A solution to the radiation pressure problem in the formation of massive stars

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that anisotropic thermal radiation, facilitated by circumstellar disks and gravitational torques, can overcome radiation pressure barriers in massive star formation, challenging previous reliance on Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities.

Contribution

It shows that radiation anisotropy due to disks and gravitational torques can solve the radiation pressure problem without Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in massive star formation.

Findings

Radiation anisotropy naturally develops with circumstellar disks.

Gravitational torques transport angular momentum within the disk.

Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities are not necessary in this context.

Abstract

We review our recent studies demonstrating that the radiation pressure problem in the formation of massive stars can be circumvented via an anisotropy of the thermal radiation field. Such an anisotropy naturally establishes with the formation of a circumstellar disk. The required angular momentum transport within the disk can be provided by developing gravitational torques. Radiative Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in the cavity regions - as previously suggested in the literature - are not required and are shown to be not occurring in the context of massive star formation.