Alignment Parameters: Quantifying Dense Core Alignment in Star-forming Regions
Recent high-resolution observations at millimeter (mm) and submillimeter wavelengths reveal a diverse spatial distribution for subparsec-scale dense cores within star-forming regions, ranging from clustered to aligned arrangements. To address the increasing volume of observational and simulation dat...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad9a5b |
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| author | Wei-An Chen Ya-Wen Tang S. D. Clarke Patricio Sanhueza |
| author_facet | Wei-An Chen Ya-Wen Tang S. D. Clarke Patricio Sanhueza |
| author_sort | Wei-An Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent high-resolution observations at millimeter (mm) and submillimeter wavelengths reveal a diverse spatial distribution for subparsec-scale dense cores within star-forming regions, ranging from clustered to aligned arrangements. To address the increasing volume of observational and simulation data, we introduce “alignment parameters” as a quantitative and reproducible method to automatically assess core alignment. We first demonstrate the effectiveness of these parameters by applying them to artificial test clumps and comparing the results with labels from visual inspection. A threshold value is then proposed to differentiate between “clustered” and “aligned” categories. Subsequently, we apply these parameters to dense cores identified from a sample of Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array 1.3 mm dust continuum images in high-mass star-forming regions. Analysis exploring correlations between alignment parameters and clump properties rules out the presence of a moderate or strong correlation, indicating that clump properties do not appear to strongly influence the outcome of fragmentation. One possible explanation for this is that the fragmentation process is chaotic, meaning that small variations in initial conditions can lead to significant differences in fragmentation outcomes, thus obscuring any direct link between clump properties and core alignment/distribution. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c854028bfb6c4a97961103ca23387e70 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-c854028bfb6c4a97961103ca23387e702025-01-17T09:07:13ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0197916710.3847/1538-4357/ad9a5bAlignment Parameters: Quantifying Dense Core Alignment in Star-forming RegionsWei-An Chen0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8336-2837Ya-Wen Tang1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0675-276XS. D. Clarke2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9751-4603Patricio Sanhueza3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7125-7685Graduate Institute of Astrophysics, National Taiwan University , No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC ; wachen@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw; Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics , Academia Sinica, 11F of Astronomy-Mathematics Building, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106319, Taiwan, ROCInstitute of Astronomy and Astrophysics , Academia Sinica, 11F of Astronomy-Mathematics Building, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106319, Taiwan, ROCInstitute of Astronomy and Astrophysics , Academia Sinica, 11F of Astronomy-Mathematics Building, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106319, Taiwan, ROCDepartment of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology , Meguro, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan; National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, National Institutes of Natural Sciences , 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, JapanRecent high-resolution observations at millimeter (mm) and submillimeter wavelengths reveal a diverse spatial distribution for subparsec-scale dense cores within star-forming regions, ranging from clustered to aligned arrangements. To address the increasing volume of observational and simulation data, we introduce “alignment parameters” as a quantitative and reproducible method to automatically assess core alignment. We first demonstrate the effectiveness of these parameters by applying them to artificial test clumps and comparing the results with labels from visual inspection. A threshold value is then proposed to differentiate between “clustered” and “aligned” categories. Subsequently, we apply these parameters to dense cores identified from a sample of Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array 1.3 mm dust continuum images in high-mass star-forming regions. Analysis exploring correlations between alignment parameters and clump properties rules out the presence of a moderate or strong correlation, indicating that clump properties do not appear to strongly influence the outcome of fragmentation. One possible explanation for this is that the fragmentation process is chaotic, meaning that small variations in initial conditions can lead to significant differences in fragmentation outcomes, thus obscuring any direct link between clump properties and core alignment/distribution.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad9a5bInterstellar mediumStar formationStar forming regions |
| spellingShingle | Wei-An Chen Ya-Wen Tang S. D. Clarke Patricio Sanhueza Alignment Parameters: Quantifying Dense Core Alignment in Star-forming Regions The Astrophysical Journal Interstellar medium Star formation Star forming regions |
| title | Alignment Parameters: Quantifying Dense Core Alignment in Star-forming Regions |
| title_full | Alignment Parameters: Quantifying Dense Core Alignment in Star-forming Regions |
| title_fullStr | Alignment Parameters: Quantifying Dense Core Alignment in Star-forming Regions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alignment Parameters: Quantifying Dense Core Alignment in Star-forming Regions |
| title_short | Alignment Parameters: Quantifying Dense Core Alignment in Star-forming Regions |
| title_sort | alignment parameters quantifying dense core alignment in star forming regions |
| topic | Interstellar medium Star formation Star forming regions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad9a5b |
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