Formation of Fluctuations in the Molecular Slab via Isobaric Thermal Instability

Abstract

The frictional heating by ion-neutral drift is calculated and its effect on isobaric thermal instability is carried out. Ambipolar drift heating of one-dimensional self-gravitating magnetized molecular slab is used under the assumptions of quasi-magnetohydrostatic and local ionization equilibrium. We see that ambipolar drift heating is inversely proportional to density and its value in some regions of the slab can be significantly larger than the average heating rates of cosmic rays and turbulent motions. The results show that the isobaric thermal instability can occur in some regions of the slab; therefore it may produce the slab fragmentation and formation of the AU-scale condensations.