Turbulent mixing layers in supersonic protostellar outflows, with application to DG Tauri

Turbulent entrainment processes may play an important role in the outflows from young stellar objects at all stages of their evolution. In particular, lateral entrainment of ambient material by high-velocity, well-collimated protostellar jets may be the cause of the multiple emission-line velocity c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors White, Marc C, Bicknell, Geoffrey V, Sutherland, Ralph S, Salmeron, Raquel, McGregor, Peter J
Format Paper
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 05.10.2015
Subjects
Collimation
Emission
Energy dissipation
Entrainment
Luminosity
Microjets
Mixing layers (fluids)
Outflow
Protostars
Stellar evolution
Stellar winds
T Tauri stars
Turbulent mixing
Velocity
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Summary:Turbulent entrainment processes may play an important role in the outflows from young stellar objects at all stages of their evolution. In particular, lateral entrainment of ambient material by high-velocity, well-collimated protostellar jets may be the cause of the multiple emission-line velocity components observed in the microjet-scale outflows driven by classical T Tauri stars. Intermediate-velocity outflow components may be emitted by a turbulent, shock- excited mixing layer along the boundaries of the jet. We present a formalism for describing such a mixing layer based on Reynolds decomposition of quantities measuring fundamental properties of the gas. In this model, the molecular wind from large disc radii provides a continual supply of material for entrainment. We calculate the total stress profile in the mixing layer, which allows us to estimate the dissipation of turbulent energy, and hence the luminosity of the layer. We utilize MAPPINGS IV shock models to determine the fraction of total emission that occurs in [Fe II] 1.644 {\mu}m line emission in order to facilitate comparison to previous observations of the young stellar object DG Tauri. Our model accurately estimates the luminosity and changes in mass outflow rate of the intermediate-velocity component of the DG Tau approaching outflow. Therefore, we propose that this component represents a turbulent mixing layer surrounding the well-collimated jet in this object. Finally, we compare and contrast our model to previous work in the field.
ISSN:2331-8422