Reviewing Molecular Clouds

The star formation process involves a wide range of spatial scales, densities and temperatures. Herschel observations of the cold and low density molecular gas extending tens of parsecs, that constitutes the bulk of the molecular clouds of the Milky Way, have shown a network of dense structures in the shape of filaments. These filaments supposedly condense into higher density clumps to form individual stars or stellar clusters. The study of the kinematics of the filaments through single-dish observations suggests the presence of gas flows along the filaments, oscillatory motions due to gravity infall, and the existence of substructure inside filaments that may be threaded by twisted fibers. A few molecular clouds have been mapped with interferometric resolutions bringing more insight into the filament structure. Compression due to large-scale supersonic flows is the preferred mechanism to explain filament formation although the exact nature of the filaments, their origin and evolution are still not well understood. Determining the turbulence drivers behind the origin of the filaments, the relative importance of turbulence, gravity and magnetic fields on regulating the filament structure and evolution, and providing detailed insight on the substructure inside the filaments are among the current open questions in this research area