The impact of magnetic fields on the chemical evolution of the supernova-driven ISM
Abstract: We present three-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamical simulations of the self-gravitating interstellar medium (ISM) in a periodic (256 pc)3 box with a mean number density of 0.5 cm−3. At a fixed supernova rate we investigate the multi-phase ISM structure, H2 molecule formation and density-ma...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2017
|
| In: |
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Year: 2016, Volume: 465, Issue: 4, Pages: 4611-4633 |
| ISSN: | 1365-2966 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/mnras/stw3071 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw3071 Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/465/4/4611/2608772 
|
| Author Notes: | A. Pardi, P. Girichidis, T. Naab, S. Walch, T. Peters, F. Heitsch, S.C.O. Glover, R S. Klessen, R. Wünsch and A. Gatto |
| Summary: | Abstract: We present three-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamical simulations of the self-gravitating interstellar medium (ISM) in a periodic (256 pc)3 box with a mean number density of 0.5 cm−3. At a fixed supernova rate we investigate the multi-phase ISM structure, H2 molecule formation and density-magnetic field scaling for varying initial magnetic field strengths (0, 6 × 10−3, 0.3, 3 μG). All magnetic runs saturate at mass-weighted field strengths of ∼1-3 μG but the ISM structure is notably different. With increasing initial field strengths (from 6 × 10−3 to 3 μG) the simulations develop an ISM with a more homogeneous density and temperature structure, with increasing mass (from 5 to 85 per cent) and volume filling fractions (VFFs; from 4 to 85 per cent) of warm (300 < T < 8000 K) gas, with decreasing VFFs from ∼35 to ∼12 per cent of hot gas (T > 105 K) and with a decreasing H2 mass fraction (from 70 to < 1 per cent). Meanwhile, the mass fraction of gas in which the magnetic pressure dominates over the thermal pressure increases by a factor of 10, from 0.07 for an initial field of 6 × 10−3 μG to 0.7 for a 3 μG initial field. In all but the simulations with the highest initial field strength self-gravity promotes the formation of dense gas and H2, but does not change any other trends. We conclude that magnetic fields have a significant impact on the multi-phase, chemical and thermal structure of the ISM and discuss potential implications and limitations of the model. |
|---|---|
| Item Description: | Published: 29 November 2016 Gesehen am 07.06.2018 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1365-2966 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/mnras/stw3071 |