6.4 Protostellar Evolution and Young Stellar Objects
3 min read•august 9, 2024
Protostellar evolution kicks off with dense cores collapsing in . As they spin and flatten, disks form, feeding the growing star. blast material along the rotation axis, creating cool Herbig-Haro objects.
Young stellar objects come next. are small and feisty, while are bigger and brighter. Both types have disks that might form planets. They follow different paths to become full-fledged stars.
Early Protostellar Evolution
Formation and Structure of Protostellar Cores
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Top images from around the web for Formation and Structure of Protostellar Cores
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Frontiers | The Role of Magnetic Field in Molecular Cloud Formation and Evolution View original
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Frontiers | The Role of Magnetic Fields in Protostellar Outflows and Star Formation View original
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Protostellar cores form within molecular clouds through
Dense, cold regions of gas and dust with temperatures around 10-20 K
Typical masses range from 0.1 to 10 solar masses
Core density increases as collapse progresses, reaching 10−13 g/cm³
Rotation of the core leads to conservation of
Magnetic fields play a crucial role in regulating the collapse process
Accretion Disks and Material Flow
Accretion disks form around protostars due to conservation of angular momentum
Disks typically extend 100-1000 AU from the central protostar
Material from the disk falls onto the protostar, fueling its growth
Accretion rates vary from 10−8 to 10−6 solar masses per year
Viscous forces within the disk transport angular momentum outward
Magnetorotational instability drives turbulence and enhances accretion
Outflows and Associated Phenomena
Bipolar outflows eject material along the protostar's rotation axis
Outflows can extend several parsecs from the protostar
Velocities of outflows range from 10 to 1000 km/s
Herbig-Haro objects form when outflows collide with surrounding material