Magnetic fields during the early stages of massive star formation – II. A generalized outflow criterion

Numerical simulations of outflows formed during the collapse of 100-M⊙ cloud cores are presented. We derive a generalized criterion from magnetohydrodynamical wind theory to analyse the launching mechanism of these outflows. The criterion is successfully applied to the whole outflow structure and cases with sub-Keplerian disc rotation. It allows us to decide whether an outflow is driven centrifugally or by the toroidal magnetic pressure. We …