Prolate cores in filamentary molecular clouds

We present a new model of molecular cloud cores that originate from filamentary clouds that are threaded by helical magnetic fields. Only modest toroidal fields are required to produce elongated cores, with intrinsic axis ratios in the range 0.1 ≲ q ≲ 0.9 and mean projected axis ratios in the range 0.2 ≲ 〈p〉 ≲ 1. Thus many of our models are in good agreement with the observed shapes of cores, such as those of Myers et al. and Ryden, which find …