of unbound stellar systems, compiled from both theoretical and observational investigations on the field.
The W3 GMC is a prime target for investigating the formation of high-mass stars and clusters. This second study of W3 within the HOBYS Key Program provides a comparative analysis of subfields within W3 to further constrain the processes leading to the observed structures and stellar population. Probability density functions (PDFs) and cumulative mass distributions (CMDs) were created from dust column density maps, quantified as extinction Av. The shape of the PDF, typically represented with a lognormal function at low Av breaking to a power-law tail at high Av, is influenced by various processes including turbulence and self-gravity. The breaks can also be identified, often more readily, in the CMDs. The PDF break from lognormal (Av(SF)= 6-10 mag) appears to shift to higher Av by stellar feedback, so that high-mass star-forming regions tend to have higher PDF breaks. A second break at Av > 50 mag traces structures formed or influenced by a dynamic process. Because such a process has been suggested to drive high-mass star formation in W3, this second break might then identify regions with potential for hosting high-mass stars/clusters. Stellar feedback appears to be a major mechanism driving the local evolution and state of regions within W3. A high initial star formation efficiency in a dense medium could result in a self-enhancing process, leading to more compression and favourable star-formation conditions (e.g., colliding flows), a richer stellar content, and massive stars. This scenario would be compatible with the convergent constructive feedback model introduced in our previous Herschel study.
We simulate the collision of two Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs) using the movingmesh magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) code AREPO. We perform a small parameterspace study on how GMC collisions affect the star formation rate (SFR). The pa-rameters we consider are relative velocity, magnetic field inclination and simulationresolution. From the collsional velocity study we find that a faster collision causes starformation to trigger earlier, however, the overall trend in star formation rate integratethrough time is similar for all. This contradicts the claim that the SFR significantlyincreases as a result of a cloud collision. From varying the magnetic field inclinationwe conclude that the onset of star formation occurs sooner if the magnetic field isparallel to the collisional axis. Resolution tests suggests that higher resolution delaysthe onset of star formation due to the small scale turbulence being more resolved.
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