Hydrodynamic Simulations of Rotating
Molecular Jets
Smith, M.D. & Rosen, A.
MNRAS, 378, pg.691-700 (2007)
Abstract
Molecular outflows and the jets which may drive them can be expected to
display signatures associated with rotation if they are the channels
through which angular momentum is extracted from material accreting
onto protostars. Here, we determine some basic signatures of rapidly
rotating flows through three dimensional numerical simulations of
hydrodynamic jets with molecular cooling and chemistry. We find that
these rotating jets generate a broad advancing interface which is
unstable and devel ops into a large swarm of small bow features. In
comparison to precessing jets, there is no stagnation point along the
axis. The greater the rotation rate, the greater the instability. On
the other hand, velocity signatures are only significant close to the
jet inlet since jet expansion rapidly reduces the rotation speed. We
present predictions for atomic, H2 and CO submillimetre
images and spectroscopy including velocity channel maps and
positionvelocity diagrams. We also include simulated images
correspond ing to Spitzer IRAC band images and CO emission, relevant
for APEX and eventual ALMA observations. We conclude that protostellar
jets often show signs of slow pre cession but only a few sources
display properties which could indicate jet rotation.
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