Astronomers detect tiny gas drift in Taurus dark cloud that could kick-start star birth
Astronomers have detected ambipolar diffusion in a dense gas cloud in the Taurus molecular cloud, providing new insights into how magnetic fields influence star formation. This process involves the separation of charged and neutral gas, which eventually allows gravity to trigger the collapse of gas into newborn stars.
Why it matters
Understanding the mechanics of star formation helps scientists refine models of how solar systems and the ingredients for life emerge in the universe.
Researchers studying a dark cloud in Taurus have identified a subtle internal drift that could help explain how cold clumps of gas finally begin collapsing into newborn stars.
According to SciTechDaily , observations of L1544 — a dense, extremely cold core in the Taurus molecular cloud — may represent the first detected instance of ambipolar diffusion in a prestellar core, an early stage of star formation. The work was led by researchers at Kyushu University and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics.
Before a protostar appears, material can gather into a prestellar core: a compact patch of gas and dust that is denser than the surrounding cloud and remains only a few degrees above absolute zero.
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