  We compare the statistical properties of J=1-0 13CO spectra observed in the
Perseus Molecular Cloud with synthetic J=1-0 13CO spectra, computed solving the
non-LTE radiative transfer problem for a model cloud obtained as solutions of
the three dimensional magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) equations. The model cloud is
a randomly forced super-Alfvenic and highly super-sonic turbulent isothermal
flow.
  The purpose of the present work is to test if idealized turbulent flows,
without self-gravity, stellar radiation, stellar outflows, or any other effect
of star formation, are inconsistent or not with statistical properties of star
forming molecular clouds.
  We present several statistical results that demonstrate remarkable similarity
between real data and the synthetic cloud. Statistical properties of molecular
clouds like Perseus are appropriately described by random super-sonic and
super-Alfvenic MHD flows. Although the description of gravity and stellar
radiation are essential to understand the formation of single protostars and
the effects of star formation in the cloud dynamics, the overall description of
the cloud and of the initial conditions for star formation can apparently be
provided on intermediate scales without accounting for gravity, stellar
radiation, and a detailed modeling of stellar outflows.
  We also show that the relation between equivalent line width and integrated
antenna temperature indicates the presence of a relatively strong magnetic
field in the core B1, in agreement with Zeeman splitting measurements.
