{
  "abstract": "Molecular clouds are often described as self-similar structures, although spatially averaged measures do not retain local variations in density scaling. We use the density exponent $κ_ρ$ ($ρ\\propto r^{κ_ρ}$) to characterize the density structure of the Integral Shaped Filament (ISF) in Orion\\,A. Applying the Multiscale Decomposition Reconstruction method to the Herschel column-density map, we find distinct density--scale relations across the connected filament. Their slopes steepen from $κ_ρ\\approx -1.7$ to $-1.9$ in the quiescent OMC-4/5 regions, through $\\approx -2.1$ in the star-forming OMC-2/3, to $\\approx -2.3$ in OMC-1, which hosts massive star formation. The ISF therefore does not follow a single local density-scaling exponent but exhibits multi-fractal density scaling. The pixel-level distributions show the same progression toward higher volume density and more negative $κ_ρ$. Since $κ_ρ$ measures the concentration of gas toward smaller scales, we interpret this sequence as gravity-driven differential collapse: denser regions have shorter free-fall times and develop steeper density profiles. Longitudinal gas motions toward OMC-1 may limit the mass supply available for large-scale growth in the outer sub-regions and help maintain the observed range of local exponents. These results link local density scaling to gravitational concentration within a single connected filamentary system.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2609.24319",
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Mengke Zhao"
    },
    {
      "name": "Guang-Xing Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Keping Qiu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Guangya Zeng"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5v1m3zwpge3cq.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2609.24319",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "5v1m3zwpge3cq",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.24319",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "astro-ph.GA"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3103|Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214014558",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.24319",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-21",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5v1m3zwpge3cq.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:23:19Z",
      "native_id": "2609.24319",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.24319"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "astronomy",
      "origin": "arxiv:astro-ph.GA",
      "subfield": "galaxies"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Gravity-driven Emergence of Multi-fractal Density Structure in the Orion A Integral Shaped Filament",
  "title_text": "Gravity-driven Emergence of Multi-fractal Density Structure in the Orion A Integral Shaped Filament",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:23:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5v1m3zwpge3cq",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}