Dynamics of molecular clouds on the Galactic scale

Details Dynamics of molecular clouds on the Galactic scale Dynamics of molecular clouds on the Galactic scale

Jan 1994

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994ap%26ss.211..127k&link_type=abstract

Astrophysics and Space Science (ISSN 0004-640X), vol. 211, no. 1, p. 127-154

Statistics

Computation

6

Axisymmetric Bodies, Disk Galaxies, Gravitational Fields, Magnetic Fields, Molecular Clouds, Collisions, Computation, Computerized Simulation, Spheres, Three Dimensional Models

Scientific paper

We have carried out an extensive investigation into the dynamics of the molecular clouds in the disk of the Galaxy. We have used both computational methods and physical arguments to try to understand how the ensemble of molecular clouds interacts, how the clouds are affected by the gravitational field of the Galaxy and also the circumstances under which they can aggregate into giant molecular clouds (GMC's). The dynamical model is three dimensional and consists of 120,000 spherical clouds, each having a mass of 104 solar mass. It allows for the mutual gravitation between clouds, up to a cut-off distance; when two clouds collide they rebound, with a specified coefficient of restitution e. We have also developed a physically more realistic model for a cloud, supported by a magnetic field, and used it to select a suitable range of values for e. Our first paper deals with the case of an axially symmetrical galaxy. The clouds are distributed initially in a disk extending 100 pc on either side of the Galactic plane. As it evolves the system of clouds loses energy, and the disk grows thinner at a rate which depends on the value of e. GMC's start to form once the disk is thin enough. We believe this result to be valid more generally, and that it holds also in models with spiral structure.

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