Inefficient star formation: The combined effects of magnetic fields and radiative feedback

Abstract

We investigate the effects of magnetic fields and radiative protostellar feedback on the star formation process using self-gravitating radiation magnetohydrodynamical calculations. We present results from a series of calculations of the collapse of 50 M⊙ molecular clouds with various magnetic field strengths and with and without radiative transfer. We find that both magnetic fields and radiation have a dramatic impact on star formation, though the two effects are in many ways complementary. Magnetic fields primarily provide support on large scales to low-density gas, whereas radiation is found to strongly suppress small-scale fragmentation by increasing the temperature in the high-density material near the protostars. With strong magnetic fields and radiative feedback, the net result is an inefficient star formation process with a star formation rate of ≲10 per cent per free-fall time that approaches the observed rate, although we have only been able to follow the calculations for 1/3 of a free-fall time beyond the onset of star formation. © 2009 RAS.