Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2004-02-27
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Habilitation Thesis at Potsdam University, 154 pages, full resolution copy available in pdf format at http://pub.ub.uni-pots
Scientific paper
(ABBREVIATED) Understanding the formation of stars in galaxies is central to much of modern astrophysics. In this review the relation between interstellar turbulence and star formation is discussed. Supersonic turbulence can provide support against gravitational collapse on global scales, while at the same time it produces localized density enhancements that allow for collapse on small scales. The efficiency and timescale of stellar birth in Galactic gas clouds strongly depend on the properties of the interstellar turbulent velocity field, with slow, inefficient, isolated star formation being a hallmark of turbulent support, and fast, efficient, clustered star formation occurring in its absence. Star formation on scales of galaxies as a whole is expected to be controlled by the balance between gravity andturbulence, just like star formation on scales of individual interstellar gas clouds, but may be modulated by additional effects like cooling and differential rotation. The dominant mechanism for driving interstellar turbulence in star-forming regions of galactic disks appears to be supernovae explosions. In the outer disk of our Milky Way or in low-surface brightness galaxies the coupling of rotation to the gas through magnetic fields or gravity may become important.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Relation between Interstellar Turbulence and Star Formation does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Relation between Interstellar Turbulence and Star Formation, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Relation between Interstellar Turbulence and Star Formation will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-293687