Driving Mechanisms for Molecular Outflows

Abstract

Molecular outflows are observed to be closely associated with star formation. The cumulative momentum and the momentum injection rate in these outflows are important parameters in theories of star formation. The cumulative momentum in an outflow is a measure of the feed-back from star formation on molecular cloud turbulence. The level of turbulence in a cloud also effects the formation of further stars and, indeed, the survival of the cloud itself (e.g. [15]). In addition the rate of injection of momentum is an important constraint for theoretical models of outflows from young stars [10, 18]. Hence, while these outflows are interesting in themselves, it is also critical to understand their origin and behaviour as part of the general study of how stars themselves form.