A sub-parsec resolution simulation of the Milky Way: global structure of the interstellar medium and properties of molecular clouds
- Author(s)
- F. Renaud, F. Bournaud, E. Emsellem, B. Elmegreen, R. Teyssier, J. Alves, D. Chapon, F. Combes, A. Dekel, J. Gabor, P. Hennebelle, K. Kraljic
- Abstract
We present a self-consistent hydrodynamical simulation of a Milky
Way-like galaxy at a resolution of 0.05 pc. The model includes star
formation and a new implementation of stellar feedback through
photoionization, radiative pressure and supernovae. The simulation
resolves the structure of the interstellar medium at sub-parsec
resolution for a few cloud lifetimes and at 0.05 pc for about a
cloud-crossing time. The turbulence cascade and gravitation from kpc
scales are de facto included in smaller structures like molecular
clouds. We show that the formation of a bar influences the dynamics of
the central ˜100 pc by creating resonances. At larger radii, the
spiral arms host the formation of regularly spaced clouds: beads on a
string and spurs. These instabilities pump turbulent energy into the
gas, generally in the supersonic regime. Because of asymmetric drift,
the supernovae explode outside their gaseous nursery, which diminishes
the effect of feedback on the structure of clouds. The evolution of
clouds is thus mostly due to fragmentation and gas consumption,
regulated mainly by supersonic turbulence. The transition from
turbulence-supported to self-gravitating gas is detected in the gas
density probability distribution function at ˜2000
cm-3. The power-spectrum density suggests that gravitation
governs the hierarchical organization of structures from the galactic
scale down to a few pc.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Astrophysics
- External organisation(s)
- European Southern Observatory (Germany), Université Paris VII - Paris-Diderot, Université Claude-Bernard-Lyon-I, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, Universität Zürich (UZH), Université de recherche Paris Sciences et Lettres, Hebrew University Jerusalem
- Journal
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Volume
- 436
- Pages
- 1836-1851
- No. of pages
- 16
- ISSN
- 0035-8711
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stt1698
- Publication date
- 12-2013
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 103004 Astrophysics, 103003 Astronomy
- Keywords
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/4ddcc078-24a6-4d56-87f6-101d1b46833c