Stars form when filaments and dense cores in molecular clouds fragment and collapse due to self-gravity. In the most basic analyses of gravitational stability, the competition between self-gravity and thermal pressure sets the critical (i.e. maximum stable) mass of spheres and the critical line density of cylinders. Previous work has considered additional support from magnetic fields and turbulence. Here, we consider the effects of non-ionizing radiation, specifically the inward radiation pressure force that acts on dense structures embedded in an isotropic radiation field. Using hydrostatic, isothermal models, we find that irradiation lowers the critical mass and line density for gravitational collapse, and can thus act as a trigger for star formation. For structures with moderate central densities, similar to 10(3) cm(-3), the interstellar radiation field in the Solar vicinity has an order unity effect on stability thresholds. For more evolved objects with higher central densities, a significant lowering of stability thresholds requires stronger irradiation, as can be found closer to the Galactic centre or near stellar associations. Even when strong sources of ionizing radiation are absent or extincted, our study shows that interstellar irradiation can significantly influence the star formation process.

High-mass stars form within star clusters from dense, molecular regions (DMRs), but is the process of cluster formation slow and hydrostatic or quick and dynamic? We link the physical properties of high-mass star-forming regions with their evolutionary stage in a systematic way, using Herschel and Spitzer data. In order to produce a robust estimate of the relative lifetimes of these regions, we compare the fraction of DMRs above a column density associated with high-mass star formation, N(H-2) > 0.4-2.5 x 10(22) cm(-2), in the "starless" (no signature of stars >= 10 M circle dot forming) and star-forming phases in a 2 degrees x 2(degrees) region of the Galactic Plane centered at l = 30 degrees. Of regions capable of forming high-mass stars on similar to 1 pc scales, the starless (or embedded beyond detection) phase occupies about 60%-70% of the DMR lifetime, and the star-forming phase occupies about 30%-40%. These relative lifetimes are robust over a wide range of thresholds. We outline a method by which relative lifetimes can be anchored to absolute lifetimes from large-scale surveys of methanol masers and UCHII regions. A simplistic application of this method estimates the absolute lifetime of the starless phase to be 0.2-1.7 Myr (about 0.6-4.1 fiducial cloud free-fall times) and the star-forming phase to be 0.1-0.7 Myr (about 0.4-2.4 free-fall times), but these are highly uncertain. This work uniquely investigates the star-forming nature of high column density gas pixel by pixel, and our results demonstrate that the majority of high column density gas is in a starless or embedded phase.

The formation of stars begins with the fragmentation of molecular clouds and the formation of dense cores. This fragmentation process can either be the result of classical gravitational instabilities or triggered by some external event. The gas and dust of young protoclusters often hold the imprints of the initial conditions and triggers of that specific star forming episode. In this context, my thesis work is a study of the gas properties of young protoclus- ters within the Gould Belt. The first part of my work consists of a detailed study of the young Serpens star forming region with CO isotopologues. This study has revealed a complex temperature, column density and velocity structure. I proposed a scenario where a collision between two filamentary clouds or flows is responsible for the observed complex structure and the most recent burst of star formation in Serpens. This hypothesis was tested with SPH simulations and provides a plausible scenario. I am currently extending this work to other regions with a variety of star formation efficiencies, in search of the particular physical properties and dynamics of a molecular cloud that allow or prevent clouds to be in the verge of forming stars. As such, I have included in this manuscript my study of the gas in the B59 star forming region, the only active clump in the Pipe Nebula. The results from this study have shown it to be very different from Serpens, even though further studies are needed to provide a complete picture of the region. B59 was taken as the starting point for a larger study of the entire Pipe Nebula, driven by the peculiarly low star formation efficiency in the cloud and a test to the physical properties of cores prior to star formation.

We present a multiwavelength investigation of a region of a nearby giant molecular cloud that is distinguished by a minimal level of star formation activity. With our new (CO)-C-12(J = 2-1) and (CO)-C-13(J = 2-1) observations of a remote region within the middle of the California molecular cloud, we aim to investigate the relationship between filaments, cores, and a molecular outflow in a relatively pristine environment. An extinction map of the region from Herschel Space Observatory observations reveals the presence of two 2 pc long filaments radiating from a highextinction clump. Using the (CO)-C-13 observations, we show that the filaments have coherent velocity gradients and that their mass-per-unit-lengths may exceed the critical value above which filaments are gravitationally unstable. The region exhibits structure with eight cores, at least one of which is a starless, prestellar core. We identify a low-velocity, low-mass molecular outflow that may be driven by a flat spectrum protostar. The outflow does not appear to be responsible for driving the turbulence in the core with which it is associated, nor does it provide significant support against gravitational collapse.

We present proper motion measurements of 37 jets and HH objects in the Carina Nebula measured in two epochs of H alpha images obtained similar to 10 yr apart with Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Transverse velocities in all but one jet are faster than greater than or similar to 25 km s(-1), confirming that the jet-like H alpha features identified in the first epoch images trace outflowing gas. Proper motions constrain the location of the jet-driving source and provide kinematic confirmation of the intermediate-mass protostars that we identify for 20/37 jets. Jet velocities do not correlate with the estimated protostar mass and embedded driving sources do not have slower jets. Instead, transverse velocities (median similar to 75 km s(-1)) are similar to those in jets from low-mass stars. Assuming a constant velocity since launch, we compute jet dynamical ages (median similar to 10(4) yr). If continuous emission from inner jets traces the duration of the most recent accretion bursts, then these episodes are sustained longer (median similar to 700 yr) than the typical decay time of an FU Orionis outburst. These jets can carry appreciable momentum that may be injected into the surrounding environment. The resulting outflow force, dp/dt, lies between that measured in low- and high-mass sources, despite the very different observational tracers used. Smooth scaling of the outflow force argues for a common physical process underlying outflows from protostars of all masses. This latest kinematic result adds to a growing body of evidence that intermediate-mass star formation proceeds like a scaled-up version of the formation of low-mass stars.

We present the results of a program to map the Sh2-235 molecular cloud complex in the CO and (CO)-C-13 J = 2 - 1 transitions using the Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope. The map resolution is 38 '' (FWHM), with an rms noise of 0.12K brightness temperature, for a velocity resolution of 0.34 km s(-1). With the same telescope, we also mapped the CO J = 3 - 2 line at a frequency of 345 GHz, using a 64 beam focal plane array of heterodyne mixers, achieving a typical rms noise of 0.5 K brightness temperature with a velocity resolution of 0.23 km s(-1). The three spectral line data cubes are available for download. Much of the cloud appears to be slightly sub-thermally excited in the J = 3 level, except for in the vicinity of the warmest and highest column density areas, which are currently forming stars. Using the CO and (CO)-C-13. J = 2 - 1 lines, we employ an LTE model to derive the gas column density over the entire mapped region. Examining a 125 pc(2). region centered on the most active star formation in the vicinity of Sh2-235, we find that the young stellar object surface density scales as approximately the 1.6-power of the gas column density. The area distribution function of the gas is a steeply declining exponential function of gas column density. Comparison of the morphology of ionized and molecular gas suggests that the cloud is being substantially disrupted by expansion of the H II regions, which may be triggering current star formation.

In this work we study the processes near the Galactic centre, which serves as a paradigm for low- luminosity galactic nuclei. The introductory part of the thesis is a brief review on the radio source Sagittarius A* in the Galactic centre and on its immediate surroundings. The main part of the thesis focuses on the hypothetical population of neutron stars that should be present in large numbers in this region. We analyse the predictions concerning the encounters of this observationally unexplored population with the ambient interstellar medium and we discuss the distribution of their interaction modes with respect to the parameters of the system. We find out that this distribution is strongly dependent on the density of the ambient medium, whereas only weakly dependent on its temperature. The effect of the prolongation of rotational period is negligible on the time-scale of about ten thousand years. In the second part, we predict the evolution of the high-eccentricity passages of clouds and dust- enshrouded stars (with pericentre distances at about 1000 Schwarzschild radii from the black hole). In all studied cases a major part of the matter is diverted from the original path. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

Understanding how diffuse molecular clouds at large scales (~10 pc) assemble mass into dense, star-forming cores at small scales (~ 0.1 pc) is crucial to building a holistic theory of star formation. While recent observations suggest that filaments play an important role in the mass assembly of dense cores, detailed gas kinematics studies are still lacking. My dissertation presents three innovative techniques that enable us to study star-forming filaments' complex gas kinematics in unprecedented detail: multi-component spectral fit, multi-dimensional filament identification, and membership assignment of velocity-coherent structures. Through these techniques, I analyzed star-forming filaments in the Perseus Molecular Cloud and unveiled unexpectedly complex velocity structures at scales where filaments are well resolved, to as low as the 0.01 pc scale. Moreover, the correlations I discovered between the various filament properties further suggest a scenario in which thermally supercritical filaments grow continuously via accretion from their surroundings while simultaneously forming cores through fragmentation along their lengths. / Graduate / 2022-01-08

In this thesis we present cloud-scale ALMA observations of two local mergers, NGC 3256 and NGC 4038/9 (the "Antennae"), in CO J=2-1. Through a pixel-based analysis of NGC 3256 we measure molecular-gas properties and compare to nearby spiral galaxies from the PHANGS-ALMA survey. NGC 3256 exhibits high mass surface densities, velocity dispersions, peak brightness temperatures, virial parameters, and internal turbulent pressures. High surface densities are expected to accompany its high star-formation rate, and high brightness temperatures may indicate warmer gas, heated by the vigorous star formation. Large virial parameters and internal pressures imply the molecular gas is not bound by self-gravity, but we explore how material external to clouds could alter this. We argue the molecular gas in NGC 3256 is smoother than in nearby spiral galaxies down to 55 pc. We also perform a cloud analysis of our NGC 3256 observations, identifying 185 clouds, and find similar results to the pixel analysis. We calculate additional cloud properties including eccentricity, CO luminosity, CO-estimated mass, virial mass, size-linewidth coefficient, and free-fall time. Properties in NGC 3256 are extreme compared to clouds from PHANGS-ALMA, including slightly larger clouds and shorter free-fall times. Cloud eccentricities in NGC 3256 are similar to those in PHANGS-ALMA galaxies, possibly indicating similar average cloud dynamical states. The shape of the cloud mass function in NGC 3256 is similar to many PHANGS-ALMA galaxies. Finally, we analyse our NGC 4038/9 observations using the same pixel methods as used in NGC 3256. NGC 4038/9 also harbours extreme molecular-gas properties and potentially smoother emission compared to spiral galaxies, but not as extreme as NGC 3256. We find the most-massive spiral galaxies have central molecular-gas properties similar to the mergers. Virial parameters in NGC 4038/9 are similar to many spiral galaxies, making it quite different from NGC 3256, potentially due to their different merger stages. Comparison of the overlap region of NGC 4038/9 in CO (2-1) to CO (3-2) shows general agreement. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This thesis primarily uses submillimetre molecular line data from HARP, a heterodyne array on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), to further investigate star formation in the Ophiuchus L1688 cloud. HARP was used to observe CO J = 3-2 isotopologues: 12CO, 13CO and C18O; and the dense gas tracer HCO+ J = 4-3. A method for calculating molecular line contamination in the SCUBA-2 450 and 850 μm dust continuum data was developed, which can be used to convert 12CO J =6-5and J =3-2 maps of integrated intensity (K km s−1) to molecular line flux (mJy beam−1) contaminating the continuum emission. Using HARP maps of 12CO J = 3-2, I quantified the amount of molecular line contamination found in the SCUBA-2 850 μm maps of three different regions, including NGC 1333 of Perseus and NGC 2071 and NGC 2024 of Orion B. Regions with ‘significant’ (i.e. > 20%) molecular line contamination correspond to molecular outflows. This method is now being used to remove molecular line contamination from regions with both SCUBA-2 dust continuum and HARP 12CO map coverage in the Gould Belt Legacy Survey (GBS). The Ophiuchus L1688 cloud was observed in all three CO J = 3-2 isotopologues. I carried out a molecular outflow analysis in the region on a list of 30 sources from the Spitzer ‘c2d’ survey [Evans et al., 2009]. Out of the 30 sources, 8 had confirmed bipolar outflows, 20 sources had ‘confused’ outflow detections and 2 sources did not have outflow detections. The Ophiuchus cloud was found to be gravitationally bound with the turbulent kinetic energy a factor of 7 lower than the gravitational binding energy. The high-velocity outflowing gas was found to be only 21% of the turbulence in the cloud, suggesting outflows are significant but not the dominant source of turbulence in the region. Other factors were found to influence the global high-velocity outflowing gas in addition to molecular outflows, including hot dust from nearby B-type stars, outflow remnants from less embedded sources and stellar winds from the Upper Scorpius OB association. To trace high density gas in the Ophiuchus L1688 cloud, HCO+ J = 4-3 was observed to further investigate the relationship between high column density and high density in the molecular cloud. Non-LTE codes RADEX and TORUS were used to develop density models corresponding to the HCO+ emission. The models involved both constant density and peaked density profiles. RADEX [van der Tak et al., 2007] models used a constant density model along the line-of-sight and indicated the HCO+ traced densities that were predominantly subthermally excited with den- sities ranging from 10^3–10^5 cm^−3. Line-of-sight estimates ranged from several parsecs to 90 pc, which was unrealistic for the Ophiuchus cloud. This lead to the implementation of peaked density profiles using the TORUS non-LTE radiative transfer code. Initial models used a ‘triangle’ density profile and a more complicated log-normal density probability density function (PDF) profile was subsequently implemented. Peaked density models were relatively successful at fitting the HCO+ data. Triangle models had density fits ranging from 0.2–2.0×10^6 cm^−3 and 0.1–0.3×10^6 cm^−3 for the 0.2 and 0.3 pc cloud length models re- spectively. Log-normal density models with constant-σ had peak density ranges from 0.2–1.0 ×10^5 cm^−3 and 0.6–2.0×10^5 cm^−3 for 0.2 and 0.3 pc models respectively. Similarly, log-normal models with varying-σ had lower and upper density limits corresponding to the range of FWHM velocities. Densities (lower and upper limits) ranged from 0.1–1.0 ×10^6 and 0.5–3.0 ×10^5 cm^-3 for the 0.2 and 0.3 pc models respectively. The result of the HCO+ density modelling indicated the distributions of starless, prestellar and protostellar cores do not have a preference for higher densities with respect to the rest of the cloud. This is contrary to past research suggesting the probability of finding a submillimetre core steeply rises as a function of column density (i.e. density; Belloche et al. 2011; Hatchell et al. 2005). Since the majority of sources are less embedded (i.e Class II/III), it is possible the evolutionary state of Ophiuchus is the main reason the small sample of Class 0/I protostars do not appear to have a preference for higher densities in the cloud.