Modeling fragmentation of the self-gravitating molecular layer by smoothed particle hydrodynamics

TL;DR

This paper investigates how ambipolar diffusion influences the fragmentation of a self-gravitating molecular layer using optimized two-fluid smoothed particle hydrodynamics, highlighting effects on thermal instability and layer fragmentation.

Contribution

It introduces optimized techniques for modeling ambipolar diffusion in self-gravitating layers and analyzes its impact on fragmentation and thermal instability.

Findings

Ambipolar diffusion affects the fragmentation process.

Frictional heating influences thermal phases of instability.

Results align with previous studies on thermal instability.

Abstract

We revisit the modeling of ion-neutral (or ambipolar) diffusion with two fluid smoothed particle hydrodynamics, as discussed by Hosking & Whitworth. Some parts of the technique are optimized to testify the pioneer works on behavior of the ambipolar diffusion in an isothermal self-gravitating layer. The frictional heating by ambipolar diffusion is examined, and its effect on fragmentation of the layer is studied. The results are compared to the thermal phases of instability as obtained by Nejad-Asghar.