Formation of the SDC13 Hub-Filament System: A Cloud-Cloud Collision Imprinted on The Multiscale Magnetic Field

TL;DR

This study presents polarization observations of the SDC13 hub-filament system, revealing a magnetic field shaped by cloud-cloud collision, which influences gas dynamics and star formation processes.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the role of magnetic fields and cloud collisions in the formation and evolution of hub-filament systems.

Findings

Magnetic field shows a U-shape morphology indicating cloud-cloud collision.

Gas converges toward the hub driven by gravity after turbulence dissipates.

Large-scale magnetic field aligns with converging molecular clouds.

Abstract

Hub-filament systems (HFSs) are potential sites of protocluster and massive star formation, and play a key role in mass accumulation. We report JCMT POL-2 850 $\mu$m polarization observations toward the massive HFS SDC13. We detect an organized magnetic field near the hub center with a cloud-scale "U-shape" morphology following the western edge of the hub. Together with larger-scale APEX 13CO and PLANCK polarization data, we find that SDC13 is located at the convergent point of three giant molecular clouds (GMCs) along a large-scale, partially spiral-like magnetic field. The smaller "U-shape" magnetic field is perpendicular to the large-scale magnetic field and the converging GMCs. We explain this as the result of a cloud-cloud collision. Within SDC13, we find that local gravity and velocity gradients point toward filament ridges and hub center. This suggests that gas can locally be pulled onto filaments and overall converges to the hub center. A virial analysis of the central hub shows that gravity dominates magnetic and kinematic energy. Combining large- and small-scale analyses, we propose that SDC13 is initially formed from a collision of clouds moving along the large-scale magnetic field. In the post-shock regions, after the initial turbulent energy has dissipated, gravity takes over and starts to drive the gas accretion along the filaments toward the hub center.