The Link Between Turbulence, Magnetic Fields, Filaments, And Star Formation In The Central Molecular Zone Cloud G0.253+0.016

Abstract

© 2016. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.Star formation is primarily controlled by the interplay between gravity, turbulence, and magnetic fields. However, the turbulence and magnetic fields in molecular clouds near the Galactic center may differ substantially compared to spiral-arm clouds. Here we determine the physical parameters of the central molecular zone (CMZ) cloud G0.253+0.016, its turbulence, magnetic field, and filamentary structure. Using column density maps based on dust-continuum emission observations with ALMA+Herschel, we identify filaments and show that at least one dense core is located along them. We measure the filament width and the sonic scale of the turbulence, and find Wfil ˜ ?sonic. A strong velocity gradient is seen in the HNCO intensity-weighted velocity maps obtained with ALMA+Mopra. The gradient is likely caused by large-scale shearing of G0.253+0.016, producing a wide double-peaked velocity probability distribution function (PDF). After subtracting the gradient to isolate the turbulent motions, we find a nearly Gaussian velocity PDF typical for turbulence. We measure the total and turbulent velocity dispersion, 8.8 ± 0.2 km s-1 and 3.9 ± 0.1 km s-1, respectively. Using magnetohydrodynamical turbulence simulations, we find that G0.253+0.016's turbulent magnetic Bturb = 130 ± 50 µG is only ? 1/10 only of the ordered field component. Combining these measurements, we reconstruct the dominant turbulence driving mode in G0.253+0.016 and find a driving parameter of b = 0.22 ± 0.12, indicating solenoidal (divergence-free) driving. We compare this to spiral-arm clouds, which typically have a significant compressive (curl-free) driving component (b > 0.4). Motivated by previous reports of strong shearing motions in the CMZ, we speculate that shear causes the solenoidal driving in G0.253+0.016 and show that this reduces the star-formation rate by a factor of 6.9 compared to typical nearby clouds.