A numerical study is presented of a hydrodynamic model for a system of stars and gas which are coupled in the following ways: (1) stars form out of gas, (2) stars lose gas, (3) stars heat the gas, and (4) gas cools in the absence of heating. All simulations start from an unstable equilibrium solution, in which star formation is balanced by mass loss, heating is balanced by cooling, and stars and gas have the same mean velocity. In all cases the gas evolves into a multicomponent structure in approximate pressure equilibrium, with the most dilute component occupying the largest fraction of the volume. The density contrast between the condensed and the dilute component is large. Condensations are generally in motion driven by asymmetric star formation occurring in them. In the two-dimensional simulation, condensed filamentary structures occur frequently. Many of their properties are similar to the observed filaments associated with the giant molecular complexes in Orion and in Monoceros.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Chiang et al. (1985) studied this question.