Dr. Felipe De Oliveira Alves

Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Germany

Growing stars and planets in the furrows of Barnard 59

Abstract: Recent observations at different evolutionary stages of protostellar evolution have revealed the presence of accretion streamers from cloud cores to disk scales. Such streamers play a critical role on the chemistry and dynamics of protoplanetary disks, and on planet formation. In this talk, I will present our observations of Barnard 59 (B59), the only site of star formation in the otherwise quiescent and magnetized Pipe molecular cloud. Its large reservoir of mass feeds a cluster of young stellar objects (YSO) of distinct ages. ALMA observations revealed accretion streamers surrounding these objects, irrespective of their ages. While some of these streamers are seen in connection with a growing binary system (the “cosmic pretzel” [BHB2007] 11), others were observed infalling into a protoplanetary disk, showing that accretion is continuing for times longer than previously thought, affecting the evolution of the future planetary system. At larger scales, the core itself is nurtured by a filament that is disrupting the cloud magnetic field, as also observed recently in other star-forming regions. I will discuss the self-similar aspect of accretion in B59 and its implications in the distinct environments.