scholarly journals Giant Molecular Clouds in M33. II. High‐Resolution Observations

2003 ◽  
Vol 599 (1) ◽  
pp. 258-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Rosolowsky ◽  
G. Engargiola ◽  
R. Plambeck ◽  
L. Blitz
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds

scholarly journals Molecules in the Magellanic Clouds

1991 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
pp. 415-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Booth ◽  
Th. De Graauw
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Large Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Magellanic Clouds ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
Interstellar Molecules ◽  
First Time ◽  
Excitation Conditions

In this short review we describe recent new observations of millimetre transitions of molecules in selected regions of the Magellanic Clouds. The observations were made using the Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope, SEST, (Booth et al. 1989), the relatively high resolution of which facilitates, for the first time, observations of individual giant molecular clouds in the Magellanic Clouds. We have mapped the distribution of the emission from the two lowest rotational transitions of 12CO and 13CO and hence have derived excitation conditions for the molecule. In addition, we have observed several well-known interstellar molecules in the same regions, thus doubling the number of known molecules in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The fact that all the observations have been made under controlled conditions with the same telescope enables a reasonable intercomparison of the molecular column densities. In particular, we are able to observe the relative abundances among the different isotopically substituted species of CO.

scholarly journals Molecular Superclouds in M51

1994 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 353-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Tosaki ◽  
R. Kawabe ◽  
Y. Taniguchi
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Spiral Galaxies ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds

Recently, it has been shown that some of nearby spiral galaxies have very massive (107-8Mʘ) and large (several 100 pc - ~ 1 kpc) molecular gas clouds (M51: Rand & Kulkarni 1990; NGC1068: Planesas et al. 1991). Since these clouds are significantly more massive and larger than those of so-called Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs) found in our Galaxy, they are called Molecular Super-clouds (Rand & Kulkarni 1990; hereafter MSCs). In order to study observational properties of MSCs, we present the results of high-resolution (4”) 12CO(J=1-0) mosaic mapping of central 2.’5 region of the Sbc galaxy M51 using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array (NMA). Our main results are summarized in the followings (Tosaki, Kawabe & Taniguchi 1992).

scholarly journals Galactic star formation in parsec-scale resolution simulations

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (S270) ◽  
pp. 487-490
Author(s):  
Leila C. Powell ◽  
Frederic Bournaud ◽  
Damien Chapon ◽  
Julien Devriendt ◽  
Adrianne Slyz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
Gas Distribution ◽  
Computational Problem ◽  
Cold Gas

AbstractThe interstellar medium (ISM) in galaxies is multiphase and cloudy, with stars forming in the very dense, cold gas found in Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs). Simulating the evolution of an entire galaxy, however, is a computational problem which covers many orders of magnitude, so many simulations cannot reach densities high enough or temperatures low enough to resolve this multiphase nature. Therefore, the formation of GMCs is not captured and the resulting gas distribution is smooth, contrary to observations. We investigate how star formation (SF) proceeds in simulated galaxies when we obtain parsec-scale resolution and more successfully capture the multiphase ISM. Both major mergers and the accretion of cold gas via filaments are dominant contributors to a galaxy's total stellar budget and we examine SF at high resolution in both of these contexts.

scholarly journals Degree scale high resolution mapping of CO J=2-1 and 3-2 in giant molecular clouds

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (S237) ◽  
pp. 463-463
Author(s):  
W. L. Peters ◽  
J. H. Bieging ◽  
C. E. Groppi ◽  
C. A. Kulesa ◽  
C. K. Walker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
High Resolution Mapping ◽  
University Of Arizona ◽  
First Results ◽  
Heinrich Hertz ◽  
Resolution Mapping ◽  
The University

AbstractWe present the first results from a project to map Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs) in the 12CO J=2-1, 13CO J=2-1, and 12CO J=3-2 lines using the Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope (HHT) at the University of Arizona. We mapped nearly 2.5 sq. deg of W3 and 1.0 sq. deg of W51 in the J=2-1 lines. We have begun mapping in the J=3-2 line. We achieve angular resolutions of 33″ and 24″ in the J=2-1 and J=3-2 lines with 1.3 and 0.9 km s−1 resolution.

Formation of Giant Molecular Clouds Associated with Spiral Structure

1991 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guoxuan Song
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Mass Spectrum ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Numerical Integration ◽  
Molecular Hydrogen ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Spiral Galaxies ◽  
Spiral Structure ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
Co Emission

AbstractMolecular hydrogen in spiral galaxies is distributed in clumps, i.e., molecular clouds, which have mass between 103M⊙ and 106M⊙ and a mass spectrum of n(m) ∝ m−1.6. Molecular clouds with masses greater than 105M⊙, are called giant molecular clouds (GMCs). It is generally accepted that GMCs are formed by the coalescence of molecular clouds through their collision. This process is studied by both numerical simulation and numerical integration. The observation with high resolution identified a great number of CO emission cores in galaxies. Based on this result, the aggregation or clustering formation of GMCs is numerically simulated. In the process of either coalescence or clustering, spiral perturbation plays an important role.

scholarly journals Effects of initial density profiles on massive star cluster formation in giant molecular clouds

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingtian Chen ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Mark Vogelsberger
Keyword(s):  
Angular Momentum ◽  
Star Formation ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Globular Clusters ◽  
Cluster Formation ◽  
Initial Density ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Stellar Feedback ◽  
Gas Accretion

Abstract We perform a suite of hydrodynamic simulations to investigate how initial density profiles of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) affect their subsequent evolution. We find that the star formation duration and integrated star formation efficiency of the whole clouds are not sensitive to the choice of different profiles but are mainly controlled by the interplay between gravitational collapse and stellar feedback. Despite this similarity, GMCs with different profiles show dramatically different modes of star formation. For shallower profiles, GMCs first fragment into many self-gravitation cores and form sub-clusters that distributed throughout the entire clouds. These sub-clusters are later assembled ‘hierarchically’ to central clusters. In contrast, for steeper profiles, a massive cluster is quickly formed at the center of the cloud and then gradually grows its mass via gas accretion. Consequently, central clusters that emerged from clouds with shallower profiles are less massive and show less rotation than those with the steeper profiles. This is because 1) a significant fraction of mass and angular momentum in shallower profiles is stored in the orbital motion of the sub-clusters that are not able to merge into the central clusters 2) frequent hierarchical mergers in the shallower profiles lead to further losses of mass and angular momentum via violent relaxation and tidal disruption. Encouragingly, the degree of cluster rotations in steeper profiles is consistent with recent observations of young and intermediate-age clusters. We speculate that rotating globular clusters are likely formed via an ‘accretion’ mode from centrally-concentrated clouds in the early Universe.

scholarly journals The Ballistic Particle Model

1983 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
pp. 133-134
Author(s):  
Frank N. Bash
Keyword(s):  
Radial Velocity ◽  
Gravitational Potential ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Milky Way ◽  
Terminal Velocity ◽  
Particle Model ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
Spiral Pattern ◽  
Armed Spiral

Bash and Peters (1976) suggested that giant molecular clouds (GMC's) can be viewed as ballistic particles launched from the two-armed spiral-shock (TASS) wave with orbits influenced only by the overall galactic gravitational potential perturbed by the spiral gravitational potential in the arms. For GMC's in the Milky Way, the model predicts that the radial velocity observed from the Sun increases with age (time since launch). We showed that the terminal velocity of CO observed from l ≃ 30° to l ≃ 60° can be understood if all GMC's are born in the spiral pattern given by Yuan (1969) and live 30 × 106 yrs. Older GMC's were predicted to have radial velocities which exceed observed terminal velocities.

scholarly journals Evidence of a population of dark subhaloes from Gaia and Pan-STARRS observations of the GD-1 stream

2021 ◽  
Vol 502 (2) ◽  
pp. 2364-2380
Author(s):  
Nilanjan Banik ◽  
Jo Bovy ◽  
Gianfranco Bertone ◽  
Denis Erkal ◽  
T J L de Boer
Keyword(s):  
Dark Matter ◽  
Mass Fraction ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Globular Clusters ◽  
Cold Dark Matter ◽  
Joint Analysis ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
Total Abundance ◽  
Hydrodynamical Simulation ◽  
Stellar Density

ABSTRACT New data from the Gaia satellite, when combined with accurate photometry from the Pan-STARRS survey, allow us to accurately estimate the properties of the GD-1 stream. Here, we analyse the stellar density variations in the GD-1 stream and show that they cannot be due to known baryonic structures such as giant molecular clouds, globular clusters, or the Milky Way’s bar or spiral arms. A joint analysis of the GD-1 and Pal 5 streams instead requires a population of dark substructures with masses ≈107–$10^9 \ \rm {M}_{\odot }$. We infer a total abundance of dark subhaloes normalized to standard cold dark matter $n_{\rm sub}/n_{\rm sub, CDM} = 0.4 ^{+0.3}_{-0.2}$ (68 per cent), which corresponds to a mass fraction contained in the subhaloes $f_{\rm {sub}} = 0.14 ^{+0.11}_{-0.07} {{\ \rm per\ cent}}$, compatible with the predictions of hydrodynamical simulation of cold dark matter with baryons.

scholarly journals The global star formation law: from dense cores to extreme starbursts

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (S237) ◽  
pp. 331-335
Author(s):  
Yu Gao
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Linear Correlation ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
High Redshift ◽  
Gas Content ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
Active Star ◽  
Dense Cores ◽  
The Galaxy

AbstractActive star formation (SF) is tightly related to the dense molecular gas in the giant molecular clouds' dense cores. Our HCN (measure of the dense molecular gas) survey in 65 galaxies (including 10 ultraluminous galaxies) reveals a tight linear correlation between HCN and IR (SF rate) luminosities, whereas the correlation between IR and CO (measure of the total molecular gas) luminosities is nonlinear. This suggests that the global SF rate depends more intimately upon the amount of dense molecular gas than the total molecular gas content. This linear relationship extends to both the dense cores in the Galaxy and the hyperluminous extreme starbursts at high-redshift. Therefore, the global SF law in dense gas appears to be linear all the way from dense cores to extreme starbursts, spanning over nine orders of magnitude in IR luminosity.

scholarly journals Major impact from a minor merger

2018 ◽  
Vol 615 ◽  
pp. A122 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. König ◽  
S. Aalto ◽  
S. Muller ◽  
J. S. Gallagher III ◽  
R. J. Beswick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Brightness Temperature ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Transfer Model ◽  
Dense Gas ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
Minor Mergers ◽  
Co Emission

Context. Minor mergers are important processes contributing significantly to how galaxies evolve across the age of the Universe. Their impact on the growth of supermassive black holes and star formation is profound – about half of the star formation activity in the local Universe is the result of minor mergers. Aims. The detailed study of dense molecular gas in galaxies provides an important test of the validity of the relation between star formation rate and HCN luminosity on different galactic scales – from whole galaxies to giant molecular clouds in their molecular gas-rich centers. Methods. We use observations of HCN and HCO+ 1−0 with NOEMA and of CO3−2 with the SMA to study the properties of the dense molecular gas in the Medusa merger (NGC 4194) at 1′′ resolution. In particular, we compare the distribution of these dense gas tracers with CO2−1 high-resolution maps in the Medusa merger. To characterize gas properties, we calculate the brightness temperature ratios between the three tracers and use them in conjunction with a non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) radiative line transfer model. Results. The gas represented by HCN and HCO+ 1−0, and CO3−2 does not occupy the same structures as the less dense gas associated with the lower-J CO emission. Interestingly, the only emission from dense gas is detected in a 200 pc region within the “Eye of the Medusa”, an asymmetric 500 pc off-nuclear concentration of molecular gas. Surprisingly, no HCN or HCO+ is detected for the extended starburst of the Medusa merger. Additionally, there are only small amounts of HCN or HCO+ associated with the active galactic nucleus. The CO3−2/2−1 brightness temperature ratio inside “the Eye” is ~2.5 – the highest ratio found so far – implying optically thin CO emission. The CO2−1/HCN 1−0 (~9.8) and CO2−1/HCO+ 1−0 (~7.9) ratios show that the dense gas filling factor must be relatively high in the central region, consistent with the elevated CO3−1/2−1 ratio. Conclusions. The line ratios reveal an extreme, fragmented molecular cloud population inside the Eye with large bulk temperatures (T > 300 K) and high gas densities (n(H2) > 104 cm-3). This is very different from the cool, self-gravitating structures of giant molecular clouds normally found in the disks of galaxies. The Eye of the Medusa is found at an interface between a large-scale minor axis inflow and the central region of the Medusa. Hence, the extreme conditions inside the Eye may be the result of the radiative and mechanical feedback from a deeply embedded, young and massive super star cluster formed due to the gas pile-up at the intersection. Alternatively, shocks from the inflowing gas entering the central region of the Medusa may be strong enough to shock and fragment the gas. For both scenarios, however, it appears that the HCN and HCO+ dense gas tracers are not probing star formation, but instead a post-starburst and/or shocked ISM that is too hot and fragmented to form newstars. Thus, caution is advised in taking the detection of emission from dense gas tracers as evidence of ongoing or imminent star formation.

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