Observations of Protostellar Outflow Feedback in Clustered Star Formation

TL;DR

This study uses observational data to show that protostellar outflows significantly influence turbulence and dynamics in star-forming regions, supporting a slow star formation process.

Contribution

It provides observational evidence that protostellar outflows maintain turbulence and influence clump dynamics, clarifying their role in clustered star formation.

Findings

Outflow momentum injection exceeds turbulence dissipation in most clumps.

Outflows impact less massive clumps' dynamics significantly.

Outflows do not destroy massive star-forming clumps.

Abstract

We discuss the role of protostellar outflow feedback in clustered star formation using the observational data of recent molecular outflow surveys toward nearby cluster-forming clumps. We found that for almost all clumps, the outflow momentum injection rate is significantly larger than the turbulence dissipation rate. Therefore, the outflow feedback is likely to maintain supersonic turbulence in the clumps. For less massive clumps such as B59, L1551, and L1641N, the outflow kinetic energy is comparable to the clump gravitational energy. In such clumps, the outflow feedback probably affects significantly the clump dynamics. On the other hand, for clumps with masses larger than about 200 M$_\odot$, the outflow kinetic energy is significantly smaller than the clump gravitational energy. Since the majority of stars form in such clumps, we conclude that outflow feedback cannot destroy the whole parent clump. These characteristics of the outflow feedback support the scenario of slow star formation.