Very Large Array Observations of Ammonia in Infrared-Dark Clouds II: Internal Kinematics

TL;DR

This study uses ammonia observations from GBT and VLA to analyze the internal kinematics of IRDCs, revealing organized velocity fields indicative of active collapse and fragmentation rather than turbulent support.

Contribution

It provides detailed kinematic analysis of IRDCs, showing that their velocity structures are consistent with collapse and star formation activity, challenging turbulence-based support models.

Findings

IRDCs exhibit organized velocity fields with localized disruptions.

Line width increases near protostars suggest infall or outflow activity.

Kinetic energy is insufficient for cloud support, indicating collapse.

Abstract

Infrared-dark clouds (IRDCs) are believed to be the birthplaces of rich clusters and thus contain the earliest phases of high-mass star formation. We use the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and Very Large Array (VLA) maps of ammonia (NH3) in six IRDCs to measure their column density and temperature structure (Paper 1), and here, we investigate the kinematic structure and energy content. We find that IRDCs overall display organized velocity fields, with only localized disruptions due to embedded star formation. The local effects seen in NH3 emission are not high velocity outflows but rather moderate (few km/s) increases in the line width that exhibit maxima near or coincident with the mid-infrared emission tracing protostars. These line width enhancements could be the result of infall or (hidden in NH3 emission) outflow. Not only is the kinetic energy content insufficient to support the IRDCs against collapse, but also the spatial energy distribution is inconsistent with a scenario of turbulent cloud support. We conclude that the velocity signatures of the IRDCs in our sample are due to active collapse and fragmentation, in some cases augmented by local feedback from stars.