Massive Outflows Driven by Magnetic Effects II: Comparison with Observations

TL;DR

This study compares MHD simulation results with observations of high-mass star-forming regions to confirm that magnetic disk winds are the primary drivers of massive outflows, highlighting the magnetic field's role in star formation.

Contribution

It provides a quantitative comparison between simulation and observation data, confirming magnetic disk winds as the main mechanism for massive outflows in high-mass star formation.

Findings

Simulation and observation outflow properties agree in time-derivative quantities.

Magnetic disk winds significantly contribute to massive outflows.

Magnetic fields may play a key role in high-mass star formation.

Abstract

The driving mechanism of massive outflows observed in high-mass star-forming regions is investigated using three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and protostellar evolution calculations. In our previous paper, we showed that the mass outflow rate depends strongly on the mass accretion rate onto the circumstellar disk around a high-mass protostar, and massive outflows may be driven by the magnetic effect in high-mass star-forming cores. In the present study, in order to verify that the MHD disk wind is the primary driving mechanism of massive outflows, we quantitatively compare outflow properties obtained through simulations and observations. Since the outflows obtained through simulations are slightly younger than those obtained through observations, the time-integrated quantities of outflow mass, momentum, and kinetic energy are slightly smaller than those obtained through observations. On the other hand, time-derivative quantities of mass ejection rate, outflow momentum flux, and kinetic luminosity obtained through simulations are in very good agreement with those obtained through observations. This indicates that the MHD disk wind greatly contributes to the massive outflow driving from high-mass protostars, and the magnetic field might significantly control the high-mass star formation process.