Issue |
EAS Publications Series
Volume 62, 2013
Role and Mechanisms of Angular Momentum Transport During the Formation and Early Evolution of Stars Evry Schatzman School 2012
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Page(s) | 25 - 66 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/eas/1362002 | |
Published online | 27 September 2013 |
P. Hennebelle and C. Charbonnel (eds)
EAS Publications Series, 62 (2013) 25–66
Observation of rotation in star forming regions: clouds, cores, disks, and jets
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany
Angular momentum plays a crucial role in the formation of stars and planets. It has long been noticed that parcels of gas in molecular clouds need to reduce their specific angular momentum by 6 to 7 orders of magnitude to participate in the building of a typical star like the Sun. Several physical processes on different scales and at different stages of evolution can contribute to this loss of angular momentum. In order to set constraints on these processes and better understand this transfer of angular momentum, a detailed observational census and characterization of rotation at all stages of evolution and over all scales of star forming regions is necessary. This review presents the main results obtained in low-mass star forming regions over the past four decades in this field of research. It addresses the search and characterization of rotation in molecular clouds, prestellar and protostellar cores, circumstellar disks, and jets. Perspectives offered by ALMA are briefly discussed.
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2013