# The Green Bank Ammonia Survey: A Virial Analysis of Gould Belt Clouds in Data Release 1

## TL;DR

This study conducts a virial analysis of dense cores in three nearby star-forming regions using comprehensive kinematic and ancillary data, revealing that external pressure, especially turbulent pressure, plays a crucial role in core stability.

## Contribution

It provides a detailed virial analysis incorporating multiple pressure components across different regions, highlighting the significance of external pressure in core binding.

## Key findings

- Many dense cores are pressure-confined rather than gravity-bound.
- Turbulent pressure significantly contributes to external pressure support.
- Pressure confinement is vital in dense core evolution.

## Abstract

We perform a virial analysis of starless dense cores in three nearby star-forming regions : L1688 in Ophiuchus, NGC 1333 in Perseus, and B18 in Taurus. Our analysis takes advantage of comprehensive kinematic information for the dense gas in all of these regions made publicly available through the Green Bank Ammonia Survey Data Release 1, which used to estimate internal support against collapse. We combine this information with ancillary data used to estimate other important properties of the cores, including continuum data from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope Gould Belt Survey for core identification, core masses, and core sizes. Additionally, we used \textit{Planck} and \textit{Herschel}-based column density maps for external cloud weight pressure, and Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory $^{13}$CO observations for external turbulent pressure. Our self-consistent analysis suggests that many dense cores in all three star-forming regions are not bound by gravity alone, but rather require additional pressure confinement to remain bound. Unlike a recent, similar study in Orion~A, we find that turbulent pressure represents a significant portion of the external pressure budget. Our broad conclusion emphasizing the importance of pressure confinement in dense core evolution, however, agrees with earlier work.