The impact of non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic processes on discs, outflows, counter-rotation and magnetic walls during the early stages of star formation

TL;DR

This study uses 3D non-ideal MHD simulations to explore how different magnetic processes affect early star formation, revealing the Hall effect's dominant role in disc formation and outflow suppression.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of individual and combined non-ideal MHD processes, highlighting the Hall effect's significant impact on disc and outflow formation during early star formation.

Findings

Hall effect enables formation of large, rotationally supported discs.

Non-ideal processes reduce magnetic field strength during core phase.

Hall effect suppresses outflows depending on magnetic and rotational alignment.

Abstract

Non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) processes -- namely Ohmic resistivity, ambipolar diffusion and the Hall effect -- modify the early stages of the star formation process and the surrounding environment. Collectively, they have been shown to promote disc formation and promote or hinder outflows. But which non-ideal process has the greatest impact? Using three-dimensional smoothed particle radiation non-ideal MHD simulations, we model the gravitational collapse of a rotating, magnetised cloud through the first hydrostatic core phase to shortly after the formation of the stellar core. We investigate the impact of each process individually and collectively. Including any non-ideal process decreases the maximum magnetic field strength by at least an order of magnitude during the first core phase compared to using ideal MHD, and promotes the formation of a magnetic wall. When the magnetic field and rotation vectors are anti-aligned and the Hall effect is included, rotationally supported discs of $r \gtrsim 20$~au form; when only the Hall effect is included and the vectors are aligned, a counter-rotating pseudo-disc forms that is not rotationally supported. Rotationally supported discs of $r \lesssim 4$~au form if only Ohmic resistivity or ambipolar diffusion are included. The Hall effect suppresses first core outflows when the vectors are anti-aligned and suppresses stellar core outflows independent of alignment. Ohmic resistivity and ambipolar diffusion each promote first core outflows and delay the launching of stellar core outflows. Although each non-ideal process influences star formation, these results suggest that the Hall effect has the greatest influence.