Collimated jets from the first core

TL;DR

This paper uses SPMHD simulations to demonstrate that the collapse of low-mass molecular cloud cores can produce collimated jets from the first hydrostatic core, aligning with recent observations.

Contribution

It is the first to show that collimated jets can originate from the first hydrostatic core in low-mass star formation through SPMHD simulations.

Findings

First cores can produce collimated jets with <10° opening angles.

Jets have velocities of approximately 2-7 km/s.

Simulations successfully reproduce observed jet features from first cores.

Abstract

We have performed Smoothed Particle Magnetohydrodynamics (SPMHD) simulations demonstrating the production of collimated jets during collapse of 1 solar mass molecular cloud cores to form the `first hydrostatic core' in low mass star formation. Recently a number of candidate first core objects have been observed, including L1448 IRS2E, L1451-mm and Per Bolo 58, although it is not yet clear that these are first hydrostatic cores. Recent observations of Per Bolo 58 in particular appear to show collimated, bipolar outflows which are inconsistent with previous theoretical expectations. We show that low mass first cores can indeed produce tightly collimated jets (opening angles <~ 10 degrees) with speeds of ~2-7 km/s, consistent with some of the observed candidates. We have also demonstrated, for the first time, that such phenomena can be successfully captured in SPMHD simulations.