Abstract

GONZALEZ, R. F.; RAGA, A. C.  and  STEFFEN, W.. Numerical simulations of the fragmentation of photoevaporating nonuniform clumps. Rev. mex. astron. astrofis [online]. 2005, vol.41, n.2, pp.443-451. ISSN 0185-1101.

In this paper, we present 3D gasdynamical simulations of the interaction of nonuniform clumps with an external (plane-parallel) ionizing photon flux. We show that, as a consequence of the initial density stratification that we assumed for the clump, multiple condensations are produced as the clump is photoevaporated. We also show that, in models where the peaks and valleys of the density variability are aligned with the photon flux, this fragmentation is more important and, with an adequate amplitude and wavelength of the density variability, the ionizing photons can produce hollows in the clump before it is completely photoevaporated. However, we do not obtain a division of the original clump into smaller clumps.

Keywords : ISM [H II Region]; ISM [Kinematics and dynamics]; ISM [Planetary nebulae].