Influence of protostellar outflows on star and protoplanetary disk formation in a massive star-forming clump

Context. Due to the presence of magnetic fields, protostellar jets or outflows are a natural consequence of accretion onto protostars. They are expected to play an important role in star and protoplanetary disk formation.
Aims: We aim to determine the influence of outflows on star and protoplanetary disk formation in star-forming clumps.
Methods: Using RAMSES, we performed the first magnetohydrodynamics calculation of massive star-forming clumps with ambipolar diffusion; radiative transfer, including the radiative feedback of protostars; and protostellar outflows while systematically resolving the disk scales. We compared this simulation to a model without outflows.
Results: We found that protostellar outflows have a significant impact on both star and disk formation. They provide a significant amount of additional kinetic energy to the clump, with typical velocities of around a few 10 km s⁻¹; impact the clump and disk temperatures; reduce the accretion rate onto the protostars; and enhance fragmentation in the filaments. We found that they promote a more numerous stellar population. They do not impact the low-mass end of the IMF much, which is probably controlled by the mass of the first Larson core; however, they have an influence on its peak and high-mass end.
Conclusions: Protostellar outflows appear to have a significant influence on both star and disk formation and should therefore be included in realistic simulations of star-forming environments.