Driving Mechanism of Jets and Outflows in Star Formation Process

TL;DR

This study uses resistive MHD simulations to analyze the driving mechanisms of jets and outflows in star formation, revealing distinct flow types originating from different cores with implications for observed phenomena.

Contribution

It demonstrates the different magnetic and dynamical mechanisms driving low-velocity outflows and high-velocity jets from separate cores during star formation.

Findings

Low-velocity flows driven by magnetocentrifugal mechanism from adiabatic core

High-velocity flows driven by magnetic pressure gradient from protostar

Flows from different cores explain observed molecular outflows and optical jets

Abstract

The driving mechanism of jets and outflows in star formation process is studied using resistive MHD nested grid simulations. We calculated cloud evolution from the molecular cloud core to the stellar core. In the collapsing cloud core, we found two distinct flows: Low-velocity flows (sim 5 km/s) with a wide opening angle, driven from the adiabatic core, and high-velocity flows (sim 30 km/s) with good collimation, driven from the protostar. High-velocity flows are enclosed by low-velocity flows after protostar formation. The difference in the degree of collimation between the two flows is caused by the strength of the magnetic field and configuration of the magnetic field lines. The magnetic field around an adiabatic core is strong and has an hourglass configuration; therefore, flows from the adiabatic core are driven mainly by the magnetocentrifugal mechanism and guided by the hourglass-like field lines. In contrast, the magnetic field around the protostar is weak and has a straight configuration owing to Ohmic dissipation in the high-density gas region. Therefore, flows from the protostar are driven mainly by the magnetic pressure gradient force and guided by straight field lines. Differing depth of the gravitational potential between the adiabatic core and the protostar cause the difference of the flow speed. Low-velocity flows correspond to the observed molecular outflows, while high-velocity flows correspond to the observed optical jets. We suggest that the outflow and the jet are driven by different cores, rather than that the outflow being entrained by the jet.