Rotation in molecular clouds

As a consequence, we show that trends in specific angular momentum J/M and angular velocity {Omega} are inconsistent with certain models of isothermal, non-magnetic cloud rotation. Similarly, models of rotation which invoke turbulent vorticity may have only limited applicability to clumps and condensations.

There is evidence to favour an important role for rotation in maintaining the stability of disks, larger cloud structures, and perhaps a large fraction of intermediate sized clouds, whilst rotation may also be implicated in maintaining observed departures from cloud sphericity.