Impact of Protostellar Outflow on Star Formation: Effects of Initial Cloud Mass

TL;DR

This study uses 3D resistive MHD simulations to show that protostellar outflows significantly reduce star formation efficiency by ejecting over half of the initial cloud mass, especially in more massive clouds.

Contribution

It demonstrates how protostellar outflows driven by circumstellar disks influence star formation efficiency depending on initial cloud mass.

Findings

Protostellar outflows can eject over 50% of the cloud mass.

Star formation efficiency is typically 30-50%.

Outflow strength correlates with initial cloud mass.

Abstract

Star formation efficiency controlled by the protostellar outflow in a single cloud core is investigated by three-dimensional resistive MHD simulations. Starting from the prestellar cloud core, the star formation process is calculated until the end of the main accretion phase. In the calculations, the mass of the prestellar cloud is parameterized. During the star formation, the protostellar outflow is driven by the circumstellar disk. The outflow extends also in the transverse direction until its width becomes comparable to the initial cloud scale, and thus, the outflow has a wide opening angle of >40 degrees. As a result, the protostellar outflow sweeps up a large fraction of the infalling material and ejects it into the interstellar space. The outflow can eject at most over half of the host cloud mass, significantly decreasing star formation efficiency. The outflow power is stronger in clouds with a greater initial mass. Thus, the protostellar outflow effectively suppresses star formation efficiency in a massive cloud. The outflow weakens significantly and disappears in several free-fall timescales of the initial cloud after the cloud begins to collapse. The natal prestellar core influences the lifetime and size of the outflow. At the end of the main accretion phase, a massive circumstellar disk comparable in mass to the protostar remains. Calculations show that typically, ~30% of the initial cloud mass is converted into the protostar and ~20% remains in the circumstellar disk, while ~40% is ejected into the interstellar space by the protostellar outflow. Therefore, a single cloud core typically has a star formation efficiency of 30-50%.